VIENNA KNOW-HOW Urban Technologies and Strategies
How do you know what will happen in
10,000 years? more on page 4
Why are people in Vienna “ripe for the island�? more on page 8
Why does Vienna treasure its garbage? more on page 12
Why is Vienna cool in the summer and warm in the winter? more on page 16
Why are there two cities in Vienna? more on page 20
Gross economic product for Vienna per inhabitant (2006): 41,500 Euro Automobile ownership per 1,000 inhabitants (2008): 389
Metro railway network (2010): 74.6 kilometres Projected population growth by 2030: +13 percent
VIENNA KNOW-HOW Area: 415 square kilometres Population (2008): 1,7 million
Public transport person trips (Wiener Linien, 2008): 804 million
Tramway network (2010): 215 kilometres
Vienna’s Municipal Budget (2008): 11.1 billion Euro
Greenspace and water surface as a percentage of city area: 53 percent
Source: Statistisches Jahrbuch der Stadt Wien (the City of Vienna’s annual data report), 2009.
Cities are fertile ground for an artist’s imagination, providing space for observation and reflection, occasions for memories and dreams. Robert Weber’s paintings embody these qualities, illustrating the complex dialogue of impressions inherent in a thriving metropolis. His “Wiener Geschichten” series tells stories, stories making us conscious of the city around us: packed full with possibility and potential.
Weber’s “Alte Liebe” tells how changing perspective can reveal a clear path into the future. To the painting’s subject, an inquisitive walker seeking promising routes thorough the city’s streets and squares, the important objectives are quite clear: safety and cleanliness, nature and culture. One quality intertwined with the next. Suddenly we feel enthusiasm and passion – recognizing that we are experiencing feelings shared by those creating and implementing strategies designed to improve the city’s quality of life and sustainability. Now you sense this city’s energy, would you like to discover its secrets and strengths? Here and now – welcome to Vienna.
Cover painting: “Alte Liebe” (Old Love) by Robert Weber, from his series “Wiener Geschichten” (Vienna Stories).
Know-how: The slogan, “Wien ist anders” (Vienna is different), is internationally recognized as capturing the spirit of Vienna. In truth however, much in Vienna is exactly what people everywhere want and expect from their city: Vienna is liveable, Vienna is safe, Vienna is clean, Vienna is green.
Vienna’s difference is in how these qualities are implemented and sustained. The city government, municipal departments and public enterprises are focused on providing comprehensive and highly integrated public services; the knowledge, operating practices and coordination used to successfully provide these services is the fundamental asset for a modern city.
In the following pages we invite you to stroll through Vienna paying particular attention to some of the city’s innovative urban technologies and strategies. Just as Robert Weber’s “Wiener Geschichten” series presents Vienna in a new perspective, we hope that this new awareness changes your perspective by illustrating how focused, responsible and coordinated action by Vienna’s public agencies has created one of the world’s most liveable and sustainable cities out of the complex organism that constitutes a modern metropolis.
TINA VIENNA has developed this brochure in its role as an international information hub for the City of Vienna on urban and environmental technologies. We are happy to provide you with more information on the practical, well-tested and innovative urban technologies and strategies that make a significant contribution to Vienna’s high quality of life. … more about TINA VIENNA on page 49
Urban Technologies and Strategies
CONTENT
Vienna’s Knowledge
01
Water
page 04
02
Environment
page 08
03
Waste
page 12
04
Energy
page 16
05
Urban scapes
page 20
06
Mobility
page 24
07
Communication
page 28
08
Real Estate
page 32
09
Safety
page 36
10
Accessibility
page 40
11
Strategies
page 44
How do you know what will happen in 10,000 years?
01 Water
n Vienna lies on the banks of the Danube, one of Europe's most important rivers. The Danube brought people and trade to Vienna, but also regular flooding until the river was controlled in the late 19th Century. And today? Modern systems designed to protect the city from a 10,000-year flood help keep Vienna safe and dry.
popular recreational areas treasured by young and old – swimming began in the New Danube even before construction was complete. The Danube Island, in turn, has been carefully landscaped to create a wonderful urban park. On hot summer days it’s not unusual to find over 100,000 Viennese “ripe for the island.”
A key element in Vienna’s flood protection system was the New Danube project. It was built between 1972 and 1998 and remains one of the city’s largest construction projects. The project consisted of dredging a new 20 kilometres channel adjacent to the Danube’s main channel. This so called “New Danube” is a standing body of water with flood gates that can be opened during high water periods to increase river flow. The project also significantly expanded the Danube River’s floodplain in Vienna providing storage space for water that had previously spilled into settled parts of the city.
How can polluted water be turned into new habitat? By the mid-1980s water in the Old Danube had turned a cloudy yellow colour. This popular bathing area, located on a meandering branch of the Danube River just east of the New Danube, was beginning the eutrophication process. Vienna’s Municipal Department for Water Management (MA45) immediately began a multi-phase programme to clean and revitalize the Old Danube. The problem was traced to increased organic materials flowing into the water that encouraged the growth of filamentous cyanobacteria. The first step in revitalizing the Old Danube was to reduce the flow of organic materials into the water. Next a series of measures were taken to encourage the growth of water filtering plants such as the Charales pond weed.
In addition to being an effective flood control measure, the New Danube and the Danube Island that separates it from the Danube’s main channel, have become
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And, since swimmers don’t like high plants, MA 45 instituted a regular cutting programme to control riverbed plant growth. Thus, the formerly muddy and unsightly Old Danube became, once again, a popular inner-city recreation centre, characterized by clear, highquality water. How does Vienna’s sewer system work? The quality of surface water depends on keeping it safe from pollution. In Vienna, this is ensured by the city’s comprehensive sewage treatment system consisting of sewers, treatment plants and management strategies designed to optimize system operations. The key goal is to protect Vienna’s rivers, streams and lakes from pollution caused by overflowing sewers.
rainfall or snowmelt. The treatment process takes about twenty hours; it consists of mechanical filtering and two new biological purification stages inspired by nature (living organisms are used to remove contaminants from the water). Once cleaned – to almost drinking water quality – the treated water is released into the Danube Canal, a Danube River tributary. The entire process is monitored and controlled using a series of computer applications to ensure that the facilities operate effectively and efficiently. For example the KANIS application helps manage maintenance, cleaning and planning of the sewers. It is even a system that enables developers to obtain important information about water treatment needs on-line.
A good system starts with planning. Vienna has developed a sophisticated Hydrodynamic Flow Model that helps managers plan operations as well as set maintenance and investment priorities. Vienna’s wastewater is collected in over 2,300 kilometres of sewer lines. One of the most important is the recently completed Vienna River Sewer. This 8.5 metres wide sewer serves a large portion of the city and can be used to store a huge volume of wastewater in the event of major rainfall or snowmelt. The facility was built using innovative construction methods to reduce impacts on the surrounding densely developed area. Wastewater is taken to the Simmering Treatment Plant (EbS) where it is treated with an efficiency of over 95 percent. The plant treats approximately 600.000 cubic metres of wastewater on dry days, a volume that can swell to 1.6 million cubic metres during heavy
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No discussion of Vienna’s sewers would be complete without mentioning that the sewer plays a pivotal role in “The Third Man” starring Orson Wells, one of the most famous films of the 20th Century. Vienna has capitalized on this opportunity by offering sewer tours that combine film history with wastewater technology – a great way to learn about sewage treatment.
Is Vienna drinking mineral water? Vienna’s drinking water is pure and clean, because, unique among major cities, almost 98 percent of it comes directly from Alpine springs. This high quality mountain water is a privilege that Vienna treats with great respect. For example, Vienna amended its constitution in 2001 to prohibit privatization of water supply, becoming the first city in the world to take this step. Two water pipelines from the Alps supply Vienna with high quality spring water. The water flows by gravity and electricity generated from the height difference supplies over 20,000 households with energy.
The Vienna River Sewer has the ability to store 110,000 cubic metres of wastewater.
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‹‹‹ The Simmering wastewater treatment plant’s main settling tank. The plant operates with a filtering efficiency of over 95 percent
97.5 percent of Vienna’s drinking water comes from the Alps, 2.5 percent is supplied from groundwater.
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Over 3,200 kilometres of water pipes distribute drinking water to households and businesses. Water is stored in 28 reservoirs and cisterns that together have a threeday capacity. Water quality is monitored continuously for microbiological and chemical parameters at many different points in the distribution network. Reducing water loss is another main concern and therefore the city is pursuing an aggressive programme to replace old pipes with modern plastic or cast iron pipes since 1970. Viennese and even some well-travelled gourmets consider Vienna’s drinking water excellent – for many it tastes better than the world’s most famous mineral waters.
‹‹ Cleaning work in the Vienna sewer system. ‹ The Vienna Mountain Spring Aqueduct, built in 1873, provides the city with high quality alpine spring water and generates clean hydro-power energy.
Rebuilding large historic water lines is technically challenging. Vienna recently developed an efficient and cost effective method for refurbishing old lines using a new liner system. The approach was used successfully in renovating a main distribution line built in 1895.
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Vienna consumes an average of 400,000 cubic metres of water per day (130 litres per person), on peak days demand rises to 580,000 cubic metres.
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Vienna’s main sewer treatment plant can clean approximately 600,000 cubic metres of waste water to 95 percent purity.
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Vienna’s Danube flood control project has a capacity of up to 14,000 cubic metres per second flow.
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FACTS & FIGURES
01 Water
Why are people in Vienna “ripe for the island”?
02 Environment
n When German-speakers talk about being “ripe for the island” they mean ready for a vacation – but in Vienna the phrase is true literally as well as figuratively: Vienna’s Danube Island, one of the city’s finest recreation areas, awaits, only 5-minutes by underground from St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The 21 kilometre-long Danube Island is a park built as part of the city’s innovative flood control system in the 1970s. In true Vienna style, city planners fashioned a solution that not only protects the city from flooding but also enables people to enjoy the magnificent Danube River – an urban asset created from an engineering necessity. This type of holistic problem solving is only one reason why Vienna is widely regarded as a model for sustainable urban development. Sustainable Urban Transport In Vienna 35 percent of trips are made using public transport – one of the top values internationally (the EU average is 28 percent). A further 31 percent of trips are made by foot or bike. Not for nothing is Vienna known as a “city of short distances”. This means that most of all trips can be made easily by bike, on foot or using
Vienna’s dense public transport network. The city’s goal is to further increase its share of environmentally friendly travel. Its ambitious goal is to reduce the share of motorized private transport from 34 to 25 percent by massively increasing the public transport system and making walking and biking more attractive. Climate Change: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally The city of Vienna’s local commitment to fighting global climate change began in 1999 when the city approved its own Climate Change Protection Programme (KliP). The KliP described actions Vienna could take to fight climate change and set specific goals to be met. The KliP proved successful with the city achieving all its goals ahead of schedule. The programme reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2.6 million tonnes between 2000 and 2006. Given this success Vienna has created KliP II, a programme designed to further reduce GHG by 1.4 million tonnes during the period from 2010 to 2020. In parallel with the KliP measures, Vienna has also implemented a series of improvements to its public 9
rainwater seepage and discharge of treated water as part of a comprehensive ecological approach. Wastewater is treated in Vienna’s main wastewater treatment plant, a facility with the capacity to clean approximately 600.000 cubic metres daily (during dry weather). It is one of Europe’s largest environmental protection projects. Vienna is also internationally recognized for its successful revitalization of natural waters such as the Old Danube and the Vienna River. For instance, the formerly muddy and unsightly Old Danube has once again become a high-quality inner-city recreation centre, characterized by clear, clean water.
transport system and bicycling network as well as building insulation and sustainable energy production programmes designed to reduce GHG emissions by reducing energy use. Vienna’s local effort to reduce global climate change was recognized internationally when the city won the “Climate Star 2009” award from the European Climate Alliance. Vienna was honoured for having the most comprehensive climate programme of 444 municipalities from 11 countries. Sustainable Wastewater Management and Water Protection Vienna was one of the first European cities to recognize the importance of a sustainable and integrated waste water management programme. The programme includes the entire water cycle: spring water from the Alps is transported to Vienna with gravity and efficiently distributed throughout the city. An ingenious system of water storage and testing guarantees the highest security of supply on the one hand and the best water quality on the other. The wastewater is collected in the sewer system and “managed”, using a sewer system control computer designed to optimally distribute waste water to facilities. The computerized system also helps control
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RUMBA: Construction Site Environmental Protection Construction sites place a heavy burden on the environment. Building a single dwelling, for instance, can require almost 60 truck trips and between 2,500 to 3,000 truck miles. As a major builder, Vienna recognized that it could reduce its environmental impacts by careful site management. Therefore the city participated in the EU LIFE project “RUMBA: Guidelines for environmentally friendly construction site management” helping develop the guidelines and then testing them in a series of demonstration projects. In eight demonstration projects completed between 2001 and 2004, the guidelines were shown to reduce construction impacts substantially. Guidelines include shifting material transport to rail, collecting construction waste separately, reducing site-generated noise, light, air pollution and greenhouse gasses, and reducing visual impacts with aesthetically pleasing site screening.
66 percent of trips in Vienna are made by environmentally friendly modes of transport, by 2025 this is expected to increase to 75 percent.
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In 2009 Vienna had 62 City Bike locations providing 24 hour access to rental bicycles.
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680 companies participating in the EcoBusinessPlan programme have saved over 47.1 million Euros in operating costs since 1998.
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More than 100,000 people visit the Danube Island on some summer days.
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Environmental Responsibility: Vienna Leads by Example Vienna’s city government recognizes that being part of the environmental solution means not being part of the problem. Therefore the city has embraced a comprehensive programme of measures designed to reduce its own environmental footprint. Vienna is leading by example with measures including EcoBuy (ÖkoKauf), the city’s programme for purchasing sustainable products in all city departments and enterprises. With an annual budget of over 5 billion Euros, Vienna’s purchasing power can provide significant support for environmentally friendly goods and services. Vienna is also helping local businesses become more sustainable while saving money. Vienna’s EcoBusinessPlan with the slogan “Save money by saving the environment” supports companies seeking professional advice on producing their goods and services more sustainably. The programme, funded at 900,000 Euros annually, has helped 680 private firms save over 47 million Euros in operating costs since 1998.
‹‹‹ Switching between environmentally friendly transport modes couldn’t be easier: a City Bikes facility at Vienna’s Schwedenplatz tram/underground station. ‹‹ The Old Danube, a recreation area created by cleaning the water and restoring the natural habitat in an unused branch of the Danube River. ‹ Controlling light from construction sites reduces impacts on nearby residents; this photo shows the Vienna River sewer project at the Vienna Stadtpark.
A clear sign of successful water restoration: visibility in the Old Danube has been improved from a depth of 0.5 metres to about 2.5 metres.
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The Vienna woods and greenbelt, which constitutes about half of Vienna’s land area, has been protected from development since 1905.
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FACTS & FIGURES
02 Environment
Why does Vienna treasure its garbage?
03 Waste
n Vienna is a leader in developing modern waste management systems. Vienna sees and uses its waste as a resource: flagship waste management projects include the KUSSO, Vienna’s modern plastic sorting plant, innovative approaches for remediation of brownfield sites and efficiently recycling garbage into heat and electricity. Simmering Environmental Centre: Waste to Energy Vienna’s goal is to increase the share of electricity generated from renewable energy to about 78 percent. One of the main measures taken to achieve this goal was the construction of the Simmering Environmental Centre. Here, garbage that cannot be recycled is brought from throughout Vienna to be converted to energy.
An effective waste-to-energy system is more than simply a garbage incinerator; it requires a well-coordinated programme of garbage separation and collection. Vienna’s system consists of over 385,000 litter bins for residual waste, paper, glass or biological waste, 19 dumps and 53 household hazardous waste collection centres combined with an efficient collection and transport system. The waste-to-energy system’s centrepiece is the worldclass Pfaffenau incinerator. This high-tech incinerator, which began operating in 2008, operates with the highest environmental standards and enables the city to recycle over 250,000 tonnes of garbage annually into electricity and heat for over 75,000 Vienna households. The incinerator burns 32 tonnes of garbage per hour at 13
a temperature of about 850 degrees Celsius, capturing heat from combustion to produce steam. The system’s efficiency, combined with the incinerator’s four-stage flue gas cleaning system – consisting of an electrostatic precipitator, a two-stage wet scrubbing system, an activated coke filter and a denitrification plant – helps ensure that emissions remain at the lowest possible level. The Simmering Environmental Centre also includes a biogas plant that converts over 17,000 tonnes of organic and residual waste into eco-energy annually. Compared to a conventional thermal power plant, the Simmering Environmental Centre produces 3,000 tonnes less carbon dioxide emissions annually. Clean Streets Well-cleaned streets enhance well-being and make a substantial contribution to quality of life. Vienna’s Municipal Department for Waste Management and Street Cleaning (MA 48) is the first service provider in the entire German-speaking region to have been awarded the seal for “Excellent Sanitation” from DEKRA, an independent testing organization.
Vienna’s “Clean City” initiative is a key factor in the city’s sustainable approach to street cleaning. The initiative includes increasing staff and litter bins, but also a cheeky public relations campaign designed to encourage citizens to be more responsible for keeping public spaces tidy. The initiative also includes the “Waste Watcher” programme which increases enforcement of anti-littering regulations. Vienna’s comprehensive approach to street cleaning has resulted in a marked improvement in the quality of public spaces. Brownfield Remediation Vienna also has to deal with the legacy of previous generations. The city has identified approximately 250 landfills and brownfield sites that have been placed in a database of land with suspected contamination. One approach, the “Vienna Sealing Wall System”, consists of surrounding the landfill with a double
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waterproof wall creating a chamber between the walls. Next, wells are drilled into the chamber and landfill to permanently lower the water table, thus preventing the escape of harmful substances into the ground water.
The KUSSO plastic recycling facility sorts 4 tonnes of PET bottles per hour. The plastic bottles produced from these recycled materials require 60 percent less energy than bottles produced with virgin material.
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‹‹‹ The Pfaffenau incinerator, built in 2008, uses the latest technology to turn garbage into energy with maximum efficiency and environmental protection. ‹‹ Garbage being delivered at the Pfaffenau incinerator. ‹‹ A particularly nimble street cleaning machine used by the MA 48 in Vienna’s historic centre. ‹ The diaphragm wall chamber system helps prevent hazardous substances from entering the groundwater.
The Pfaffenau waste incinerator burns over 32 tonnes of residual waste per hour at a temperature over 850 degrees Celsius.
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Vienna’s “Waste Watcher programme” issued 1,447 warnings, 1,108 fines (36 Euros), 272 higher penalty fines, and 416 fines for non-removal of dog waste (1/2008-2/2009). Keeping public spaces clean also requires enforcement.
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Another brownfield problem is the build-up of hazardous and explosive gasses in landfills. The “Vienna Bio-Puster method” was developed to address this problem. The method consists of using pressurized lances to inject oxygen into the landfill, collecting the remaining gasses with a vacuum and then cleaning them with a bio filter. When brownfield sites cannot be fully cleaned, they must be secured and monitored. The Municipal Department for Waste Management (MA 48) has developed an innovative computer based system designed to constantly monitor sites and even to correct minor disturbances remotely. So far more than 150 million Euros have been spent on remediation or securing almost 20 brownfield sites. In Vienna, the goal is to reduce, reuse and recycle. The city strives to use less while seeking out and using the treasure hidden in the garbage.
Biogas Wien produces 11,200 megawatt hours of electricity annually from compost and kitchen waste.
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Approximately 100,000 tonnes of organic waste are collected and turned into high quality compost every year in Vienna. The Lobau composting plant has a capacity of generating from 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes of compost per year.
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FACTS & FIGURES
03 Waste
Why is Vienna cool in the summer and warm in the winter?
04 Energy
n Just as hot water can be transported through the city to heat buildings, it’s possible to cool buildings with centrally produced chilled water. Vienna has recently expanded its district heating system to also provide energy efficient and economically beneficial air conditioning. In Europe the market for air conditioning is set to double in the next 20 years – in view of this demand, smart alternative solutions are needed.
adjacent waste-to-energy incinerator – a process that uses only a tenth of the energy of conventional air conditioning. The cooled water is then distributed to customers through insulated chilled water pipes where it is fed into building HVAC systems. After being used to cool the building, the 12 to 16 degree warm water is returned to the central water plant where it is cooled again to 7 degrees and re-circulated in a closed loop process.
Cool Water@Long Distances Wien Energie Fernwärme (Vienna’s Energy Company) is investing 51 million Euros during the next years to provide chilled water for air conditioning via its existing district heating system. Already, major hospitals and office buildings are connected to the cooling network. The system works by cooling water in a central water plant to 7 degrees Celsius using energy from an
Vienna’s new Pfaffenau waste-to-energy plant and Simmering biomass plant already produce highly efficient district heating from renewable resources; they have enormous potential for producing environmentally friendly air conditioning too. Energy that grows on trees Forest biomass is a renewable energy source growing 17
The SEP, developed between 2004 and 2006, consists of two parts: an analysis of Vienna’s energy consumption patterns and an assessment of several future scenarios. These future scenarios are compared and detailed implementation measures are identified. The SEP’s analysis shows for example that in 2015 Vienna would increase energy use by 12 percent under the “business as usual” scenario and by 7 percent in the energy saving scenario. The SEP’s energy saving scenario focuses on increasing efficiency by changing consumer behaviour (education) and by supporting energy efficient devices. Warm and Efficient Homes Better insulation is an easy way to increase heating and cooling system efficiency. Unfortunately, in older cities buildings are often poorly insulated. In Vienna, about 300,000 apartments built between 1945 and 1980 lack sufficient insulation. To address this problem Vienna introduced the “THEWOSAN subsidy programme”. Since 2000 the programme has supported the insulation of 149,000 apartments and has helped reduce CO2 emissions by 234,000 tonnes per year. Insulation saves money too. A well-insulated building uses, on average, 50 percent less energy for space heating than a poorly insulated building, significantly reducing heating costs. The savings for an average apartment (70 square metres) amount to between 280 and 400 Euros per year. Insulating public buildings has even greater energy saving potential, reducing energy use by almost 90 percent in some cases.
throughout Austria and Vienna is no exception. Wien Energie’s Simmering biomass power plant began producing green electricity and eco-heating from biomass and wood not suitable for industrial in 2006. The furnace burns approximately 75 cubic metres of biomass per hour to create steam. The steam is used to generate electricity (65.7 megawatt) and waste heat is fed into the local district heating system. Using Austrian forest biomass to generate energy reduces fossil fuel consumption and increases energy security while adding value to the regional economy. Transport impacts are low since the biomass is available within 100 kilometres of the plant. Finally, Vienna’s biomass energy system makes a key contribution to achieving Austria’s climate protection goals. Consumer Based Energy Conservation Vienna’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEP) is a milestone in the city’s comprehensive energy policy. The programme describes how Vienna will encourage consumers to reduce energy consumption between now and 2015. The major challenge is to increase quality of life while reversing the trend of steadily increasing energy consumption.
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Using Geothermal Energy from Underground Tunnels The ground temperature remains essentially constant at approximately 11 degrees Celsius throughout the year. In winter it is warmer inside the tunnel, in summer ist is cooler than on the surface. The Wiener Linien has developed an innovative new approach called “ESYS” that uses this geothermal energy for heating and cooling. The system uses heat exchangers bored into the underground tunnel walls to exploit the difference in air temperature and ground temperature thus cooling underground stations in the summer and heating them in the winter. The system has even been extended to some nearby buildings thus creating an environmentally friendly local heating and cooling system.
Fernwärme Wien has a dense network of district heating pipes over 1,000 kilometres long serving housing, schools, hospitals and public buildings throughout Vienna.
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‹‹‹ View over Vienna from the south with the Pfaffenau incinerator in the foreground. ‹‹ Wien Energie’s Vienna Windpark, the city is increasingly reliant on renewable energy. ‹ Vienna’s TunnelThermic System uses geothermal energy obtained from underground tunnels to help heat and cool underground stations and nearby buildings.
n District cooling can reduce CO2 gas emissions by 2.5 times compared to conventional air conditioning systems.
Since 2006, all buildings of the "TownTown" urban development area have been supplied with district cooling from a separate refrigeration unit.
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Fernwärme Wien’s central cooling plant in Spittelau, with a capacity of 17 megawatt (the equivalent cooling capacity of approximately 115,000 commercial refrigerators), is currently the largest producer of district cooling in Vienna.
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The Simmering biomass plant consumes about 600,000 cubic metres of forest biomass annually to supply more than 48,000 Viennese households with electricity and 12,000 households with district heating.
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An intelligently designed sustainable energy policy is an excellent foundation for developing innovative new technologies and future-oriented jobs, thus helping to protect the environment while improving the local economy and increasing social well being.
In 2008 the “ESYS – Geothermal Energy from Underground Tunnels” was awarded the Austrian State Prize for innovation from the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) for excellence in addressing climate change.
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Vienna’s Municipal Energy Efficiency Programme (SEP) has a goal of reducing energy consumption by 15 gigawatt hours annually.
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FACTS & FIGURES
04 Energy
Why are there two cities in Vienna?
05 Urban Scapes
n In Vienna there are two city centres: the historical centre and a modern new centre called “Vienna Donau City” on the other side of the Danube River. As well as the city’s historic centre the Donau City ist a popular and lively mixed-use district combining residences with business and culture. This is the result of the clear principles specified in Vienna’s urban development strategy: concentrating development along efficient public transport routes, encouraging mixed-use development and requiring extensive public participation in the planning process. The city’s framework for long-term development is the 2005 Vienna Urban Development Plan (STEP05). This plan is based on the theme “Think European - act regionally – develop Vienna” and focuses on creating attractive areas for living and working – thus helping Vienna attract modern new businesses. Urban development is a complicated process of negotiation, regulation
and implementation – therefore the STEP05 plan targeted 13 specific areas ripe for (re)development. The plan focuses on each area’s essential needs, tackling specific problems and capitalizing on particular opportunities. Different strategies were developed for different situations such as historic districts, new city neighbourhoods, areas on the Danube River, and reuse of former railway facilities. Detailed planning for the 13 development areas follows the same pattern: the STEP05 overall goals were refined to define specific development plans based on extensive public dialogue with all relevant stakeholders. The foundation is creation of stakeholder platforms each responsible for developing customized mission statements, programmes and policies for their particular development area. The city provides an interdisciplinary team to help coordinate, supervise and supply technical information for the stakeholder groups. 21
Vienna is also pursuing big redevelopment projects at the Südbahnhof and Nord- and Nordwestbahnhof. These former railway terminals will be rebuilt freeing hundreds of hectares of inner city land for creation of new urban neighbourhoods. Plans for the areas were developed in competitions, but again, the neighbourhoods were designed by first focusing on the public space and then planning the surrounding buildings. The projects also carefully consider how they fit into the existing densely developed neighbourhoods and how the new development can help increase the liveability and vitality of surrounding neighbourhoods.
The STEP05 plans are being implemented and are already having an impact helping improve Vienna’s liveability and economy. Vienna Thinks (and Plans) Big Large projects are key drivers of urban development. “aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside” is a good example. This new city-in-a-city will eventually have over 20,000 residents living in sustainable mixed-use neighbourhoods. The location is unparalleled: northeast Vienna, adjacent to the Danube Floodplain National Park, and only half an hour from Bratislava, which when combined with Vienna constitutes one of Europe’s largest economic regions. Aspern’s planners and developers share a urban vision that balances sustainable living with future-oriented employment. The new city combines qualities often considered incompatible: business centre with national park, city with nature, living in Vienna with working in Europe. “aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside” achieves this by placing priority on creating high quality public spaces and then developing a diverse set of mixed use structures oriented around the open spaces – the opposite of what is often done.
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Revitalizing Existing Neighbourhoods In a historic city like Vienna it’s also important to help support small local projects needed to revitalize neighbourhoods. Vienna’s “District Service Agencies” are internationally recognized for providing decentralized services designed to help residents enhance their own buildings and neighbourhoods. For example the department’s 35-year programme for renovating Biedermeyer-era housing has been praised for its smooth and effective operation. The department advises residents on housing and building rehabilitation, provides project support and mediates conflicts. As a result, the neighbourhood’s quality of life improves making it more attractive and popular. The programme has now been extended to include over 200,000 city-owned apartments in 20 areas of the city. Creating High Quality Public Spaces Public spaces are the focal points of city life; they are where people with different cultures and lifestyles meet to go about their daily activities. Public spaces play a crucial role in making cities liveable and therefore Vienna is committed to creating safe, high quality public spaces throughout the city. A key element in Vienna’s strategy is the “50 Places Programme”, which sets forth a mission
statement and priorities for improving the usability of public spaces. This programme is supplemented by detailed guidelines on the planning, design, management and care of public spaces. The guidelines recognize that public space must serve all Vienna’s diverse needs by carefully considering demographic factors such as age, socio-economic and cultural background. Public spaces should be adaptable to changing needs without requiring costly investments, and they should always provide opportunities to create unexpected spatial, creative and action-oriented interventions.
By the end of 2008 Vienna’s “50 Places Programme” had successfully transformed 44 public spaces with over 216,000 square metres into attractive urban spaces; by the end of 2010 the programme will have improved over 287,000 square metres of urban space.
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The “aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside” project covers an area of 240 hectares; it will include 8,500 apartments housing over 20,000 people and commercial space for over 20,000 jobs.
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The Vienna Hauptbahnhof redevelopment project, at the former Südbahnhof site, covers an area of 109 hectares; it will provide 5,000 apartments housing over 13,000 people and 550.000 square metres of office space.
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Building High Quality Modern Architecture Perhaps surprising for a city steeped in history, Vienna’s Architecture Declaration (2005) commits the city to supporting construction of high quality modern architecture. The city’s own public works programme provides an excellent opportunity for implementing this objective: many projects are designed in international competitions. Vienna also recognizes that modern architecture and skyscrapers must be very carefully integrated into historic neighbourhoods. Therefore, the city’s “High-rise Building Concept” describes where and how skyscrapers can be built. It includes criteria that must be fulfilled including minimizing impact on historic buildings, providing easy access to high capacity public transport and use of high quality materials, before they can be built. Public Involvement Means More Effective Planning Vienna believes that planning is more effective when residents and interest groups are involved in the planning process as early and as fully as possible. This applies to all projects from comprehensive city-wide planning studies to detailed neighbourhood playground designs. While open public processes can require more resources, they lead to better projects and reduce delays caused by controversy – in other words they help create more robust projects. Strong public involvement is the foundation for Vienna’s continuing sustainable development.
‹‹‹ An artist’s visualization of Donau City, Vienna’s second downtown. ‹‹ Dialogue between old and new in the centre of Vienna: the landmark St. Stephen's Cathedral reflected in the windows of the contemporary Haas House. ‹ The Wienerberg skyscrapers in Favoriten illustrate the Vienna High-rise Building Concept: concentrating tall buildings in locations with appropriate infrastructure.
In 2008, Vienna’s “District Service Agencies” helped over 4,000 tenants resolve a wide variety of housing, building and social problems.
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Vienna has organized stakeholder groups to help prepare development objectives and improvement measures in all 13 STEP05 target areas.
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FACTS & FIGURES
05 Urban Scapes
Why is everyone happy when an ULF arrives?
06 Mobility
n The ULF, also known as the ultra low floor (ULF) tram, is rolling proof of Vienna’s strong tradition of innovation. With its low floor, just 19 centimetres above the ground, it’s no wonder that everyone in Vienna is happy to see an ULF coming! But, Vienna’s ULF is only one element of the city’s comprehensive urban transport planning strategy. According to Vienna’s Transport Master Plan 2003, which has been eveluated and adjusted in 2008, the city’s main objective is to promote public transport, with the goal of increasing the share of public transport trips from 35 percent (2008) to 40 percent by 2020. Already 96 percent of residents have excellent access to public transport in their neighbourhoods, so achieving Vienna’s ambitious goal will require implementing innovative modern technology, increasing service and
reliability, improving comfort and making the system more cost efficient. Intelligent Traffic Signals for Free Flowing Streets Streets quickly become gridlocked in cities without good traffic control systems. At the heart of these systems are computers that coordinate traffic signals to optimize vehicle flow and improve safety. Vienna’s Traffic Control Computer (VLSA), in operation since 2009, uses the Open Communication Interface for Road Traffic Control System (OCIT). This system integrates data collected from traffic signal control devices, centralized components and the system management level, enabling users to exchange, analyze and use these data efficiently. Thanks to this new technology, the traffic signals can be quickly adjusted for current traffic conditions: real time traffic signal data is combined with signal phasing plans stored in the central 25
Public Transport For All Vienna’s goal is to provide efficient and reliable public transport for all – regardless of personal limitations. The great strength of Vienna’s transport system is the city’s highly integrated combination of metro, tram and bus lines operated in close coordination with regional rail and bus lines. Planning, management, ticketing and information for this dense public transport network are coordinated centrally, thus ensuring that the system operates with the highest possible quality and efficiency.
computer to develop new timing plans. Unlike the old technology, with the VLSA system all traffic signals can also work independently if the central computer fails. Parking Management Creates More Space for Everyone A parking fee and time limits apply to all on-street parking spaces in Vienna’s districts 1, 4 to 9 and 20 on work days from 9:00 in the morning until 22:00 in the evening and partially in the districts 2, 3 and 15. This strict and uniform parking programme has successfully reduced automobile traffic and parking problems in central Vienna. Furthermore, the parking fees help support improvements to environmentally friendly modes of transportation including public transport, bicycling and pedestrian facilities.
The Wiener Linien’s website and mobile device applications provide detailed information on this comprehensive public transport network. This information is highly accessible and helpful. For example it includes audio input/output interfaces to help visually impaired persons obtain information and identifies accessible paths to Wiener Linien stations using the “POPTIS programme”. A supplemental application, “ITIP”, displays a countdown clock for real time public transport vehicle departures. The Wiener Linien uses bold colours, clear icons and large fonts designed to help everyone navigate through stations and find the right bus, tram or train. Almost all underground stations have tactile paving to help guide visually impaired persons. Low floor buses and trams contribute significantly to an accessible public transport system. Especially popular are the Wiener Linien’s new ULF (ultra low
The Future of Urban Transportation: the Bicycle Bicycles are the ultimate in fast, environmentally friendly, healthy and cheap urban transportation. Therefore, Vienna is implementing a comprehensive bicycle plan designed to encourage bicycle transport and reduce accidents. The plan includes traditional separated bicycle routes as well as shared space routes in densely settled historic districts; the city currently has over 1,100 kilometres of bike routes. In addition, Vienna’s City Bike programme enables residents and visitors to borrow a bike from over 62 locations – and the first hour is free!
floor) trams. The ULF’s low entry height not only improves passenger comfort, but also increases vehicle speed by reducing the amount of time needed for boarding and alighting. In fact, the ULFs spend 50 percent less time stopped at stations as older trams – thus reducing travel time and operating costs. The ULF tram
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was developed in cooperation with Siemens Austria and designed by Porsche Design. The ULF trams are also being exported to other cities – helping to spread Vienna-developed technology and ideas.
The Wiener Linien operates over 120 public transport lines and counts over 800 million person trips annually. The public transport model split is 35 percent.
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“Building Bridges” in Centrope: Twin City Liner The Twin City Liner is a high-speed catamaran providing service between Vienna and Bratislava. The service is a strong symbol of international cooperation between the two “Twin Cities.” The 60-kilometre city-centre-tocity-centre trip takes about 75 minutes providing 126 passengers with a comfortable and scenic trip on the magnificent Danube River. The Twin City Liner is a
The Wiener Linien operates 300 ULF (ultra lowfloor) trams. The ULF trams have a top speed of 80 kilometres per hour, their floor is just 19 centimetres above the ground, and they come in two lengths: 24 metres or 35 metres.
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‹‹‹ On Franz JosefsKai, one of Vienna’s busiest streets, centralized traffic signal control helps keeps traffic flowing smoothly and efficiently.
Wiener Linien buses are operated with environmentally friendly LPG.
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In 2008, about 180,000 bicyclists made over 363,000 trips and travelled over 1.1 million kilometres in Vienna.
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Surface traffic in Vienna is controlled by 1,217 traffic signals (VLSA). Of these, 423 use LED technology and 442 have audible signals for sight impaired persons. Over 900 VLSA have been connected to the central traffic control computer, which uses OCIT interface.
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‹‹ The Ring-Round bike path on Vienna’s Ringstrasse is a backbone of the city’s extensive bicycling network. ‹ The Twin City Liner, leaving Bratislava, is the quickest connection between Vienna and Bratislava, two European capitals only 60 kilometres apart, and is an excellent example of a successful public private partnership.
The two Twin City Liner catamarans are each 33 metres in length and weigh 49 tonnes. They carry 126 passengers and 5 crewmembers with a maximum speed of 37 knots (69 kilometres per hour).
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public private partnership between Raiffeisen and Wien Holding and has been operated profitably since service started in 2006. In 2006, the Twin City Liner carried 80,000 passengers, this increased to 105,000 passengers in 2007, and to over 150,000 passengers in 2008 when a second ship was added to the fleet. The service provides an excellent example of regional cooperation without the use of public funds. In 2009 the Twin City Liner received the prestigious “Red Arrow Award” for outstanding infrastructure improvement.
With a storage area of 70,000 square metres Hafen Wien is one of the largest companies offering storage logistics in Austria. In 2008 the trimodal cargo handling hub had a total cargo volume handled of 12 tonnes.
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FACTS & FIGURES
06 Mobility
How many languages does Vienna speak?
07 Communication
n Vienna has long recognized that communicating respectfully with all its residents plays a fundamental role fostering harmonious social relations in multicultural societies. The city-produced guidebook “Vienna Speaks Differently” focuses on how government and citizens can communicate with respect, underlining Vienna’s commitment to strong and effective dialogue. A good example is Vienna’s city website “wien.at”. Vienna recognized quickly the Internet’s potential for providing information and helping citizens transact government business; but, the city also recognized that the website must be well organized, clearly presented and available in several languages to be truly useful. The resulting website has won many international awards and, more importantly, has saved visitors, residents and
city departments substantial time and energy. The website already provides over 500 pages of government information and 130 online forms. Thus the city’s virtual office – open around the clock, seven days a week – helps citizens take care of official business without travelling to city hall. Moving Around Just Got Easier Knowing when the next tram will arrive helps make it easier for people to get around in the city, but also helps the city better manage its transport system. The Wiener Linien’s Computerized Operations Management System (RBL) efficiently achieves both functions – killing two birds with one stone. The system identifies schedule delays, enabling managers to reorganize service, and also provides passengers with real time 29
mation smoothly and efficiently. Vienna’s Municipal Department for Information and Communication Technology (MA14) develops tailored applications that are thoroughly integrated into the city’s overall information technology system. For example, Vienna has a standardized geographic information system (GIS) used by all departments as a foundation for specific applications – information from these applications can then be easily used and extended by other departments and citizens – and, of course, all this data can be easily displayed on maps.
The Wiener Linien’s innovative “qando” application, which provides real time schedule information to mobilephones, is a substantial improvement over fixed signs. “AnachB.at” provides multi-modal information such as the best bicycle routes from A to B, or on roadway traffic congestion. Vienna believes that providing good information will help people choose more sustainable forms of transportation for moving around in the city.
Digital Information: Nature Protection to Sewers Anyone planning a construction project needs a huge amount of information: what can be built in a specific location? What are the noise requirements? Where in Vienna are specific plants protected? Where are the sewers located? Vienna provides answers to these types of questions and more in its Multi-purpose City Map (MZK). This multi-layer digital map provides up-to-date and detailed information to architects, planners, builders and others interested in constructing new projects. The map reflects over 25 years of detailed data collection and analysis, but for users a detailed three-dimensional view of the city is only a mouse click away.
Information Sharing: A Two-way Street Vienna uses the latest information technology strategies to manage city services and communicate with residents. In all cases the focus is on handling infor-
Vienna’s high quality maps are also interesting for residents and visitors. The city’s environmental plan is presented in map form on wien.at’s “Umweltgut” page; it describes nature reserves and protected species
arrival information, increasing public transport’s attractiveness by making trips more efficient.
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Over 1,000 Wiener Linien vehicles are equipped with RBL sending real time locational data to the “AnachB.at” online information platform, thus helping users identify the optimal routes.
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The Wiener Linien’s “qando” application provides real time public transport schedule information to mobile devices.
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providing information and spatial data in an easy to use format. It’s especially helpful in identifying environmental factors relevant for construction projects. Naturally Vienna also uses sophisticated digital information systems to help control technical operations. A good example is the “KANIS application” for optimizing sewer system operation and management. This highly integrated database is used to plan maintenance, cleaning and improvements to the sewer system, in addition to providing customers with service information over the Internet. KANIS serves as an excellent model for other cities. Information + Coordination = Happy Residents Nothing infuriates residents more than inefficiency in government – especially when it means that their street is torn-up twice in short order. Vienna’s integrated approach to information sharing and application development is designed to encourage better coordination. A good example is the city’s integrated Underground Construction Permitting Process (EAZV). This application coordinates underground utility construction helping ensure that streets only need to be dug up once. Thus construction work can be done quickly and efficiently, minimizing the impacts on local residents and transport systems. In 2009 Vienna’s EAZV application won the national prize for excellence in Multimedia and e-Business.
‹‹‹ On-line public transport passenger information system for the Vienna region. ‹‹‹ Real-time public transport information helps passengers save time and choose the right routes. ‹ The Vienna Planungswerkstatt (Planning Workshop) has been presenting exhibitions and seminars focused on current issues in urban planning for over 20 years.
Vienna’s EAZV system coordinates over 12,000 construction sites annually (42,000 kilometres of water and wastewater lines and 2,800 kilometres of streets).
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Vienna’s Multi-purpose City Map includes over 3 million data points on a 415 square kilometres area.
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Vienna’s city internet site, “wien.at”, was accessed over 360 million times in 2009.
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“wien.at” is also the name of a free newspaper published monthly by the City of Vienna for its residents. The 24 page newspaper presents recent city activities, interesting news stories as well as cityoriented puzzles and games. It is distributed to all 950,000 households in Vienna.
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FACTS & FIGURES
07 Communication
How does a city create a visual identity?
08 Real Estate
n Nothing shapes a city’s visual image as much as its architectural ensemble. Vienna plays a major role in shaping the city’s visual identity by nurturing high quality architectural design both as a major builder and facility manager, and also by influencing the design of privately constructed buildings in the planning process. The government of Vienna is the city’s largest property owner. Not only is Vienna responsible for planning, building and the management of over 200,000 cityowned apartments, but also hundreds of government offices, enterprise department buildings, schools, fire stations, recreational centres and public works facilities. Vienna is working steadily to improve its own buildings and to develop programmes that encourage private owners to do likewise.
High Quality Facility Management The Municipal Department for Building and Facility Management (MA 34) uses the latest processes and systems to manage city-owned buildings. Good management starts with professionally certified onsite property managers providing a direct interface to customers. It is facilitated by a state of the art computer system that documents budgets, repair/maintenance processes, security, records and other administrative needs. And it is implemented with fast and effective repair service connected to customers via a call centre staffed 24/7. Regular customer surveys are completed to help identify ways to improve processes and increase customer satisfaction. Vienna’s MA 34 is the first public agency in Austria to adopt such a comprehensive customer service approach to building management. 33
Vienna often stages competitions to develop designs for new public buildings and renovation projects. The competitions attract wide attention throughout Europe and are judged by expert juries. This process has led to many exciting designs showcased in international architectural magazines and guidebooks. Two recent examples are the new central train station (Hauptbahnhof Wien) and the North Vienna Acute Hospital. Vienna also supports quality architecture by holding design competitions for privately owned apartment buildings built with financial support from the city. In these so-called “Property Developer Competitions,” teams of designers (architects, landscape architects and other technical experts) develop comprehensive plans designed to build high quality structures that improve neighbourhood liveability. These competitions have jump-started the careers of many innovative young design professionals. Finally, Vienna creates its own real estate development companies to design and build large, integrated urban development projects, such as “aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside”, a new city-in-the-city for 20,000 people, or “Oberlaa Neu”, a unique new spa and recreation centre focusing on health, exercise and sports. A Sensitive Approach to Historic Structures In 2001 Vienna’s historic centre was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But other parts of the city are also worthy of protection as part of a historic ensemble. Therefore, the city of Vienna has established various instruments to protect structures with preservation value. Central to the city’s approach is the “Vienna Protection Zone Model”, a programme in which relevant structures are identified and evaluated city-wide, thus creating a basis for all types of urban planning decisions. Structures identified in this programme are also eligible for special funding from the Vienna Historic Conservation Fund to support rehabilitation and conservation measures.
High Quality Public Works Vienna enhances its visual image by embracing high quality design in its own buildings. The city has a long tradition of using modern design principles that enable users to influence building design. These principles help support the creation of high quality architecture and buildings in which users have a sense of ownership.
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Clear Regulations for Private Construction Vienna’s building code provides clear regulations designed to safeguard the public’s interest in orderly, safe and environmentally sustainable construction. The city
The Municipal Deapartment for Building and Facility Management (MA34) is a full service agency responsible for managing over 1,800 buildings and a budget over 150 million Euros annually.
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Vienna has held 70 architectural design competitions in the last ten years.
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The Oberlaa Spa is a public-private partnership project between Wien Holding and VAMED, a specialist for fitness and wellness centres.
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makes building decisions based on a well-defined approval process consisting of detailed technical reviews and public presentations. A key requirement is that all new buildings and renovations are consistent with Vienna’s urban design plan (Stadtbild). The city’s architectural review board makes this decision and provides advice to builders on how to meet Vienna’s strict urban design requirements. Vienna has also developed a “High-rise Building Concept” with guidelines for evaluating and minimizing the impacts of large structures on historic building ensembles and districts. The guidelines include protecting historical sight-line corridors, providing access to high quality public transportation and requiring extensive public participation in project decisionmaking. The guidelines are summarized in a ten-point checklist.
‹‹‹ The Vienna FrauenWerkStatt II (Women's Workshop II), is a project focused on meeting the needs of women. ‹‹ Vienna’s city centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ‹ The “Wohnen am Park” (living on the park) residential building in Vienna’s Leopoldstadt is a good example of how developer competitions help assure architectural quality and provide highly functional living spaces in Vienna.
The Oberlaa development site covers an area of over 200,000 square metres.
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"Wien Kulturgut” presents a comprehensive description of Vienna’s cultural heritage on the city’s website.
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In Vienna, skyscrapers may only be built in specified areas and only after meeting a strict set of mandatory development criteria.
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FACTS & FIGURES
08 Real Estate
Are people braver in Vienna?
09 Safety
n When visitors come to Vienna, they are often surprised to learn that the city has no areas that should be avoided at night. On the contrary, the city was recently rated safest in a study of five large European cities (Amsterdam, Budapest, Hamburg, Krakow and Vienna). A majority of those surveyed in Vienna felt that their neighbourhood is safe and only a small number were concerned about crime. In response to the question: “How likely do you consider burglary or violent crime in your neighbourhood?” over 72 percent of Viennese answered “very unlikely” compared to a range of 27 to
58 percent in the other cities. Feeling secure is a fundamental requirement for liveability; to improve liveability, cities must pursue integrated strategies designed to increase both objective and subjective measures of security. Using Public Spaces Without Fear Public spaces where people feel insecure limit freedom, especially for groups with an increased need for security - such as women, children, the elderly or people with disabilities. Good design and sensitive handling 37
of public space can significantly improve security. Therefore, the goal of Vienna’s Open Space – City Space (Freiraum-Stadtraum Wien) plan is to provide clear guidelines for the planning, design and management of urban open spaces. When it comes to management, the guidelines focus on social control, which can be fostered by encouraging residents to identify with “their” public space. Identifying with a space begins by
involving neighbours in the planning and designing process. In multicultural Vienna, this means involving all neighbours, since many subjective fears can be reduced through better understanding of different cultures. Sharing Urban Space Fairly According to a 2006 study, women make 56 percent of all walking trips in Vienna; the majority of these trips are for shopping or accompanying others (e.g. children to school). This means that women are particularly impacted by insecurity in public spaces and substandard facilities. To better consider the needs of women in the design and planning of public open spaces, Vienna began a programme called “Fair Share City.” The first project to use this approach was a plan for improving the pedestrian network in Vienna’s Mariahilf District. The plan made recommendations for improvements with a particular focus on routes to schools, hospitals, government buildings and other daily trips such as food shopping. Two measures were found particularly important for safe and stress-free travel: a minimum sidewalk width of two metres and adequate crossing time at traffic lights. Since this project these qualities have been applied in all districts of Vienna. Safe Travels An important measure of a city’s liveability is transport safety: the more reliable, fluid flowing and accidentfree the better. In Vienna, the excellent public transport system moves people reliably and safely throughout the
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city, but other modes of transport are not forgotten. A central computer controls Vienna’s traffic signal system and helps reduce accidents. Thanks to this new technology all the city’s traffic signals can be set to optimize traffic flow instantly. The city also collects data on all accidents and uses them to help plan transport network improvements.
Vienna has over 148,000 streetlights with over 227,000 individual lights.
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See and Be Seen One of the main reasons people are relaxed in Vienna by night is the city’s excellent outdoor lighting. The city’s outdoor lighting is based on Vienna’s Lighting Masterplan, a set of guidelines that integrate key city objectives in the areas of safety, security, gender mainstreaming, environmental protection, urban design and Traffic accidents have been reduced by 30 percent since 1990 and the number of persons killed in traffic accidents has been reduced by 75 percent.
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‹‹‹ The pedestrian area around St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Vienna is a safe city subjectively and objectively.
Over 92 percent of Vienna residents are satisfied with their living environment.
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Over 72 percent of Vienna residents consider it highly unlikely that they will be attacked in the city (survey by Vienna Institute for the Sociology of Law and Criminology, on behalf of the Municipal Department for Urban Development and Planning).
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‹‹ The special sidewalk lighting on Stumpergasse in Vienna’s Mariahilf District was a pilot project in the city’s Gender Mainstreaming Plan; the plan’s goal is to ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to enjoy and use all public spaces throughout the city.
As a result of the Gender Mainstreaming Programme, Vienna’s transport plan sets the minimum sidewalk width at 2 metres for all new development zones and redevelopment areas.
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According to the study “Living and Quality of Life in Vienna” over 75 percent of the Vienna residents feel very safe in their neighbourhood.
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‹ Improved lighting at crosswalks helps increase safety for school children in Vienna’s Penzing District.
aesthetics with the latest lighting technology to provide cost effective and energy efficient ways to see and be seen after dark. By carefully considering new technologies like LED-based systems, Vienna has been able to provide better light while reducing energy consumption.
Over 57 percent of public transport trips in Vienna are made by women. They particularly benefit from well lighted, highly visible and secure stations.
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FACTS & FIGURES
09 Safety
Why do Vienna’s crosswalks tick?
10 Accessibility
n An easy to hear ticking - sometimes fast, sometimes slow – is a special feature of many Vienna crosswalks. This is an acoustic signal that helps blind and visually impaired people cross streets more safely and easily. Acoustic signals are only one element of Vienna’s comprehensive Barrier Free City programme. Many measures have been developed and implemented to help make travel and obtaining city services easier and safer for people with disabilities since the programme was first introduced in the 1994 Vienna Urban Development Plan. Importantly, creating a barrier free city benefits everyone: parents with prams, people with casts, the very young and elderly – as well as disabled persons.
Planning and Building a barrier free City Vienna’s building code requires all new construction and renovations be built barrier free, so that they can be used by anyone regardless of permanent or temporary disability. The city’s office of accessible design, construction and housing provides its special expertise to help citizens develop barrier free plans and provides grants to help improve accessibility. In 2008 Vienna provided 1.3 million Euros of funding for 235 projects from this programme. Vienna has also created an Internet-based system for people to report barriers and obstacles such as missing 41
steps or the need for tactile warning systems. This is often the first step in improving the situation. Finally, Vienna has developed an on-line “Barrier Free City Map”. This map allows users to identify comfortable and safe barrier free routes before setting out. Among other things the map shows sidewalk slopes, the location of acoustic signals and the exact arrival times of public transport vehicles. It’s also available via GPS equipped mobile telephones helping support spontaneous trips. Barrier Free Public Transport Vienna’s underground, trams and buses are integral to the city – making them fully accessible is one of the Wiener Linien’s most important goals. The whole natural gas bus fleet operates with low floor vehicles. Underground stations are accessible and the new trains include automatic gap closers to facilitate boarding and alighting. Vienna’s huge tram fleet is being replaced with low floor vehicles. The Wiener Linien’s ULF (ultra low floor) trams are an excellent example of technical innovation, increased comfort and design excellence. The Wiener Linien began developing truly barrier free trams in the 1990s, working closely with Siemens Austria AG. The project’s goal of creating a level entrance was achieved through careful design and the use of independent axles.
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With an entry height of 19 centimetres and providing a ramp at the front entrance, everyone can easily board the ULF trams – even those in wheelchairs or pushing baby prams. Once again, creating a barrier free city helps everyone. Making it easier to get on and off trams not only makes public transport more comfortable for customers, but lowers operating costs by reducing the time trams spend stopped at stations. And, making trams more comfortable for passengers helps increase revenues by attracting more passengers. A true win-win for all Vienna. Finally, the Wiener Linien’s website provides a wealth of information on accessible transport in and around Vienna. Accessible Buildings Create a City for All So that everyone, including those with special needs can be mobile, the city of Vienna clears obstacles wherever possible. Vienna actively promotes barrier free planning and building as well as providing advice and information on improving accessibility. Furthermore, special attention is given to accessibility in all city architectural and design competitions. Accessible Stairways and Sidewalks Vienna’s topography means that the city has many public stairways including many that are historical
monuments such as the Strudlhofstiege, the Rahlstiege or the Fillgraderstiege. Staircases are significant obstacles in the barrier free city.
Tactile paving is provided in many public spaces, including 93 percent of all underground stations, to improve accessibility for blind and visually impaired people.
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Vienna’s Municipal Department for Bridge Construction and Foundation Engineering (MA 29) is responsible for public stairways, a role that includes improving their accessibility. In 2000 the MA 29 prepared guidelines for building, maintaining and improving ramps designed to facilitate movement for people with prams. The guidelines describe ramp dimensions, slope and give information on the use of materials. The MA 29’s “Pedestrian Action Plan” goes a step further, listing improvements designed to make stairways and sidewalks safer and more comfortable for pedestrians. The plan includes regular assessments and maintenance; projects to improve accessibility and comfort are completed as part of this regular maintenance process.
Vienna’s ULF (ultra low floor) trams with their 19 centimetres floor height are unbeatable in terms of accessibility.
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‹‹ Vienna ULF (ultra low floor) tram: with a step height of only 19 centimetres, the ULF is one of the most accessible public transport vehicles in the world. ‹ The Thurnstiege stairway has been made accessible in a project co-sponsored by the Vienna City Council and local citizens groups.
Providing full accessibility in public buildings and housing has been part of Vienna’s building regulations since 1991.
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All public stairways in Vienna have signs providing information on alternative routes for people unable to use the stairs.
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Vienna’s goal is to create a “barrier free city.” Supporting accessible building design, introducing low floor trams, constructing sidewalk ramps and developing innovative on-line information sources are all parts of Vienna’s effort to increase liveability for all.
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FACTS & FIGURES
10 Accessibility
Why is everyone going in the same direction in Vienna?
11 Strategies
n Providing Vienna’s current and future residents with the highest possible environmentally sustainable quality of life requires strong coordination. The Vienna city administration consists of municipal department employees supplemented by countless others in city-owned enterprises, independent service providers and other levels of government, all working together to improve Vienna’s quality of life and environmental sustainability. These shared goals combined with comprehensive strategic planning and efficient management systems are important reasons why Vienna is recognized as one of the world’s best managed municipalities.
Highly Rated City Services Vienna residents appreciate their city administration: 70 percent of residents rated city services, ease of communicating with city administration, and implementation of modern techniques as “good” or “very good” according to a 2007 survey of over 9,000 persons (study: “Leben in Wien”). Behind this success stands a city administration that takes its responsibility for providing public services seriously. In Vienna, most services are directly or indirectly controlled and financed by the city. In recent years Vienna has embraced a variety of new approaches for 45
financing services and infrastructure that focus on obtaining the benefits of competition while maintaining a degree of control. For example, the city is the majority shareholder in several privately owned urban enterprises. Encouraging Lateral Thinking Specialists play a key role in managing all modern cities, but people with the ability to think laterally, who take the latest ideas from one technical field and apply them in another are needed to create exceptional cities. Vienna’s city administration encourages just this type of cross cutting approach from the highest level of policy to the smallest detail of customer service. For example, Vienna’s approach to combating climate change is being implemented by a “virtual organization.” More than 300 people from approximately 150 city departments, enterprises and external organizations are working together in a decentralized network to implement the “KliP Vienna” plan for reducing CO2 emissions. This approach is reflected for instance in procurement: the programme “EcoBuy Vienna” (ÖkoKauf) purchases phosphate and formaldehyde-free products and avoids product containing PVC, aggressive cleaning agents and tropical hardwoods.
Similarly, a group representing all departments and levels worked together to develop Vienna’s Gender Equality Plan (GAP). A final example is in the area of accessibility, where staff from all city departments and enterprises share detailed knowledge and special expertise to develop and implement plans for increasing all types of accessibility. New Alliances Prepare Vienna for the Future Vienna’s continued high liveability depends on strong and viable partnerships outside government. As one of the major engines of local economic development, the city has had a long relationship with private sector businesses, but Vienna is broadening and increasing these partnerships beyond the traditional targeted support for infrastructure and housing towards support for creative and knowledge industries that form the basis for tomorrow’s economy. Vienna’s award-winning “EcoBusinessPlan” programme is an excellent example of this progressive approach. This programme provides local businesses with technical and financial support needed to implement process improvements that reduce both environmental impacts and operating costs. The city also relies on outside partners such as interest groups and NGOs for strategic input; examples include the 2005 Urban Development Plan (STEP05), the 2003 Transportation Master Plan (MPV) and the Urban
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Air Quality Plan (ULI). In all cases partners provide innovative new ideas and help support programme implementation. Vienna: A Knowledge-based City Vienna, like many other cities, recognizes that knowledge and new technologies hold the key to future economic success and urban liveability. This means it is essential to remain at the cutting edge of technology, research and scientific knowledge. Therefore, Vienna’s Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Strategy promotes projects that help strengthen Vienna as a business location while providing social benefits for residents. Importantly, Vienna also provides an excellent laboratory for examining the profound social, demographic, technical and economic changes occurring in cities today. A good example is the award winning SALTO project. This interdisciplinary project, funded by the
70 percent of Vienna residents rated city services, ease of communicating with city administration, and implementation of modern techniques as “good” or “very good” (Leben in Wien, 2007).
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‹‹ The “Alte Donau” (Old Danube) Recreation Area is part of Vienna’s greenbelt; this protected area has been helping ensure Vienna’s high quality of life for over 100 years. ‹ Vienna’s Prater amusement park is a tourist magnet and an oasis of green in the busy city; the park’s Ferris wheel is a world famous symbol of Vienna.
The programme “EcoBuy Vienna” (Ökokauf) applies environmental criteria to over 5 billion Euros of goods and services purchased by the city annually.
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All municipal hospitals and kindergartens in Vienna use at least 30 percent organically produced food.
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Bertelsmann Foundation, evaluated qualities and improvements that could make it easier for people to grow old in their own neighbourhoods. Research, especially in fields where Vienna is an acknowledged world leader, such as urban liveability and environmental sustainability, is a fundamental building block towards making Vienna a knowledge-based city.
3.32 percent of Vienna’s economy is based on research, well above the EU’s Lisbon target.
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The city of Vienna’s Centre for Innovation and Technology (ZIT) initiative “WienWin” encourages systematic exchange of information between municipal departments and innovative companies in Vienna. This helps bring innovation into city government and simultaneously provides new market opportunities for Viennese companies.
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More than 300 employees from over 150 Vienna city departments, municipal enterprises and external organizations participate in the city’s Climate Change Reduction Programme “KliP Vienna”.
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FACTS & FIGURES
11 Strategies
TINA VIENNA Urban Technologies & Strategies GmbH Vienna is internationally recognized for the high quality of its liveability and environment. These qualities have been reinforced by technical and strategic innovations – often developed by city departments or Vienna-based companies – designed to improve the quality of urban life and increase sustainability. This means that Vienna’s strategic, technical and organizational models are not only innovative, but also proven in practice. TINA VIENNA serves as a hub for sharing innovative urban and environmental technologies developed and used in Vienna. Our detailed understanding of these innovative technologies enables us to help other cities and authorities customize them for their own specific needs.
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TINA VIENNA distributes comprehensive information on urban technologies and strategies developed and used successfully in Vienna.
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TINA VIENNA provides access to Vienna-based technical and practical experts.
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TINA VIENNA is the UN-HABITAT Best Practices Hub - Vienna, thus providing direct access to prize-winning international solutions and access to a comprehensive network of worldwide experts.
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TINA VIENNA provides technical expertise and project management in urban planning and infrastructure on the domestic and international levels.
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TINA VIENNA assists clients in developing and managing international projects including projects funded by the European Community.
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TINA VIENNA supports information sharing and understanding of urban technologies both for outside clients and Viennese partners.
We would be happy to provide you with more detailed information about urban technologies and strategies used in Vienna and to assist you in the implementation of specific applications and projects. We look forward to working together with you in the future.
TINA VIENNA Urban Technologies & Strategies GmbH A WIEN HOLDING GmbH company Anschützgasse 1 · 1150 Vienna · Austria Tel. +43 1 4000 84260 · Fax +43 1 4000 7997 office@tinavienna.at · www.tinavienna.at
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Financial Affairs Research Centre, Laboratory and Certification Services EbS MA 31 Port of Vienna Wien Oberlaa MA 33 Location development Wastewater
Treatment Plant Wien Kanal
Data Processing MA 53 Land UseHafen Wien Construction Vienna Waterworks MA 69 EU Strategy Real Estate Management Central Danube Region
MA 39
Urban Renewal
MA 29 MA 42
Regional Cooperation
MA 29
Traffic Management
Energy supply MA 14
Housing Construction
MA 44
Waterborne Transportation Service MA 41
Waste Management
Urban Planning
Economic Development KliP-Vienna
Building and Facility Management MA 19
Press and Information Services
MA 22 Water Management MA 28 MA 21A Wien Energie Urban Development MD-OS Public Lighting MA 18 MD-BD Municipal Swimming Pools MA 46 Foundation Engineering E-Government MA 48 Wiener Umweltanwaltschaft MA 5
Surveyors
Road Management Waste Water Management MA 27 MA 34
E-Government
Environmental Protection PGO
Data Protection
Protection Urban Design Climate MA 21B Housing Policy
Bridge Construction MA 26
MA 25
Wiener Linien
Vienna’s Urban Lakeside
District Planning Wien 3420
Architecture
Energy Saving Contracting
Wohnfonds Wien
Information and Communications Technologies
WGM
We would like to thank the City of Vienna’s departments (MAs) and municipal enterprises; by sharing their knowledge and experience, these agencies have made a significant contribution to the quality and impact of this brochure. The descriptions of innovative Viennese urban technologies and strategies were written with the input and support of experts from many departments and companies. We thank them for their detailed insights, patient explanations and supportive comments. In our conversations with these experts, we not only learned a great deal about the technologies themselves, but also felt the excitement and energy they bring to solving urban problems and their strong commitment to creating a liveable city. We would also like to thank all those involved in producing this brochure for their excellent cooperation, strong support, commitment and patience during the development process. Finally, we would like to thank the many other people whose names do not appear here or in the imprint, who helped improve the quality of this brochure and make it possible by providing input, support and encouragement.
Imprint Publisher TINA VIENNA Urban Technologies & Strategies GmbH Anschützgasse 1 · 1150 Vienna · Austria Tel.: +43 1 4000 84260 office@tinavienna.at www.tinavienna.at Editors PlanSinn Birgit Imlinger (TINA VIENNA) Author preamble Herbe-Michael Marker Translation Andy Nash Art Direction Christian Gallei Graphics/Design Lindenau Productions GmbH Production Lindenau Productions GmbH Cover painting “Alte Liebe” (Old Love) by Robert Weber
Photos P. 6 right: Harald Valka P. 7 left: MA 31 P. 7 top right: Wien Kanal P. 7 middle right: MA 31 P. 7 lower right: Media Wien P. 10 right: MA 45 P. 11 left: Wien Kanal P. 14 left: MA 48 P. 15 left: WGM P. 15 right (3): MA 48 P. 16/17: Mario Lang P. 18 right: Mario Lang P. 19 right: Wien Energie P. 22 top left: MA 21 P. 23 left: MA 18 P. 23 top right: 3420 Aspern Development AG P. 23 middle right: ÖBB P. 27 left: Central Danube Region GmbH P. 27 lower right: Hafen Wien P. 32/33: Rupert Christanell (MA 18) P. 34 right: MA 19 P. 35 middle right: Wien Oberlaa Projektentwicklung GmbH P. 39 middle right: MA 46 P. 43 left: MA 29 P. 47 top right: MA 34 All other images: Plansinn/W. Gerlich, P. Burgstaller
Copyright © TINA VIENNA, 2010 All rights reserved, especially those of translation into foreign languages. No part of this publication may be produced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Printed on chlorine-free paper, using mineral oil-free colours.
Why is everyone happy when an ULF arrives? more on page 24
How many languages does Vienna speak? more on page 28
How does a city create a visual
identity?
more on page 32
Are people
braver
in Vienna? more on page 36
Why do Vienna’s crosswalks tick? more on page 40
Why is everyone going in the same direction in Vienna? more on page 44
TINA VIENNA Urban Technologies & Strategies GmbH A WIEN HOLDING GmbH company Anschützgasse 1 · 1150 Vienna · Austria Tel. +43 1 4000 84260 · Fax +43 1 4000 7997 office@tinavienna.at · www.tinavienna.at