Future energy smart city project in Vienna moves into next phase

“Due to the current relevance of the challenges, this project now has a profile that extends far beyond the borders of Austria. This is also evident based on the interest of the many international delegations that visit the showroom each year and make use of the experts’ know-how.”

Among the innovations that have been tested are:

• building information modelling (Bim) Viewer: provides operators new insights into their buildings and installed products

• building energy management system (Bems): allows for seamless energy management between buildings and power grids and can ensure the energy- and cost-optimised operation of entire buildings

• Desigo CC: an integrated, scalable, and open building management platform for the management of high-performance buildings

• Sicam A8000: a modular device series for telecontrol and automation applications in all areas of the energy supply with high availability requirements

• Sicam enhanced grid sensor (EGS): these provide transparency regarding capacity utilisation in low-voltage infrastructure. They serve as the basis for solutions for the digitalisation of the distribution network

• Sicam ChargeControl: coordinated charging management for reducing the burden on the lowest grid levels.

“The innovations that were pilot-tested under the research company are already being used, for example, in Austria in current construction projects being completed by Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft. In addition, the knowledge gained is already being applied in newly developed and enhanced Siemens products and solutions,” said Hesoun.

“To develop a climate-neutral, sustainable economy and society, it will take closer and closer cooperation between urban planners, energy providers, grid operators, the housing industry, property developers, and industry”

Although the project has already achieved considerable carbon dioxide reductions thanks to optimally matched generation, storage, and consumer components, Hesoun admits there is still more work to be done.

“Under the right conditions (for example, the availability of solar/ground water), urban districts can already be operated in a thermally self-sufficient manner and with a high share of self-generated energy.

“The more renewable energy is fed into the grid or the more new electrical consumers – such as electric vehicles are used, the more likely it is that the grid will be overloaded. “In order to prevent this, it’s important to make buildings and grids smarter. The role that state-of-the-art monitoring and analysis tools, intelligent sensor technology, and digital management systems play here is still widely underestimated.”