CoSpatial Heat - Joint spatial coordination of heat supply in Gleisdorf

CoSpatial Heat is developing an integrated, geodata-based heating and gas supply planning concept for the Gleisdorf region. By jointly considering space heating, process heat, and gas infrastructure, future supply, expansion, and decommissioning areas are identified. The systemic integration of GIS analyses, consumption data, energy audits, and stakeholder knowledge generates robust decision-making foundations for municipalities, industry, and network operators.

Short Description

Background/Motivation

The project CoSpatial Heat aims to develop a future-proof, strategic heating and gas supply plan for the years 2030 and 2040 in the pioneering city of Gleisdorf and its surrounding region. Since effective energy planning can only be achieved across municipal boundaries, the project relies on an integrated, systemic approach.

The innovation lies in coupling traditional gas infrastructures with a cross-sector transformation of the space heating and process heat sectors, based on geodata-supported methods, demand analyses, and new business models.

Aerial view of a town center with a church compared to an illustrated, greener future vision. — Vision Gleisdorf 2030 / 2040 (Copyright: Stadtgemeinde Gleisdorf, Linke Grafik AEE INTEC)

Contents and goals

A particular focus is placed on residential districts supplied with natural gas as well as industrial areas with high process heat demand, as these offer significant decarbonization potential. For these areas, technical alternatives—such as heat pumps, solar thermal systems, biomass, power-to-heat solutions, or renewable gases—are evaluated according to different temperature levels (low, medium, and high temperature).

The resulting spatial zones (supply areas, expansion areas, decommissioning areas, and decentralized alternative areas) are depicted as GIS-based maps and digital zoning plans to provide reliable decision-making foundations for municipalities, grid operators, and industrial companies.

Methodical Approach

The study is based on a broad data foundation: energy audits, energy atlas data, historical consumption data, waste heat registers, GIS analyses, sector-specific benchmarks, and extensive multi‑stakeholder collaboration.

Preliminary projects such as Fossilfree4Industry, SpatialEnergyPlan, and the Waste Heat Register Styria form an essential basis. Existing approaches are systematically integrated and used to assess the prospects of heat supply based on data. Regulatory, legal, and economic framework conditions are also analysed and combined with local development forecasts.

Expected Results

The result is not only a comprehensive strategic heating and gas supply plan, but also the foundation for a subsequent R&D demonstration project that will showcase the practical implementation of a decarbonized heat supply within an identified use‑case district.

CoSpatial Heat thus directly contributes to regional climate neutrality, supply security, and innovation development in the energy sector, providing robust decision-making support for upcoming transformation steps.

Project Partners

Project management

EnergieZukunft WEIZplus eGen

Project or cooperation partners

AEE – Institute for Sustainable Technologies
Energie Steiermark AG
Stadtgemeinde Gleisdorf

Contact Address

Rafael Bramreiter
Feldgasse 19
A-8200 Gleisdorf
Tel.: +43 (3112) 5886-800
E-mail: energiezukunft@weizplus.at
Web: weizplus.at