Udržitelnost

As a holder of the Austrian Ecolabel, an awareness of the responsible use of natural resources is part of the DNA of the Roman town of Carnuntum, based on its history. There are already good starting points in Roman times, as the Roman settlement meant a change to the originally densely wooded area around Carnuntum that continues to this day. The dense forests were cut down for construction work or as a source of energy, and the waste water from the city was discharged unfiltered into the Danube. Overexploitation of nature, CO2 emissions and water pollution are not a phenomenon of the industrial age, but took place thousands of years ago.

Only natural building materials from regional sources were used in the construction of the reconstructions in the Roman city of Carnuntum. Old roof trusses from demolished barns in the region were recycled for the roof structures. The HVAC technology of the new visitor center uses a natural air circulation effect through the use of deep probes based on the model of Arabian air towers, as well as pellet heating. The electricity comes from 100% renewable energy sources, of which around 92% comes from the building's own photovoltaic system. The light sources are gradually being replaced by energy-saving alternatives or LEDs. Currently, around 95% of all lighting fixtures have already been replaced.

In the area of mobility, offers have been intensified in order to minimize the number of trips by private car. Public transport options are prominently displayed on the website. Discussions are already underway to create a comprehensive on-demand shared cab network in the region, extending from Bruck/Leitha to Hainburg and Marchfeld.

Waste separation is seamlessly implemented throughout the visitor and administrative areas. Biodegradable agents are used for cleaning. External partners are also advised that they should switch to this if possible. Within the framework of the possibilities offered by the Federal Procurement Act, attempts are made to use regional partners in order to keep distances short. The catering tenant is also committed to focusing on regionality wherever possible.

As part of a digitalization offensive, the company has completely dispensed with printed advertising materials and is also moving towards a paperless office. So far, paper consumption has been reduced by around 90%.

Sensor-operated taps are used in all public sanitary facilities in order to optimize water consumption. 

Based on our previous self-image, our aim for the future is to use communication and training measures to convince both visitors and employees that practising environmental protection does not require any restrictions, but only a rethinking of habits.

Take a look at our action program on environmental protection and sustainability.

Podívejte se také na náš akční program týkající se ochrany životního prostředí a udržitelnosti.

In 2024, the Roman town of Carnuntum took a huge step towards sustainability and energy efficiency. A 129 kWp PV system was installed on the roof of the visitor centre, allowing more than 100% of the electricity consumption to be self-generated. To increase the level of self-sufficiency to 90%, a PV storage unit with a capacity of 300 kWh was also installed. The PV system, including the storage unit, is able to cover more than 90% of the previously required electricity consumption of around 82,000 kWh, meaning that around 77,000 kWh of the electricity consumption can be covered by the company's own PV electricity production. In addition, the light sources were converted to LED technology. This means that a total of 22,000 kg CO2-eq can be avoided per year.

The operation of the system since commissioning has not only confirmed the simulation data, but has even exceeded it. To date, a degree of self-sufficiency of around 94% has been achieved. Following the establishment of the citizens' energy community with the other companies in the NÖ Kulturwirtschaft GmbH group, all the sites in the Roman town of Carnuntum were also included. These are the Roman quarter, both amphitheatres, the Heidentor and the Carnuntinum Museum.

Furthermore, the project is also an important sign of responsible action as a subsidised business. By implementing the project, it is possible to reduce annual energy costs by almost 70%, which in turn means a reduction in the need for subsidies.

This project is funded by the Climate and Energy Fund and is being carried out as part of the “Photovoltaic and storage systems, conversion to LED lighting” program.

Funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU.