Stakeholder process in the City of Bruck an der Mur: Lessons learned in developing a vision and designing an action plan for a smart city

Select The City of Bruck an der Mur is located in the alpine space of Austria at the convergence of the rivers Mur and Mürz. As an industrial and commercial centre of the region Bruck/Kapfenberg/Leoben in Upper Styria with a population of about 12.500, the city faces multiple challenges such as a declining population, a dwindling communal budget and competition for space. Therefore, the city council and the mayor of Bruck decided to engage in a multi-stakeholder process within the Fit4Set smart energy initiative (Austrian Klima- und Energiefonds). The objective of that process was to build a new image and work towards a smart city by taking a holistic approach emphasizing urban planning and quality of life aspects as well as energy and resource efficiency issues in order to achieve climate protection. About 30 stakeholders from universities, research institutes, the City of Bruck an der Mur, transport companies, industry, politics as well as non-profit organisations came together to develop the future of the city in an open, participative and creative process. The stakeholder process was divided into 3 moderated workshops: in a first step, the stakeholders developed a vision as to what the city should offer in 2050. The stakeholders then developed a roadmap listing measures in all urban sectors nessecary to achieve a smart city vision. Lastly, participants drew up an action plan for the immediate future that enables the City to implement a number of innovative and integrated planning measures towards climate protection and a higher quality of life. Before, between and after the workshops numerous, very crucial bilaterial discussions took place between members of the consortium and project management in order to provide room for information exchange, critique and feedback. Project management kept the mayor of Bruck closely informed about all steps throughout the process. This paper describes and analyses the stakeholder process and provides the lessons learned in the process. These include the importance of involving all relevant stakeholders, the crucial role of trust and open communication and the high value individuals place on quality of life issues and the adaptive approach required by all participants to carry such a process through to the end. The stakeholder process enabled the city for the first time ever to openly discuss critical topics in a large forum and to work toward the common goal of developing a smart city.