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PA 5880: Exploring Global Cities Urban and Environmental Sustainability Innovation in Austria May 19-31, 2014 Draft Itinerary and Study Abroad Overview 11.1.13 Overview The program is scheduled for May 19-‐31, 2014, and is being offered as a 2-‐credit spring semester course in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs called PA 5880: Exploring Global Cities. The program will address a wide range of applications in sustainability related to topics such as housing, transportation, urban development, energy, water, waste, and agriculture. Students will visit projects sites and meet with experts in a number of Austrian cities, including Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Graz, and Güssing. The program includes opportunities to meet with government officials and explore international, national, and local policies intended to advance sustainability and mitigate climate change. Contact The instructor for the course is Dr. Carissa Schively Slotterback, Associate Professor in Urban and Regional Planning in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. She can be reached at [email protected] or (612) 625-‐0640. Itinerary The itinerary below outlines key dates, meetings, and site visits. While most details have been confirmed, some items will be finalized over the next couple of months. We will travel via public transit and private coach. Day 0 Monday, May 19, 2014 Depart Minneapolis for Vienna (students will make their own travel arrangements, but should plan to arrive by no later than the afternoon of May 20) Day 1 Tuesday, May 20, 2014 Vienna Arrive at Vienna International Airport Austrian welcome dinner Overnight in Vienna
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Day 2 Wednesday, May 21, 2014 Vienna Visit to Aspern – Vienna’s Urban Lakeside (Die Seestadt Wiens) -‐ http://www.aspern-‐seestadt.at/en This 240 ha redevelopment of a former airfield is the most important urban development venture ever initiative in Vienna and one of the largest of its kind in Europe. The project will require over two decades to build and will feature the most current approaches in sustainable urban development. The project will include an economic hub, business and high-‐tech center, research and education quarter, recreational zone and central park, alternative energy, modern architecture, and mix of land uses intended to integrate multiple generations and lifestyles. The site visit will include discussions with staff involved in the development project.
Visit to Bike City Vienna -‐ http://www.dac.dk/en/dac-‐cities/sustainable-‐cities/all-‐cases/transport/vienna-‐bike-‐city-‐housing-‐project-‐stimulates-‐soft-‐mobility/?bbredirect=true This urban development project, built in 2008, features 99 flats designed to meet the needs of bicyclists. The project includes a garage for repairs, large elevators, and bicycle storage space. The project also includes easy access to transit and only 50% of the vehicle parking space typically allocated.
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Vienna City Tour Overnight in Vienna Day 3 Thursday, May 22, 2014 Vienna Visit to Spittelau Waste Incineration Plant -‐ http://www.wienenergie.at/media/files/2008/technik-‐bro-‐spittelau%20-‐%20englisch_9396.pdf This thermal waste incineration facility combines three elements: waste, energy, and art. The facility burns municipal waste to produce energy, including district heating and hot water. The facility is located in the urban core of Vienna and surrounded by residential development. The facility is features an architect-‐designed façade with irregular angles and bright colors, making it a visible part of Vienna’s skyline. The visit will include a tour of the facility and meeting with experts to discuss waste management, recycling, and environmental impacts.
Visit to Wiener Lienen (Vienna’s Transit service) -‐ http://www.wienerlinien.at/eportal/ Students will meet with staff to discuss electric buses and other green projects in Vienna’s public transport system. Vienna has an extensive transit system, with underground subways (U-‐bahn), as well as electric trams, and buses.
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City Bike Tour on the Ringstrasse -‐ http://www.citybikewien.at + http://www.wien.info/en/sightseeing/architecture-‐design/ringstrasse Students will have the opportunity to try to Vienna’s bike share program, City Bike, on a ride around the Ringstrasse. The “ring road” encircles Vienna’s First District or center city and travels past government buildings, palaces, cultural institutions, and public spaces.
Visit to Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) -‐ http://www.ait.ac.at/departments/energy/research-‐areas/energy-‐for-‐the-‐built-‐environment/energy-‐in-‐cities/?L=1 AIT is a research institute focused on infrastructure issues, with key interests in energy, transport, health, safety, and innovation. While at AIT, we will visit the Energybase green building and learn about sustainability features and techniques for monitoring building performance. We will also visit with experts on energy in cities. They will highlight recent projects in Vienna and elsewhere, as well as share information about EU and Austrian policies and funding that are incentivizing urban sustainability innovation. The presentation and tour will be followed by a reception with AIT researchers and students. Typical Austrian dinner with live music at Heurigen restaurant Overnight in Vienna
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Day 4 Friday, May 23, 2014 Vienna Visit to Austrian Ministry of Science and Research -‐ http://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/foreign-‐ministry/austria/facts-‐and-‐figures/science-‐and-‐research.html Students will meet with Ministry staff and learn about investments in research and innovation in Austria, highlighting key mechanisms for innovation in sustainability in universities and businesses. The visit will include a reception, allowing for interaction with staff. Visit to Vienna City Hall -‐ https://smartcity.wien.at/site/en/ The visit will include a brief tour of this historic building and a meeting with City staff leading Smart City Wien efforts. Smart city approaches are being advanced across the world and Vienna’s is focused on positioning the city for the future. Key areas of focus include modernizing the city to reduce energy consumption and emissions, through projects focused on urban development, green purchasing, and community solar, water supply, as well as recently community-‐wide smart city planning effort.
Visit to Austrian Parliament – Home of the First European Union The visit will include a tour of the Parliament building and presentations highlighting the history of Austria’s political system and relationships with the EU and US.
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Visit to Swimsol – Floating Solar Panel Company – www.swimsol.com Students will have the opportunity to meet with the CEO and owner of this private company that manufactures floating solar panels. The panels float on water and can be used to generate solar energy in regions with scarce land resources. Overnight in Vienna Day 5 Saturday, May 24, 2014 Vienna and Linz Visit to the Danube Island (Donauinsel) -‐ http://www.unhabitat.org/bp/bp.list.details.aspx?bp_id=1771 The island is a 13 miles in length and is located in the Danube River, which runs through Vienna and large portions of central Europe. The Danube Island offers recreational opportunities and ecological restoration, but is also part of the Vienna’s flood protection system. The visit to the island will include a presentation by a city or university expert – TBD. Visit to Renewable Energy Park Bruck/Leitha (Bruck an der Leitha) -‐ http://www.100-‐res-‐communities.eu/news/a-‐strong-‐and-‐successful-‐partnership-‐bruck-‐an-‐der-‐leitha-‐energy-‐park-‐bruck This project located outside of Vienna illustrates a local focus on renewable energy self-‐sufficiency. The communities started initially with a biomass district heating system and have since added a windfarm and photovoltaic panels. Students will participate in a tour and hear a presentation. Dinner at local restaurant Overnight in Linz Day 6 Sunday, May 25, 2014 Linz Visit to Ars Electronica -‐ http://www.aec.at/about/en/ Located on the Danube River in Linz, the Ars Electronica is described as the Museum of the Future. Its exhibitions focus on how people interact with their environment. It brings together art, science, and technology in its exhibits. The GeoPulse exhibit will be of particular interest, with its exploration of 21st-‐century urban habitats.
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Visit to Grüne Mitte -‐ http://www.gruene-‐mitte-‐linz.at This is Linz’s most recent sustainable urban development project. Translating to “green middle” the project integrates green space throughout the project, including private space for each apartment. The project also features vertical gardens and additional energy efficiency features. Possible visit to sustainable food production site (TBD) Overnight in Linz Day 7 Monday, May 26, 2014 Linz and Salzburg Visit to Linz City Hall Students will meet with City staff to discuss sustainability initiatives, including smart city initiatives and local Agenda 21 efforts. The staff will share background information on the Linz’s planning efforts, including its local sustainability indicators project.
Visit to solarCity Linz-‐Pichling -‐ http://www.linz.at/english/life/3199.asp Joined by City staff, students will visit this urban development project at the edge of the Linz. The project was initiated to provide affordable and accessible housing for workers in the city. The project was deliberately designed to incorporate innovations in urban development, open space provision, natural resource protection, social interaction, energy, waste, and transportation. The project was also designed to minimize impacts on the nearby Danube River marshes. Students will have the opportunity to tour the project, talk with staff involved in initiating the project, and explore the outcomes of a comprehensive evaluation of the project’s sustainability performance over time.
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Salzburg City Tour – UNESCO World Heritage Site
Dinner at local restaurant Overnight in Salzburg Day 8 Tuesday, May 27 Salzburg Visit to Salzburg Institute for Regional Planning and Housing (Salzburger Institut für Raumordnung and Wohnen) -‐ http://www.salzburg.gv.at/themen/bw/sir_haupt.htm Students will meet with staff at the Institute, a local think tank, who will highlight ongoing Salzburg, Austrian, and EU programs intended to address sustainability and climate change mitigation. The presentation will also examine Salzburg’s efforts to set local climate change reduction targets and integrate mitigation efforts across a variety of sectors and projects. Key initiatives to be highlighted include solar potential mapping, transport improvements, boiler mapping, and housing improvements. Visit to Stadtwerk Lehen project -‐ http://www.stadtwerklehen.at This redevelopment project features construction of new housing, including social housing for low and middle income residents. It includes an extensive photovoltaic system that provides district heating and hot water. The project integrates multiple uses and also includes renovations of existing surrounding buildings in what was once a declining neighborhood. The students will tour the project with staff from Salzburg Institute for Regional Planning and Housing, as well as others involved in the project.
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Visit to Rosa Zukunft project -‐ http://rosazukunft.at This new project, which will have just been completed when we arrive, translates to “pink future.” Providing social housing and integrating energy efficiency concepts in buildings and in the overall design, the project also places a significant focus on transportation. Residents, who will be multigenerational, will have access to bicycles and trailers to carry packages. In addition, they will be given 10-‐year transit tickets to minimize their need for personal vehicles. The students will tour the project with staff from Salzburg Institute for Regional Planning and Housing, as well as others involved in the project. Dinner at local restaurant Overnight in Salzburg Day 9 Wednesday, May 28, 2013 Salzburg Possible visit with stormwater management and flood control experts (TBD) Visit to Smart Grids Model Region in Köstendorf -‐ http://www.smartgridssalzburg.at/fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/Layout_Folder_engl_einzelne_Seiten_END.pdf Offering a model for energy transition, this community of only 2,500 residents is the location of the “DG DemoNet – Smart Low Voltage Grid.” The project is a field test of the integration of photovoltaics, green vehicles, charging stations, smart meters, and information technology innovations. The students will tour the project with staff from Salzburg Institute for Regional Planning and Housing, as well as others involved in the project. Dinner at local restaurant Overnight in Salzburg Day 10 Thursday, May 29, 2013 Salzburg and Graz Alpine Experience – St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut Students will be travel to the summit of Schafbergspitze, near Salzburg. The peak (1732 m above sea level) offers panoramic views of the surrounding Austrian Alps and alpine lakes. The visit offers an opportunity to discuss natural resource and landscape protection in Austria.
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Graz City Tour – UNESCO World Heritage Site
Overnight in Graz Day 11 Friday, May 30, 2014 Graz and Güssing Visit to University of Graz Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change (Center für Klima und Globalen Wandel) – TBD -‐ http://wegcenter.uni-‐graz.at/en/ Students will tentatively meet with Center experts to discuss Austrian and EU climate change impacts, as well as mitigation and adaptation strategies. Visit to Green Tech Valley (ECO World Styria) Companies – TBD -‐ http://www.eco.at/cms/223/ The Green Tech Valley represents a concentration of globally leading green tech companies and research centers. Calling itself the world’s best environmental technology cluster, the Green Tech Valley organizes promotion and education opportunities for associated businesses. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the Green Tech Valley model and tour a couple of the local manufacturers, focusing specifically on waste and/or water-‐related companies. Visit to European Center for Renewable Energy Güssing This presentation and tour will highlight the Güssing Model for Regional Economic Improvement. Now gaining global recognition as the “Güssing Model,” the center has facilitated decentralized, local energy production from biomass from agriculture and forestry, solar, and household waste. This approach highlights the importance of local energy production and offers an accessible and highly compelling example of how a rural region can make the transition to energy independence and at the same time provide local jobs.
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Farewell dinner in Graz or Vienna Overnight in Graz or Vienna Day 12 Saturday, May 31, 2014 Vienna
Depart Vienna for Minneapolis (students may pursue further travel in Austria or elsewhere from Vienna)
