On December 17th, the kick-off event for the City Science Lab (CSL) Klagenfurt took place, an evening dedicated to bridging the gap between science and city society to support Klagenfurt’s path to climate neutrality. Members of the university’s energy cluster, alongside representatives from the Municipality and Stadtwerke Klagenfurt, gathered to present their joint efforts and discuss the future of sustainable urban development.
The event, moderated by Martina Merz, provided a diverse range of insights from high-level decision-makers. Rector Ada Pellert emphasised the role of the university as a strong, interdisciplinary partner, true to the motto: “Universities have departments, societies have problems.” Dr. Wolfgang Hafner (City of Klagenfurt) outlined the “Cities Mission” roadmap, identifying building renovations and public transport as key projects for reaching the 2040 goals. Dipl.-Ing. Erwin Smole (Stadtwerke Klagenfurt) highlighted that while 90% biogenic district heating has been achieved, the greatest challenge remains communication and mobilising the population.
A central highlight of the official program was the general presentation of the CSL project, which bundles expertise from four faculties to develop innovative solutions for a climate-neutral city. Following the stage presentations, the evening transitioned into a lively poster session. Accompanied by food and drinks, this interactive format invited guests to engage directly with the researchers. Specifically, members of the university’s energy cluster presented their progress regarding load forecasting in cooperation with Stadtwerke Klagenfurt. Following the formation of an interdisciplinary team and the definition of load forecasting as a central research question, first day-ahead models for a pilot transformer station were developed.
In addition to the presentations, the evening was primarily dedicated to networking and exchanging perspectives. This event provided an opportunity for exciting discussions, fostering collaboration between the University and key actors in Klagenfurt to advance efforts towards a climate-neutral future in the city.