Energy Mosaic Austria - Austrianwide modelling and web-based visualisation of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions on local level

In Austria, the provinces are the smallest administrative entities at which statistical data on energy consumption and assumptions on greenhouse gas emissions exist. At the municipal level, however, such information is not yet available. In order to close this gap, the Energy Mosaic Austria has been developed which provides a nationwide, municipal energy and greenhouse gas database. It presents the energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions of all Austrian cities and municipalities in a uniform structure and quality and is publicly available on a project-specific website (www.energiemosaik.at).

The energy mosaic is based on comprehensive modelling of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions on a municipal level. It follows a spatial planning-related approach and assumes that energy consumption and the associated greenhouse gas emissions can be linked to spatial structures. The model is therefore based on the entirety of all types of land use and the associated mobility needs. All consumers of energy and all sources of greenhouse gas emissions are equally represented in the database.

The model is based on reliable statistical data and is independent of user-defined input. The starting point for the calculations is a detailed picture of the land use and mobility structures of all Austrian municipalities on the basis of more than 90 parameters (living areas, cultivated areas, employees in industry as well as in the service sector, kilometres travelled). For each parameter, customized energy indicators are derived primarily from Austrian energy statistics and from complementary studies. The sum of the products of structural data and energy indicators figures the entire energy consumption of each municipality. The energy mosaic incorporates all energy purposes (heat, processes, transport). Furthermore, different renewable and fossil energy sources as well as electricity and district heating are considered for each purpose, so that the determination of greenhouse gas emissions is possible by using emission factors. The data on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions represent annual values.

The common statistical database, the nationwide standardised model and the uniform presentation of the results ensure comparability among the approximately 2100 municipalities (complemented with the 23 urban districts of Vienna). The Energy Mosaic Austria reflects the total energy consumption of Austria and ensures that the energy consumptions of all municipalities sum up to the value of nationwide energy consumption. Only in the case of mobility the Energy Mosaic Austria follows a different approach, which is based on a land use related method and on kilometres travelled associated with the different types of land use.

The Energy Mosaic Austria provides a detailed insight into the energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions at the municipal level. The spatial planning-related approach and the detailed description of the land use and mobility structures at the municipal level ensure that the modelling of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is as close as possible to the actual situation. Deviations of the model´s results from actual values are to be interpreted under consideration of the range that energy consumption shows from year to year (meteorological, economic fluctuations).

The Energy Mosaic Austria is accessible on the website www.energiemosaik.at. Eight storylines serve as an introduction, which lead to the database step by step. The focus of the website lies on the preparation of the database in the form of numerous interactive maps, detailed tables and continuative diagrams. Furthermore, multi-page portfolios are available for all Austrian cities and municipalities. In addition, information for regions can be called up. In compliance with the terms of use, all contents are available for science, practice, politics, administration and the public and thus for a broad application in various municipal and regional policy fields of activity (climate protection plans, energy strategies, mobility concepts, infrastructure development, spatial planning).

The Energy Mosaic Austria provides an energy- and climate-related decision basis and a reference for future strategies in favour of energy transition and climate protection for all Austrian municipalities and regions. It also allows superordinate authorities to assess the contribution of municipalities and regions to the desired energy and climate strategies depending on their spatial structures. In this sense, the Energy Mosaic Austria points out essential levers for the energy transition and for climate protection and provides a baseline for the identification of regionally differentiated approaches for energy and climate-related strategies as well as for the assessment of regionally differing effectiveness of sectoral measures.

The Energy Mosaic Austria is not only an indispensable strategic planning and decision-making reference. It also contributes to raising the awareness of energy, climate, spatial, environmental and mobility-relevant actors and the interested (professional) public. Furthermore, the Energy Mosaic Austria promotes the initiation of learning processes about the concerns of climate protection and the spatial dimension of the energy transition.

Project management

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU) – Institute of Spatial Planning, Environmental Planning and Land Rearrangement (IRUB)

Project or cooperation partners

• Spatial Services GmbH, Salzburg (SPASE)
• University of Salzburg, Department of Geoinformatics (Z_GIS)

Dr. Lore Abart-Heriszt
Peter-Jordan-Straße 82
A-1190 Wien
Tel.: +43 (1) 47654-85523 / +43 (1) 47654-85509
E-mail: lore.abart@boku.ac.at
Web: https://www.boku.ac.at/personen/person/8D79E98B8C2FB543/