Sustainability

As a bearer of the Austrian Ecolabel, the awareness of responsible use of natural resources is also part of the DNA of the Roman town of Carnuntum, based on its history. Already in Roman times there are good points of reference, as the Roman settlement meant a change in the originally densely forested area around Carnuntum, which has lasted until today. The dense forests were cut down for construction or as a source of energy, and the sewage from the large 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. In the area of roof structures, old roof trusses from demolished barns in the region were recycled. The HVAC technology of the new visitor center uses a natural air circulation effect through the use of deep probes modeled on Arabian air towers, as well as pellet heating. Electricity comes from renewable sources. Lighting fixtures are gradually being replaced with energy-saving alternatives or LEDs.

Within the scope of the possibilities offered by the Federal Procurement Act, efforts are being made to use regional partners in order to keep distances short. The catering tenant is also committed to using regional products wherever possible.

In the mobility area, offers have been intensified to minimize the number of trips by private car. The website prominently displays the options for public transport. Subsequently, there are already talks about the creation of a comprehensive on-demand shared cab network in the region, extending from Bruck/Leitha, via Hainburg, to Marchfeld.

Waste separation is fully implemented throughout the visitor and administrative areas. Biodegradable agents are used for cleaning. External partners are also advised to switch to them if possible. As part of a digitization offensive, the proportion of printouts in office operations is being successively reduced.

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

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

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.