the Austrian construction industry has been grappling with a severe downturn in recent years. A confluence of factors, including soaring interest rates, escalating costs for materials and labour, rampant inflation, stricter lending practices, and a resulting scarcity of capital for new projects, has created a challenging environment. Experts predict a long road to recovery.
Against this backdrop, the second executive talk at the Slate Festival on November 19th, titled “Infrastructure NOW! We haven’t finished building yet?! What needs to be built, when, where and how?”, brought together leading voices from business, academia, law, and politics to explore pathways out of the crisis.
Focus on Sustainability
The construction industryS significant contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions – a staggering 38 percent,with 25 percent generated during construction and 75 percent during building operation – placed sustainability at the forefront of the discussion.
“It is an ecological sin to continue as before,” stated Strabag board member Annette Scheckmann. “Construction waste accounts for 35 percent of the waste generated in the European Union. We must rethink and act differently, prioritizing recycling and the circular economy.”
Anna-Vera Deinhammer, an integral engineering scientist, highlighted the challenge of economic competitiveness and limited availability of secondary materials for all construction projects. “Conflicting legal frameworks are also hindering the circular economy,” she noted.“The current EU taxonomy is not driving ecological renovation. Incentive systems are crucial to make sustainable measures more economically attractive.”
Criticism of Procurement Practices
Criticism also targeted procurement practices in relation to sustainability. While public procurement in Austria and the EU is generally viewed as a powerful tool for advancing environmental and climate protection, implementation appears to be lagging. The Austrian government has committed to sustainable public procurement, emphasizing its use of procurement law as a key instrument to combat climate change. Though, concerns remain.
“It must be clear that the cheapest option is not always the best,” asserted Josef Muchitsch, member of the National Council and federal chairman of the Bau-Holz union. “The public sector must demonstrate a stronger commitment to regional value creation.” Muchitsch advocated for expanding the best bidder principle to include binding ecological criteria, strengthening regionality within EU procurement guidelines, and embracing the “best for the project” approach. He cited a lack of transparency and misuse of the Federal Procurement act as obstacles.
Planning in Partnership
In this context, early involvement of construction companies in the planning process is crucial. “Early Contractor Involvement” is gaining traction as a means to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public contract procurement and execution. “Early contracting needs to be envisioned on a larger scale – genuine partnerships between operators,builders,and users should begin in phase zero.This must be factored into public procurement,” emphasized Maria Troger,partner at Schiefer Rechtsanwälte.
“Sustainability is achievable, but it doesn’t come at construction prices. Cooperation and meticulous planning are the first steps,” confirmed Andreas Köttl, President of the Austrian Society for Sustainable Real Estate, Ögni. He stressed that sustainability is a team effort, and working in silos is an architectural sin.“We cannot wait for external regulations; otherwise, we will always be lagging behind. the construction industry must take responsibility,” Köttl urged. He called on public clients to lead by exmaple, planning long-term and in partnership.
The experts at the Slate Festival agreed that a fundamental shift in thinking is imperative within the construction industry. Sustainability should not be perceived solely as a daunting challenge but primarily as an possibility. “Sustainability presents a real business opportunity. If we act proactively, we can become technological leaders in this field,” was the collective conclusion of the panelists.
the world-renowned Salzburg Festival, a beacon of classical music and theatre, is gearing up for its highly anticipated 2023 edition. This year’s festival promises a captivating blend of tradition and innovation, featuring a diverse program that spans opera, drama, concerts, and dance.
From July 20th to August 31st,the historic city of Salzburg will transform into a vibrant cultural hub,attracting audiences from across the globe. The festival’s artistic director, Markus Hinterhäuser, has curated a program that celebrates both established masterpieces and groundbreaking new works.
“We want to offer our audience a journey through time and space, exploring the richness and diversity of the performing arts,” Hinterhäuser said. “This year’s festival is a testament to the enduring power of art to inspire, challenge, and unite us.”
Highlights of the 2023 Salzburg Festival include a new production of Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni,” directed by Romeo Castellucci, and a performance of Wagner’s epic “Tristan und Isolde” conducted by Christian Thielemann. The festival will also feature concerts by renowned orchestras such as the vienna philharmonic and the berlin Philharmonic, as well as recitals by leading soloists.
Beyond the conventional offerings, the festival will showcase contemporary dance performances, experimental theater productions, and multimedia installations. This commitment to pushing artistic boundaries reflects the Salzburg Festival’s dedication to remaining at the forefront of the cultural landscape.
For more details on the 2023 Salzburg Festival program and ticket availability, visit www.schiefer-festspiele.at.
## The Austrian Construction Industry: Facing the Future
**Introducing a World Today News Expert Interview**
The Austrian construction industry is navigating a turbulent landscape. Soaring interest rates, escalating material and labor costs, persistent inflation, tightened lending practices, and a resulting scarcity of capital have converged to create a challenging environment. experts predict a long, uphill journey to recovery.
Against this backdrop, the Slate Festival’s second Executive Talk on november 19th, entitled “Infrastructure NOW! we haven’t finished building yet?! What needs to be built, when, where, and how?” assembled leading voices from business, academia, law, and politics to explore potential paths forward.
**Sustainability Takes Center Stage**
The construction industry’s ample contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions – a staggering 38 percent, with 25 percent generated during construction and 75 percent during building operation – placed sustainability at the heart of the discussion.
“Continuing as before is an ecological sin,” declared Strabag board member Annette Scheckmann. “Construction waste comprises 35 percent of the total waste generated in the European Union.We must rethink and act differently, prioritizing recycling and the circular economy.”
Anna-Vera Deinhammer, an integral engineering scientist, underscored the challenge of economic competitiveness and limited availability of secondary materials for all construction projects. “Conflicting legal frameworks are also hindering the circular economy,” she noted. “The current EU taxonomy isn’t driving ecological renovation.Incentive systems are crucial to make lasting measures more economically attractive.”
**Challenging Procurement Practices**
Criticism also targeted procurement practices in relation to sustainability.Despite the recognized potential of public procurement in Austria and the EU as a powerful tool for advancing environmental and climate protection, implementation seems to lag behind aspiration. The Austrian government has committed to sustainable public procurement, emphasizing its use of procurement law as a key instrument to combat climate change. However,concerns persist.
“It must be clear that the cheapest option is not always the best,” asserted Josef Muchitsch, member of the national Council and federal chairman of the Bau-Holz union. “The public sector must demonstrate a stronger commitment to regional value creation.” He advocated for expanding the best bidder principle to include binding ecological criteria, strengthening regionality within EU procurement guidelines, and embracing the “best for the project” approach. He cites a lack of transparency and misuse of the Federal procurement Act as obstacles.
**Planning in Partnership**
In this context, early involvement of construction companies in the planning phase emerges as crucial.“Early Contractor Involvement” is gaining traction as a means to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public contract procurement and execution.
“Early contracting needs to be envisioned on a larger scale – genuine partnerships between operators, builders, and users should begin in phase zero. This must be factored into public procurement,” emphasized Maira Troger, partner at Schiefer Rechtsanwälte.
“Sustainability is achievable, but it doesn’t come at the cost of construction.Cooperation and meticulous planning are the first steps,” confirmed Andreas Köttl,president of the Austrian Society for Sustainable Construction (ÖGNB).
This expert interview, presented by World Today News, sheds light on the key challenges and opportunities facing the Austrian construction industry as it navigates toward a more sustainable future. The conversation highlights the need for collaborative efforts from all stakeholders, including policymakers, construction companies, and citizens, to build a resilient and environmentally responsible infrastructure for generations to come.
