Wienerberger helps building Europe’s climate resilience

• Wienerberger has become a leading supplier for European cities and communities with innovative infrastructure and individual water management solutions
• Forging a climate resilient Europe with smart technology: Continuous product development to support the EU in implementing its new climate adaptation strategy

Vienna – Wienerberger’s Piping Solutions Business Unit sees a massive increase in the supply of stormwater management systems supporting the endeavors of European cities and communities to build climate resilience through adaptation and mitigation. In the face of mutually reinforcing climate disruptions and the associated socio-economic and environmental risks, Europe is increasing its climate adaptation measures. Flood and drought management has become an integral part of urban and infrastructure development. The European Commission wants to prepare Europe with a new EU Climate Adaptation Strategy.

According to statements of the European Commission losses from increasing climate-related damage have already reached an average of EUR 12 billion per year. Lower bound estimates say that exposing today’s EU economy to a global temperature increase of 3°C would result in an annual loss of a minimum of EUR 170 billion (1.36% of EU GDP).

Flood Protection in Urban Planning and Development

For more than a decade, Wienerberger’s Piping Solution Business Unit has been designing tailored stormwater solutions showing very positive results in flood protection measures in urban development. Flood prone communities are employing Pipelife’s Raineo stormwater management systems in their flood protection schemes in combination with blue and green infrastructure, such as green areas and lake reservoirs. In Poland, Gdansk is the city that has so far invested most, building an extensive flood control system. Complementing an impressive number of reservoirs and dikes, Pipelife contributed with engineered underground stormwater structures such as collectors and drainage channels on newly constructed streetcar lines, underground retention and infiltration systems for the Airport Gdansk, and collectors leading to reservoirs and the port. Over the last four years, Pipelife Poland supplied over 705 kilometers of pipes, 75,000 pipe fittings, 3,200 chambers and 5,100 Raineo Stormboxes for the city.

Further comprehensive flood protection projects in Poland are planned for various areas along the River Vistula as well as for larger cities such as Krakow, Warsaw and Wroclaw. On top, a massive retention development program wants to double Poland’s water retention capacity by 2030.

Protecting Transport Infrastructures from climate risks

Apart from being a go-to partner for urban flood protection solutions, Wienerberger is also a leading supplier of road and rail drainage systems. In parallel with massive investments into extending and upgrading Europe’s key transportation network, especially in the CEE region, Wienerberger has experienced a remarkable increase in road and railway drainage projects using Pipelife stormwater drainage systems.

Regarding product innovation, Wienerberger noted remarkable success with the introduction of the 100% recycled stormwater and sewerage pipe EcoCorr. Ever since the product launch in 2018 in Bulgaria, the eco-friendly product has also gained a firm foothold in the neighboring countries Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, and Greece, along with other Pipelife product systems for road and railway drainage.

Forging a Climate resilient Europe with smart technology

The European Commission communicated its new EU Climate Adaptation Strategy on February 24, 2021. Under the vision of creating a climate resilient Union by 2050, the European Commission will provide Europe with the necessary guidance, policies and support programs to prepare for future climate shocks. One of the strategic goals is to improve knowledge and the availability of climate-related data.

With the recent acquisition and integration of the digital solutions company Inter Act, Wienerberger is already supplying all-in-one smart solutions comprising assets combined with sensor technology, the software and cloud services to collect the data necessary to better understand climate risks.