Low Carbon Urban Environments

DOCUMENTS

URBACT Results Brochure  Read more
URBACT Tribune 2011 dedicated to Local Support Groups  Read more
Final Publication - URBACT Cities facing the Crisis - Impact and Responses  Read more
The URBACT Tribune 2010  Read more

Low Carbon Urban Environments



The two big, interconnected environmental challenges of today are well known: the starting decline of fossil fuel energy resources and the increasing CO2 emmission, leading to global warming.  The Cities of Tomorrow study points out that a “… global depletion of natural resources leads to a global competition for resources. The future competitiveness and vulnerability of European cities are dictated by the cities’ ability to shift to a less resource-intensive production and way of life…” (2.4) Similar statement is valid for the greenhouse gas emissions.

As Johannes Hahn regional policy commissioner emphasized in Brussels at the Urban Forum in February 2012, 70% of CO² emissions comes from cities, partly from non well insulated buildings. Thermic insulation programmes are needed to retrofit such buildings. Connie Hedegaard environmental commissioner added the need for forward looking spatial planning and for changes in transport towards more sustainable solutions, both regarding long-distance and within-the-cities transport.

On the basis of the EU2020 strategy the draft Cohesion Policy general regulation for the 2014-2020 period lists 11 thematic objectives. Three of them will have ringfenced money: innovation, SME support, energy efficiency. However, as Jan Olbrycht emphasized it at the Urban Forum, the third prioritised area does not include urban transport. In Olbrychts’ opinion cities have to fight to get their problems be taken into account by these three extra-funded objectives, thus urban transport has to be pushed in among the energy efficiency measures!

There are interesting debates going on about the possibility to connect the green thinking and future economic development. The dominant view is that of a “green revolution”. As the Green revolution: making eco-efficiency a driver for growth EPC Issue Paper No.68 (www.epc.eu) paper highlights, “... Europe must find ways to renew itself. It needs new sources of growth. … eco-efficiency should and could be an important part of the solution, and the EU cannot afford to wait. … Eco-efficiency can boost businesses productivity and competitiveness on the global market. It can help the public sector to improve its finances. It can bring significant gains for European citizens, ranging from jobs to health benefits. It can stimulate interest in the European project. And it can help to deepen the internal market, which is Europe’s main driver of competitiveness, security of supply and sustainability. Eco-efficiency has the potential to become the next European success story …”

Whatever nice these ideas are, though, change is difficult. The Urbanist Group blog reviews a new book (The Conundrum: How Scientific Innovation, Increased Efficiency, and Good Intentions Can Make Our Energy and Climate Problems Worse). According to the book review, titled as’Two steps forward – two steps back’, David Owen raises the dilemma faced by environmentalists and sustainability advocates, that change is hard – energy efficiency simply leads to greater energy use elsewhere, as the human tendency is to follow the path of least resistance, continuing business as usual, or, even worse, accelerating trajectories of consumption. The Jevons Paradox, known from the nineteenth century, is central to these adverse outcomes: the cheaper and more efficient coal became, the more it would be used, as a host of innovations spread due to the ready availability of energy. Owen argues similarly: people will use the money saved by energy efficiency in myriad ways harmful to the environment. Owen points out that energy output has increased over the years along with energy efficiency.

Despite the dilemmas and open questions, cities have no other choice than fight climate change and energy shortages. There are many ways how cities can act into this direstion. A good overview about the options (from compact land-use/urban structures through climate aware architectural, engineering and retrofitting solutions till sustainable urban transport) is given in the Climate Friendly Cities handbook (published by the Hungarian presidency of the EU in 2011). Especially interesting are the potential conflicts between the sectoral efforts, such as building zero carbon new housing is unaffordable for many people and contributes to the further increase of social differences while the increase of energy efficiency in existing buildings might contribute to social inclusion (lowering energy poverty).

In the framework of the Covenant of Mayors (www.eumayors.eu) initiative as of today some 1155 Sustainable Energy Action Plans are prepared by European cities, aiming in average 30% decrease in CO² emmission. Taking into account  the restrained headway made in Copenhagen and in the follow-up international climate change conferences, the response of cities to the climate question will be of prime importance in seeking to achieve sustainable and  environmentally responsible urban futures.

Furthermore, examples of coordinated, integrated action in cities - characterised by candidates for EU Green Capital Awards (but by no means exclusively) -  demonstrate that this aspect of urban policy has finally come fully out of the closet. There is a groundswell of awareness and commitment to act which is translating into a hunger, among city policy makers and practitioners, to learn about and implement composite approaches, looking to construct effective and integrated city-wide, city-region models – including "sustainable energy action plans".

Five URBACT projects engaged to examine this area of concern attempting to extend our knowledge base, build strategies and concrete interventions as part of the drive towards the energy neutral city. The focus of the projects reflects the interesting cross-fertilisation in this domain - between comprehensive overarching operations and localised, targeted area-based initiatives which have progressively been combined into coordinated and cohesive city programmes.

During the Development Phase, in the first category of overarching responses, UrSEnE addressed the question of developing urban strategies for energy efficiency while targeting the elaboration of local energy action plans. URBENENERGY aimed to develop integrated frameworks to improve energy efficiency and  the use of renewable energy sources linked to the concept of energy conscious communities.

The two main categories of interventions in the SEAPs of cities are building and transport oriented. The ongoing URBACT projects belonging to the second category (the targeted actions) can also be linked to these two main categories. Two projects are being developed with a focus on transport issues. Active Travel Network is tackling transport problems and mitigation of environmental impacts through the promotion of cycling and walking. EVUE takes on the relatively new but highly topical task of accommodating  the use of electric vehicles in urban Europe (generating acceptance, assessing technological options and providing infrastructure) as a means of achieving clean air, clean car fleet targets.       

Finally, CASH investigates composite approaches to reduce energy consumption in the existing urban fabric (retrofitting etc.), particularly focussing on improved efficiency to realise sustainable housing.

News in April 2012

An interesting new trend has been highlighted recently in the TheAtlantic.com blog (http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/04/why-young-americans-are-driving-so-much-less-their-parents/1712/): young Americans don't seem all that interested in buying cars and in driving. Young people have year by year a decreasing annual number of vehicle miles traveled while their share without a driver’s license is increasing. At the same time young people are making more use of public transport, bikes, and foot power to get around.

Part of the reason for this shift is of course financial. But money doesn’t explain everything (the same trends apply for rich young people). The shift away from the car is part and parcel of a new way of life being embraced by young Americans, which places less emphasis on big cars or big houses as status symbols or life's essentials. In his book The Great Reset, Richard Florida called this the New Normal. “Whether it’s because they don’t want them, can’t afford them, or see them as a symbol of waste and environmental abuse,” he wrote, “more and more people are ditching their cars and taking public transit or moving to more walkable neighborhoods where they can get by without them or by occasionally using a rental car or Zipcar.” He concludes his article as follows: „For generations of Americans, car ownership was an almost mandatory rite of passage—a symbol of freedom and independence. For more and more young people today, a car is a burden they no longer wish to carry.”

News in March 2012

In March 2011, the European Commission released its White Paper Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system (COM(2011)0144 final). According to Eltisplus (http://www.mobilityplans.eu/index.php?id=35) this paper calls for cities to follow a mixed strategy involving land-use planning, pricing schemes, efficient public transport services and infrastructure for non-motorised modes and charging/refuelling of clean vehicles to reduce congestion and emissions. The White Paper specifically encourages larger cities to develope Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP) bringing all these elements together. The methodology of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans aims at integrated planning throughout all aspects of mobility and also across municipal borders.

According to the analysis by the Eltisplus consortium members the 27 EU countries can be classified into three groups regarding their progress to establish national framework for integrated mobility planning in urban areas:
•    7 countries with well established frameworks (FR, DE,UK, BE, NL, IT, NO)
•    10 countries underway (A, DK, EST, FI, HU, POL, PORT, ESP, SLOV, SWE)
•    10 countries in initial stage (BULG, CRO, CZ, GR, IRE, LATV, LITH, MAL, ROM, SK)

There is an argumentation in the White Paper towards making SUMP a mandatory approach for cities above a certain size, according to national standards based on EU Guidelines. It also suggests to link regional development and cohesion funds to cities and regions that have submitted a current,independently validated Urban Mobility Performance and Sustainability Audit certificate.

In a very recent SUMP seminar in Hungary the question was raised how this transport oriented integrated planning should be related to other types of plans of urban areas. This is a crucial question to be solved before any decision is taken to raise the existence of integrated planning as condition for the allocation of Structural Funds means in Europe. Furthermore, also the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITIs), which are becoming important part of the 2014-2020 Structural Funds regulation as the tool on which the minimum 5% ERDF allocation to cities have to be based, need integrated cross-sectoral planning, covering the functional urban area. The SUMPs could be an important contribution to the efforts to establish the methodology of integrated planning but the way to coordinate between economic, environmental, transport, social, etc plans has to found.

The Fifth European Summit of Regions and Cities has been organized in Copenhagen, 22-23 March 2012 with the title "The European urban fabric in the 21st century”. In this high level meeting the challenges to create low carbon environment were of central importance. Vibeke Storm Rasmussen, Chairman of the Regional Council said that , Capital Region of Denmark „… in the Capital Region of Denmark … the green renovation of private housing and also our hospitals will have an increased focus on sustainability and energy consumption”. She placed these efforts within the broader economic crisis stating that “cities and regions creativity can be used against the crisis that we all face”.

One of the most powerful presentations was given on the second day by Jan Gehl. He is a well known urban planner and architect who contributed a lot to increase the attractivity of cities. He described the story of Copenhagen, how the city managed every year to become a bit better with less and less cars on the streets. The awful problem of today is the congestion  - on the bike lanes! Thus plans are now for doubling the size of bike lanes, taking further space away from cars. Gehl emphasized that the improvement of biking in cities is a policy which is open to poor cities as well, as improvements for the people are much cheaper than improvements for the cars. In his „People First Policy” biking is only the start towards a more healthy city in which improved public transport is part of the game. He criticized post socialist cities in which politicians think that freedom from communism means freedom for car use.

GOOD CASES

1) In the Active Travel project meeting in Serres (GR) the organizing city showed the domination of car use while public transport (buses) and biking was very much subordinated. In this situation the dream is to make Serres as a model city for sustainable mobility. The idea relates to three neighbouring areas (each having 300-400 parking places for cars), to develop minibuses and/or biking pathes and bike hire system to initiate people not to come by car into the city centre. Serres would like to include this idea into the LAP – even if it is not connected to biking directly (but addresses sustainable mobility in broader sense).

2) In the course of the Utrecht meeting of the CASH network, project partners visited a case for energy aimed renovation of social housing. The end-wall of a prefabricated high-rise building, operated as social housing by one of the housing associations, was almost totally covered by sun collectors, ensuring enough energy for the heating of the common parts of the building and also contributing to the energy needed for warm water supply.

The case was published in the press of Tatabánya (a Hungarian city, project partner of CASH) as a good practice. Of course to find the way how to adapt this good practice is not at all easy as in Hungary (and in post-socialist countries in a broader sense) no semi-public housing associations exist, each prefabricated high-rise building is a condominium in itself thus the installation of sun-collector has to be decided by the majority of the owners – who are usually against any investments which cause extra costs in monthly payments (even if many years later the return on investment is secured).

3) Another example for a good practice showing concrete and innovative steps rowards lower carbon urban environments comes also from the CASH project, regarding the achievement of the Tenants Union of Brindisi. The Brindisi Tenants’ Union promoted two resolutions for the City Council which were approved unanimously. These were establishing the Service Chart now used by the social landlord IACP (Istituti Autonomi per le Case Popolari) and the self-management set of rules which regulate the tenants and allows the Tenants’ Union to receive 30% of rental fees (once used to pay management and administration fees) for self-management which could be used for energy efficient renovation. Furthermore, the Tenants’ Union has developed a campaign to raise awareness about the impact of the legal framework on tenants.

1. URBACT ARTICLES – Low Carbon Urban Environments
2. URBACT Outputs
3. URBACT EVENTS related to Low Carbon Urban Environments
4. OTHER EVENTS related to Low Carbon Urban Environments
5. Useful Links



1. URBACT ARTICLES – Low Carbon Urban Environments

In January 2012 Sally Kneeshaw, Lead Expert in the project “Electric Vehicles in Urban Europe” EVUE (co-funded within the URBACT Programme), presented her conclusions on Going Electric at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The August 2011 edition of the URBACT Tribune focuses on Local Support Groups. The cooperation of all stakeholders is important in all development projects. Even more so when it is about the deployment of a new technology which requires the active participation of the private sector. Through interviews with public and private sector representatives it becomes clear that the strong participation of private sector actors create special dilemmas. It is relatively easy to achieve their involvement in projects but much more difficult to get them to accept longer timeframes and broader views regarding the outcomes for the public. Joint work between public and private partners within the ULSGs helps to overcome these difficulties and can lead to fruitful results for both sides.

This article is the result of interviews carried out by the EVUE Lead Expert, Sally Kneeshaw and allows us to compare the European and EVUE experience with current developments under consideration in the United States - with New York as example. The EVUE project web site brings together many such perspectives in reports from and links to other programmes and initiatives in the field of electromobility. These provide a highly valuable insight into the broader picture affecting cities across the EU and extend the database available to the project partners supplying extra consultation material for consultation by policy makers and practitioners involved or interested in the EVUE theme . (See "Preparing for a life Cycle CO² Measure" or "So How Much CO² does your Vehicle Emit" for example in the Documents section of the site)

A combination of increased environmental consciousness (also encapsulated in EU 2020 strategy) and the impact of the economic crisis (particularly in the automobile industry) have together conspired to really push the question of electric mobility into the forefront of transport discussions over the last two to three years.

The electric vehicle option is now actively considered as a serious alternative to occupy a growing share of the transportation modal split, with particular emphasis on urban areas. Yet it is evident that this evolution presents an unfamiliar challenge to the whole chain of stakeholders who need to be involved if this option is to make significant inroads in changing mobility habits and contributing to a cleaner automotive environment. Vehicle producers, policy makers, providers of infrastructure and energy, and particularly end-users are seeking corporate and individual solutions which can ease the introduction of this option into our psyche and ultimately onto our streets. There is a particular reverse chicken and egg relationship here, where achieving full potential of vehicle production is difficult without the essential provision of infrastructure and acceptance of the consumer. Conversely consumers, authorities and service providers hesitate awaiting take up of, and realistic access (price, efficiency) to the product.

So the URBACT project EVUE seems to have arrived at just the right time to make a substantial contribution to the debate. There are still many questions to be resolved. In the article produced by EVUE for the URBACT Tribune publication 2010, Sally Kneeshaw (project Lead Expert) sets out the canvas within which the concept of electric mobility is developing. Both for those who are closely involved already, and for those who are looking to familiarise themselves with this theme, the article gives a valuable overview of current state of play on this issue. It provides a clear analysis of the pros and cons, opportunities and constraints within a European perspective. In this sense it represents a highly readable and comprehensive introduction to the focus of the network and to the subject of electric mobility in general.      



2. URBACT Outputs

  • EVUE - Baseline Study

The EVUE baseline study provides us with a comprehensive overview of EU electro mobility initiatives, projects, policy and legislation. Furthermore it presents a clear outline of the critical considerations cities need to address if they are to accommodate this "greener" transport alternative. While the project focuses primarily on electric cars, it is such considerations which will frame the exchange process between the network partners. The baseline highlights aspects of: vehicle manufacture, standards and affordability; infrastructure priorities particularly effective charging solutions (who pays and how?); energy supply (improving action radius – smart technology metering); essential stakeholders; regulatory and fiscal frameworks; product placement, generating citizen awareness and political support (driver, car-owner and citizen acceptance in general). It raises intriguing questions "how can cities prevent and monitor modal shift from public transport, cycling and walking towards use of  private electric vehicles?"
The partner profiles describe highly motivated city partners where interaction will be characterised by sharing experience and expectation between cities with developed and sophisticated ideas and projects and cities which are in the initial stages of launching electro mobility initiatives.
For those who are looking for an accessible and wide ranging introduction to the topic of electro mobility, the state of the art and synthetic conclusions of this 110 page document provide an important and invaluable point of reference. 

In the second half of 2010 the EVUE project produced two reports on network meetings, held respectively in La Rochelle and Madrid.  Interested in keeping up to date with EVUE and general advancement on electro-mobility and the contribution it can make to reducing the carbon footprint? – then these are certainly valuable documents for consultation.

The La Rochelle meeting was primarily organised to consolidate partner agreement on orientation of network activity and the further steps to be taken. The location was chosen as a benchmark for EVUE cities: although La Rochelle is not an EVUE partner it has an impressive history of multi-modal electro-mobility strategy. The report provides interesting nuggets of information both on the French city approach and in EVUE partners progress in promoting electric vehicles.

The Madrid meeting was dedicated to examining the "business model" and provides a summarised account of partner exchange where it is clear that there is considerable material and thinking on this key aspect. So EVUE cities demonstrate progress on building strategies and developing innovative practice. However an important conclusion of the transnational exchange of experience in Madrid is that, there is still no clear picture of any one existing, comprehensive, operational business model to facilitate the introduction of electric vehicles into our city streetscape. This is something which will be followed further in future network activities.

The EVUE project has instigated a series of "Expert Seminars" the first of which was organised in Suceava (Romania) in October 2010. These are designed to assemble a forum of expertise to support the activities and actions planned by individual partner cities, and particularly to back up Local Support Group working. This report provides an insight into the flavour of such an event and showcases the Norwegian experience in developing electro-mobility through the eyes of the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association and the project "Green Car". Also check out the project website for the follow-up report from Katowice of the Expert Seminar held there in April 2011.

The report of the activities organised for the network in Lisbon and Beja gives an update of progress in the partner cities with particular focus on the experiences and plans of the host cities and information on awareness raising initiatives . This meeting was also remarkable for its ambition to hold a Mayoral Summit to support Electro Mobility policy . The exchange between the elected representatives of the partner cities culminated in the signing of a "Memorandum of Understanding".

The point of departure of the Active Travel Network baseline study is, that while urban mobility is a prime factor in the economic growth of urban areas "the positive effects need to be weighed against the negative impacts of increasing car mobility". Nine city partners (led by the city of Weiz, Austria) and the University of Graz have joined forces to explore potentials and facilitate walking and cycling as a fundamental pillar of integrated urban transport policy, and as a real alternative to car use.
"Active Travel" initiatives and policy positions at EU level (plus literature and inventory of related networks and sites) are catalogued in detail, setting out Mobility Management and Travel Awareness as a reference framework for network activity - looking at options in respect of infrastructure, promotion and organisational measures. The project partner profiles identify: each cities problems; experience in tackling these; good practice examples and needs. Based on these elements, project partners then focus on their Local Action Plans. In this way, cycling and walking are fixed in discussions of transport efficiency, environmental benefits, health and fitness, economic and social impact. Here, cities approach the issue from different perspectives (as part of a noise plan, from the health angle, in terms of freeing space and improving city centre accessibility, countering excessive tourist pressure,  as a feature of world heritage protection etc.). This wide ranging coverage of the problem is supported and enhanced by the commitment of each partner to establish an Active Travel Audit as basis for action.
The report provides a broad insight into the theme and planned activities of the network and represents in itself a valuable documentation for all who are concerned with carefully balanced urban mobility management.         

One of the elements underpinning the project is the application of an Active Travel Audit, to assess where each partner is in terms of support for and effective adoption of active travel modes. This is a self-assessment tool designed to aid policy development through input from a broad group of relevant stakeholders. In order to generate understanding on how to use this tool the project has prepared: a short guideline on carrying out such an audit ; a questionnaire to gather the required stakeholder data and guidelines for evaluation of the results

The Danish experience in promoting cycling is a reference model for Europe and in conjunction with the partner meeting in Skanderborg this short 6 page case report provides a portrait of the situation in Aarhus, one of the most committed bicycle oriented cities.

The theme of "Energy Efficiency in Social Housing" is particularly relevant in the current atmosphere of crisis and this study sets out prime issues associated with energy consumption, rising energy costs and fuel poverty to explore benefits (both tangible and less tangible) to be derived from applying more efficient energy regimes in affordable housing stock. It recognises the crucial challenge in terms of retrofitting existing stock but puts forward an interesting thesis "Eventually it is new housing that will determine the status of energy-efficient housing in the future. New buildings become existing buildings, hence will the efficiency of new buildings determine the efficiency of existing buildings over time".
The project highlights key stakeholder involvement within the legislative framework of climate policy and specifically the revised Energy Performance Buildings Directive. The relationship between supply discussions, technological solutions and EU funding possibilities is precisely described and highlights the potential importance to be derived from the activities and findings of this project.
The 80 page document takes this subject area into full consideration as a fundamental part of the formula to deliver integrated and sustainable urban development. It also suggests that this network can present an interesting opportunity to examine links to the green economy.  

3. URBACT EVENTS related to Low Carbon Urban Environments

  • Active Travel Network Transnational Meetings

Serres (GR) 2-4 April
Norderstedt (DE) 24-26 September (TBC)
Weiz (AT) either 30 October or 6/7 November 

  • Calendar of the CASH meetings for 2012:

Sundenborg (DK) 9-11 May Energy production and distribution, district heating systems…
Yambol (BG) in September
Echirolles (FR) final conf November

  • EVUE Transnational Network Meetings

Oslo/Stockholm 21-25 May, starting in Olso, and taking the train together to Stockholm on the Wednesday
Session on the final reports, results and event. Stockholm will present their procurement report. In Oslo it would be good to get some perspectives from the EV owners NGO, from their energy company programme on green cars, and possibly some updates on research and demos going on there.
London 2 days to be confirmed in the week of 24-27 September Final Event.


4. OTHER EVENTS related to Low Carbon Urban Environments

  • Energy Cities Annual Rendezvous 9-11 May 2012, Guimarães (Portugal)

Europe is undergoing a major economic and socio-political crisis. What if, instead of just being shocked and passive, we were to come up with new ambitions and new ways of thinking – above all, in the energy field ? The more we base our activities on local assets, the more cities and regions will benefit in terms of job creation, financial savings, a stronger autonomy, citizen empowerment and a higher quality of life for all. The 2012 Annual Rendezvous will demonstrate how local authorities can steer a new energy culture and make territories grow from the inside

  • Resilient Cities 2012 from 12 to 15 May 2012 Bonn, Germany

While cities make efforts to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and increase urban energy-efficiency, they are at the same time vulnerable. Climate change is already leading to an increased frequency of extreme weather events bringing floods, landslides and droughts while melting glaciers threaten the drinking water supply of large cities and sea-level rise imperils many coastal communities. Many of these climate change impacts will be – and in some cases already have been – felt directly at the local level. Local governments have a responsibility to protect their people, property, and resources. With the economies, livelihoods, safety and character of their communities at stake, cities are harnessing their visionary leadership and policy tools to increase resilience as they prepare for the future.

  • ECOMM 2012 Frankfurt, 12th -15thof June 2012.

The 16th edition of the European Conference on Mobility Management (ECOMM) The ECOMM 2012 will offer the opportunity for participants to benefit from a high level of exchanges on the latest developments in Mobility Management in Europe. Mobility management. Mobility Management (MM) is a concept to promote sustainable transport and manage the demand for car use by changing travellers′ attitudes and behaviour. At the core of Mobility Management are ”soft“ measures like information and communication, organising services and coordinating activities of different partners. ”soft“ measures most often enhance the effectiveness of ”hard“ measures within urban transport (e.g., new tram lines, new roads and new bike lanes). Mobility Management measures (in comparison to ”hard“ measures) do not necessarily require large financial investments and may have a high benefit-cost ratio. www.iclei.org/bonn2012

  • The PROMITHEAS Network  is organizing for the fifth year the International Scientific Conference on "Energy and Climate Change" 11-12 October 2012 in  Athens (Greece). For any questions please contact promitheas@kepa.uoa.gr

5. Useful Links