Because sustainability is to be lived, the green areas at the AIT site in Seibersdorf will in future be left almost entirely to nature. All green areas, a total of around eight hectares, will become natural meadows, which will provide a habitat for many native plant and insect species in the future. They will be mown only once a year. In next year’s spring, the blossoms will already present a wonderful spectacle of nature. "With the 'Ecologisation Seibersdorf' project, the first, essential steps towards more climate protection through biodiversity are being taken at the company sites themselves," explains AIT Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Alexander Svejkovsky.
An interactive meadow
The dry grassland areas promote the well-being of employees and visitors. "We are creating a nature and recreation zone. In addition, the project reflects our commitment to sustainable development by doing something good for the environment," says project manager Philipp Käfinger. Further information about the project is available via QR codes on information boards. Visitors and employees thus become a little bit of a forget-me-not of nature conservation and ambassadors of the benefits of ecological green spaces.
Every area counts
With the green spaces in Seibersdorf, the AIT is part of a regional network of valuable natural areas (144 hectares in 25 municipalities) in the region. The professional partner in the project’s implementation is the landscape conservation association Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken. "The greening at the AIT Seibersdorf site can make a significant contribution to the preservation of native diversity and help to recolonise numerous animals such as wild bees and butterflies at the site," says Irene Drozdowski from the landscape conservation association.
Sustainability and a responsible approach to resources are part of the AIT's self-image and are reflected in all areas - from the AIT's research focus on decarbonisation solutions to sustainable procurement and environmentally and resource-friendly building and laboratory development.
More information about the project, for example about the future animal and plant species of the meadow, can be found on the project website.