Successful appearance at the Heurika Festival with the IMPETUS project

IVE looks back on a successful appearance at this year’s Heurika Science Festival in Mistelbach. On site, Roman Klementschitz presented the project “IMPETUS – Driving the mobility transition together with citizens in Lower Austria.”

Interactive transport planning for young and old

At the BOKU University booth, numerous school pupils and other festival guests had the opportunity to slip into the role of transport planners. Using an interactive setup, visitors could try out how targeted planning measures can create livable, sustainable, and future-ready urban spaces.

Background and goals of the IMPETUS project

While noticeable emission reductions have already been achieved in other sectors, the transport sector is lagging further behind in the energy transition. In Lower Austria, transport-related greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 were around 30% above the level of the 1990 reference year. To reverse this trend and accelerate the mobility transition, the IMPETUS project focuses on the direct and active involvement of the population.

  • Citizen science and participation: Citizens from 13 participating municipalities in Lower Austria are actively involved in all project phases. This takes place through participatory workshops and via a specially developed smartphone app.
  • Data collection and added value: The app records important mobility data such as routes, modes of transport, and trip purposes. At the same time, it directly presents users with alternative, lower-emission, and more cost-effective mobility options.
  • Scientific use: The data collected serve as a basis for research on optimized infrastructure planning and the intelligent integration of mobility into smart energy systems—for example, by linking e-mobility with local photovoltaic energy communities.

The Institute for Transport Studies warmly thanks all visitors for the inspiring exchange and the great interest in our research!

03.07.2026