Climate-friendly locations

Ruins are valuable for the environment and the economy

Breathing new life into industrial ruins(Bild: stock.adobe.com null)

In the fight against soil erosion, seemingly useless things can have great value. Abandoned industrial buildings make it possible to set up new businesses without further sealing. There is plenty of potential for this in Lower Austria. 

The quality of life in Lower Austria rests on two pillars - an intact environment on the one hand and a dynamic business location on the other. In order to reconcile the two, it is necessary to establish businesses with a sense of proportion and purpose. In times of climate change, the main focus is on avoiding additional soil sealing.

Unused, but not useless
The Lower Austrian recipe for this: More so-called brownfield sites - i.e. largely already built-up but unused - should be offered to new businesses as "climate-friendly" locations. Ecoplus, the state's business agency, has now surveyed these land reserves.

In order to keep our country liveable and lovable, it is important to keep economy and ecology in balance.

Landeshauptfrau Johanna Mikl-Leitner

Locations throughout the country
And the results are impressive. "705 sites with a total area of 920 hectares were registered," explained Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner on Thursday in St. Pölten. 38 percent of the registered sites are basically available for recycling, with just under a further third still requiring clarification with the owners.

Presenting climate-friendly business locations: Miernicki, Mikl-Leitner, Starkl (from left)(Bild: NLK Pfeiffer)

Old becomes new
Ludwig Josef Starkl knows what potential lies dormant in industrial ruins. Three years ago, the entrepreneur turned a 200-year-old factory site in Pfaffstätten in the district of Baden into the Starkl Loft, a veritable Mecca for gardening enthusiasts.

Since the beginning of 2023, we have managed 101 projects for business relocations and expansions. This has created 1423 jobs.

Ecoplus-Geschäftsführer Helmut Miernicki

Raising awareness
"The utilization of brownfield sites is one of our main focuses," emphasized Ecoplus CEO Helmut Miernicki. This also includes raising awareness for climate-friendly site development. Experts recently gave tips on this at an information event in the provincial capital. 120 entrepreneurs accepted the invitation.