Press Releases

ABB creates ‘intelligent’ football stadium for FK Austria

August 2, 2019

Posted by: Anasia D'mello

ABB, a technology provider, was appointed to transform the Generali Arena, originally built in 1925, into an intelligent, future proofed venue that incorporates the latest in smart building technology and energy efficient power distribution, so that it is more intuitive to control and better suited to the needs of visitors.

These IoT solutions are part of the unified, cross-industry digital offering, ABB Ability, which extends from device to edge to cloud and combines deep domain expertise with unmatched proficiency in web-enabled connectivity to optimise operational performance and efficiency.

This is also the first sustainable football venue in Austria. It was retrofitted in co-operation with the Austrian Sustainable Building Council, who helped with planning the design and implementation, which includes a photovoltaic system on the roof of the north stand.

Oliver Iltisberger, managing director of ABB’s Smart Buildings business line said: “Our mission is to write the future of safe, smart and sustainable electrification and the transformation of the Generali Arena is a fantastic representation of that vision brought to life.

“We were delighted to work with FK Austria and the Austrian Sustainable Building Council to deliver a stadium which embraces the latest in smart building technology to create an intelligent, welcoming space, that is easy and efficient to control but also lessens its impact on the environment.”

The stadium’s entire electrification value chain – from medium-voltage distribution to each individual socket – has been raised to an advanced level. Solution highlights include:

Safe power

Reliability

Energy saving

Improved visitor experience

After two years of construction, the 24-time national champions have now delivered a new intelligent and sustainable football stadium, which has boosted the club’s profile and made competing with local rivals Rapid Vienna much easier.

Alexander Munda from the stadium said: “We wanted to set a new benchmark for stadium modernity and comfort with our new Generali-Arena. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, we needed to work with the best companies in all areas. In ABB, we found an ideal partner in terms of building technology and infrastructure. The feedback from our fans, VIP guests and employees who come into contact with ABB’s solutions is extremely positive. ABB has installed its new and innovative technologies throughout the stadium, making the Generali-Arena what it is today: the most modern and beautiful stadium in Austria.”

ABB’s connected safety and energy efficiency initiatives, coupled with expanding seating capacity to 17,500 and plans to redesign the training ground and build a new regional youth centre, means it now meets the standard of an UEFA four-star arena, which even permits the staging of Champions League semi-finals.

Costing some €42 million to re-build, the north stand holds 4,100 spectators and includes 28 VIP boxes, two sky boxes and two boxes for dignitaries, plus an underground car park for 370 VIPs. The east stand holds 5,050 spectators and houses the fan shop, museum and a restaurant, while the west stand seats 5,600 spectators.

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