Environment minister Josef Pröll honours Austria's climate protection municipalities 2008
The municipals of Munderfing, Großschönau and Güssing are winners in the nationwide "Climate Protection Municipality 2008", which is supported by VERBUND. In the presence of Environment Minister Josef Pröll, they were befittingly celebrated at a festive gala in the Konzerthaus on 1 October until late in the night.
Climate protection, awareness raising, energy efficiency
Climate protection concerns all of us! For this reason, VERBUND joined forces with the Ministry of Life, the Association of Municipalities and the Kronen Zeitung in a large countrywide competition "Austria’s Climate Protection Municipality 2008". The whole of Austria was called upon to submit projects in the categories of "Awareness-Raising", "Energy Efficiency" and "Renewable Energy". More than 80 towns and municipalities submitted their climate protection projects.
VERBUND's motivation
VERBUND's reason for participating in this campaign was explained by Chairman of the Board, Michael Pistauer: "We find ourselves in a shift in paradigms in energy supply as a whole: we must predominantly focus on renewable resources, on massive energy saving and significantly increased energy efficiency. VERBUND takes its social responsibility in this connection very seriously. For this reason, we also support the municipalities’ climate protection activities."
Munderfing wins in the "Awareness Raising" category
The Upper Austrian municipality of Munderfing has developed and implemented an energy building block, which supports the municipality in the building of a local energy concept. Important components are motivation and participation of the municipalities' inhabitants. The driving force is the "Energy Group", in which the representatives of all of Munderfing's branches are united.
Großschönau wins in the "Energy Efficiency" category
The "Sonnenplatz Großschönau" was holistically conceived in three steps: an ecological housing development concept as a foundation, passive houses for trial living as a main focus and a research and competence centre for building, renovating and energy as the heart and linking element of an entire housing estate.
Güssing wins in the "Renewable Energy" category
In the structurally weak region of Güssing, large quantities of fossil fuels were previously bought in for energy production (heating, electricity, power fuels). This led to a drain of money from the Güssing district to the tune of Euro 36 million.
Through the utilization of regional, renewable raw and residue materials (biomass, solar...) in own energy generation plants (power plants and district heating stations) and the sale of the produced energy to the local population, the money now largely circulates within the region. By means of self-supply with heating, power fuels and electricity, the town of Güssing achieves an annual added value of around Euro 13 million.
An overview of all winners:
"Awareness Raising" category
1st place: Munderfing
2nd place: Amstetten
3rd place: Münzbach
"Energy Efficiency" category
1st place: Großschönau
2nd place: Wieselburg
3rd place: Hallein
"Renewable Energy" category
1st place: Güssing
2nd place: Euratsfeld
3rd place: Gutau