Vienna launches major housing offensive for climate-friendly living!

Vienna launches major housing offensive for climate-friendly living!

Vienna is moving forward decisively with a new housing construction offensive: over 1,170 new municipal apartments will be built in nine districts in the coming years. This large-scale project aims to not only create sufficient living space, but also to set ecological standards. From 2026, the city will introduce a modern points system for allocating apartments that takes into account individual life situations, such as family growth or care needs. How boerse-express.com reports, this will particularly benefit those households that have difficulty meeting their housing costs despite working.

Particular attention is paid to ecological requirements: projects such as the Friederike-Mayröcker-Hof in Margareten rely on sustainable energy by exclusively using heat pumps and photovoltaic systems and forgoing gas. In addition, facade and roof greening is planned, which is intended to actively improve the urban climate. In the “Village im Third”, 146 innovative apartments are being built that enable seasonal heating and cooling through component activation, which is essential with regard to climate goals.

Social aspects and new procurement rules

The new allocation concept will be relaxed from May 2023: a permanent main residence in Vienna will in future be sufficient as proof when looking for an apartment. In addition, the “Wiener Wohn-Ticket”, which is specifically necessary for these procurement regulations, will apply from 2026. Over 60 percent of Viennese already live in subsidized or municipal housing, which stabilizes rental prices in the city.

In the coming years, 5,700 new community apartments for around 13,000 residents are also planned. With further projects in Berresgasse (221 apartments) and Wehlistraße (102 apartments), the city planners are creating a network of housing options that meet the needs of the Viennese population.

Climate goals in focus

The pressure to implement climate goals plays a central role. The housing industry in Germany is working on similar concepts to achieve climate goals while maintaining the affordability of housing. A position paper from the GdW (General Association of the Housing Industry) emphasizes the need for state subsidies in order to finance the necessary scope of energy renovation measures. At least 10 billion euros in public support are needed every year to successfully implement the climate goals gdw.de informed.

Energy-efficient solutions are also being worked on in Vienna. The use of renewable energies and the promotion of district heating to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels are at the top of the agenda. The city supports, among other things, heating installation and modernization as well as the thermal renovation of residential buildings with offers from the municipal departments for technical urban renewal (MA 25) and housing support (MA 50). Anyone interested can find information about this on the City of Vienna website wien.gv.at.

With all of these measures, Vienna not only focuses on the urgently needed living space, but also ensures that it is designed to be sustainable and future-oriented. A good knack for the right mix of housing and climate protection could help the city remain livable for future generations.