The Aspern Smart City Research (ASCR) project is a pioneering smart grid and energy research initiative within Vienna's Seestadt Aspern development. Established in 2013 as a joint venture between Wien Energie, Wiener Netze, Siemens Austria, and the Austrian Institute of Technology, ASCR operates one of Europe's largest real-world smart city research environments.
The project develops and tests intelligent energy systems at building and district scale, including predictive energy management algorithms, real-time monitoring of district energy flows, battery storage integration, photovoltaic optimisation, and heat pump coordination. Using Seestadt Aspern as a living laboratory with real occupants and real energy systems, ASCR generates insights scalable across Vienna and beyond.
Key research infrastructure spans smart metres, battery storage systems, photovoltaic installations, heat pumps, and an advanced ICT platform connecting all components. ASCR bridges the gap between laboratory innovation and real-world urban deployment, positioning Vienna as a leading European hub for applied smart energy research.