Excellent safety technology

Siemens Austria is the first company certified with new ÖVE/ÖNORM EN 16763

The OVE (Austrian Electrical Engineering Association) has certified Siemens AG Austria as an installer of security systems (alarm, video and access) in accordance with ÖVE/ÖNORM EN 16763. Siemens AG Austria is thus the first company to receive the certificate. The certification process is aimed at installers of security systems — this includes burglary and robbery alarm systems (OVE guideline R 2), video surveillance systems (OVE guideline R 9) and access control systems (OVE guideline R 10). In March 2025, the audit was successfully completed for all Siemens branches in Austria. In accordance with the established regulations, a mandatory on-site inspection of an alarm system and an additional video or access system is carried out every two years. This ensures that the systems are always up to date and meet the requirements. In addition, recertification is required after four years.

Flexible festivals

Secure access with a mobile solution from Siemens

The Salzburg Festival and Siemens have worked together to prove what maximum flexibility can look like in the middle of the festival summer. The Salzburg Festival Hall was affected by disruptive actions by activists this year. The organizers responded with stricter controls at entrances, more security personnel and more police presence — and with an add-on solution from Siemens to the existing SiPort access system. SiPort allows you to manage personal and building data in real time and offers an intuitive user interface for easy operation. Even before the events of this year’s summer, all areas and entrance doors were secured technically or personally, but now an additional
security gate has been added to the SiPort access system in the form of a mobile solution with mobile devices and verification software. The special thing: Only a week has passed from problem presentation to commissioning of the first test system thanks to the rapid response of the Festival and Siemens team — and the solution is already in operation right in the middle of the peak phase of the cultural summer! 

More performance and flexibility

Intelligent Valve with new firmware version

The Intelligent Valve with the new firmware version 1.22 offers a number of improvements: performance, flexibility and communication options. The permitted temperature range has now been extended to —10°C when the valve is operated with ethylene glycol-water mixtures. At the same time, the possible concentration range of ethylene glycol is up to 50% (up to now a maximum of 30%). The maximum volume flow rate is now reduced to a minimum of 5% (previously 30%). The extended differential pressure control can now work with either two separate pressure sensors or a single differential pressure sensor. There are two new limits: a weighted return temperature limit and an adjusted maximum output limit. In addition, a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is now available as a BACnet object.

50 years of safety

VSÖ celebrates 50th anniversary — Siemens was there as a founding member

In May of this year, the Austrian Association of Security Companies (VSÖ) celebrated its 50th anniversary — with Siemens as one of the founding members. Since the association was founded, the security landscape has developed significantly: While police emergency call systems from Siemens AG Austria were installed in all towns in the province of Salzburg with more than 10,000 inhabitants in the 1970s, Siemens’ current security portfolio includes a wide range of modern technologies — including access control systems, video surveillance, burglar detection technology and comprehensive cybersecurity solutions.

With “Building X Security Manager,” Siemens is setting new standards in digital building security. The cloud-based platform enables holistic, open and interoperable management of security-relevant systems and processes. It helps companies make their security infrastructure efficient, transparent and future-proof. As an active member of the VSÖ, Siemens is not only involved technologically but also strategically: Our company continuously contributes its expertise to the development and revision of industry-specific guidelines and standards — and thus makes a significant contribution to the quality assurance and innovative strength of the Austrian security industry.

Sentron switches faster

The SENTRON ECPD (Electronic Circuit Protection Device) is one of the first protective switching devices worldwide that switch electronically. It impresses with ultra-fast switching, flexible parameterization and an enormous range of functions.

SENTRON ECPD switches ultra-fast, can be flexibly parameterized and saves resources. Its multi-functionality makes it possible to reduce the width of modules in the control cabinet from 16 to just 2 units. The idea: Series connection of cutting-edge semiconductor technology with electromechanical components in a protective switching device. The result: a paradigm shift in circuit technology. The advantages: outstanding short-circuit protection, excellent pulse resistance and selectivity.

Electrical installations have always required the use of suitable overcurrent devices to protect equipment and people from damage. In the beginning, fuses were used for this purpose, but later they were increasingly replaced by reusable, electromechanically separating switches. This working principle had changed little for many decades.

State-of-the-art semiconductor technology

However, Siemens is now breaking new ground with the SENTRON ECPD 5TY1 COM electronic circuit breaker: For the first time, the SENTRON ECPD uses cutting-edge semiconductor technology with electromechanical components to connect the main current path in series. Its intelligent protection algorithm is therefore significantly faster and more precise than electromechanical solutions. Numerous additional functions can be activated and adapted as required.

There are completely new options for planning, installing and operating the energy distribution system. Whether designing cables according to nominal current peaks instead of inrush current peaks, reliable short-circuit detection for long lines, support for operational energy management in accordance with ISO 50001, targeted consumption and cost reductions in operation, remote diagnosis and remote access or sustainability gains: The SENTRON ECPD sets new standards for innovation and sustainability in electrical energy distribution and is therefore another exemplary product that bears the Siemens EcoTech label.

You can find more information here.

It has the touch

The TC4 all-in-one room control unit for optimum comfort

The Touch Control TC family is growing — the new Touch Control TC4! The room unit impresses with an elegant design, two color options and all the functions already familiar from the Siemens Touch Control room control unit family. Integrated temperature sensors and various KNX room control options enable optimal conditions. Features include password protection, proximity sensors, alarm lights, 15 languages, and firmware updates. The user interface can be personalized (backgrounds, icons, languages), with up to 15 function pages configurable via ETS for date, time and schedules. As a versatile KNX room controller, it supports lighting, sun protection and manages HVAC systems (temperature, ventilation, heating/cooling) using an integrated NPI controller. KNX Data Secure provides increased security. 

In the light of art

Lighting control with Siemens DALI technology

Siemens DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) stands for intelligent and efficient lighting control in modern buildings and is an international standard that enables digital communication between lighting devices such as lights, sensors and control elements. Siemens seamlessly integrates DALI technology into its building automation systems, particularly in solutions such as Desigo or KNX. This allows precise, individual and flexible control of each individual lamp or group of luminaires.

The benefits of Siemens DALI solutions are manifold: They enable significant energy savings through daylight-dependent regulation and presence control. They also offer maximum comfort through personalized lighting scenes and easy adjustment to changing room uses. Digital addressability significantly simplifies installation and maintenance. Siemens DALI components also ensure high reliability and interoperability. 

With their powerful and intelligent functions, the KNX/DALI gateways are redefining lighting control. They offer what you would expect from a dynamic, human-centered lighting system: easy implementation, seamless integration, increased energy efficiency, and simple and time-saving start-up. These gateways are designed to adapt lighting to today’s needs and ensure that functionality and ease of use go hand in hand.

Whether in offices, schools, hospitals or industrial plants — Siemens DALI makes a significant contribution to sustainable, convenient and future-proof lighting solutions that increase efficiency and well-being.

You can find more information here.

After two and a half years of construction, the impressive building opened its doors in autumn 2024 — and is a highlight from outside and inside. With its two intertwined glowing mountain peaks, it is spread over six floors with a height of 32 meters. The shape, façade and architectural style make the building a landmark visible from afar at the northern gateway to the Alps and underline the alpine character of the region. The well-thought-out corporate architecture concept fits perfectly into the overall picture of the surrounding mountains. The building has a floor space of around 10,000 square meters. The various offerings, presented in various types of rooms and areas, result in complex requirements and thus a challenging concept of interior design. From the outset, it was clear that the building had to be climate-friendly and that operation had to be very efficient. And this is not at all easy due to the impressive architecture, the many glass surfaces and the complex room layout — but thanks to modern Siemens building technology. 

Intelligent efficient building management system

Based on an innovative climate concept, the impressive new building is largely C_O2-neutral. To achieve this, the mountaineering professionals sought support from Siemens building technology experts and installed the following solution: a heat pump, which is largely powered by their own solar system, a sophisticated shading system and innovative measurement and control technology (MSR), because without a reliable management system, there is no efficient building automation. 

Siemens PXC MSR was installed with around 1000 data points for optimal control of plant processes, plus around 1000 external data points, and with Desigo CC building management technology, the building is optimally adapted to the needs of building users. A meeting room that is only staffed by the hour must be heated or cooled differently than the DYNAFIT Store, which is visited by many visitors during the day. Thanks to its high level of flexibility, Desigo CC can quickly adapt to changes and can be expanded as required. With the requirement of “as little energy as necessary, with full use of space”, a KNX connection also ensures the most efficient operation possible in the rooms. The approximately 130 fire dampers with feedback provide visitors and employees with reliable protection. For a perfect indoor climate, a heat pump cascade was installed instead of a single, large heat pump — this has the advantage that the heating output can be adjusted more easily to current and actual heat demand. On hot days, a free cooling system ensures cooling: The environmentally friendly cooling method generates the cold from the existing groundwater well. In addition, a highly efficient Konvekta system ensures very high efficiency in the energy recovery of ventilation systems. 

“It was clear from the outset that the building had to be climate-friendly and that operation
had to be very efficient. And this was not so
easy due to the impressive architecture, the many glass surfaces and the complex room layout — but thanks to modern Siemens building technology.”

Manuel Pro
llSales Engineer, Siemens AG Austria

Have athletes repair DYNAFIT products and other Oberalp Group own brands. At the Ski Factory, interested parties produce their own tailor-made skis — whether racing, touring or alpine skiing — in workshops under expert guidance.  

The DYNAFIT brand has been part of the South Tyrolean mountain sports company Oberalp GROUP since 2003. This is not the first time that the Oberalp GROUP is working with Siemens: The equally impressive Salewa headquarters in Bolzano was equipped with similar Siemens products a few years ago.

Many organizations face the same challenge: rising costs, increasingly complex technology, and a growing number of stakeholders. At the same time, valuable data is often stored unconnected in various systems. Siemens is helping to develop a sustainable strategy out of this data jumble — and to create the basis for real operational optimization with Building X. The suite, as part of Siemens Xcelerator, is AI-powered and platform-open. It covers everything — from security to convenience to full transparency. In this article, we consciously focus on operational optimization and data strategy: making processes transparent, breaking up data silos, increasing the performance of buildings and making them more sustainable. We show which specific steps can be derived from this in the practice kit “Winter is coming! “on the next page.

With the right data strategy, buildings become smart buildings. With Building X, energy, security, fire protection, ventilation, heating and other systems are connected on a central level.This makes it easy to digitize existing and new buildings — and efficiently monitor and control over their life cycle.

Instead of many separate systems, Siemens is working with customers to develop a clear path from data silos to a cloud platform. Operators recognize patterns, analyze load peaks and can integrate existing data sources. Integrated FDD (Fault Detection & Diagnostics) functions automatically identify anomalies, malfunctions or inefficient operating conditions and provide specific recommendations for proactive operational optimization — long before disruptions or additional costs occur. Scalability and flexibility ensure that optimizations, expansions and new measures can be integrated at any time.

The Siemens experts’ approach is aimed at all players in the building life cycle — from users to investors to facility managers. Open APIs enable a seamless user experience, automated workflows, and easy integration of existing software landscapes. Thanks to the open platform approach, Building X can not only be connected to existing systems and data pools, but can also be expanded to include your own applications, partner solutions and future technologies. In this way, data and operating strategies remain future-proof and adaptable.

Building technology specialists at Siemens help their customers define the right data strategy. They help companies identify untapped potential and show step by step how they can make full use of their opportunities.

People come to the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis tourist region in the beautiful Inn Valley to ski, hike and sunbathe. For families who want to enjoy Tyrolean nature, the two Bär and Löwe family hotels in Serfaus are the perfect accommodation. Equipped with swimming pools, climbing facilities, all-round support and even a theatre, children and adults alike can enjoy a break from everyday life. The owners of the two hotels, Karl and Lukas Heymich, wish to operate the two hotels in an energy-efficient, climate-friendly and responsible manner. “As managing directors of Loewe-Bär Hotels, it was central to us to send a strong signal in the direction of ecological sustainability. In Siemens, we have found an innovative and professional partner who not only impresses with technical expertise, but also provides us with excellent aftercare over the long term,” said Karl and Lukas Heymich. And the building technology experts from Siemens have really set something up and running: After a detailed inventory of the building services and major energy consumers in the two hotels, a variety of optimization and improvement measures were developed. “We particularly appreciate that Siemens guarantees concrete energy savings in financial terms — this creates transparency and security and enables reliable planning of the amortization of our extensive investment volume. With this energy efficiency project, we want to further expand our pioneering role in sustainable tourism and show that responsible business and modern hotels can go hand in hand,” explain Karl and Lukas Heymich. And they did it! 

More comfort and effici
encyA photovoltaic (PV) system with an output of around 217 kilowatts peak (kWp) (Hotel Bär) and 73 kWp (H_otel Löwe) was installed in each _of the two family hotels. For this purpose, all useable roof areas were equipped with PV modules. Almost all of the electricity generated in this way is used in hotels. In the two in-house swimming pools, the water circulation rate is continuously adjusted to actual requirements through targeted improvements in bathing water management. This saves a significant amount of electricity and fresh water and at the same time ensures excellent bathing water quality — a classic win-win situation. The water slide in the indoor pool of the bearish hotel was covered with high-temperature special insulation. The heat losses caused by the thin outer layer during the cold season are thus reduced by over 80 percent. The interior lighting of the water slide was also immediately improved and upgraded as part of the modernizations. To keep both young and old guests in the Bär and Loewe family hotels cozy and warm, warm heating water will now be directed specifically to the respective consumers by adapting the heating system without pumping valuable heat energy around the clock. Modernization includes, for example, retrofitting sensors or differential pressure valves. Replacing the heating pumps improves control and saves large amounts of electricity — and most importantly: comfort for guests also increases! 

Funding brings targeted savingsThe
Desigo CC building management system brings the entire measurement, control and regulation system for heating, hot water and numerous ventilation systems up to a uniform standard. The MSR technology was reprogrammed from scratch to implement targeted energy efficiency components. Numerous retrofitted sensors (temperature, air quality, humidity) make the system even more efficient and transparent, and the building management system enables central and time-saving operation and control of the systems distributed throughout the hotel area. In concrete terms, this means for managing directors and owners Karl and Lukas Heymich: In future, the two Bär and Loewe Hotels will save 302 MWh of electricity, 267 MWh of heating oil, around 35 MWh of natural gas, 155 tons o_f CO2 and 374 cubic meters of water. Siemens project manager Clemens Stern knows: “Modernizations of building technology in existing buildings often result in high costs with manageable benefits. The project of the two family hotels shows how an intelligently planned combination of optimization measures is self-financed through received funding and savings achieved. ”

Under the motto “local, digital and sustainable,” the municipality of Ollersdorf combines a 2₅ kWp photovoltaic system at the PV carport and on the building, a 184 kWh battery storage system, a 100 kW fast charging station and two 22 kW charging points as regional energy supply. 

Sustainable partnership
Together with Raiffeisen, Enlion and ÖAMTC, Siemens is taking e-mobility to a new level: With the powerful SICHARGE D fast-charging station, users can charge their e-vehicles at public locations with green electricity directly from local energy cooperatives. This not only makes e-mobility more sustainable, but also more affordable. In the future, it is planned to open more than 100 locations where regionally generated energy flows directly into mobility. The next hub will soon be built in Eisenstadt. Gerrit Pürstl, Head of the E-Mobility Division at Siemens Austria: “With this partnership, we are sending a strong signal for the mobility revolution in the region, for the region. ”

Martin Geiger, head of the Siemens Eisenstadt branch, is also pleased that the project in Burgenland has been launched: “It’s great that we can make a decisive contribution to e-mobility in collaboration with our partners and with our modern and powerful charging infrastructure. ”

“Siemens supports companies with s
olutions for resource conservation and climate neutrality.”

Werner Kerschbaume
rBusiness Development Smart Infrastructu
re Buildings, Siemens AG Austria

Helping European companies compete globally — that is what the EU has set itself the goal of with the Clean Industrial Deal. The aim of the new regulations is _to make the CO2 phase-out an engine of growth. This should be achieved, for example, by providing particularly energy-intensive industries with support in their efforts to create affordable energy. Another lever is the area of clean tech companies, which faces a wide variety of challenges but is crucial for future competitiveness. Secured financing, promoting a circular economy, joint procurement of raw materials and the development of global partnerships should pave the way to a climate-neutral, resilient and competitive industry.

The EU is making
a significant contribution to reducing bureaucracy with the so-called Omnibus Package. “The regulations on reporting requirements with regard to sustainability goals are being relaxed,” says Siemens expert Werner Kerschbaumer. On the one hand, certain reporting requirements will be postponed by two years (from 2025 to 2027), and on the other hand, small and medium-sized companies in particular should benefit from the significantly increased thresholds, as in future only companies with more than 1,000 employees and either over 50 million euros in turnover or 25 million euros balance sheet total will fall within this regulation. This would mean that only around 20 percent of the companies affected so far would be required to report. The same applies to the EU Taxonomy Regulation: Full reporting should only be mandatory for companies with over 1,000 employees and a turnover of more than 450 million euros. Werner Kerschbaumer: “The path to climate neutrality is now associated with less bureaucracy, which strengthens SMEs in particular. However, it should be noted that the extended deadlines, the raised thresholds and the reduction of reportable data do not fundamentally change the climate goals and the climate neutrality roadmap.” In any case, this means that companies must now analyse the existing situation in order to plan and implement appropriate measures in good time.

Based on many years of expertise, Siemens supports companies with solutions relating to resource conservation and climate neutrality. This starts with consulting and analysis and continues with the introduction of monitoring, reporting and optimization solutions to the holistic implementation of energy and resource-saving measures.

“With Siemens as a partner, we achieved excellent results last year and significantly reduced our energy consumption.”

Walter Klawatsc
hOrganization and Technology Center,
Donaustadt Clinic

At Langobardenstraße 122 in Vienna, the foundation stone was laid 40 years ago for the Donaustadt Clinic, which is now one of the largest hospitals in the federal capital with over 700 beds. The 3,300 employees from 26 institutes use a wide range of know-how to create a pleasant atmosphere for patients. 

Superlative project “T
he Donaustadt Clinic is faced with the challenge of achieving the energy and sustainability goals of the operator, the Vienna Health Association, and reducing its own energy consumption — without loss of comfort for patients and staff,” explains Walter Klawatsch, who heads the Organization and Technology Control Center at the Donaustadt Clinic. In order to achieve the sustainability goals, the Donaustadt Clinic, together with Siemens as a partner, analyses over 60,000 data points and 580 meters every day — a superlative project! However, the hospital also comprises several buildings and operating areas and treats around 40,000 inpatients per year. 

Unique digital service project “
A project of this size is unique in Austria so far and makes it one of the largest digital service projects in Europe,” says Siemens project manager Katharina Plank. “Our services include the structured analysis of energy and process data by the Siemens Service Asset Performance Advisor. ” This innovative solution is designed to optimize the performance of systems and plant components. The software uses cutting-edge analytical technologies to collect, analyze and interpret real-time information from the building management system. By monitoring assets, identifying potential issues, and predicting necessary maintenance, the Asset Performance Advisor helps minimize downtime, ensure efficient operations, and ultimately reduce operating costs.

Savings in energy consumpti
onBased on this analysis, recommendations for action to reduce energy consumption are derived and these measures are implemented by local facility management. This enables resource-saving and sustainable operation of technical systems as well as a monetary assessment of the savings potential — and that’s a big deal. In 2024, for example, an amount of around 80,000 euros was saved within nine months. And this was despite ongoing renovations in the building technology sector, which posed a challenge for continuous data transmission. 

“With Siemens as a partner, we achieved excellent results last year and significantly reduced our energy consumption,” says Walter Klawatsch. 

The Service Asset Performance Advisor can be used in all HVAC systems — from boilers to water pumps to ventilation. Siemens has been a partner of the Donaustadt Clinic for many years and is responsible, among other things, for equipping building technology in the measurement and control sector.

Hardly anyone is aware of how often we come into contact with MACO products on a daily basis. The fittings from the world market leader only ensure that windows and (sliding) doors have a function and can be opened, tilted and securely locked, for example. And from now on, these will be produced in Trieben, Styria, in an even more sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Behind this is a sophisticated system that MACO implemented
together with Siemens. The measures are impressive: A 940 kW high-temperature heat pump reduces gas consumption by 40 percent. With the pump, unused waste heat is efficiently used for process heating by means of a newly constructed pipeline network over one kilometer long from the process cooling pool. As a result, water removal from the well — and thus overall water consumption — has been significantly reduced: The savings amount to around 490,000 cubic meters of water per year. A cold storage tank is used to cushion load peaks. An optimized conversion of plant hydraulics through expansion and adjustment as well as new efficient pumps ensure a sustainable energy network. In order to ensure reliability, a partial migration of the measurement and control technology was carried out. The extensive measures save around 1900 tons of CO2 and around ₅300 megawatt hours of gas every year — that’s good for your wallet and for the environment!

The family-run Hotel Leamwirt is located on a mountain plateau in Hopfgarten, near Kitzbühel. With the aim of greater energy efficiency, the heating system there should be renovated and brought up to date with the latest technology. In addition, the Fuchs family of operators wanted to make the heating demand comprehensible with the help of intelligent products — while at the same time providing maximum transparency through permanent energy monitoring, which should make further cost savings possible.

The contractor for the project was Hoval: With the specialist in heating and room air conditioning, Siemens has long-standing, good cooperation with many innovative projects. For this exemplary renovation project, Siemens delivered a wide range of products and coordinated the “fine-tuning” and commissioning. “We were able to show how positive the high quality and intelligence have on sustainable operations. Thanks to our wide range of products, we were able to cover all requirements,” emphasizes Florian Zangerl, sales representative in the Siemens building technology sector. In addition to a range of different three-way ball valves, combination and three-way valves and actuators from the Siemens portfolio, the experts relied on the Intelligent Valve, the high-end solution from Siemens for heating groups, ventilation and air conditioning systems. The Intelligent Valve ensures that the system pressure is always correctly controlled under all load conditions and that pressure fluctuations have no effect. Optimum return temperatures for all operating conditions ensure a high level of efficiency of the refrigeration and heat generators. Energy savings of up to 25 percent can be achieved in this way — thanks to stable room temperature control without sacrificing comfort. Heat meters integrated into the system and detailed energy monitoring make consumption transparent and comprehensible, “this quickly reveals opportunities for further energy savings,” adds Zangerl. 

“The RKE Act is the next important building block after NIS 2 (cybersecurity) and concerns the resilience of critical facilities to physical threat scenarios,” explains Jürgen Karlsböck, Business Development Manager at Siemens. “Risk assessment based on the all-risk approach is very central to the RKE Act. This means that critical infrastructure companies — energy and water suppliers, hospitals, food manufacturers, banks, transport, telecommunications and IT service providers, etc. — must deal with all physical threats that could arise. ” And that covers a wide range: from natural events or climate-related effects, such as floods, storms, rockfalls, to acts of sabotage caused intentionally by humans. 

The RKE Act creates a uniform framework across the EU with the aim of strengthening the physical resilience and resilience of critical institutions against these threats and minimizing any existing weak points. 

“For such a complex topic, it is recommended to work with a strategic partner.”

Jürgen Karlsbö
ckSecurity Expert, Siemens AG Austria

Defined timetab
le The Act sets out a minimum set of obligations that must be met. “And there is already a very precise timetable for this,” says Karlsböck. For example, the EU has required national governments to draft a national strategy and risk analysis by January 2026, which includes determining which companies and institutions are essential for the functioning of the country and are therefore covered by the RKE Act. By August 2026 at the latest, they will receive a notice asking them to carry out a risk analysis using the all-risk approach, which must be completed in May 2027. “One month later, in June 2027, the affected companies or organizations must submit a resilience and action plan to the Federal Ministry of the Interior,” explains the security expert, “including an exact definition in accordance with § 15, which technical, organizational and personnel measures have been taken to ensure physical security. ” But that’s not all: The risk analysis must be carried out again as appropriate, but no later than every four years, including transmission of the updated resilience and action plan to the Ministry of the Interior. “We currently expect that between 300 and 600 companies will receive a notification,” says Jürgen Karlsböck. This is not so much about employee or turnover figures, but about belonging to the critical infrastructure. “In simple terms, you could say that the majority of all those that have already been covered under the NIS-1 Directive will also be affected by the RKE Act. ” By the way, reporting requirements are also included in the RKE Act: An initial report must be submitted to the competent authority immediately, but no later than 24 hours after a safety-relevant incident. A comprehensive safety report must follow 30 days later. Karlsböck: “The duties are very precisely defined and strictly regulated. ”

Strategic Partne
rSiemens can support companies, institutions and critical infrastructure organizations in many areas, such as preparing a risk analysis using the all-risk approach or creating a zone concept. This deals, for example, with the question of how a fence must be constructed around the factory site, how open areas should be monitored, how the “outer skin” of a building is secured or which resistance classes doors must have. Jürgen Karlsböck: “Siemens experts have comprehensive expertise ranging from perimeter protection to property protection and room security. Based on our expertise and the risk analysis carried out, the necessary steps are easy to derive. ” With its extensive know-how, Siemens is an experienced partner in implementing technical measures — from planning to commissioning. With the completed certification in accordance with ÖVE/ÖNORM EN 16763 (R9, R10, R11) in spring 2025, we offer our customers the highest quality security systems and legal and investment security. “When I look at the complexity of the RKE Act or NIS 2, I am of the opinion that a strategic partnership can be very helpful for the companies concerned in implementing an economic, legally secure and at the same time resilient security solution,” says the security expert.

The idea for the ORF media campus dates back a few years: At this point, the project was launched, several ORF locations in Vienna on Küniglberg in the 13th century. Centralize the district. With the laying of the foundation stone, management put the future of ORF on a stable footing: The n^ew buildings for Radio Austria 1, Hitradio Ö3 and the multimedia newsroom were built in the ORF Center on 6,000 m2. In parallel, some existing parts of the building were renovated and integrated into the media campus. The bundling of competencies offers a state-of-the-art working environment and ensures a sustainable supply of independent information for the Austrian population.

With these measures, ORF created the best possible conditions for media production in the digital age for a total of around 2,500 employees. The requirements to use more and more platforms with public law information are constantly increasing. Since commissioning in 2024, increased multimedia work at a common location has therefore enabled extensive synergies to be created between editorial offices — which previously worked separately from each other. The multimedia newsroom is at the heart of the ORF media campus. It offers state-of-the-art production facilities and office infrastructure on two floors and houses several radio studios and a new TV studio. A total of around 100 news offers are produced or supplied with content here every day. A flexible room concept ensures that we can react accordingly to any new requirements in the future.

Technology at its b
est In order to put the ORF media campus on a solid and future-proof foundation in terms of building technology, the project was implemented with Siemens. “After all, our technology, primarily MSR and fire alarm technology, has already proven itself in the ORF Center for many years,” says Siemens sales manager Emmerich Wöls. The renovated or new buildings of the ORF media campus have now been integrated into the existing fire alarm system. “Thanks to its flexibility, our Sinteso fire alarm system with FC20 fire alarm control panels is ideal for applications like this,” explains Wöls, pointing out the particularly convenient operation: “The modern ergonomic concept paired with interactive and dialog-based processes guarantees

“Reliability and cybersecurity are major issues for a critical infrastructure company. ”

Emmerich Wöls, Sales Manager, S
iemens AG Austria

safe handling. ” Sinteso is ideally equipped to meet all requirements with the highest standards: This is reflected not only in modern technology and network capabilities, but also in the almost unlimited scalability of the system. “A total of 7,500 fire detectors and four remote control panels as well as 15 FC20 fire alarm control panels have been installed,” says Wöls. One advantage is that the existing Siemens building management system can be expanded flexibly and across technologies.

Expanding and scaling
Siemens’ fire alarm technology was supplemented by a video surveillance system and an access system. The threads of all these systems come together at the Siemens SiControl Safety Control Center. Emmerich Wöls: “With SiControl, we can optimally meet the requirements of a large company with hundreds of employees, as we can individually integrate a wide variety of applications via many interfaces. ” For example, garage billing is also carried out using this system, to name just one example. High flexibility and scalability make it possible. Last but not least, the MSR technology for heating, ventilation and air conditioning of the renovated or newly constructed ORF media campus buildings is also based on Siemens technology. In order to always provide optimal support for the complex plant construction and expansion, Siemens has stationed a team of specialists at Küniglberg during the entire construction phase. “This enabled us to offer optimal support and react quickly at any time,” says the expert, highlighting the excellent cooperation with ORF. “This proximity to the customer made a significant contribution to the smooth execution and thus to the success of the project. ”

Focus on secur
ity “Reliability and cybersecurity are major issues for a critical infrastructure company,” Wöls concludes. Siemens is working closely with IT experts from ORF to ensure that the Austrian population is always supplied with news. The ORF media campus therefore has a comprehensive emergency and backup system, which ensures continuous power supply and thus the reliable provision of independent information even in the event of a crisis. In order to securely store its valuable data, ORF also uses fire protection technology from Siemens. To protect data centers, Sinorix 1230 automatic gas extinguishing systems were integrated in conjunction with the Smart Discharge Unit as a replacement for pressure relief valves.

SWAROVSKI OPTIK specializes in the development and production of binoculars, scopes, telescopes and optronic devices. These are sent from the central warehouse in Absam to demanding users in the three target groups hunting, bird watching and outdoor. In order to boost throughput and productivity, relieve employees and meet their own high innovation standards, optical precision instruments will be transported fully automatically from storage to picking and manufacturing in the future.  The special thing about the manufacturer's warehouse: The work processes are vertically structured and take place at different levels. The AutoStore grid was installed on the roof of the hall in a newly built structure. The order is picked at 6 swing ports on the ground floor, just under 8 meters below the AutoStore. That was when Swarovski Optik brought Siemens' experts on board. “We have already worked successfully with Swarovski Optik, in particular in the areas of fire protection, video surveillance, access systems and control center technology,” says Christoph Dibona, Siemens sales representative.

Dual fire protection lasts longe
rSiemens has installed a total of six smoke extraction systems for smoke detection on the ceiling of the new storage area. “Automatic fire fighting takes place as soon as at least two of these detectors detect a source of fire,” explains Dibona, stressing that this new system has of course also been integrated into the existing fire alarm system, which, like all other systems, is operated and monitored with WinGuard SiControl X4. The fire itself is extinguished using nitrogen in record time in order to nip the spread of an incipient fire in the bud. The Siemens Sinorix NXN gas extinguishing system ensures this. At Swarovski Optik, this consists of a total of 96 extinguishing agent containers using 300-bar technology, each with a container volume of 140 liters. The number of containers alone illustrates the dimension of the extinguishing system. “The redundancy of the gas extinguishing system was extremely important for our customer,” reports Christoph Dibona. Since all 96 extinguishing agent containers are activated during an extinguishing process, there would be no efficient fire protection until the refilled containers were restored. However, due to the circumstances, dismantling, refilling and installing the containers may take a few days — ultimately not in satisfactory condition. To fill this gap, the experts from Siemens installed a complete second backup system with a further 96 extinguishing agent containers, which ensures the warehouse is protected during this time — thus ensuring maximum safety. The fire alarm and extinguishing system is completed by optical or handheld fire detectors, acoustic and visual alarm and information systems and several extinguishing control panels. 

The information from all these components is collected in the proven FS-20 fire alarm control panel from Siemens. The Siemens expert points out another important point: “The nitrogen contained in the extinguishing agent containers could pose a risk in the operating room in the event of an unintentional leak, which is why we have installed permanent leak monitoring. ”

A secure investment for the future T
he Siemens specialists demonstrated flexibility during the construction of the new warehouse area, because the fire alarm and extinguishing system could only be brought into and installed in the new building during a specific, precisely defined time frame. The fact that Siemens is able to respond precisely to individual needs and requirements is a major advantage and guarantees a planned timeline. “Another huge plus for our customer was that all of our systems could be seamlessly integrated into Swarovski Optik's existing building management system,” says Christoph Dibona. “Isolated solutions or parallel systems are thus avoided, and operation and service are simple and efficient.” The motto “everything from a single source” is lived here. And the maintenance contract guarantees reliable operation and investment security for the future.

One of the world’s largest art and cultural areas is located in the middle of Vienna’s city center. The MuseumsQuartier — simply MQ for short — is packed with fine art, historical and modern architecture, dance and theatre, literature, design, children’s culture and photographs. Courtyards,
buildings, shops, museums and cafés cover 90,000
m² and offer visitors everything that makes a cultural heart beat faster. And the Siemens building technology experts have added what a security heart desires and installed the SiControl management system to centrally manage all security disciplines. SiControl makes the day-to-day work of operators and security personnel on site easier: With two operating stations and 6,300 data points, MQ employees have an overview of everything. Both via web access and via a mobile app. The installed fire alarm system can also be operated via the control station. The challenge for Siemens experts when installing the system? Visitors to the Leopold Museum and the mumok were not allowed to be disturbed and should be able to enjoy the works of Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and the many other artists without interruptions and noise. For this purpose, all fire detectors were replaced first and then the fire alarm control panels were gradually replaced. Because visitors shouldn’t be disturbed, but of course they should still be protected every second. Following successful modernization, eleven fire alarm control panels, 400 handheld fire detectors, 2,500 smoke detectors, 67 smoke extraction systems and many other components now provide optimal protection for people, buildings and works of art.

Siemens is showing how this works with an innovative solution at the fire department in the city of Dornbirn in Vorarlberg. “Fire protection in vehicle interiors is an issue that has often been underestimated so far. With this project, we are setting a new standard for the security of emergency organizations,” says Siemens project manager Christian Moser. Because with an increasing number of batteries, chargers and the wide range of electronic equipment on board, the fire load has increased significantly in recent years. However, early fire detection can take decisive seconds in an emergency and thus ensure both the vehicle and the operational readiness of the entire crew. As a result of this highly topical problem, Siemens looked for a solution and, together with the Dornbirn fire department, implemented a fire protection package for fire brigades.

Cable instead of
radio The proven Siemens FC2020 fire alarm system with wired fire detectors in the vehicle is the heart of the solution. Remote access is ensured by the Common Remote Service Platform: The CRSP offers a highly scalable and secure infrastructure for remote access for quick and efficient provision of remote services. In addition, all authorized users receive mobile access via the Fire Connect app. “The result is a complete, certified fire alarm system that has impressed our customer both technically and practically,” says Moser. Because battery replacement, detector replacement or even failure, as with wireless smoke detector systems that are currently frequently used, is a thing of the past with the new Siemens solution thanks to wired fire detectors. By continuously monitoring the vehicle interior, fire brigades significantly reduce their own risk. And this is high: It ranges from total loss of buildings and vehicles to limited operational capacity to the associated increased risk for the population — in addition to the high financial loss and the long replacement times for vehicles and equipment. This is also confirmed by the commander of the Dornbirn fire department, Peter Kaufmann: “In the past, we might not have noticed a fire in the vehicle until late. Now we immediately receive a message on the app and can react before major damage occurs. ”

The Tauernklinicum project comprises three components, with building 1 demolished and rebuilt, and the other two components renovated, renovated and rebuilt. And this is where Siemens’ solutions come into play: With the aim of offering patients, visitors and employees the highest level of comfort and safety while ensuring energy-efficient operation, a brand-new MSR system (measurement, control and regulation technology) including modern visualization was planned and installed.  One of the many challenges involved: In order to continue to provide optimal care for patients, around 60 patient beds and at least one operating room had to be available during the entire renovation. 

Today, after the modernizations have been completed, two ultra-modern operating rooms are permanently in use and integrated into the building automation system. The installed ventilation control allows precise adjustment of room temperature and humidity, so that the optimal conditions are created for every operation — from hygienic safety to maximum comfort for the surgical team. All other rooms in the hospital were also equipped with sophisticated systems. Heating and cooling ceilings ensure a pleasant indoor climate, while _CO2-controlled ventilation control guarantees optimum air quality at all times and also saves energy. The new, energy-optimized and powerful refrigeration system is supplemented by well water cooling — which uses renewable resources and significantly reduces energy cons
umption.

Safe landing and healthy airIn w
inter, when it is high season for sports accidents on the ski slopes in the hospital, a continuous heat supply ensures that the helicopter landing pad on the roof of the Tauern Clinic remains ice-free and that the rescue helicopters can land without any problems. During the landing process, the ventilation system must also be deactivated for a short period of time — otherwise kerosene and exhaust gases would enter hospital rooms. In very critical rooms, such as operating rooms, recirculated ventilation provides fresh air and the intelligent room valves, “Intelligent Valves”, enable not only precise hydraulic balancing, but also maximum efficiency and transparency in operation. 

“Our technology provides patients with the best possible care, provides employees with optimal support and uses resources efficiently. ”

Thomas Lonauer, Project Manage
r, Siemens AG Austria

With the Desigo CC syst
em, the system now has a comprehensive building management system to take over visualization and monitoring — the advantages here: Thanks to continuous visualization, all technical systems can be centrally monitored and efficiently controlled. In order to meet hospital-specific room requirements, separate Digital Direct Control (DDC) controllers were installed in the MSR control cabinet for individual room control. The DDC system consists of a central unit (controller) and modularly expandable input and output modules and is connected to the building management system. The controllers also serve as uninterruptible power supply systems and are protected with emergency power in critical situations. The new building management system was designed in such a way that monitoring is also possible by connecting to the existing Siemens Desigo CC system at the associated clinic in Zell am See. MSR technology is remotely monitored by Siemens experts — so acti
on can be taken immediately should it be necessary. The implemented energy monitoring for the entire Tauern Clinic enables a detailed analysis of energy consumption, creates transparency and forms the basis for long-term optimizations and cost savings. 

“When planning and implementing building automation, we had three major goals in mind: Our technology should ensure that patients receive the best possible care, that hospital employees receive optimal support and that all resources are used efficiently — we can proudly say that we did it! This project impressively demonstrates how sustainable solutions are created through partnership and expertise,” says Thomas Lonauer, project manager at Siemens Austria. 

And that’s not all, in addition to building automation, the fire alarm system has also been modernized. Due to the large number of different areas, some of which have enormous risk potential and entail different requirements for fire protection planning, expertise is required from technicians. 500 detectors and 450 loudspeakers for sound and a fire damper bus system ensure safe, automated control and rapid response in the event of a fire. This is particularly important in hospitals, for example because of patients who are unable to save themselves in an emergency due to their health condition. 

Desigo room automation only appeared quite late in the history of building technology — work on this automated control and regulation of functions for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and shading only really began around 2012.

Markus Brechelmacher was actively involved in shaping the beginnings of Desigo room automation at Siemens at the time and saw the division grow: “In the beginning, there were only very simple questions to solve on the subject of room automation due to the lack of knowledge. But as technology becomes more and more connected, the demands placed on us technicians are also becoming more complex. ” No problem for Markus, after all, he helped set up Desigo room automation as we know it today. But since you should stop when it’s best, a new phase of Markus’s life begins in autumn: retirement.Fortunately, he has been working side by side with his successor for quite some time — and she is widely known in Siemens circles! Beatrix Dietl completed her apprenticeship in mechatronics at Siemens in 2022 and has been firmly established in the field of building technology ever since. 

It is up to her to find solutions to problems: For example, she was active in the Austria-wide Youth Trust Council and listened to the concerns of her apprentice colleagues during her training. Having also successfully completed her degree in Computer Science and Digital Communications at Campus Wien University, she has been working with Markus Brechelmacher for around three years. “Being able to prepare for the succession for so long is an absolute privilege — not only because I have already been able to get to know the partners and customers over time, but of course also because I was able to learn so much from Markus. ” And by that, the 27-year-old doesn’t just mean technical stuff, but also the enthusiasm for the topic and above all: “the peace that Markus radiates.” Markus will radiate peace on his planned trips, in his garden and with his family — and Beatrix is looking forward to being the person who provides support to the technicians in the future. She will develop customer-specific solutions for ever new requirements and pass on her enthusiasm for DESIGO room solutions to technicians, salespeople, project managers and customers.

What is new for trainees at the Vienna-Siemensstraße location is not only their career start, but also the new, ultra-modern training center. With the opening of its new training center in Vienna-Floridsdorf, Siemens has sent a clear signal for the future of skilled worker training. The central location in Siemens City is a significant advantage, as the immediate proximity to the various divisions of the company means that trainees are now “right in the middle of the action.” This not only promotes faster integration and direct exchange with specialist departments, but also provides authentic insights into everyday working life and strengthens networking within the company.

The design of the new premises reflects a modern training philosophy: The spaces were deliberately designed to be open and free. This promotes collaborative work, enables flexible learning settings and creates an inspiring environment in which creativity, independent learning and innovation can flourish. It is not only about imparting knowledge, but also strengthening teamwork and problem-solving skills in order to optimally prepare our trainees for the demands of the modern working world.

In an era in which digitization, connectivity and automation form the cornerstones of modern industries, the requirements for protecting critical infrastructures are constantly increasing. Companies are increasingly faced with the challenge of designing and operating their IT and OT landscapes (including building and security technology) not only in a high-performance manner, but also in a cyber secure manner. Asset and Vulnerability Management (AVM) is becoming an indispensable discipline for gaining transparency with regard to existing investments, systematically identifying weak points and establishing preventive measures. 

The aim is not only to minimize known risks, but also to meet regulatory requirements and best practices required by national and international institutions. The corporate landscape is changing — and with it, the methods to ensure sustainable security, compliance, and resilience. 

NIS and NIS-2: regulatory requirements and challenges The
“NIS” Directive (“Network and Information Security Directive”) was introduced by the European Union in 2016 to create a common level of security for network and information systems in the member states. NIS-2, the revised version of the Directive, further tightens these requirements and extends them to additional sectors and companies. The aim is to avoid supply security disruptions and significantly increase the reliability of critical infrastructures. 

Companies that fall under the scope of NIS/NIS-2 are required to take appropriate technical and organizational measures to minimize risks to the security of their systems and data. In particular, this includes the complete inventory of all assets, continuous vulnerability analysis and the timely elimination of identified risks. In the event of security incidents, there is an obligation to report them to the competent authorities within defined time limits. 

With the implementation of the NIS 2 Directive, there is growing pressure on companies to professionalize their cybersecurity structures and gain a comprehensive overview of the entire IT and OT landscape. Asset and vulnerability management is thus becoming an operational and strategic necessity. 

Why is asset and vulnerability management so important?
Building or security technology consists primarily of mature systems with an age of up to 20 years or more. With these “old” systems, the focus was on building automation and stable operation. Cyber attacks were not an issue back then, but they are currently becoming ever more sophisticated, attack points more diverse and the attack surface is exponentially larger as a result of increasing networking. In this context, knowledge of a company’s own hardware and software components and their weak points is the cornerstone of any effective security strategy. Asset management lays the foundation by recording, categorizing and evaluating all systems, devices, and applications. Only then can priorities be set and resources used efficiently.

Vulnerability Management complements this approach by continuously identifying vulnerabilities, evaluating their criticality and recommending countermeasures. This is the only way to proactively close potential attack routes before they can be exploited by cyber criminals. An effective AVM strategy therefore forms the backbone of holistic risk management. It maximizes the resilience of the company, improves compliance with regulatory requirements and provides a clear competitive advantage through increased security and trustworthiness.

Products and solutions with the ecotech label enable builders, investors and operators to make sustainable decisions that make both economic and ecological sense and meet the requirements for buildings of the future. This is because the corresponding products have a detailed profile with industry-leading transparency and enable a direct comparison with predecessor products or established norms and standards.

Siemens uses extensive data, including from the Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), to evaluate the life-cycle performance of a product based on a series of well-founded ecodesign criteria in the following three dimensions: sustainable materials, optimal use, value recovery and circular economy. Ecodesign criteria include various aspects such as the use of low-carbon materials, the use of sustainable packaging, energy efficiency, longevity, circular economy advice and recyclability. These detailed insights form the basis for the Siemens EcoTech Profile (SEP) — a product data sheet on the comparable performance of a product in areas such as materials, design, use phase and end of life cycle. Siemens thus offers more data transparency than any other company in the industry. 

In addition, all Siemens EcoTech products are now manufactured in production facilities that are powered by 100 percent electricity from renewable energy sources. This contributes to the company’s overall goal of achieving climate neutrality in its production facilities and buildings by 2030. Here are just a few examples from the extensive Siemens ecotech product portfolio:

Sustainability with des
igoThe Siemens Desigo PXC4, PXC5 and PXC7 are IP-based automation stations that form the backbone of intelligent and energy-efficient building automation. Its core function is the comprehensive control and monitoring of heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, shading and energy management in buildings. Thanks to their IP connectivity, they enable seamless integration into existing IT infrastructures and offer a flexible system architecture.

The support of open communication protocols such as BACnet/IP ensures maximum interoperability. An integrated web server enables intuitive operation, remote access and efficient maintenance, which minimizes operating costs. This results in optimized energy consumption, reduced operating costs and increased user comfort.

Awarded the Siemens Ecotech label, these products have outstanding energy efficiency and environmental sustainability and achieve significant energy savings throughout the building through precise control.

SIRIUS ACT — Maximum flexibili
tyCommunication is one of the strengths of SIRIUS ACT and the new design of the command and reporting devices has significantly reduced the environmental impact of these products — from production to transportation to disposal. This is a clear sign of Siemens’ commitment to sustainability and the reason why this product is allowed to bear the Ecotech label. The modular system is flexible and can be configured according to customer requirements.

It also scores points with a wide range of accessories. In addition to conventional screw and spring connections for command and signaling devices, direct connections can also be made to PROFINET in the control cabinet or to IO-Link and AS-Interface in the field. Thanks to the various communication connection options, a simple combination of command and signaling devices, HMI touch screens and industrial PCs is easy to implement. As a result, complex input stations can be set up without major wiring and engineering costs. Integration into the TIA Portal enables visual presentation for better comparison with the hardware structure, which facilitates and speeds up hardware configuration. Other benefits include uniform data management, time savings through intuitive hardware configuration and reduced downtime due to faster fault diagnosis. 

Climatix — HVAC control solution for OEM
SClimatix is a comprehensive solution for controlling HVAC systems. It uses the latest innovative technologies to enable efficient control. This enables HVAC OEMs to develop optimal solutions and meet increasing requirements. They can also manage the data generated by their systems and thus create new services. The new Climatix S400 controller automates systems — specifically for residential HVAC applications, such as heat pumps and ventilation with heat recovery.

Its use promotes the shift towards energy efficiency and decarbonization, as its modularity allows it to be used in innovative and scalable heat pump applications. In addition, the controllers’ native cloud connectivity ensures remote access, which offers OEMs and installers full transparency and enables quick, cost-effective and sustainable responses. This also offers the option of software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings for OEMs. 

SIMATIC ET 200SP e-Starte
rThe first fully electronic starter from Siemens with semiconductor technology: Minimal use of materials, energy efficiency and durability make the starter a particularly sustainable product. The e-Starter not only uses recycled materials, its lower energy consumption and wear-free switching also offer a longer service life with higher efficiency.