Austrian Armed Forces in action for the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games

Innsbruck, IYOGOC Press Release, 17 November 2011: A total of 375 flats spread across 11 buildings in the Youth Olympic Village are currently being equipped with furniture thanks to the support of the Austrian Armed Forces.

Between 7 and 24 January 2012, these flats will be home to 1,600 young athletes and their accompanying team officials attending the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Seefeld and Kühtai.

With fewer than 60 days to go until the start of the Games, the Innsbruck 2012 Organising Committee presented the cooperation with the Austrian Armed Forces in the Youth Olympic Village.

Secretary-General of the Austrian Olympic Committee, Peter Mennel, Innsbruck 2012 CEO, Peter Bayer, military commander of Tyrol, Major General Herbert  Bauer, CEO of construction group ‘Neue Heimat Tirol’, Klaus Lugger, and director of the carpentry workshop ‘Schindel&Holz’, Heribert Pichler, were all highly satisfied to see how work is coming on at the Youth Olympic Village.

Soldiers from the Austrian Armed Forces rise to the logistical challenge Under the coordination of the Tyrol Military Commando, and in cooperation with numerous private companies, recruits and staff from the 6th Jaeger Battalion are currently in the process of equipping the Youth Olympic Village according to the criteria set out by the IOC.

The 60-strong team began work on 17 October 2011 and is scheduled to be finished by mid-December 2011. “The Austrian Armed Forces strongly support the idea of inspiring young people around the world to get active and live the Olympic Values,” comments General Major Herbert Bauer.

High-quality furniture from the local region thanks to Schindel&Holz The sets of furniture destined for the Youth Olympic Village, each comprising a desk, chair, wardrobe, bed and bedside table, were produced by the carpentry workshop
‘Schindel&Holz’ in East Tyrol, which focuses on supporting socially disadvantaged members of the population and re-integrating persons in long-term unemployment.

“We have invested around 10,000 working hours in producing, transporting and assembling the 7,300 pieces of furniture for the 929 rooms in the Youth Olympic Village — that’s a total of 1,600 beds, wardrobe, chairs, bedside tables, as well as 900 desks,” explains Heribert Pichler, director of Schindel&Holz. Secretary-General Mennel impressed with progress at the Youth Olympic Village Peter Mennel, Secretary-General of the Austrian Olympic Committee, is also delighted with the final preparations in the Village:

“It’s really impressive to see how this event continues to grow and take shape. The soldiers of the 6th Jaeger Battalion, led by the Tyrolean Military Commando, are doing fantastic work here in the Youth Olympic Village. The furniture itself has not only been produced using sustainable materials, but is very well made and will be used for many years to come. This project shows how important sustainability it to the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games, and I am sure that the athletes and officials will feel very much at home in the Village.”

Innsbruck 2012 CEO, Peter Bayer, agrees: “From the procurement of the wood itself to the social concept of the carpentry workshop, the transport and even the sustainable use of the furniture after the Games – all value created through this project will benefit the Tyrol region.”

Youth Olympic Village largest passive-house residential complex in Austria During their stay in Innsbruck, the athletes and officials taking part in the Games will have the unique opportunity to live in the largest residential complex ever built in Austria using passive-house technology. “Today is another milestone on the path to the opening of the Youth Olympic Village,” explains Klaus Lugger, CEO of ‘Neue Heimat Tirol’, the construction company responsible for building the Village.

“We have managed to build Austria’s biggest passive-house residential complex here in the east of Innsbruck, on an area of land which used to house barracks belonging to the army. That’s why I am so pleased that the Austrian Armed Forces are providing such great support to the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games.”

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