Jump to content
Symbolfoto: Das AIT ist Österreichs größte außeruniversitäre Forschungseinrichtung
AIT Logo Logo AIT Blog - Austrian Insitute of Technology link to home page Logo AIT Blog - Austrian Insitute of Technology link to home page
You are here:

Homepage  Research Topics  Climate-Resilient Urban Pathways  Projects  SHINE

SHINE

Social and Health Impacts of climate change adaptatioN Efforts on long-term care 

The SHINE project examines the interconnections between climate change, urban structure, health and care organisations from a holistic perspective and analyses the effects of heat and climate change on health and social services in Vienna. The focus lies on one of the most vulnerable groups in our society – people in mobile long-term care – and on mobile care services, whose employees are themselves severely affected by the increasing heat. We are investigating 

  • what heat in the city already means for people in mobile long-term care today and how climate change will exacerbate the situation for them and their care organisations in the future, and
  • how organisational and urban structural adjustments, such as greening, can counteract negative climate impacts.

The following diagram illustrates the project logic of SHINE. The consequences of climate change – specifically rising temperatures, an increase in tropical nights and longer heatwaves – affect both care organisations (the supply side) and people in long-term care (the demand side), thereby reducing societal resilience. At the same time, greening measures have the potential to create a balance. A key objective of the project is to examine these interactions in greater detail and make them tangible.

The diagram illustrates the relationship between climate change, rising urban heat and the adaptation of urban systems through nature-based solutions. The starting point is climate change, which leads to increased urban heat. Two perspectives respond to this: the supply side (the provision of mobile care services) and the demand side (the need for these services). Nature-based solutions improve environmental conditions and ensure a more balanced urban climate. This has an impact at several levels: at the micro-level, negative effects on health and social relationships are mitigated and the pressure on people in the mobile care sector is reduced. At the meso level, the additional burden on organisations and care workers is reduced, whilst at the same time a sufficient supply of mobile care services is ensured by non-profit organisations and the demand for these services decreases. At the macro level, this leads overall to greater societal resilience.

Methodologically, primary data, indicators, advanced climate simulations and organisational analyses are combined. New climate and heat risk maps are provided and the resulting burdens on mobile care are calculated. The resulting organisational adaptation measures in mobile care organisations are identified, described and, in some cases, quantified. This situation is compared with the intervention scenario, in which nature-based urban planning solutions are implemented that are expected to alleviate the pressure for organisational adaptation. SHINE is the first study to examine the impact of urban climate change adaptation measures on mobile care organisations, their clients and employees. This enables decision-makers to act on the basis of evidence, adapt structures to future climate risks in a targeted manner and legitimise measures.

The target groups are, in particular, mobile care organisations, municipal decision-makers, political leaders and other stakeholders responsible for planning, security of supply and adaptation measures in urban areas.

Funding

This project is funded by the Climate and Energy Fund and is carried out under the program “Austrian Climate Research Programme (ACRP)”.

Further Links

Link to FFG Website SHINE

Link to WU Website Social and Health Impacts of Climate Change Adaptation Efforts on Long-Term Care (SHINE) - 2026 - Projekte

Key Facts

Project duration: 01/2026-12/2028

Project partner: