Sustainability and Climate: The City as an Opportunity
The effects of global warming are tangible. Seestadt demonstrates that cities can be part of the solution. With innovation, green spaces, and clear standards, a district is emerging where urban life and climate protection go hand in hand.
Urban Solutions for Climate Change and Resource Conservation
Global warming hits Vienna particularly hard – heat, drought, and heavy rainfall challenge cities. Seestadt shows how urban spaces are part of the solution: less land use, the lake, abundant greenery, the sponge city principle, and purposefully planned fresh air corridors provide cooling and resilience. Buildings constructed to the aspern klimafit standard and research into smart energy and mobility solutions make the district the Urban Lab of Smart City Wien – a place where climate protection and innovation go hand in hand.
- 50 percent open space share
- almost 1,800 trees in public spaces
- 66 m² per capita land use
Many green areas ensure biodiversity and quality of life, the sponge city principle helps trees grow better. © Luiza Puiu
Green Spaces in Seestadt: Trees for a Better Climate
Around 50% of Seestadt consists of green and open spaces; almost 1,800 trees have already been planted in public areas, plus 1,500 in the forest and meadow belt around the district and soon another 1,000 in the courtyards of the buildings. It takes time until they provide sufficient shade. That’s why trees in public spaces are planted as early as possible, often years before construction begins. Green spaces ensure biodiversity and thus strengthen the ecosystem. With the sponge city principle and rain gardens, rainwater is stored, trees grow better, and heavy rainfall is mitigated – an effective contribution to resilience and a healthy urban climate.
aspern klimafit ensures that new Seestadt buildings meet the EU taxonomy requirements for climate protection. © Luiza Puiu
Flexible, Climate-Resilient Buildings in Seestadt
In Seestadt, strict building standards apply: all projects are assessed against ÖGNB criteria, and the new aspern klimafit standard additionally sets clear requirements for energy efficiency and CO2 reduction. Another key aspect is the construction of buildings with open-ended uses: thanks to flexible structural design and adapted room heights, they can be used in very different ways over the long term. In parallel, Aspern Smart City Research (ASCR) is using real-life data to develop innovative solutions for smart grids and buildings. In future, anergy grids will connect different buildings and enable the exchange of heating and cooling – an important step towards a resource-efficient energy future.
Urban density, yet plenty of open space for high quality of life – this ensures reduced land use. © Wien 3420 AG
Reduced Land Use: Seestadt Sets New Standards
In Austria, land equivalent to twelve football pitches is built on every day. Seestadt shows that there is another way: as of 2024, land consumption here is only 66 m² per resident – compared with a recent Vienna-wide average of 127 m², and often many times that in rural areas. Of this, only 48 m² is currently sealed in Seestadt. This is made possible by compact, multi-storey development with stacked functions and neighbourhood garages. Parking for cars plays only a minor role in public space, leaving more room for parks, green areas and open spaces.
The smart construction site in Seestadt uses circular economy principles for optimal resource conservation. © Wien 3420 AG
Circular Economy in Seestadt: Smart Construction Site and Recycling
Seestadt relies on circular economy: With the “smart construction site”, excavated material is stored, processed, and reused on site. This saves transport, reduces emissions, and conserves resources – to date, over 7.5 million truck kilometers and 8,400 tons of CO2 have already been avoided. The same applies to construction: Buildings and materials in public spaces are designed for deconstruction and recycling. This creates a district that saves resources and relieves future generations.
The City of Vienna was awarded the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, among others, for its livable and sustainable urban development, in which Seestadt received special mention. © PID / C. Jobst
Seestadt as Urban Lab of Smart City Wien
Seestadt is part of Smart Climate City Vienna – and at the same time a driving force behind it. As an urban lab, it has been promoting innovative approaches to a liveable, inclusive and climate-friendly city from the very beginning. New technologies and concepts are tested and further developed here under real-life conditions.
In Vienna – and especially in Seestadt – “Smart City” is not reduced to digitalisation alone. Technological solutions are deployed in a targeted way, for example in the field of renewable energy or communication. The focus is always on making the city more liveable, more resource-efficient and more climate-friendly.
In this way, Vienna and Seestadt make a concrete contribution to decarbonisation.
million truck kilometers saved
tons of CO2 avoided
tons of excavated material reused on site
#Goals
EVA Report: Goals for Sustainable Development
The EVA Report defines how Seestadt saves space with clear, measurable indicators, uses buildings efficiently, and conserves resources through circular construction – goals that make sustainable urban development measurable.
EVA Report: Goals for a Climate-Ready Vienna
The EVA Report documents how Seestadt pursues its climate adaptation goals. With green spaces, the sponge city principle, and new standards, it strengthens its resilience and makes progress transparent.
