Solar power for the new Generali Arena

FK Austria Wien’s new Generali Arena is a showcase project in terms of ecology, environmental awareness and sustainability. In cooperation with long-standing partner VERBUND, a photovoltaic system was installed on the roofs of the arena. With a total output of 340 KWp, the system supplies many areas of the stadium, including the academy, office spaces and turf heating, with self-generated solar electricity.

On 13 July 2018, FK Austria Wien’s new Generali Arena will be inaugurated with a match against the top German club Borussia Dortmund. Over the last 24 months, the stadium was renovated and expanded at a cost of 42 million euros. During construction, great emphasis was put on sustainability and environmental criteria. FK Austria Wien’s new home arena was certified by DGNB, the international labelling system of the Austrian Association for Sustainable Real Estate (ÖGNI). With this it was possible to optimise the Generali Arena in both ecological and economic terms. When selecting the various materials, a deliberate focus was put on origin, and domestic and regional products were clearly preferred – without disregarding quality. Among other things, this is apparent in the building’s insulation, which achieves the highest ratings and therefore serves in an environmentally friendly way.

Sustainability programme "Violet is more!"

As part of the "Violet is more!" programme, sustainability and a wise use of resources continue to be a focus. From now on, rainwater from around the Generali Arena will be collected, stored in a cistern and used for watering the grass areas. Thanks to state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems and a stronger turf system, the Generali Arena turf heating impresses with faster reaction times, yet with significantly lower energy usage at the same time. Honoured in March 2015 as an Eco-Business Vienna operation (OekoBusiness Wien), FK Austria Wien puts emphasis on the greatest possible energy efficiency and therefore on sustainable technologies such as LED lighting or photovoltaics.

"With FK Austria Wien, the topic of sustainability, which has been a fixed component of many projects for short-, mid- and long-term planning, is a deeply rooted aspect. Respect for the environment, responsibility to society, our role model effect regarding tolerance, social commitment, and encouraging junior players are clearly defined goals for us," says Markus Kraetschmer, Head of FK Austria Wien. "I am pleased that with the photovoltaic solutions by VERBUND, we can use the roof areas of the stadium and the academy for generating renewable electricity, and in this way can implement an even more sustainable aspect into our new home."

Solar electricity from VERBUND

In cooperation with long-time partner and sponsor VERBUND, Austria’s largest energy producer and the number one for electricity from renewable energy sources, the largest photovoltaic system of any Austrian football club was installed. SOLAVOLTA, a subsidiary of VERBUND, took over the structural implementation. PV panels with an area of 1,640 m² and an output of 280 kWp were installed on the roof of the northern stand. These will generate 300,000 kilowatt hours of solar electricity per year. The roof of the Austria Academy stand is being used for its own green electricity generation with a 60 kWp system on an area of 354 m². The two systems have a total output of 340 kWp and were subsidised by the Green Power Fund for Vienna (Ökostromfonds). Austria fans can participate within the framework of the ARENAPOWER promotion and take a stand for sustainability and environmental awareness.

"Sports and sustainability go together!" says VERBUND Deputy Chairman of the Board Johann Sereinig. As a long-time sponsor and partner, it was important to us to contribute our expertise in the area of sustainable electricity generation from renewable energy sources and to support FK Austria Wien with sun power! Many parts of the Generali Arena, for example the video wall, the ongoing office and academy operations and even the turf heating can in the future be supplied almost exclusively with self-generated electricity, which will also bring cost benefits over the long term."