For the love of nature
Modern cable cars are a climate-friendly means of transport. Throughout the year, they transport sportsmen & women, nature lovers and connoisseurs into the mountain world in a comfortable way. Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel continuously invests in its infrastructure and thus creates a comfortable and energy-efficient offer for its guests. Spacious protected areas ensure harmonious coexistence between people and nature, especially in winter.
Environmentally friendly cable car operation
- thermal façade insulation e.g. at the Pengelstein mountain restaurant, the Horn Gipfelhaus mountain hut, and the Wagstättalm mountain and valley stations.
- Measures for heat recovery, e.g. to heat buildings such as the mountain and valley stations of the Fleckalmbahn cable car
- 11 cable cars with direct drive e.g. the Fleckalmbahn, Ochsalm and Brunn cable cars, etc.
- Digitisation is necessary for sustainable cable car operation
- Economically viable snow management thanks to Global Positioning System (GPS)
- Snow depots make a valuable contribution to the efficient management of the slopes at the start of the season
- Investments in modern technology (e.g. efficient snow making-machines)
- Fleet renewal at EURO 6
- nature-friendly design ─ cable car stations fit harmoniously into the mountain environment (e.g. minimalist design, cladding the facades with shingles)
- E-filling stations in the KitzSki parking lots
ecoKitz ideas competition
KitzSki believes in actively driving the implementation of measures to increase sustainability. For this reason, the in-house ecoKitz ideas competition was launched. A jury selected four winning projects from the 35 submitted. These projects include ideas for increasing the energy efficiency of operating facilities, energy saving and electricity production in operational facilities, designing creative sustainability concepts and establishing resource-saving operating procedures.
About the ecoKitz ideas competition:
The Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel launched the ecoKitz ideas competition in the summer of 2020. All cable car employees were called upon to submit their ideas by the end of the year. The winning projects were announced in March of 2021.
Responsible planning
During the project planning phase, Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel already takes nature's requirements into account. For all construction projects, the primary objective is to ensure harmonious interactions between living organisms and their environment(ecology). In addition, project reviewers provide their expertise in advance, especially in the natural science disciplines of geology, wildlife biology and limnology (structure and function of freshwater ecosystems). The demands of forestry are also considered.
Anton Bodner and Walter Astl, board members of Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel, explain the importance of this approach in order to reconcile the interests of ecology and economic efficiency in terms of sustainability. "We devote a lot of time to the preparation phase. Together with the experts and authorities, we streamline the processes in advance in order to be able to implement the projects quickly and gently," says Anton Bodner.
The cable car company cooperates with the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and the Postbus AG. Special benefit: The Streifzug train transports guests between St. Johann in Tirol and Kitzbühel Hahnenkamm, as well as between Westendorf and Kitzbühel Hahnenkamm, to the ski resort free of charge. KitzSki boasts the largest free ski bus network (live timetable) in the Alps. The ski buses travel between all valley stations of the KitzSki feeder lifts and the towns in the local region. The fleet also includes e-ski buses.
The KitzSkiXpress (Geldhauser travel company) transports guests from Munich, Holzkirchen and Rosenheim to the ski resort.
In harmony with nature
During construction, the highest priority is given to the respectful treatment of the soil, the biotopes and streams, and the plant and animal world.
Florian Wörgetter, technical manager of Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel, provides an insight into how it is possible to construct a cable car as non-invasively as possible. “Wherever necessary, we create compensatory areas, such as biotopes. Stone walls are taken down and rebuilt in such a way that they blend harmoniously into the natural landscape," explains Florian Wörgetter. The grass brick method has also proven its worth in the implementation of numerous lift projects. But what is the grass brick method? "Before digging deep, grass bricks - about 30 cm thick - are taken from the ground. After the soil has been filled in, the grass bricks are put back in their original place - similar to a jigsaw puzzle." After construction work has been completed, the soil is targeted with special fertilisers to promote regeneration.
Sustainability has become an essential part of everyday life. For a long time, this has been especially true with regard to the consumption of electricity, but increasingly also with regard to its production. KitzSki purchases electricity generated from renewable energy sources from electricity suppliers in Tirol and Salzburg. As far as TIWAG ─ Tiroler Wasserkraft AG is concerned, KitzSki bears the certificate that proves how the primary energy sources are distributed; approx. 85% of the energy is generated from hydropower, approx. 11% from wind energy - the remaining energy sources are solar energy and other eco-energy. Salzburg AG also confirms that 100% of the electricity supplied is generated from renewable energy sourcesand fed into the power grid.
