Doing something together for climate protection is very easy; get involved and reduce your CO2 output by 1 kg per week. The website klimaaktiv-coach (in German) shows you how to successfully lower your personal CO2 output, and it provides numerous easy-to-implement tips for getting involved and saving energy.
pakt2020: BUWOG is a founding partner
I’m delighted that in 2011 BUWOG was one of the first to join the “klimaaktiv pakt2020” of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (Ministry of Life) and make a measurable contribution to achieving the Austrian climate targets for 2020. BUWOG has set a target to lower its CO2 output by 13,300 tonnes per year so that our quality of life increases and the environment is spared. In my experience, there are numerous factors, particularly in the area of construction and housing, which can be positively and sustainably influenced – all with simple measures. That’s why it’s important for me to keep everyone who’s interested up to date with information on specific measures on our BUWOG blog.
Green electricity: for all BUWOG properties
This time I would specifically like to inform our customers about our conversion to certified green electricity in accordance with Austrian Ecolabel UZ46 for supplying the universal areas of our properties – universal areas are, for example, stairwells, garages and common rooms. Only green electricity certified in accordance with UZ46 receives the ecolabel because it consists of 100% renewable energy sources and is therefore guaranteed to be free of fossil and nuclear energy sources. It must consist of 79% hydropower as well as biomass, geothermal energy, solar, wind and at least 1% photovoltaic power. Energy that cannot be saved must at least come from renewable energy sources. For this reason BUWOG properties have been purchasing 100% of their electricity exclusively from renewable energy sources since January 2014.
By purchasing green electricity within your “own four walls” you would lower your personal CO2 output level by far more than 1 kg per week. Further information and providers can be found under “Das Österreichische Umweltzeichen“, the German-language website on the Austrian Ecolabel.
BUWOG saves energy: overview of targets
BUWOG is saving energy and in the scope of the klimaaktiv pakt2020 has specified as its targets a 16% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, 20% increase in energy efficiency and 34% coverage of its total energy consumption with renewable energy sources. To achieve the targets by 2020 important measures are planned in the areas of building and refurbishing, renewable energy sources, mobility, energy savings and energy efficiency.
What does BUWOG’s target definition look like? It’s not just the how (how should energy be saved?), but also the where that’s important. BUWOG refers to the areas that are directly, solely or largely under the company’s own remit. This includes residential buildings that are to be built and universal areas of existing residential buildings in Austria.
I would also like to take advantage of my first blog entry to congratulate all those involved in the “10 year of klimaaktiv“!
