Resource overview
This resource, “Das Quartier der Zukunft: So leben wir in 2035”, is a guide produced by IG Lebenszyklus Bau. It is presented as a handbook/report aimed at decision-makers and practitioners in spatial planning, zoning, construction, mobility, real-estate development, and public administration. The publication lists IG Lebenszyklus Bau as publisher and names multiple contributors, including Christoph Müller-Thiede, Dominik Philipp, Kathrina Rieger, Martin Höck, Jens Dangschat, Thomas Hellweg, Anton Leidinger, and Alexander Grass.
Climate crisis and targets
The guide frames climate change as primarily human-caused, referencing the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report and describing an unprecedented scale of impacts (storms, heavy rainfall, flooding, drought, melting polar ice, sea-level rise, and thawing permafrost). It notes that warming scenarios range from about 1°C to 6°C and highlights European Union climate policy via the European Green Deal, including the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and a 55% reduction by 2030 (relative to 1990).
Austria’s emissions trajectory
Using cited national figures, the document argues Austria’s progress has been insufficient. It reports that although emissions were reduced between 2005 and 2018 by 13.4 million tonnes CO₂-equivalent (14.5%), emissions compared to 1990 are described as slightly higher overall (+0.6%). The text states that because emissions increased over past decades, Austria would need an almost 56% reduction within nine years to meet the 2030 target. It also contrasts sector trends: transport emissions increased (+10.2%), while the buildings sector decreased (-4.7%).
Spatial and infrastructure systems
A central thesis is that spatial and infrastructure development strongly shapes emissions across sectors and that focusing on isolated components (buildings, vehicles, streets) misses system interactions. Building location, concept, and design can indirectly drive transport emissions, and human behavior significantly influences whether measures work. The guide structures key “action fields” across neighborhood (quartier), building, and organization levels.
Neighborhood patterns and mobility
The document links post-war functional separation, suburbanization, and “car-oriented” planning to lower density, more motorized travel, and land sealing. It discusses concepts like the “city of short distances”, “15-minute city”, and “superblocks” as approaches to reduce car dependence, while noting feasibility constraints outside central urban areas. It cites modal-split differences (e.g., pre-pandemic Vienna public transport share near 40%, versus a 65% car share for commuting in Lower Austria).
Building stock, renovation, and circularity
The guide emphasizes renovation needs and resource impacts: it cites a study estimating 74% of buildings in Austria were built before 1980 and are renovation-needy (about 1.9 million units), and notes that around 80% of energy is consumed by existing buildings. It also references increasing primary waste in Austria from 57.10 million tonnes (2015) to 68.44 million tonnes (2019), a rise attributed largely to excavation and construction waste, supporting calls for reuse and circular material practices.
Organizations, work patterns, and scenarios
It describes COVID-19 as accelerating remote work and reducing travel: it cites that 39% of employees (about 1.5 million people in Austria) worked from home at least temporarily in 2020, and that business travel fell sharply (a 65% reduction versus the prior year). The guide also includes an Ökomap-based scenario simulation for a 500-person service company, reporting potential reductions from 5.28 to 1.05 tonnes CO₂ per person per year (up to ~80%) when combining measures spanning building quality, mobility, and work organization.