Climate protection measures have a long tradition in Judenburg. The town has had its own environmental department since 1986 and upholds a continuous commitment to environmentally friendly development. As a Pioneering city, Judenburg is building on existing concepts and activities and focusing on making the town even more attractive through climate protection and adaptations to climate change.
Environmental protection has long formed part of the town’s core values. Judenburg joined the Climate Alliance in 1992 as the second municipality in Styria to do so and has been a member of the e5 programme (for energy-efficient and climate-active communities) since 2006 1. The municipality is seen as a pioneer and has already received multiple awards. This provided important impetus and firmly anchored the topic of climate protection in the public consciousness. “We have our own municipal utility companies which are wholly owned by us: this is also a key lever”, reports Eva Volkar from the municipality’s administrative management office. “We are in a good position when it comes to sustainable electricity production. The municipal utility companies operate a hydropower station as well as wind and photovoltaic power plants. They are an important and highly committed partner and also e.g. actively promote the expansion of district heating.”
Building on results ans advancing concepts
Judenburg is using its participation in the Pioneering city programme to continue with its successful concepts. The strategy involves building on existing knowledge, restructuring data and results, and leveraging synergies in a targeted manner.
“The first step we took when drawing up our climate neutrality roadmap was to take stock of what we already have”, explains project manager Eva Volkar. “This includes e.g. our e5 audit results, our concepts for energy space planning and pedestrian traffic, as well as the results from a large number of studies and programmes. All the available data and results are exploited and incorporated into our roadmap.”
The e5 audit provides some guidance, covering the relevant categories, key indicators and, among other things, an online energy accounting system. The municipality is receiving support from the Graz-based company 4ward Energy Research GMBH as a scientific partner in drawing up emissions balances and determining potential savings.
Guiding energy policy and flagship projects
The town used the annual e5 planning workshop to develop a guiding energy policy that also serves as a vision and objective for the climate neutrality roadmap. The guiding policy defines the key areas of activity and important flagship projects for the coming years. In relation to the energy sector, this includes the renovation and expansion of the municipal power plant (from 6.2 million kilowatt hours to 27.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity production per year) and the expansion of district heating from waste heat from the Zellstoff Pöls industrial plant. Other important projects also include designs for new cycle paths and footpaths, the renovation of the municipality’s own buildings, attractive mobility services and measures for adapting to climate change and for revitalising the town centre.
Judenburg relies on strong networks and cooperation with many different stakeholders when implementing all of these projects. The town works closely with partners that include representatives from the municipal utilities and city marketing departments, the Upper Styria and Styria energy agencies and from the province of Styria. Exchanges with the municipalities in the e5 network and with the climate energy model (KEM) and climate change adaptation model (KLAR!) regions are also important.
klimaneutralestadt.at/en/projects/pioneer-cities/judenburg.php
