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• Art and culture in the public sphere:
For three years now, the residential construction projects of “Raiffeisen WohnBau”, a brand of Raiffeisen-Leasing
GmbH, have featured a sustainability perspective alongside the “Quality Living” seal in the form of the “Art
and Living” project. Primarily young but also established artists proposed by a curator and selected by a jury
are given the opportunity to design the entry areas and exterior spaces of the residential complexes. Each
work of art is a special production tailored to the respective building, its location or history and intended to
welcome both residents and visitors to the building. Ten artworks have already been produced and several
more have already passed through the jury selection process. Modern definitions of sustainability encompass
not only the three classic pillars of economy, environment and society, which have already been implemented
in the “Quality Living” residential projects, but also the aspect of art. The promotion of art is an investment in the
future. Artists, as seismographs of society, help sensitize people to current developments that affect all aspects
of co-existence. The goal here is to support artistic projects in a way that extends beyond isolated sponsoring
and decoration activities.
Art and Living: Sebastian Schlager “Outside in” in Vienna 5, Stolberggasse 41,
© Irene Schanda
Positive impacts on the environment and on the climate
• Renewable energy:
RBI AG financed a pioneering project in which one of the world’s largest energy suppliers with a strong
presence in the Austrian facility management industry acted as a turnkey provider for the planning, construction
and operation of a photovoltaic roof system (1,008 kWp) on the newly built retail market in St. Pölten and will
supply the site with electricity from the PV system for the next 25 years by way of energy supply contracting.
The market was realized as a “zero emission building” and the installed PV system is a significant component of
the sustainability concept. The financing concept and legal framework serve as a role model for the construction
of additional retail markets with a green footprint.
The total volume of financing by RBI AG in the category of “renewable energy” as of the end of
2017 amounted to around € 156 million. This included two biomass-fueled thermal power plants
in Austria and Romania, a small hydroelectric plant in Austria, a solar park in Romania and
another in Spain as well as wind farms and wind farm portfolios in Austria, Germany, France,
Spain, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.
• Energy efficiency:
Participation in the amount of € 20 million in syndicated financing for the construction of a plant for the
production of various dried dairy products, in particular baby formula. One key component of the plant
concept is the creation of a new spray drying process, including the development of a process-integrated
thermal recovery system. The total investment costs amount to € 90 million. The project was refinanced by KfW
as part of the “Production Facilities Energy Efficiency” program.
I
n the course of the implementation of its residential construction projects, Raiffeisen WohnBau, a brand of
Raiffeisen-Leasing GmbH, makes the topic of energy efficiency a priority as part of its own “Quality Living”
Raiffeisen Bank International | Sustainability Report 2017
Art and Living: Thomas Laubenberger “sicht beton mauer – beton mauer sicht” in Innsbruck
Igls, Badhausstraße 11a+b, © Bernhard Hörtnagl