Page 60 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2014
P. 60
Summer 2014 European Energy Innovation
SMART CITIES
targets for energy efficiency and city leadership. The City Energy Cities have tools to reinvent
renewable energy. Project7 has selected cities with themselves. They can group
diverse characteristics and sizes themselves (such as the C40
“The Energy Cities network willing to act fast to demonstrate Cities Climate Leadership Group
strongly believes in a multi-level that any city can be bold. Energy or the Covenant of Mayors,
and multi-stakeholder approach efficiency will be expanded in networks of cities taking actions
to manage the necessary energy large existing structures with to reduce their GHG emissions),
transition. To this regards, the results such as lowered energy they can count on industries
Covenant of Mayors’ governance bills, local jobs support and consortia and initiatives (Vivapolis,
model6 has proven successful. environmental impacts reduction. SmartCitiesCouncil.com, Veolia)
Smart cities are not only using One full-time advisor per city will and on media to provide them
their local resources, be they help create plans specific to each with information on products,
human, financial or technological, city’s needs. solutions and best practices
in a clever way. They also need (theguardian.com/cities, the
to be smartly supported”, says “The City Energy Project will ramp Sustainable City Network, The
Claire Roumet, Deputy Executive up energy efficiency initiatives in Big City, The Sustainable Cities
Director of Energy Cities. 10 cities around the US,” said Cliff Collective).
Majersik, executive director of IMT.
In the US, cities are no exception “Each city will work hand in hand But for all these to work, one
to this collaborative approach. A with its local business community must highlight the importance
recent project developed by the to find approaches that are not of the reaction and adaptation
Institute for Market Transformation just bold, but also pragmatic, speed. The technologies are
(BPIE’s US partner) and the and tailored to the local market. available. They need to be
Natural Resources Defence Having more information on the applied, multiplied and, above
Council will engage cities in energy performance of their all, training and support must
a multi-year effort to promote building stock will make these be developed. You may give a
efficient building operations cities smarter—so they are able to thousand tools to citizens, but if
and transparency about their target their resources and work in they don’t know how to make use
energy consumption, as well as a more strategic way”. of them efficiently the action is
encourage private investment and doomed.
Mercado Del Val, Valladolid - Future plans There are several aspects to focus
© CommONEnergy on in the coming years. Cities
are growing as more space to
work and live is needed. City
planners must build a sustainable
and resilient metropolis and
put citizens at the core of the
process. But maybe the smart
part must come from policies.
Leadership challenges are indeed
seen as a key barrier to smart
cities, together with financing.
“Smart” cities need “smart”
politicians acting differently and
courageously to make change
happen. ●
6. EU Mayors: www.eumayors.eu
7. City Energy Project
www.cityenergyproject.org
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
SMART CITIES
targets for energy efficiency and city leadership. The City Energy Cities have tools to reinvent
renewable energy. Project7 has selected cities with themselves. They can group
diverse characteristics and sizes themselves (such as the C40
“The Energy Cities network willing to act fast to demonstrate Cities Climate Leadership Group
strongly believes in a multi-level that any city can be bold. Energy or the Covenant of Mayors,
and multi-stakeholder approach efficiency will be expanded in networks of cities taking actions
to manage the necessary energy large existing structures with to reduce their GHG emissions),
transition. To this regards, the results such as lowered energy they can count on industries
Covenant of Mayors’ governance bills, local jobs support and consortia and initiatives (Vivapolis,
model6 has proven successful. environmental impacts reduction. SmartCitiesCouncil.com, Veolia)
Smart cities are not only using One full-time advisor per city will and on media to provide them
their local resources, be they help create plans specific to each with information on products,
human, financial or technological, city’s needs. solutions and best practices
in a clever way. They also need (theguardian.com/cities, the
to be smartly supported”, says “The City Energy Project will ramp Sustainable City Network, The
Claire Roumet, Deputy Executive up energy efficiency initiatives in Big City, The Sustainable Cities
Director of Energy Cities. 10 cities around the US,” said Cliff Collective).
Majersik, executive director of IMT.
In the US, cities are no exception “Each city will work hand in hand But for all these to work, one
to this collaborative approach. A with its local business community must highlight the importance
recent project developed by the to find approaches that are not of the reaction and adaptation
Institute for Market Transformation just bold, but also pragmatic, speed. The technologies are
(BPIE’s US partner) and the and tailored to the local market. available. They need to be
Natural Resources Defence Having more information on the applied, multiplied and, above
Council will engage cities in energy performance of their all, training and support must
a multi-year effort to promote building stock will make these be developed. You may give a
efficient building operations cities smarter—so they are able to thousand tools to citizens, but if
and transparency about their target their resources and work in they don’t know how to make use
energy consumption, as well as a more strategic way”. of them efficiently the action is
encourage private investment and doomed.
Mercado Del Val, Valladolid - Future plans There are several aspects to focus
© CommONEnergy on in the coming years. Cities
are growing as more space to
work and live is needed. City
planners must build a sustainable
and resilient metropolis and
put citizens at the core of the
process. But maybe the smart
part must come from policies.
Leadership challenges are indeed
seen as a key barrier to smart
cities, together with financing.
“Smart” cities need “smart”
politicians acting differently and
courageously to make change
happen. ●
6. EU Mayors: www.eumayors.eu
7. City Energy Project
www.cityenergyproject.org
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
