Energy and Water: Sustainable Solutions for Tomorrow

Water scarcity, torrential rain, local flooding – the impacts of climate change are being felt all over the world. To meet the demands and growing needs of the water and energy management sector, wienerberger is focusing on holistic approaches with its solution brand Pipelife. With innovative pipe solutions for infrastructure, buildings and agriculture the company is creating a better world for people now and in the future. 

The EU set out its strategy for achieving climate-neutrality by 2050 in its European Green Deal. In support of this objective, wienerberger has defined ambitious targets in its Sustainability Program 2026. The vision: to help create the infrastructures of the future to cope with the growing challenges. This calls for innovative solutions and the efficient management of infrastructure networks. wienerberger is determined to play a key role in this field and to make optimum use of digitalization for this purpose. Because climate change is also creating challenges for energy and water management. Read more here: Clean Energy for Tomorrow, Precious Resource Water and Climate Resilience: To Make Cities Great Places to Live.

wienerberger is not just a supplier of pipes and pipelines, but a partner and solutions provider that engages at eye level with the actors in the field of infrastructure. This is reflected in its focus on integrated solutions for energy and water management. Here, it is essential to provide optimal solutions that are fit for the future and tailored to the needs of the target groups. These include infrastructure network operators, infrastructure, construction and HVAC planners, as well as contractors in civil engineering, structural engineering and building services engineering. Here the wienerberger team works closely with municipal water and wastewater companies and building services engineers.

wienerberger is already contributing to a circular economy with its durable plastic piping systems that are designed for up to 150 years of operation. Nevertheless, the company has even bigger ambitions and is developing new products made entirely of “post-consumer waste”, which reduces the consumption of primary material and waste. These durable products thus become part of a sustainable cycle.

Dematerialization is another focus: wienerberger is working on piping systems in which plastic content is reduced by replacing it with mineral aggregates. In addition, the company uses chemical recycling or biobased raw materials derived from renewable sources such as waste cooking oil or forest biomass. This lowers the share of fossil-based materials and cuts CO₂ emissions. 

Digitalization opens up new paths to safe and sustainable infrastructure – for example for service and potable water mains. Operators of older networks and in particular smaller local providers typically lack adequate operating data and the necessary software solutions to monitor and control the networks efficiently. wienerberger makes it possible to set up additional decentralized measuring points throughout the network.

Using modern sensor technology, the pressure, flow, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH-value and turbidity of the water can be monitored online. This enables operators to detect and respond promptly to abnormalities such as a sudden loss of pressure or excessive water consumption, both of which can be caused by pipeline leaks.

Thanks to smart monitoring potential problems, such as pump failures can also be predicted. With the help of predictive maintenance, operators can prevent system failures and optimize maintenance costs. Working closely with partners and start-ups who use artificial intelligence, wienerberger uses damage statistics and operational data to calculate the probability and risk of future leaks. This knowledge provides valuable support for network renewal planning. wienerberger also relies on innovation in production. Read more here: Industry 4.0: Wienerberger in Touch with the Future.

According to the European Commission buildings account for approximately 40 percent of energy consumption in Europe. It therefore wants to oblige homeowners to improve the energy performance of their properties to at least efficiency class D by 2033. This is because two thirds of the existing building stock are not energy efficient, often falling into category F or G.

wienerberger offers complete solutions for building renovations – from design to materials and tools to support optimal operation. Whether for renovation or new build, all components have to be carefully planned to achieve maximum energy efficiency and the subsequent optimization of operating costs. The building envelop including the roof and insulation, heating and cooling, photovoltaic systems, water storage and rainwater management are all things that need to be considered.

wienerberger is also working on a performance-optimization tool. This will dynamically control the operation of all system components and respond to external events such as the weather or electricity price signals, making it possible to reduce operating costs or even generate income on the electricity markets. It also provides a competitive complete solution that optimizes a building’s energy efficiency, reduces lifecycle costs and maximizes user comfort.