Chronicle
The initiative by Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) to limit the room temperature in public buildings to 19 degrees in winter and to reduce public lighting has met with criticism in Upper Austrian communities. Not everyone wants to stick to it.
Saving energy yes, but only 19 degrees in the offices of the municipal office reject the four local heads interviewed by ORF Upper Austria. Vorderweißenbach’s Mayor Leopold Gartner (ÖVP) said: “I can’t imagine that an employee would sit at a desk for three to four hours and do a decent job at 19 degrees. That simply does not work. Under no circumstances do I want my employees to get sick and then be absent.”
“I wouldn’t expect employees to have 19 degrees”
Lengau Mayor Erich Rippl (SPÖ) and Altheim Mayor Harald Huber (FPÖ) see it similarly. Rippl: “In the offices where the employees work, the working atmosphere should be such that everyone feels comfortable.” Huber said: “I wouldn’t expect my municipal employees to work in the offices at 19 degrees. We will agree somewhere around 20 degrees.”
“19 degrees partially technically not possible”
The party colleague of Minister Gewessler and Mayor of Attersee am Attersee, Rudi Hementsberger (Greens), told ORF Upper Austria: “In practice, it is only possible to do it where it is technically possible. Some of our systems are very old, where that might not be exactly feasible. But of course we will lower the temperature accordingly where possible.”
We save on the Christmas lights”
It is clear that there will be fewer Christmas lights this year. Mayor Hemetsberger would like to do without in Attersee, and Lengau will also do without. In Vorderweißenbach there will only be one illuminated Christmas tree on the church square. In Altheim only the town square is illuminated for Christmas, the side streets are not.