One of Vienna´s landmarks and favourite photographic motifs, the Spittelau Waste Incineration Plant is a super interesting place which combines the topics of waste, energy and art in a fascinating way. The iconic building known for its golden dome and colourful irregular structure was designed by eco-architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser after the original waste incineration plant was destroyed by a major fire in 1989.
Since then, the new Spittelau Waste Incineration Plant has become an important pillar that make Vienna one of the award-winning cities which are closest to sustainable waste management in the world. At Spittelau, the waste is not only disposed, but it´s also recycled and used to generate thermal heat and hot water in an environmentally friendly way.
In a guided tour, visitors can get an in-depth insight into the topics. There are two tours to choose from – the District heating and the District cooling. The tours are free and offered in German and English.
For children and schools, special age-appropriate guided tours are offered. And it´s a great success: around 3,000 young people enter the unique world of Spittelau participating in a guided tour every year.
Typically, the school tours begin with an interesting short film and a short explanation about the subject of waste and how it is used to produce clean energy in Vienna. Subsequently, children get the chance to tour the plant and observe the technology of Spittelau. As part of the tour, children and young people get to know the artistic work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, the genius Viennese eco-architect who designed the Spittelau plant facade. At the end, each child gets a small gift.
Tours are suitable for children from the 4th school grade (10 years of age) and are adjusted to fit the age of the group. The tours are free and offered in German and English.
Besides, the District Cooling Tours are available to school groups as well. On this tour, children and young people experience how cooling is produced from heat. They learn how the conventional air-conditioning units harm the environment, and how a district cooling from Wien Energie offers a more sustainable cooling solution. Children learn how the Spittelau refrigeration centre converts heat into environment-friendly cooling used to cool several large Vienna buildings, including the Vienna General Hospital (AKH), the Ö3 building and the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences. The tours are free and offered in German and English. For schools, the District Cooling tours are available for pupils starting in the 9th grade.