4.

Good Practice Example: Smart City

Project - Graz, Austria
Keywords
Smart city, land usemap, urban framework plan, sustainable development, energy efficiency,
citizens involvement

Name and location

Smart City Project - Graz
Urban planning instruments and developments of Smart City Graz,
local authority: City of Graz, Urban planning Department and the Executive Directorate for
urban development and construction
Figure 1: District development.

Source: City of Graz

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Background, objectives, implementation measures and financing

Graz is the capital of the province of Styria and is with about 270.000 inhabitants the second
largest city in Austria. The population growth will be by 2.500 inhabitants per year till 2020
leading to an impact in energy- , building land consumption and an increase in emissions.
To achieve the EU 20-20-20 targets, as reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to 20%,

increasing the use of renewable energy sources to 20%, improving energy efficiency to 20% the
City of Graz forcing the reduction of land use for construction and infrastructure, of compact
energy optimised building structure and optimised PT development for settlements.
The City of Graz defined 3 target areas for the Smart City idea:

Graz Mitte Smart City Project

Mur West
Messe Quadrant

The Smart City Project situated in the west part of the main railwaystation a former industry
and manufacturing trade area is for some years now a brownfield. The City of Graz started there
with a demoproject.
The Smart City project Graz would be the first implementation (ever) of a future-oriented
sustainable, vital and intelligent city quarter. It is intended to build a pulsating urban quarter
with a mix of functions and as few emissions as possible (zero emission), the lowest possible use
of resources, where not only sustainable energy forms, but also sustainable mobility are used
and where social blends are common.
Therefore an urban framework plan was designed and the landusemap was changed from an
industrial and manufactory trade area to a core area. It will be in future a living area with
around 1000 dwellings, working places, education and leisure activities.
Significant will be the science tower for companies and research facilities. It will have a
landmark function and will be finished in late 2015.
The energy supply is based on: - reduction of the electricity consumption, increasing of
efficiency and independent network supply.
The whole project includes research, testing and demonstration of new technology components:
new pv modules, solar cooling, urban generation of solar generated electricity, solar updraft
power plant, integrated technologies of facades, a small block heating power station (biogas),
smart heat grids and new strategies and concepts for sustainable urban mobility including
e-mobility.

Cost benefit, effects and results achieved

Mobility contracts, contracts of conveyance of ground area for erection of green space (park)
and traffic are measures to develop sustainable urban areas.
The integration of enterprises, research facilities and the involvement of citizens will the
development of a mix of uses area and increase the quality of work and living.
Additional pillars of the project are the development of innovative financing schemes, scientific
support and evaluation as well as regular exchange of experience with national and
international partner cities that are involved and cooperating in the project.

Planning procedures, involvement of stakeholders and possible

participation structures
An urban framework plan was designed and the landusemap was changed from an industrial
and manufactory trade area to a core area. Planned and/or in process: the installation of a
district management and forcing an early involvement of participants, of local stakeholder and
citizens. An intense cooperation of the Smart City consortium and the ground owner are
important part for the development of the project.

Innovation fostered - local / regional developments triggered

The project is aimed to provide the following results: implementation of the individual
demonstration schemes to the widest extent possible to create the basis for the new, sustainable
urban quarter; the concretisation and securing of financing for further building stages; gaining
new findings and deriving new models for integrated, holistic urban planning and development
processes that can be applied and translated to other districts of the target area.