TINA VIENNA - Vienna Know-how

VIENNA KNOW-HOWUrban Technologies and Strategies

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How do you know what will happen in

10,000 years?

Why are peoplein Vienna “ripe for the island”?

Why does Viennatreasure its garbage?

Why is Vienna coolin the summer and warm in the winter?

Why are there

two cities in Vienna?

more on page 12

Source: Statistisches Jahrbuch der Stadt Wien (the City of Vienna’s annual data report), 2009.

VIENNA KNOW-HOW

Vienna’s Municipal Budget (2008): 11.1 billion Euro

Gross economic product for Vienna per inhabitant (2006): 41,500 EuroAutomobile ownership per 1,000 inhabitants (2008): 389

Tramway network (2010): 215 kilometres

Metro railway network (2010): 74.6 kilometresProjected population growth by 2030: +13 percent

Population (2008): 1,7 millionArea: 415 square kilometres

Public transport person trips (Wiener Linien, 2008): 804 million

Greenspace and water surface as a percentage of city area: 53 percent

Cities are fertile ground for an artist’s imagination, providing space for observation and reflection, occasionsfor memories and dreams. Robert Weber’s paintings embody these qualities, illustrating the complex dialogueof impressions inherent in a thriving metropolis. His “Wiener Geschichten” series tells stories, stories makingus 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’ssubject, an inquisitive walker seeking promising routes thorough the city’s streets and squares, the importantobjectives are quite clear: safety and cleanliness, nature and culture. One quality intertwined with the next. Sud-denly we feel enthusiasm and passion – recognizing that we are experiencing feelings shared by those creat-ing and implementing strategies designed to improve the city’s quality of life and sustainability. Now you sensethis 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).

The slogan, “Wien ist anders” (Vienna is different), is interna-tionally recognized as capturing the spirit of Vienna. In truthhowever, much in Vienna is exactly what people everywherewant and expect from their city: Vienna is liveable, Vienna issafe, Vienna is clean, Vienna is green.

Vienna’s difference is in how these qualities are implementedand sustained. The city government, municipal departmentsand public enterprises are focused on providing comprehen-sive and highly integrated public services; the knowledge, operating practices and coordination used to successfully pro-vide 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 RobertWeber’s “Wiener Geschichten” series presents Vienna in a newperspective, we hope that this new awareness changes yourperspective by illustrating how focused, responsible and coordinated action by Vienna’s public agencies has created oneof the world’s most liveable and sustainable cities out of thecomplex 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 urbanand 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

Know-how:Vienna’s Knowledge

Urban Technologies and Strategies

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

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How do you know what willhappen in 10,000 years?

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n Vienna lies on the banks of the Danube, one of Europe's most important rivers. The Danube broughtpeople and trade to Vienna, but also regular floodinguntil the river was controlled in the late 19th Century.And today? Modern systems designed to protect the cityfrom a 10,000-year flood help keep Vienna safe and dry.

A key element in Vienna’s flood protection system wasthe New Danube project. It was built between 1972 and1998 and remains one of the city’s largest constructionprojects. The project consisted of dredging a new 20 kilometres channel adjacent to the Danube’s mainchannel. This so called “New Danube” is a standing bodyof water with flood gates that can be opened during highwater periods to increase river flow. The project also significantly expanded the Danube River’s floodplain inVienna providing storage space for water that had previously spilled into settled parts of the city.

In addition to being an effective flood control measure,the New Danube and the Danube Island that separatesit from the Danube’s main channel, have become

popu lar recreational areas treasured by young and old – swimming began in the New Danube even beforeconstruction was complete. The Danube Island, in turn,has been carefully landscaped to create a wonderfulurban park. On hot summer days it’s not unusual to findover 100,000 Viennese “ripe for the island.”

How can polluted water be turned into new habitat?By the mid-1980s water in the Old Danube had turneda cloudy yellow colour. This popular bathing area, located on a meandering branch of the Danube Riverjust east of the New Danube, was beginning the eutrophication process. Vienna’s Municipal Departmentfor Water Management (MA45) immediately began amulti-phase programme to clean and revitalize the OldDanube. The problem was traced to increased organicmaterials flowing into the water that encouraged thegrowth of filamentous cyanobacteria. The first step inrevitalizing the Old Danube was to reduce the flow oforganic materials into the water. Next a series of meas-ures were taken to encourage the growth of water filtering plants such as the Charales pond weed.

01 Water

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rainfall or snowmelt. The treatment process takesabout twenty hours; it consists of mechanical filteringand two new biological purification stages inspired bynature (living organisms are used to remove contami-nants from the water). Once cleaned – to almost drink-ing water quality – the treated water is released into theDanube Canal, a Danube River tributary.

The entire process is monitored and controlled using aseries of computer applications to ensure that the fa-cilities operate effectively and efficiently. For examplethe KANIS application helps manage maintenance,cleaning and planning of the sewers. It is even a systemthat enables developers to obtain important informa-tion about water treatment needs on-line.

No discussion of Vienna’s sewers would be completewithout mentioning that the sewer plays a pivotal rolein “The Third Man” starring Orson Wells, one of themost famous films of the 20th Century. Vienna has capi -talized on this opportunity by offering sewer tours thatcombine film history with wastewater technology – agreat way to learn about sewage treatment.

And, since swimmers don’t like high plants, MA 45 instituted a regular cutting programme to controlriverbed plant growth. Thus, the formerly muddy and unsightly Old Danube became, once again, a popularinner-city recreation centre, characterized by clear, high-quality water.

How does Vienna’s sewer system work?The quality of surface water depends on keeping it safefrom pollution. In Vienna, this is ensured by the city’scomprehensive sewage treatment system consisting ofsewers, treatment plants and management strategiesdesigned to optimize system operations. The key goal isto protect Vienna’s rivers, streams and lakes from pollution caused by overflowing sewers.

A good system starts with planning. Vienna has devel-oped a sophisticated Hydrodynamic Flow Model thathelps managers plan operations as well as set main-tenance and investment priorities.

Vienna’s wastewater is collected in over 2,300 kilo me-tres of sewer lines. One of the most important is therecently completed Vienna River Sewer. This 8.5 metreswide sewer serves a large portion of the city and canbe used to store a huge volume of wastewater in theevent of major rainfall or snowmelt. The facility wasbuilt using innovative construction methods to reduceimpacts 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 600.000cubic metres of wastewater on dry days, a volume thatcan swell to 1.6 million cubic metres during heavy

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Is Vienna drinking mineral water?Vienna’s drinking water is pure and clean, because,unique among major cities, almost 98 percent of itcomes directly from Alpine springs. This high qualitymountain water is a privilege that Vienna treats withgreat respect. For example, Vienna amended its con-stitution in 2001 to prohibit privatization of water sup-ply, becoming the first city in the world to take this step.Two water pipelines from the Alps supply Vienna withhigh quality spring water. The water flows by gravity andelectricity generated from the height difference sup-plies over 20,000 households with energy.

Over 3,200 kilometres of water pipes distribute drinkingwater to households and businesses. Water is stored in28 reservoirs and cisterns that together have a three-day capacity. Water quality is monitored continuously formicrobiological and chemical parameters at many dif-ferent points in the distribution network. Reducingwater loss is another main concern and therefore thecity is pursuing an aggressive programme to replace oldpipes with modern plastic or cast iron pipes since 1970.

Viennese and even some well-travelled gourmets con-sider Vienna’s drinking water excellent – for many ittastes better than the world’s most famous mineralwaters.

n The Vienna River Sewer has the ability to store110,000 cubic metres of wastewater.

n 97.5 percent of Vienna’s drinking water comes from the Alps, 2.5 percent is supplied from ground-water.

n Rebuilding large historic water lines is technicallychallenging. Vienna recently developed an efficientand cost effective method for refurbishing old linesusing a new liner system. The approach was usedsuccessfully in renovating a main distribution linebuilt in 1895.

n Vienna consumes an average of 400,000 cubicmetres of water per day (130 litres per person), onpeak days demand rises to 580,000 cubic metres.

n Vienna’s main sewer treatment plant can cleanapproximately 600,000 cubic metres of waste waterto 95 percent purity.

n Vienna’s Danube flood control project has a capacity of up to 14,000 cubic metres per secondflow.

‹‹Cleaning work inthe Vienna sewersystem.

‹ The Vienna Mountain SpringAqueduct, built in1873, provides the city with highquality alpinespring water andgenerates cleanhydro -powerenergy.

‹‹‹ The Simmering wastewater treat-ment plant’s mainsettling tank. Theplant operates witha filtering efficiencyof over 95 percent

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Why are people in Vienna “ripe for the island”?

n When German-speakers talk about being “ripe for theisland” they mean ready for a vacation – but in Viennathe phrase is true literally as well as figuratively: Vienna’s Danube Island, one of the city’s finest recrea -tion areas, awaits, only 5-minutes by underground from St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The 21 kilometre-long DanubeIsland is a park built as part of the city’s innovative floodcontrol system in the 1970s. In true Vienna style, cityplanners fashioned a solution that not only protects thecity from flooding but also enables people to enjoy themagnificent Danube River – an urban asset created froman engineering necessity. This type of holistic problemsolving is only one reason why Vienna is widely regardedas a model for sustainable urban development.

Sustainable Urban TransportIn Vienna 35 percent of trips are made using publictransport – one of the top values internationally (the EUaverage is 28 percent). A further 31 percent of trips aremade by foot or bike. Not for nothing is Vienna knownas a “city of short distances”. This means that most ofall trips can be made easily by bike, on foot or using

Vienna’s dense public transport network. The city’s goalis to further increase its share of environmentallyfriendly travel. Its ambitious goal is to reduce the shareof motorized private transport from 34 to 25 percent bymassively increasing the public transport system andmaking walking and biking more attractive.

Climate Change: Thinking Globally, Acting LocallyThe city of Vienna’s local commitment to fighting globalclimate change began in 1999 when the city approved itsown Climate Change Protection Programme (KliP). TheKliP described actions Vienna could take to fight climatechange and set specific goals to be met. The KliP provedsuccessful with the city achieving all its goals ahead ofschedule. The programme reduced greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions by 2.6 million tonnes between 2000 and2006. Given this success Vienna has created KliP II, aprogramme designed to further reduce GHG by 1.4 mil-lion 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

02 Environment

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rainwater seepage and discharge of treated water aspart of a comprehensive ecological approach.

Wastewater is treated in Vienna’s main wastewatertreatment plant, a facility with the capacity to clean approximately 600.000 cubic metres daily (during dryweather). It is one of Europe’s largest environmentalprotection projects.

Vienna is also internationally recognized for its suc-cessful revitalization of natural waters such as the OldDanube and the Vienna River. For instance, the formerlymuddy and unsightly Old Danube has once again become a high-quality inner-city recreation centre,characterized by clear, clean water.

RUMBA: Construction Site Environmental ProtectionConstruction sites place a heavy burden on the envi-ronment. Building a single dwelling, for instance, canrequire almost 60 truck trips and between 2,500 to3,000 truck miles. As a major builder, Vienna recog-nized that it could reduce its environmental impacts bycareful site management. Therefore the city partici-pated in the EU LIFE project “RUMBA: Guidelines forenvironmentally friendly construction site manage-ment” helping develop the guidelines and then testingthem in a series of demonstration projects. In eightdemonstration projects completed between 2001 and2004, the guidelines were shown to reduce construc-tion impacts substantially. Guidelines include shiftingmaterial transport to rail, collecting construction wasteseparately, reducing site-generated noise, light, air pollution and greenhouse gasses, and reducing visual impacts with aesthetically pleasing site screening.

transport system and bicycling network as well asbuilding insulation and sustainable energy productionprogrammes designed to reduce GHG emissions by reducing energy use. Vienna’s local effort to reduceglobal climate change was recognized internationallywhen the city won the “Climate Star 2009” award fromthe European Climate Alliance. Vienna was honouredfor having the most comprehensive climate programmeof 444 municipalities from 11 countries.

Sustainable Wastewater Management and Water ProtectionVienna was one of the first European cities to recognizethe importance of a sustainable and integrated wastewater management programme. The programme includes the entire water cycle: spring water from theAlps is transported to Vienna with gravity and efficientlydistributed throughout the city. An ingenious system ofwater storage and testing guarantees the highest security of supply on the one hand and the best waterquality on the other.

The wastewater is collected in the sewer system and“managed”, using a sewer system control computerdesigned to optimally distribute waste water to facili-ties. The computerized system also helps control

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Environmental Responsibility: Vienna Leads by ExampleVienna’s city government recognizes that being part ofthe environmental solution means not being part of theproblem. Therefore the city has embraced a compre-hensive programme of measures designed to reduceits own environmental footprint. Vienna is leading byexample with measures including EcoBuy (ÖkoKauf),the city’s programme for purchasing sustainable products in all city departments and enterprises. Withan annual budget of over 5 billion Euros, Vienna’s purchasing power can provide significant support forenvironmentally friendly goods and services.

Vienna is also helping local businesses become more sustainable while saving money. Vienna’sEcoBusinessPlan 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 privatefirms save over 47 million Euros in operating costssince 1998.

n 66 percent of trips in Vienna are made by envi-ronmentally friendly modes of transport, by 2025this is expected to increase to 75 percent.

n In 2009 Vienna had 62 City Bike locations providing 24 hour access to rental bicycles.

n 680 companies participating in the EcoBusiness-Plan programme have saved over 47.1 millionEuros in operating costs since 1998.

n More than 100,000 people visit the Danube Islandon some summer days.

n A clear sign of successful water restoration: visi-bility in the Old Danube has been improved from adepth of 0.5 metres to about 2.5 metres.

n The Vienna woods and greenbelt, which consti -tutes about half of Vienna’s land area, has beenprotected from development since 1905.

‹‹‹Switching betweenenvironmentallyfriendly transportmodes couldn’t beeasier: a City Bikesfacility at Vienna’sSchwedenplatztram/underground station.

‹‹ The Old Danube, a recreation areacreated by cleaningthe water and re-storing the naturalhabitat in an unused branch ofthe Danube River.

‹Controlling lightfrom constructionsites reduces im-pacts on nearby residents; thisphoto shows theVienna River sewerproject at theVienna Stadtpark.

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Why does Vienna treasure its garbage?

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03 Waste

n Vienna is a leader in developing modern waste management systems. Vienna sees and uses its wasteas a resource: flagship waste management projects include the KUSSO, Vienna’s modern plastic sortingplant, innovative approaches for remediation of brown-field sites and efficiently recycling garbage into heatand electricity.

Simmering Environmental Centre: Waste to EnergyVienna’s goal is to increase the share of electricitygenerated from renewable energy to about 78 percent.One of the main measures taken to achieve this goalwas the construction of the Simmering EnvironmentalCentre. Here, garbage that cannot be recycled isbrought from throughout Vienna to be converted to energy.

An effective waste-to-energy system is more than sim -ply a garbage incinerator; it requires a well-coordinatedprogramme of garbage separation and collection. Vienna’s system consists of over 385,000 litter bins forresidual waste, paper, glass or biological waste, 19 dumps and 53 household hazardous waste collec-tion centres combined with an efficient collection andtransport system.

The waste-to-energy system’s centrepiece is the world-class Pfaffenau incinerator. This high-tech incinerator,which began operating in 2008, operates with the high-est environmental standards and enables the city to re-cycle over 250,000 tonnes of garbage annually intoelectricity and heat for over 75,000 Vienna households.The incinerator burns 32 tonnes of garbage per hour at

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Clean StreetsWell-cleaned streets enhance well-being and make asubstantial contribution to quality of life. Vienna’s Municipal Department for Waste Management andStreet Cleaning (MA 48) is the first service provider inthe entire German-speaking region to have beenawarded the seal for “Excellent Sanitation” fromDEKRA, an independent testing organization.

Vienna’s “Clean City” initiative is a key factor in the city’ssustainable approach to street cleaning. The initiativeincludes increasing staff and litter bins, but also acheeky public relations campaign designed to encour-age citizens to be more responsible for keeping publicspaces tidy. The initiative also includes the “WasteWatcher” programme which increases enforcement ofanti-littering regulations. Vienna’s comprehensive approach to street cleaning has resulted in a markedimprovement in the quality of public spaces.

Brownfield RemediationVienna also has to deal with the legacy of previous gen-erations. The city has identified approximately 250 land-fills and brownfield sites that have been placed in adatabase of land with suspected contamination.

One approach, the “Vienna Sealing Wall System”, consists of surrounding the landfill with a double

a temperature of about 850 degrees Celsius, capturingheat from combustion to produce steam. The system’sefficiency, combined with the incinerator’s four-stageflue gas cleaning system – consisting of an electrostaticprecipitator, a two-stage wet scrubbing system, an ac-tivated coke filter and a denitrification plant – helps en-sure that emissions remain at the lowest possible level.

The Simmering Environmental Centre also includes abiogas plant that converts over 17,000 tonnes of organicand residual waste into eco-energy annually.

Compared to a conventional thermal power plant, theSimmering Environmental Centre produces 3,000tonnes less carbon dioxide emissions annually.

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waterproof wall creating a chamber between the walls.Next, wells are drilled into the chamber and landfill topermanently lower the water table, thus preventing theescape of harmful substances into the ground water.

Another brownfield problem is the build-up of haz-ardous and explosive gasses in landfills. The “ViennaBio-Puster method” was developed to address thisproblem. The method consists of using pressurizedlances to inject oxygen into the landfill, collecting theremaining gasses with a vacuum and then cleaningthem with a bio filter.

When brownfield sites cannot be fully cleaned, theymust 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 than150 million Euros have been spent on remediation orsecuring almost 20 brownfield sites.

In Vienna, the goal is to reduce, reuse and recycle. Thecity strives to use less while seeking out and using thetreasure hidden in the garbage.

n The KUSSO plastic recycling facility sorts 4 tonnes of PET bottles per hour. The plasticbottles produced from these recycled materialsrequire 60 percent less energy than bottles produced with virgin material.

n The Pfaffenau waste incinerator burns over 32 tonnes of residual waste per hour at a tempera-ture over 850 degrees Celsius.

n Vienna’s “Waste Watcher programme” issued1,447 warnings, 1,108 fines (36 Euros), 272 higher penalty fines, and 416 fines for non-removal of dogwaste (1/2008-2/2009). Keeping public spaces cleanalso requires enforcement.

n Biogas Wien produces 11,200 megawatt hours ofelectricity annually from compost and kitchenwaste.

n Approximately 100,000 tonnes of organic wasteare collected and turned into high quality compostevery year in Vienna. The Lobau composting planthas a capacity of generating from 40,000 to 50,000tonnes of compost per year.

03 Waste

‹‹‹ The Pfaffenau incinerator, built in2008, uses the latest technology toturn garbage intoenergy with maxi-mum efficiency andenvironmental protection.

‹‹ Garbage being delivered at thePfaffenau incinerator.

‹‹ A particularly nim-ble street cleaningmachine used bythe MA 48 in Vienna’s historiccentre.

‹The diaphragm wallchamber systemhelps prevent ha-zardous substancesfrom entering thegroundwater.

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Why is Vienna cool in the summer and warm in the winter?

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04 Energy

n Just as hot water can be transported through the cityto heat buildings, it’s possible to cool buildings with cen-trally produced chilled water. Vienna has recently expanded its district heating system to also provide energy efficient and economically beneficial air condi-tioning. In Europe the market for air conditioning is setto double in the next 20 years – in view of this demand,smart alternative solutions are needed.

Cool Water@Long DistancesWien Energie Fernwärme (Vienna’s Energy Company) isinvesting 51 million Euros during the next years to provide chilled water for air conditioning via its existingdistrict heating system. Already, major hospitals and office buildings are connected to the cooling network.The system works by cooling water in a central waterplant to 7 degrees Celsius using energy from an

adjacent waste-to-energy incinerator – a process thatuses only a tenth of the energy of conventional air conditioning. The cooled water is then distributed to customers through insulated chilled water pipes whereit is fed into building HVAC systems. After being used tocool the building, the 12 to 16 degree warm water is re-turned to the central water plant where it is cooled againto 7 degrees and re-circulated in a closed loop process.

Vienna’s new Pfaffenau waste-to-energy plant andSimmering biomass plant already produce highly efficient district heating from renewable resources;they have enormous potential for producing environ-mentally friendly air conditioning too.

Energy that grows on treesForest biomass is a renewable energy source growing

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The SEP, developed between 2004 and 2006, consistsof two parts: an analysis of Vienna’s energy consump-tion patterns and an assessment of several future sce-narios. These future scenarios are compared anddetailed implementation measures are identified. TheSEP’s analysis shows for example that in 2015 Viennawould increase energy use by 12 percent under the“business as usual” scenario and by 7 percent in theenergy saving scenario. The SEP’s energy saving scenario focuses on increasing efficiency by changingconsumer behaviour (education) and by supporting energy efficient devices.

Warm and Efficient HomesBetter insulation is an easy way to increase heating andcooling system efficiency. Unfortunately, in older citiesbuildings are often poorly insulated. In Vienna, about300,000 apartments built between 1945 and 1980 lacksufficient insulation. To address this problem Vienna introduced the “THEWOSAN subsidy programme”. Since 2000 the programme has supported the insula-tion of 149,000 apartments and has helped reduce CO2 emissions by 234,000 tonnes per year.

Insulation saves money too. A well-insulated buildinguses, on average, 50 percent less energy for spaceheating than a poorly insulated building, significantlyreducing heating costs. The savings for an averageapartment (70 square metres) amount to between 280and 400 Euros per year. Insulating public buildings haseven greater energy saving potential, reducing energyuse by almost 90 percent in some cases.

throughout Austria and Vienna is no exception. WienEnergie’s Simmering biomass power plant began pro-ducing green electricity and eco-heating from biomassand wood not suitable for industrial in 2006. The fur-nace burns approximately 75 cubic metres of biomassper hour to create steam. The steam is used to gener-ate electricity (65.7 megawatt) and waste heat is fedinto the local district heating system. Using Austrianforest biomass to generate energy reduces fossil fuelconsumption and increases energy security whileadding value to the regional economy. Transport impacts are low since the biomass is available within100 kilometres of the plant. Finally, Vienna’s biomassenergy system makes a key contribution to achievingAustria’s climate protection goals.

Consumer Based Energy ConservationVienna’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEP) is a mile-stone in the city’s comprehensive energy policy. Theprogramme describes how Vienna will encourage consumers to reduce energy consumption betweennow 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 TunnelsThe ground temperature remains essentially constantat approximately 11 degrees Celsius throughout theyear. In winter it is warmer inside the tunnel, in summer ist is cooler than on the surface. The WienerLinien has developed an innovative new approach called“ESYS” that uses this geothermal energy for heatingand cooling. The system uses heat exchangers boredinto the underground tunnel walls to exploit the differ-ence in air temperature and ground temperature thuscooling underground stations in the summer and heat-ing them in the winter. The system has even been extended to some nearby buildings thus creating an environmentally friendly local heating and cooling system.

An intelligently designed sustainable energy policy isan excellent foundation for developing innovative newtechnologies and future-oriented jobs, thus helping toprotect the environment while improving the localeconomy and increasing social well being.

n Fernwärme Wien has a dense network of districtheating pipes over 1,000 kilometres long servinghousing, schools, hospitals and public buildingsthroughout Vienna.

n District cooling can reduce CO2 gas emissions by2.5 times compared to conventional air conditioningsystems.

n Since 2006, all buildings of the "TownTown" urbandevelopment area have been supplied with districtcooling from a separate refrigeration unit.

n Fernwärme Wien’s central cooling plant in Spittelau, with a capacity of 17 megawatt (the equivalent cooling capacity of approximately115,000 commercial refrigerators), is currently thelargest producer of district cooling in Vienna.

n The Simmering biomass plant consumes about600,000 cubic metres of forest biomass annually to supply more than 48,000 Viennese householdswith electricity and 12,000 households with districtheating.

n In 2008 the “ESYS – Geothermal Energy from Underground Tunnels” was awarded the AustrianState Prize for innovation from the Federal Ministryfor Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT)for excellence in addressing climate change.

n Vienna’s Municipal Energy Efficiency Programme(SEP) has a goal of reducing energy consumptionby 15 gigawatt hours annually.

04 Energy

‹‹‹View over Viennafrom the south withthe Pfaffenau incinerator in theforeground.

‹‹Wien Energie’sVienna Windpark,the city is increa-singly reliant on renewable energy.

‹Vienna’s Tunnel-Thermic Systemuses geothermalenergy obtainedfrom underground tunnels to helpheat and cool underground stations and nearby buildings.

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Why are there two cities in Vienna?

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05 Urban Scapes

n In Vienna there are two city centres: the historicalcentre and a modern new centre called “Vienna DonauCity” on the other side of the Danube River. As well asthe city’s historic centre the Donau City ist a popularand lively mixed-use district combining residences withbusiness and culture. This is the result of the clearprinciples specified in Vienna’s urban developmentstrategy: concentrating development along efficientpublic transport routes, encouraging mixed-use devel-opment and requiring extensive public participation inthe planning process.

The city’s framework for long-term development is the2005 Vienna Urban Development Plan (STEP05). Thisplan 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 develop-ment is a complicated process of negotiation, regulation

and implementation – therefore the STEP05 plan targeted 13 specific areas ripe for (re)development. Theplan focuses on each area’s essential needs, tacklingspecific problems and capitalizing on particular oppor-tunities. Different strategies were developed for differ-ent situations such as historic districts, new cityneighbourhoods, areas on the Danube River, and reuseof former railway facilities.

Detailed planning for the 13 development areas followsthe same pattern: the STEP05 overall goals were refined to define specific development plans based onextensive public dialogue with all relevant stake holders.The foundation is creation of stakeholder platformseach responsible for developing customized missionstatements, programmes and policies for their parti -cular development area. The city provides an interdis-ciplinary team to help coordinate, supervise and supplytechnical information for the stakeholder groups.

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Vienna is also pursuing big redevelopment projects atthe Südbahnhof and Nord- and Nordwestbahnhof.These former railway terminals will be rebuilt freeinghundreds of hectares of inner city land for creation ofnew urban neighbourhoods. Plans for the areas weredeveloped in competitions, but again, the neighbour-hoods were designed by first focusing on the publicspace and then planning the surrounding buildings.The projects also carefully consider how they fit into theexisting densely developed neighbourhoods and howthe new development can help increase the liveabilityand vitality of surrounding neighbourhoods.

Revitalizing Existing NeighbourhoodsIn a historic city like Vienna it’s also important to helpsupport small local projects needed to revitalize neigh-bourhoods. Vienna’s “District Service Agencies” are internationally recognized for providing decentralizedservices designed to help residents enhance their ownbuildings and neighbourhoods. For example the de-partment’s 35-year programme for renovating Bieder-meyer-era housing has been praised for its smooth andeffective operation. The department advises residentson housing and building rehabilitation, provides projectsupport and mediates conflicts. As a result, the neigh-bourhood’s quality of life improves making it more attractive and popular. The programme has now beenextended to include over 200,000 city-owned apart-ments in 20 areas of the city.

Creating High Quality Public SpacesPublic spaces are the focal points of city life; they arewhere people with different cultures and lifestyles meetto go about their daily activities. Public spaces play a cru-cial role in making cities liveable and therefore Vienna iscommitted to creating safe, high quality public spacesthroughout the city. A key element in Vienna’s strategy isthe “50 Places Programme”, which sets forth a mission

The STEP05 plans are being implemented and are already having an impact helping improve Vienna’s live-ability and economy.

Vienna Thinks (and Plans) BigLarge 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 20,000residents living in sustainable mixed-use neighbour-hoods. The location is unparalleled: northeast Vienna,adjacent to the Danube Floodplain National Park, andonly half an hour from Bratislava, which when com-bined with Vienna constitutes one of Europe’s largesteconomic regions. Aspern’s planners and developersshare a urban vision that balances sustainable livingwith future-oriented employment. The new city com-bines qualities often considered incompatible: businesscentre with national park, city with nature, living in Vienna with working in Europe. “aspern Vienna’s UrbanLakeside” achieves this by placing priority on creatinghigh quality public spaces and then developing a diverse set of mixed use structures oriented around theopen spaces – the opposite of what is often done.

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statement and priorities for improving the usability ofpublic spaces. This programme is supplemented by detailed guidelines on the planning, design, manage-ment and care of public spaces. The guidelines recog-nize that public space must serve all Vienna’s diverseneeds by carefully considering demographic factorssuch as age, socio-economic and cultural background.Public spaces should be adaptable to changing needswithout requiring costly investments, and they should always provide opportunities to create unexpected spatial, creative and action-oriented interventions.

Building High Quality Modern ArchitecturePerhaps surprising for a city steeped in history, Vienna’sArchitecture Declaration (2005) commits the city to supporting construction of high quality modern archi-tecture. The city’s own public works programme pro-vides an excellent opportunity for implementing this objective: many projects are designed in internationalcompetitions. Vienna also recognizes that modern architecture and skyscrapers must be very carefully integrated into historic neighbourhoods. Therefore, thecity’s “High-rise Building Concept” describes whereand how skyscrapers can be built. It includes criteriathat must be fulfilled including minimizing impact onhistoric buildings, providing easy access to high capacitypublic transport and use of high quality mater ials, before they can be built.

Public Involvement Means More Effective PlanningVienna believes that planning is more effective whenresidents and interest groups are involved in the plan-ning process as early and as fully as possible. This applies to all projects from comprehensive city-wideplanning studies to detailed neighbourhood playgrounddesigns. While open public processes can require moreresources, they lead to better projects and reduce delays caused by controversy – in other words they helpcreate more robust projects. Strong public involvementis the foundation for Vienna’s continuing sustainabledevelopment.

n By the end of 2008 Vienna’s “50 Places Pro-gramme” had successfully transformed 44 publicspaces with over 216,000 square metres into attractive urban spaces; by the end of 2010 the programme will have improved over 287,000 squaremetres of urban space.

n The “aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside” project covers an area of 240 hectares; it will include 8,500 apartments housing over 20,000 people andcommercial space for over 20,000 jobs.

n The Vienna Hauptbahnhof redevelopment project,at the former Südbahnhof site, covers an area of109 hectares; it will provide 5,000 apartments hou-sing over 13,000 people and 550.000 square metresof office space.

n In 2008, Vienna’s “District Service Agencies” helped over 4,000 tenants resolve a wide variety ofhousing, building and social problems.

n Vienna has organized stakeholder groups to helpprepare development objectives and improvementmeasures in all 13 STEP05 target areas.

05 Urban Scapes

‹‹‹An artist’s visuali-zation of DonauCity, Vienna’s second downtown.

‹‹Dialogue betweenold and new in thecentre of Vienna:the landmark St. Stephen's Cathedral reflectedin the windows ofthe contemporaryHaas House.

‹The Wienerbergskyscrapers in Favoriten illustrate theVienna High-riseBuilding Concept: concentrating tallbuildings in locations with appropriate infrastructure.

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Why is everyone happy when an ULF arrives?

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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 abovethe ground, it’s no wonder that everyone in Vienna ishappy 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, thecity’s main objective is to promote public transport, withthe goal of increasing the share of public transport tripsfrom 35 percent (2008) to 40 percent by 2020.

Already 96 percent of residents have excellent access topublic transport in their neighbourhoods, so achievingVienna’s ambitious goal will require implementing innovative modern technology, increasing service and

reliability, improving comfort and making the systemmore cost efficient.

Intelligent Traffic Signals for Free Flowing StreetsStreets quickly become gridlocked in cities withoutgood traffic control systems. At the heart of these systems are computers that coordinate traffic signalsto optimize vehicle flow and improve safety. Vienna’sTraffic Control Computer (VLSA), in operation since2009, uses the Open Communication Interface for RoadTraffic Control System (OCIT). This system integratesdata collected from traffic signal control devices, centralized components and the system managementlevel, enabling users to exchange, analyze and usethese data efficiently. Thanks to this new technology,the traffic signals can be quickly adjusted for currenttraffic conditions: real time traffic signal data is com-bined with signal phasing plans stored in the central

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Public Transport For AllVienna’s goal is to provide efficient and reliable publictransport for all – regardless of personal limitations.

The great strength of Vienna’s transport system is thecity’s highly integrated combination of metro, tram andbus lines operated in close coordination with regionalrail and bus lines. Planning, management, ticketingand information for this dense public transport networkare coordinated centrally, thus ensuring that the system operates with the highest possible quality and efficiency.

The Wiener Linien’s website and mobile device appli-cations provide detailed information on this compre-hensive public transport network. This information ishighly accessible and helpful. For example it includesaudio input/output interfaces to help visually impairedpersons obtain information and identifies accessiblepaths to Wiener Linien stations using the “POPTIS programme”. A supplemental application, “ITIP”, dis-plays a countdown clock for real time public transportvehicle departures.

The Wiener Linien uses bold colours, clear icons andlarge fonts designed to help everyone navigate throughstations and find the right bus, tram or train. Almost all underground stations have tactile paving to helpguide visually impaired persons.

Low floor buses and trams contribute significantly to an accessible public transport system. Especiallypopu lar are the Wiener Linien’s new ULF (ultra low

floor) trams. The ULF’s low entry height not only im-proves passenger comfort, but also increases vehiclespeed by reducing the amount of time needed forboarding and alighting. In fact, the ULFs spend 50 per-cent less time stopped at stations as older trams – thusreducing travel time and operating costs. The ULF tram

computer to develop new timing plans. Unlike the oldtechnology, with the VLSA system all traffic signals canalso work independently if the central computer fails.

Parking Management Creates More Space for EveryoneA parking fee and time limits apply to all on-streetparking spaces in Vienna’s districts 1, 4 to 9 and 20 onwork days from 9:00 in the morning until 22:00 in theevening and partially in the districts 2, 3 and 15. Thisstrict and uniform parking programme has success-fully reduced automobile traffic and parking problemsin central Vienna. Furthermore, the parking fees helpsupport improvements to environmentally friendlymodes of transportation including public transport, bicycling and pedestrian facilities.

The Future of Urban Transportation: the BicycleBicycles are the ultimate in fast, environmentallyfriendly, healthy and cheap urban transportation.Therefore, Vienna is implementing a comprehensive bi-cycle plan designed to encourage bicycle transport andreduce accidents. The plan includes traditional sepa-rated bicycle routes as well as shared space routes indensely settled historic districts; the city currently hasover 1,100 kilometres of bike routes. In addition, Vienna’s City Bike programme enables residents andvisitors to borrow a bike from over 62 locations – andthe first hour is free!

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was developed in cooperation with Siemens Austria anddesigned by Porsche Design. The ULF trams are alsobeing exported to other cities – helping to spread Vienna- developed technology and ideas.

“Building Bridges” in Centrope: Twin City LinerThe Twin City Liner is a high-speed catamaran provid-ing service between Vienna and Bratislava. The serviceis a strong symbol of international cooperation betweenthe two “Twin Cities.” The 60-kilometre city-centre-to-city-centre trip takes about 75 minutes providing 126 passengers with a comfortable and scenic trip onthe magnificent Danube River. The Twin City Liner is a

public private partnership between Raiffeisen and WienHolding and has been operated profitably since servicestarted in 2006. In 2006, the Twin City Liner carried80,000 passengers, this increased to 105,000 passen-gers in 2007, and to over 150,000 passengers in 2008when a second ship was added to the fleet. The serviceprovides an excellent example of regional cooperationwithout the use of public funds. In 2009 the Twin CityLiner received the prestigious “Red Arrow Award” foroutstanding infrastructure improvement.

n The Wiener Linien operates over 120 public transport lines and counts over 800 million persontrips annually. The public transport model split is35 percent.

n The Wiener Linien operates 300 ULF (ultra low-floor) trams. The ULF trams have a top speed of 80 kilometres per hour, their floor is just 19 centi-metres above the ground, and they come in twolengths: 24 metres or 35 metres.

n Wiener Linien buses are operated with environ-mentally friendly LPG.

n In 2008, about 180,000 bicyclists made over363,000 trips and travelled over 1.1 million kilo -metres in Vienna.

n Surface traffic in Vienna is controlled by 1,217traffic signals (VLSA). Of these, 423 use LED tech-nology and 442 have audible signals for sight im-paired persons. Over 900 VLSA have beenconnected to the central traffic control computer,which uses OCIT interface.

n The two Twin City Liner catamarans are each 33 metres in length and weigh 49 tonnes. They carry126 passengers and 5 crewmembers with a maxi-mum speed of 37 knots (69 kilometres per hour).

n With a storage area of 70,000 square metres HafenWien is one of the largest companies offering storage logistics in Austria. In 2008 the trimodalcargo handling hub had a total cargo volume handledof 12 tonnes.

06 Mobility

‹‹‹On Franz Josefs-Kai, one of Vienna’sbusiest streets,centralized trafficsignal control helpskeeps traffic flowing smoothlyand efficiently.

‹‹The Ring-Roundbike path on Vienna’s Ringstrasse is abackbone of the city’s extensive bicycling network.

‹The Twin City Liner,leaving Bratislava,is the quickest connection bet-ween Vienna andBratislava, two European capitalsonly 60 kilometresapart, and is an excellent exampleof a successful public private partnership.

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How many languages doesVienna speak?

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07 Communication

n Vienna has long recognized that communicating respectfully with all its residents plays a fundamentalrole fostering harmonious social relations in multicul-tural societies. The city-produced guidebook “ViennaSpeaks Differently” focuses on how government andcitizens 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 forproviding information and helping citizens transact gov-ernment business; but, the city also recognized that thewebsite must be well organized, clearly presented andavailable in several languages to be truly useful. The resulting website has won many international awardsand, more importantly, has saved visitors, residents and

city departments substantial time and energy. The web-site already provides over 500 pages of government information and 130 online forms. Thus the city’s virtualoffice – open around the clock, seven days a week –helps citizens take care of official business without travelling to city hall.

Moving Around Just Got EasierKnowing when the next tram will arrive helps make iteasier for people to get around in the city, but alsohelps the city better manage its transport system. TheWiener Linien’s Computerized Operations ManagementSystem (RBL) efficiently achieves both functions –killing two birds with one stone. The system identifiesschedule delays, enabling managers to reorganizeservice, and also provides passengers with real time

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mation smoothly and efficiently. Vienna’s Municipal Department for Information and Communication Tech-nology (MA14) develops tailored applications that arethoroughly integrated into the city’s overall informationtechnology system. For example, Vienna has a stan-dardized geographic information system (GIS) used byall departments as a foundation for specific applica-tions – information from these applications can then beeasily used and extended by other departments and citizens – and, of course, all this data can be easily displayed on maps.

Digital Information: Nature Protection to SewersAnyone planning a construction project needs a hugeamount of information: what can be built in a specificlocation? What are the noise requirements? Where inVienna are specific plants protected? Where are thesewers located? Vienna provides answers to thesetypes of questions and more in its Multi-purpose CityMap (MZK). This multi-layer digital map provides up-to-date and detailed information to architects, planners, builders and others interested in construct-ing 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 amouse click away.

Vienna’s high quality maps are also interesting for residents and visitors. The city’s environmental plan ispresented in map form on wien.at’s “Umweltgut” page;it describes nature reserves and protected species

arrival information, increasing public transport’s at-tractiveness by making trips more efficient.

The Wiener Linien’s innovative “qando” application,which provides real time schedule information to mobile-phones, is a substantial improvement over fixed signs.“AnachB.at” provides multi-modal information such asthe best bicycle routes from A to B, or on roadway trafficcongestion. Vienna believes that providing good information will help people choose more sustainableforms of transportation for moving around in the city.

Information Sharing: A Two-way StreetVienna uses the latest information technology strate-gies to manage city services and communicate withresidents. In all cases the focus is on handling infor-

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providing information and spatial data in an easy to useformat. It’s especially helpful in identifying environ-mental factors relevant for construction projects.

Naturally Vienna also uses sophisticated digital infor-mation systems to help control technical operations. Agood example is the “KANIS application” for optimizingsewer system operation and management. This highlyintegrated database is used to plan maintenance,cleaning and improvements to the sewer system, in ad-dition to providing customers with service informationover the Internet. KANIS serves as an excellent modelfor other cities.

Information + Coordination = Happy ResidentsNothing infuriates residents more than inefficiency ingovernment – especially when it means that theirstreet is torn-up twice in short order. Vienna’s inte-grated approach to information sharing and applicationdevelopment is designed to encourage better coordi-nation. A good example is the city’s integrated Under-ground Construction Permitting Process (EAZV). Thisapplication coordinates underground utility construc-tion helping ensure that streets only need to be dug uponce. Thus construction work can be done quickly andefficiently, minimizing the impacts on local residentsand transport systems. In 2009 Vienna’s EAZV applica-tion won the national prize for excellence in Multimediaand e-Business.

n Over 1,000 Wiener Linien vehicles are equippedwith RBL sending real time locational data to the“AnachB.at” online information platform, thus helping users identify the optimal routes.

n The Wiener Linien’s “qando” application providesreal time public transport schedule information tomobile devices.

n Vienna’s EAZV system coordinates over 12,000construction sites annually (42,000 kilometres ofwater and wastewater lines and 2,800 kilometres ofstreets).

n Vienna’s Multi-purpose City Map includes over 3 million data points on a 415 square kilometresarea.

n Vienna’s city internet site, “wien.at”, was acces-sed over 360 million times in 2009.

n “wien.at” is also the name of a free newspaperpublished monthly by the City of Vienna for its resi-dents. The 24 page newspaper presents recent cityactivities, interesting news stories as well as city-oriented puzzles and games. It is distributed to all950,000 households in Vienna.

07 Communication

‹‹‹ On-line publictransport passen-ger information system for theVienna region.

‹‹‹Real-time publictransport informa-tion helps passen-gers save time andchoose the rightroutes.

‹The Vienna Planungswerkstatt(Planning Work-shop) has beenpresenting exhibiti-ons and seminarsfocused on currentissues in urbanplanning for over 20 years.

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How does a city create a visual identity?

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08 Real Estate

n Nothing shapes a city’s visual image as much as itsarchitectural ensemble. Vienna plays a major role inshaping the city’s visual identity by nurturing highquality architectural design both as a major builderand facility manager, and also by influencing the de-sign of privately constructed buildings in the planningprocess.

The government of Vienna is the city’s largest propertyowner. Not only is Vienna responsible for planning,building and the management of over 200,000 city-owned apartments, but also hundreds of governmentoffices, enterprise department buildings, schools, firestations, recreational centres and public works facilities.

Vienna is working steadily to improve its own buildingsand to develop programmes that encourage privateowners to do likewise.

High Quality Facility ManagementThe Municipal Department for Building and FacilityManagement (MA 34) uses the latest processes and systems to manage city-owned buildings. Goodmanagement starts with professionally certified on-site property managers providing a direct interfaceto customers. It is facilitated by a state of the artcomputer system that documents budgets, repair/maintenance processes, security, records andother administrative needs. And it is implementedwith fast and effective repair service connected to customers via a call centre staffed 24/7. Regularcustomer surveys are completed to help identifyways to improve processes and increase customersatisfaction. Vienna’s MA 34 is the first publicagency in Austria to adopt such a comprehensivecustomer service approach to building manage-ment.

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Vienna often stages competitions to develop designs fornew public buildings and renovation projects. The com-petitions attract wide attention throughout Europe andare judged by expert juries. This process has led tomany exciting designs showcased in international ar-chitectural magazines and guidebooks. Two recent ex-amples are the new central train station (HauptbahnhofWien) and the North Vienna Acute Hospital.

Vienna also supports quality architecture by holding de-sign competitions for privately owned apartment build-ings built with financial support from the city. In theseso-called “Property Developer Competitions,” teams ofdesigners (architects, landscape architects and othertechnical experts) develop comprehensive plans designed to build high quality structures that improveneighbourhood liveability. These competitions havejump-started the careers of many innovative young de-sign professionals.

Finally, Vienna creates its own real estate developmentcompanies to design and build large, integrated urbandevelopment projects, such as “aspern Vienna’s UrbanLakeside”, a new city-in-the-city for 20,000 people, or“Oberlaa Neu”, a unique new spa and recreation cen-tre focusing on health, exercise and sports.

A Sensitive Approach to Historic StructuresIn 2001 Vienna’s historic centre was named a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site. But other parts of the city are alsoworthy of protection as part of a historic ensemble.Therefore, the city of Vienna has established various instruments to protect structures with preservationvalue. Central to the city’s approach is the “Vienna Protection Zone Model”, a programme in which relevantstructures are identified and evaluated city-wide, thuscreating a basis for all types of urban planning decisions. Structures identified in this programme arealso eligible for special funding from the Vienna Historic Conservation Fund to support rehabilitationand conservation measures.

High Quality Public WorksVienna enhances its visual image by embracing highquality design in its own buildings. The city has a longtradition 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 asense of owner ship.

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n The Municipal Deapartment for Building and Facility Management (MA34) is a full service agency responsible for managing over 1,800 buildings anda budget over 150 million Euros annually.

n Vienna has held 70 architectural design competi-tions in the last ten years.

n The Oberlaa Spa is a public-private partnershipproject between Wien Holding and VAMED, a spe-cialist for fitness and wellness centres.

n The Oberlaa development site covers an area ofover 200,000 square metres.

n "Wien Kulturgut” presents a comprehensive des-cription of Vienna’s cultural heritage on the city’swebsite.

n In Vienna, skyscrapers may only be built in speci-fied areas and only after meeting a strict set ofmandatory development criteria.

08 Real Estate

‹‹‹The Vienna FrauenWerkStatt II(Women's Work-shop II), is a projectfocused on meetingthe needs ofwomen.

‹‹Vienna’s city centre,a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site.

‹The “Wohnen amPark” (living on thepark) residentialbuilding in Vienna’sLeopoldstadt is agood example ofhow developercompetitions helpassure architectu-ral quality and provide highlyfunctional livingspaces in Vienna.

Clear Regulations for Private ConstructionVienna’s building code provides clear regulations de-signed to safeguard the public’s interest in orderly, safeand environmentally sustainable construction. The city

makes building decisions based on a well-defined approval process consisting of detailed technical reviews and public presentations. A key requirement isthat all new buildings and renovations are consistentwith Vienna’s urban design plan (Stadtbild). The city’sarchitectural review board makes this decision and provides advice to builders on how to meet Vienna’sstrict urban design requirements.

Vienna has also developed a “High-rise Building Concept” with guidelines for evaluating and minimiz-ing the impacts of large structures on historic buildingensembles and districts. The guidelines include protecting historical sight-line corridors, providing access to high quality public transportation and requir-ing extensive public participation in project decision- making. The guidelines are summarized in a ten-pointchecklist.

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Are people braver in Vienna?

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09 Safety

n When visitors come to Vienna, they are often sur-prised to learn that the city has no areas that should beavoided at night. On the contrary, the city was recentlyrated safest in a study of five large European cities (Am-sterdam, Budapest, Hamburg, Krakow and Vienna). Amajority of those surveyed in Vienna felt that theirneighbourhood is safe and only a small number wereconcerned about crime. In response to the question:“How likely do you consider burglary or violent crime inyour neighbourhood?” over 72 percent of Viennese an-swered “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 live-ability, cities must pursue integrated strategies designed to increase both objective and subjectivemeasures of security.

Using Public Spaces Without FearPublic spaces where people feel insecure limit free-dom, especially for groups with an increased need forsecurity - such as women, children, the elderly or peo-ple with disabilities. Good design and sensitive handling

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involving neighbours in the planning and designingprocess. In multicultural Vienna, this means involvingall neighbours, since many subjective fears can be re-duced through better understanding of different cul-tures.

Sharing Urban Space FairlyAccording to a 2006 study, women make 56 percent ofall walking trips in Vienna; the majority of these tripsare for shopping or accompanying others (e.g. childrento school). This means that women are particularly im-pacted by insecurity in public spaces and substandardfacilities. To better consider the needs of women in thedesign and planning of public open spaces, Viennabegan a programme called “Fair Share City.” The firstproject to use this approach was a plan for improvingthe pedestrian network in Vienna’s Mariahilf District.The plan made recommendations for improvementswith a particular focus on routes to schools, hospitals,government buildings and other daily trips such as foodshopping. Two measures were found particularly important for safe and stress-free travel: a minimumsidewalk width of two metres and adequate crossingtime at traffic lights. Since this project these qualitieshave been applied in all districts of Vienna.

Safe TravelsAn important measure of a city’s liveability is transportsafety: the more reliable, fluid flowing and accident-free the better. In Vienna, the excellent public transportsystem moves people reliably and safely throughout the

of public space can significantly improve security.Therefore, the goal of Vienna’s Open Space – City Space(Freiraum-Stadtraum Wien) plan is to provide clearguidelines for the planning, design and managementof urban open spaces. When it comes to management,the guidelines focus on social control, which can befostered by encouraging residents to identify with“their” public space. Identifying with a space begins by

city, but other modes of transport are not forgotten. A central computer controls Vienna’s traffic signal sys-tem and helps reduce accidents. Thanks to this newtechnology all the city’s traffic signals can be set to op-timize traffic flow instantly. The city also collects dataon all accidents and uses them to help plan transportnetwork improvements.

See and Be SeenOne of the main reasons people are relaxed in Viennaby night is the city’s excellent outdoor lighting. Thecity’s outdoor lighting is based on Vienna’s LightingMasterplan, a set of guidelines that integrate key cityobjectives in the areas of safety, security, gender main-streaming, environmental protection, urban design and

aesthetics with the latest lighting technology to providecost effective and energy efficient ways to see and beseen after dark. By carefully considering new tech-nologies like LED-based systems, Vienna has been ableto provide better light while reducing energy consump-tion.

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n Vienna has over 148,000 streetlights with over227,000 individual lights.

n Traffic accidents have been reduced by 30 percentsince 1990 and the number of persons killed in traffic accidents has been reduced by 75 percent.

n Over 92 percent of Vienna residents are satisfiedwith their living environment.

n Over 72 percent of Vienna residents consider ithighly unlikely that they will be attacked in the city(survey by Vienna Institute for the Sociology of Law and Criminology, on behalf of the MunicipalDepartment for Urban Development and Planning).

n As a result of the Gender Mainstreaming Pro-gramme, Vienna’s transport plan sets the mini-mum sidewalk width at 2 metres for all newdevelopment zones and redevelopment areas.

n According to the study “Living and Quality of Lifein Vienna” over 75 percent of the Vienna residentsfeel very safe in their neighbourhood.

n Over 57 percent of public transport trips in Viennaare made by women. They particularly benefit fromwell lighted, highly visible and secure stations.

‹‹‹The pedestrianarea around St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Viennais a safe city sub-jectively and objectively.

‹‹The special side-walk lighting onStumpergasse inVienna’s MariahilfDistrict was a pilotproject in the city’sGender Main-streaming Plan; the plan’s goal is to ensure thateveryone has thesame opportunityto enjoy and use allpublic spacesthroughout the city.

‹Improved lighting at crosswalks helpsincrease safety forschool children inVienna’s PenzingDistrict.

09 Safety

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Why do Vienna’s crosswalks tick?

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10 Accessibility

n An easy to hear ticking - sometimes fast, sometimesslow – is a special feature of many Vienna crosswalks.This is an acoustic signal that helps blind and visuallyimpaired people cross streets more safely and easily.Acoustic signals are only one element of Vienna’s com-prehensive Barrier Free City programme. Many meas-ures have been developed and implemented to helpmake travel and obtaining city services easier and saferfor people with disabilities since the programme wasfirst introduced in the 1994 Vienna Urban DevelopmentPlan. Importantly, creating a barrier free city benefitseveryone: parents with prams, people with casts, thevery young and elderly – as well as disabled persons.

Planning and Building a barrier free CityVienna’s building code requires all new constructionand renovations be built barrier free, so that they can beused by anyone regardless of permanent or temporarydisability. The city’s office of accessible design, construction and housing provides its special expertiseto help citizens develop barrier free plans and providesgrants to help improve accessibility. In 2008 Vienna provided 1.3 million Euros of funding for 235 projectsfrom this programme.

Vienna has also created an Internet-based system forpeople to report barriers and obstacles such as missing

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With an entry height of 19 centimetres and providing aramp at the front entrance, everyone can easily boardthe ULF trams – even those in wheelchairs or pushingbaby prams.

Once again, creating a barrier free city helps everyone.Making it easier to get on and off trams not only makespublic transport more comfortable for customers, butlowers operating costs by reducing the time trams spendstopped at stations. And, making trams more comfort-able for passengers helps increase revenues by attract-ing 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 aroundVienna.

Accessible Buildings Create a City for AllSo that everyone, including those with special needscan be mobile, the city of Vienna clears obstacles wher-ever possible. Vienna actively promotes barrier freeplanning and building as well as providing advice andinformation on improving accessibility. Furthermore,special attention is given to accessibility in all city architectural and design competitions.

Accessible Stairways and SidewalksVienna’s topography means that the city has many public stairways including many that are historical

steps or the need for tactile warning systems. This isoften the first step in improving the situation.

Finally, Vienna has developed an on-line “Barrier FreeCity Map”. This map allows users to identify comfort-able and safe barrier free routes before setting out.Among other things the map shows sidewalk slopes,the location of acoustic signals and the exact arrivaltimes of public transport vehicles. It’s also available viaGPS equipped mobile telephones helping supportspontaneous trips.

Barrier Free Public TransportVienna’s underground, trams and buses are integral tothe city – making them fully accessible is one of theWiener Linien’s most important goals. The whole natural gas bus fleet operates with low floor vehicles.Underground stations are accessible and the new trainsinclude automatic gap closers to facilitate boarding andalighting. Vienna’s huge tram fleet is being replacedwith low floor vehicles.

The Wiener Linien’s ULF (ultra low floor) trams are anexcellent example of technical innovation, increasedcomfort and design excellence. The Wiener Linienbegan developing truly barrier free trams in the 1990s,working closely with Siemens Austria AG. The project’sgoal of creating a level entrance was achieved throughcareful design and the use of independent axles.

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monuments such as the Strudlhofstiege, the Rahl -stiege or the Fillgraderstiege. Staircases are significantobstacles in the barrier free city.

Vienna’s Municipal Department for Bridge Construc-tion and Foundation Engineering (MA 29) is responsi-ble for public stairways, a role that includes improvingtheir accessibility. In 2000 the MA 29 prepared guide-lines for building, maintaining and improving ramps designed to facilitate movement for people with prams.The guidelines describe ramp dimensions, slope andgive information on the use of materials.

The MA 29’s “Pedestrian Action Plan” goes a step further, listing improvements designed to make stair-ways and sidewalks safer and more comfortable forpedestrians. The plan includes regular assessmentsand maintenance; projects to improve accessibility andcomfort are completed as part of this regular mainte-nance process.

Vienna’s goal is to create a “barrier free city.” Support-ing accessible building design, introducing low floortrams, constructing sidewalk ramps and developing innovative on-line information sources are all parts ofVienna’s effort to increase liveability for all.

n Tactile paving is provided in many public spaces,including 93 percent of all underground stations, to improve accessibility for blind and visually impaired people.

n Vienna’s ULF (ultra low floor) trams with their 19 centimetres floor height are unbeatable in termsof accessibility.

n Providing full accessibility in public buildings andhousing has been part of Vienna’s building regula-tions since 1991.

n All public stairways in Vienna have signs providinginformation on alternative routes for people unableto use the stairs.

‹‹Vienna ULF(ultra low floor)tram: with a stepheight of only 19 centimetres, theULF is one of themost accessiblepublic transport vehicles in theworld.

‹The Thurnstiegestairway has beenmade accessible in a project co-sponsored bythe Vienna CityCouncil and localcitizens groups.

10 Accessibility

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Why is everyone going in thesame direction in Vienna?

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11 Strategies

n Providing Vienna’s current and future residentswith the highest possible environmentally sustainablequality of life requires strong coordination. The Vienna city administration consists of municipal department employees supplemented by countlessothers in city-owned enterprises, independent service providers and other levels of government, allworking together to improve Vienna’s quality of lifeand environmental sustainability. These shared goalscombined with comprehensive strategic planning andefficient management systems are important reasonswhy Vienna is recognized as one of the world’s bestmanaged municipalities.

Highly Rated City ServicesVienna residents appreciate their city administration:70 percent of residents rated city services, ease of com-municating with city administration, and implementa-tion 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 ad-ministration that takes its responsibility for providingpublic 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

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Similarly, a group representing all departments andlevels worked together to develop Vienna’s GenderEquality Plan (GAP). A final example is in the area ofaccessibility, where staff from all city departments andenterprises share detailed knowledge and special ex-pertise to develop and implement plans for increasingall types of accessibility.

New Alliances Prepare Vienna for the FutureVienna’s continued high liveability depends on strongand viable partnerships outside government. As one ofthe major engines of local economic development, thecity has had a long relationship with private sector busi-nesses, but Vienna is broadening and increasing thesepartnerships beyond the traditional targeted supportfor infrastructure and housing towards support for cre-ative and knowledge industries that form the basis fortomorrow’s economy.

Vienna’s award-winning “EcoBusinessPlan” programmeis an excellent example of this progressive approach.This programme provides local businesses with techni-cal and financial support needed to implement processimprovements that reduce both environmental impactsand operating costs.

The city also relies on outside partners such as inter-est groups and NGOs for strategic input; examples in-clude the 2005 Urban Development Plan (STEP05), the2003 Transportation Master Plan (MPV) and the Urban

financing services and infrastructure that focus on ob-taining the benefits of competition while maintaining adegree of control. For example, the city is the majorityshareholder in several privately owned urban enter-prises.

Encouraging Lateral ThinkingSpecialists play a key role in managing all moderncities, but people with the ability to think laterally, whotake the latest ideas from one technical field and applythem in another are needed to create exceptional cities.Vienna’s city administration encourages just this typeof cross cutting approach from the highest level of policy to the smallest detail of customer service. Forexample, Vienna’s approach to combating climatechange is being implemented by a “virtual organiza-tion.” More than 300 people from approximately 150 citydepartments, enterprises and external organizationsare working together in a decentralized network to implement the “KliP Vienna” plan for reducing CO2 emissions. This approach is reflected for instancein procurement: the programme “EcoBuy Vienna”(ÖkoKauf) purchases phosphate and formalde hyde-freeproducts and avoids product containing PVC, aggressive cleaning agents and tropical hardwoods.

47

Air Quality Plan (ULI). In all cases partners provide innovative new ideas and help support programmeimplementation.

Vienna: A Knowledge-based CityVienna, like many other cities, recognizes that know-ledge and new technologies hold the key to future eco-nomic success and urban liveability. This means it isessential to remain at the cutting edge of technology,research and scientific knowledge. Therefore, Vienna’sResearch, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Strategypromotes projects that help strengthen Vienna as abusiness location while providing social benefits forresidents.

Importantly, Vienna also provides an excellent labora-tory for examining the profound social, demographic,technical and economic changes occurring in citiestoday. A good example is the award winning SALTOproject. This interdisciplinary project, funded by the

Bertelsmann Foundation, evaluated qualities and im-provements that could make it easier for people to growold in their own neighbourhoods. Research, especiallyin fields where Vienna is an acknowledged worldleader, such as urban liveability and environmentalsustainability, is a fundamental building block towardsmaking Vienna a knowledge-based city.

n 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).

n The programme “EcoBuy Vienna” (Ökokauf) ap-plies environmental criteria to over 5 billion Euros ofgoods and services purchased by the city annually.

n All municipal hospitals and kindergartens inVienna use at least 30 percent organically producedfood.

n 3.32 percent of Vienna’s economy is based on re-search, well above the EU’s Lisbon target.

n The city of Vienna’s Centre for Innovation andTechnology (ZIT) initiative “WienWin” encouragessystematic exchange of information between mu-nicipal departments and innovative companies inVienna. This helps bring innovation into city go-vernment and simultaneously provides new marketopportunities for Viennese companies.

n More than 300 employees from over 150 Viennacity departments, municipal enterprises and exter-nal organizations participate in the city’s ClimateChange Reduction Programme “KliP Vienna”.

‹‹The “Alte Donau”(Old Danube) Re-creation Area ispart of Vienna’sgreenbelt; this pro-tected area hasbeen helping en-sure Vienna’s highquality of life forover 100 years.

‹Vienna’s Prateramusement park is a tourist magnetand an oasis ofgreen in the busycity; the park’s Ferris wheel is aworld famous symbol of Vienna.

11 Strategies

FACT

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TINA VIENNA Urban Technologies & Strategies GmbH

Vienna is internationally recognized for the high quality of its liveability and environment. These qualities havebeen reinforced by technical and strategic innovations – often developed by city departments or Vienna-basedcompanies – designed to improve the quality of urban life and increase sustainability. This means that Vienna’sstrategic, 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 andused in Vienna. Our detailed understanding of these innovative technologies enables us to help other cities andauthorities customize them for their own specific needs.

n TINA VIENNA distributes comprehensive information on urban technologies and strategies developed and used successfully in Vienna.

n TINA VIENNA provides access to Vienna-based technical and practical experts.

n 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.

n TINA VIENNA provides technical expertise and project management in urban planning and infrastructure on the domestic and international levels.

n TINA VIENNA assists clients in developing and managing international projects including projects funded by the European Community.

n TINA VIENNA supports information sharing and understanding of urban technologies both for outside clientsand Viennese partners.

We would be happy to provide you with more detailed information about urban technologies and strategiesused in Vienna and to assist you in the implementation of specific applications and projects. We look forwardto working together with you in the future.

TINA VIENNA Urban Technologies & Strategies GmbHA WIEN HOLDING GmbH company

Anschützgasse 1 · 1150 Vienna · AustriaTel. +43 1 4000 84260 · Fax +43 1 4000 [email protected] · www.tinavienna.at

Port of Vienna

Waterborne Transportation Service

Foundation Engineering

Press and Information Services

Location development

Vienna Waterworks

Public Lighting

E-Government

Energy supply

Energy Saving Contracting

Building and Facility Management

E-Government

Data Processing

Environmental Protection

Waste Management

Regional Cooperation

Data ProtectionWaste Water Management

Land Use

Vienna’s Urban Lakeside

Municipal Swimming Pools

Research Centre, Laboratory and Certification Services

Housing Construction

Surveyors

Water Management

Construction

Bridge Construction

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Road Management

Economic Development

EU Strategy

Housing Policy

Urban Renewal

Urban Planning

ArchitectureDistrict Planning

Climate Protection

Urban Development

Information and Communications Technologies

Traffic Management

Real Estate Management

Financial Affairs

Urban Design

MA 14

MA 18

MA 19

MA 21A

MA 21B

MA 25

MA 27

Wien 3420

Wiener Linien

Wohnfonds Wien

MA 26

PGO

Wiener Umweltanwaltschaft

Wien Energie

Wien Kanal

MA 28

MA 29

MA 31MA 33

Wien Oberlaa

MA 34

MA 39

MA 41

MA 44

MA 45

MA 46

MA 48

MA 22

MA 29

MA 5

Hafen Wien

EbS

Central Danube Region

MA 53

KliP-Vienna

MA 42

MD-BD

WGM

MD-OS

MA 69

We would like to thank the City of Vienna’s departments (MAs) and municipal enterprises; by sharing theirknowledge and experience, these agencies have made a significant contribution to the quality and impact ofthis brochure.

The descriptions of innovative Viennese urban technologies and strategies were written with the input andsupport of experts from many departments and companies. We thank them for their detailed insights, patientexplanations and supportive comments. In our conversations with these experts, we not only learned a greatdeal about the technologies themselves, but also felt the excitement and energy they bring to solving urbanproblems 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, strongsupport, 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, whohelped improve the quality of this brochure and make it possible by providing input, support and encouragement.

Imprint

Publisher TINA VIENNA Urban Technologies & Strategies GmbHAnschützgasse 1 · 1150 Vienna · AustriaTel.: +43 1 4000 [email protected]

Editors PlanSinnBirgit Imlinger (TINA VIENNA)

Author preamble Herbe-Michael Marker

Translation Andy Nash

Art DirectionChristian Gallei

Graphics/Design Lindenau Productions GmbH

ProductionLindenau Productions GmbH

Cover painting“Alte Liebe” (Old Love) by Robert Weber

PhotosP. 6 right: Harald ValkaP. 7 left: MA 31P. 7 top right: Wien KanalP. 7 middle right: MA 31P. 7 lower right: Media WienP. 10 right: MA 45P. 11 left: Wien KanalP. 14 left: MA 48P. 15 left: WGMP. 15 right (3): MA 48P. 16/17: Mario LangP. 18 right: Mario LangP. 19 right: Wien EnergieP. 22 top left: MA 21P. 23 left: MA 18P. 23 top right: 3420 Aspern Development AGP. 23 middle right: ÖBBP. 27 left: Central Danube Region GmbHP. 27 lower right: Hafen Wien P. 32/33: Rupert Christanell (MA 18)P. 34 right: MA 19P. 35 middle right: Wien Oberlaa Projektentwicklung GmbHP. 39 middle right: MA 46P. 43 left: MA 29P. 47 top right: MA 34All other images: Plansinn/W. Gerlich, P. Burgstaller

Copyright© TINA VIENNA, 2010All 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.

more on page 32

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more on page 44

Why is everyone happy when an ULF arrives?

How manydoes Vienna speak?

languages

How does a city create a visual identity?

Are people braverin Vienna?

Why do Vienna’s crosswalks tick?

Why is everyone going in the same

direction in Vienna?

more on page 24

more on page 28

TINA VIENNA Urban Technologies & Strategies GmbHA WIEN HOLDING GmbH company

Anschützgasse 1 · 1150 Vienna · AustriaTel. +43 1 4000 84260 · Fax +43 1 4000 [email protected] · www.tinavienna.at