Our climate goals

As the leading shopping centre in the Upper Austrian lakes region, we demonstrate our responsibility towards people, the region and the environment – both today and on behalf of future generations. This is why for many years VARENA has been consistently committed to energy efficiency, proactive climate protection, alternative energy sources and sustainable mobility. Our mall operator, SES Spar European Shopping Centers, has set clear climate goals for this that are to be achieved by 2050 at the latest.

88% less carbon emissions

100% green electricity

46% savings in energy costs

Photovoltaic systems on available roof surfaces

Mobility and accessibility

Excellent connections to local public transport, bicycle parking, a direct link to the cycle path network and modern infrastructure for electric vehicles provide an easy and eco-friendly alternative for our customers when they come and shop with us.

Sustainable transport links

12 EV charging points – 100% green electricity

The Energieplatz (energy station) is on VARENA level P-2 and provides a total of 12 charging points for electric vehicles. Two of them are charging points with an output of 22 kW. The remaining ten have an output of 11 kW. All charging points have Type 2 connectors.

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Raffael Portugal – Flightkinetic

Links to public transport

Bus, main road, footpaths and cycle routes

VARENA has ideal links to the public transport network and is always easy to reach: relax and take the city bus right to the mall entrance, drive your car conveniently from the B1 to the parking level or one of our 1900 extra-wide free parking spaces in the covered car park, or come on foot or by bike using the nearby footpaths and cycle routes.

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Bicycle service at VARENA

For those who enjoy traveling by bike, VARENA offers a great deal to support sustainable commuting:

Dedicated bicycle parking spaces
Free self-service terminal (for repairs)

Transport services and access

Service

1.900 XXL free parking spaces.

Energy charging station for cars on P-2. It currently offers you ten charging stations with an output of 11 kW and two with 22 kW at.

There are 100 disabled parking spaces.

In our parking garage, your car is protected against bad weather and hail, even outside of opening hours.

100 family parking spaces are available on P-1, P-2 and the parking deck.

Lines 2 and 3 stop right in front of the VARENA (exit P-2).

Taxi rank in front of the VARENA (Interspar entrance).

100 parking spaces in P-2 and on the front parking deck.

VARENA can be reached on foot and by bike via paved, wheelchair & pushchair-friendly footpaths and bike paths.

Energy management – planned systematically

Since 2019, VARENA has operated in compliance with an ISO-certified energy management system that was recertified by TÜV AUSTRIA in 2022. This means that we continuously analyse our energy consumption and implement measures to save energy and improve energy efficiency. For example, over the past few years we have succeeded in cutting energy consumption in our mall by around 40%.

Free cooling and optimised cooling

Water tank for cooling

Cooling requirements are met using the cold water tank. When needed, the night air is used to cool the shopping mall outside opening hours (free cooling). All ventilation systems include technical equipment for heat recovery.

LED lighting

Energy-saving lighting

Retrofitting saves electricity and money. Saving energy means protecting the climate. At VARENA, this has long included specific measures such as successively retrofitting all the lighting on the façades and the interior with energy-saving LED technology.

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Raffael Portugal – Flightkinetic

News

8,300 m² of photovoltaics for sustainable self-generated power

Following the SES shopping centers MURPARK in Graz (2018), WEBERZEILE in Ried (2020), MARIANDL in Krems (2022), and CITYPARK in Graz (2022), a photovoltaic system on the roof of VARENA became operational in September 2023. With 3,148 modules and a capacity of 1,353 kWp, it is among the most powerful photovoltaic systems in the region.

News

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VARENA

Excellent centre management and building performance

In 2013 VARENA underwent certification of existing buildings in compliance with Breeam AT. In 2017, we even topped this excellent result with recertification in compliance with Breeam In-Use: since then the mall has been rated excellent – both for mall management and for building performance.

News

Energy management system certified by TÜV AUSTRIA

SES Spar European Shopping Centers implemented an energy management system for the Austrian shopping malls in compliance with EN ISO 50001:2018 back in 2019. It has now been successfully recertified by TÜV AUSTRIA. At the same time, SES has been able to expand the energy management system to cover all SES shopping malls in Slovenia and Italy and obtain TÜV AUSTRIA certification for the malls in three countries.

People and society

Helping where there’s a need. We assume social responsibility, whether through long-term cooperation with clubs and associations in the region, through unforgettable events or various charity campaigns.

Donations for the KinderVilla in Steinbach am Attersee

For many years, donations from VARENA to the KinderVilla Steinbach am Attersee have enabled children and teenagers to enjoy positive experiences and activities. No less than €6500 was collected at VARENA in 2024 as a result of various campaigns held over the year. It is already the fourteenth time that the proceeds from VARENA campaigns have been used specifically for the KinderVilla in Steinbach am Attersee. This social and educational institution looks after children from the ages of 3 to 15 who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and provides them with security, stability and comfort.

VARENA and the Red Cross as partners for humanitarian aid

Under the cooperation agreement between the Red Cross of Upper Austria and VARENA, which has been extended until 2025, the main priorities are first aid, security and health. Cooperation continues to focus on the goal of promoting the development of social and humanitarian values in children. As part of the childcare in LOLLIPOP and the KNOXI children’s holiday programme, children are encouraged to help others early on and are to cope with possible emergencies , in particular with activities from the Upper Austrian Red Cross’s ROKO programme. Another priority for the partnership is general health and safety, and for this purpose a major training drill for a predefined situation is also held for staff at VARENA once a year. Special campaigns such as blood donor drives are also supported and organised at VARENA.

Cooperation with the Ladies Circle Club Attersee/Traunsee

The very committed women from the Ladies Circle Club and Agora have set themselves the task of helping people in need through charity projects. VARENA regularly provides them with active support. The Christmas tree decorations campaign 2022 is a good example. Discarded Christmas tree ornaments from Gmundner Keramik that previously decorated the VARENA Christmas tree were given away by the women in return for a voluntary donation. In addition, during the annual Christmas gift-wrap campaign, VARENA collects presents for children in need that are delivered by the Round Table family to orphanages, hospitals, nursery schools, homes for the disabled and schools in remote rural areas in Romania. In this way together we can help children who would otherwise not receive any Christmas presents.

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What we do for people

Our corporate sustainability culture at SES

Our staff are our most important success factor. We create jobs in the region and are a platform for local retailers. As a neighbourhood shopping centre, we provide people in the region with the main products and services they need every day.

Certification

BREEAM-In-use

EXCELLENCE IN OPERATION AND BUILDING PERFORMANCE.

Certified energy management in compliance with ISO 50.001

We demonstrate responsibility:

Economical, eco-friendly and social – when it comes to the environment and society, the mall’s operating company SES Spar European Shopping Centers thinks ahead and is pursuing a clear energy policy.

Find out more…