cities action

CITIES’ ACTIONFOR SUSTAINABLE HOUSING

C I T I E S ’ A C T I O N F O R S U S T A I N A B L E H O U S I N G

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

ECHIROLLES

BRIDGEND

BRINDISI

RÉGION RHÔNE-ALPES

FRANKFURT AM MAIN

LES MUREAUX

EORDEA

SONDERBORG

TATABANYA

UTRECHT

YAMBOL

CONCLUSION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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5 1

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Synthesis of the CASH partners’Local Action Plans

IntroductionCASH (Cities’ Action for Sustainable Housing) is a network of 11 partners (10 cities- Utrecht, Tatabanya, Sonderborg, Les Mureaux, Brindisi, Bridgend, Frankfurt, Yambol, Eordea, Echirolles and one region – Region Rhône-Alpes) led by the city of Echirolles in France. The ambition of the CASH project is to propose new solutions and promote new policies for the sustainable renovation of social and affordable housing units in the European Union.

Cities have become major policy players in the area of climate change policy and sustainable energy policy, for at least 2 simple and interlinked reasons: first, cities use a significant proportion of the world’s energy1 and secondly, cities havesignificant energy and CO2 savings potential2.

From this diagnosis, we have decided to put in place, as part of the project, local action plans (LAPs) in each partner city in order to deal with one of the main energy consuming but also energy saving components of the urban fabric: housing. And to ensure gains not only on the environmental side but also on the social and economic side, we have focused on social housing, which, whatever the form it takes, counts for around 12% of the total housing stock in the EU.

Local action plans are meant to propose actions that will help cities achieve success in the field of energy efficiency in the social housing sector on the basis of a diagnosis of local strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. They are elaborated within Local Support Groups (ULSG), which are required to be elaborated by each partner, in the framework of an URBACT project in order to tackle the urban issues faced.

1 Globally, cities today are estimated to consume between 60% to 80% commercial energy (OECD, 2008)

2 If one considers the range of policies and measures available to a country to reduce emissions, around two-thirds of the total global energy savings could occur in cities. Moreover, cities could go further than these national savings because many policy options to reduce energy consumption and decrease CO2 emissions are under the authority of local governments (OECD, 2008)

3 See ECORYS Study


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Main elements of the local action plansAll local action plans from the 11 partners in the CASH network have often common features in terms of strategic priorities. Those priorities can be summarised as follows: • Strengthening of the local partnership, in particular Brindisi, Sonderborg, Utrecht• Reinforcing the involvement of citizens, in particular Echirolles, Frankfurt,

Yambol• Setting up adequate financing mechanisms, in particular Bridgend, Frankfurt,

Région Rhône-Alpes• Better evaluating the needs and the performance, in particular Bridgend,

Echirolles, Les Mureaux• Improving the technical and legal aspects, in particular Eordea, Tatabanya

Each partner has developed actions under those priorities and through a community led process. This document presents the compendium of all the Local Action Plans in the following order : Echirolles, Bridgend, Brindisi, Eordea, Frankfurt, Les Mureaux, Région Rhône-Alpes, Sonderborg, Tatabanya, Utrecht, Yambol.

Obstacles to this success are now well known and could be summarised as follows: Insufficient technical know-how (in particular in the legal field linked to energy investments), lack of political will (essentially because of the huge upfront costs which are not sufficiently put into perspective with the long term gains in terms of reduced energy bills, reduce health expenditure, reduce unemployment for the construction sector), lack of public awareness (which often prevent end users to commit to new energy consumption patterns ) and complex financial requirements (essentially due to the long term and low rate of return on investment). All those difficulties which are a common feature of local debate, despite the clear gains for society (what is often called the co-benefits of energy efficiency measures), need to be addressed by the public authorities at the most relevant level: often in cities.

The Local Actions Plans of the CASH partner cities have therefore tried to develop a strategy around the different elements that should trigger a real change in the way they approach energy problems in the housing sector: strengthen the skills of local authorities, better monitor the local needs and sources, and provide clear financing options and dare citizens’ empowerment.

The European Union should support such LAPs in the future as they are community-led, area-based local development plans and guarantee that the necessary capacity of cities to use EU funds will be in place. There are already examples of the cities involved in other EU projects such as Tallin in Estonia or Torino in Italy which have made a successful link between the LAPs and the use of Structural Funds3.

3 See ECORYS Study


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ÉCHIROLLESLOCAL ACTION PLANURBACT – CASH

ENERGY RENOVATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING UNITS

C I T I E S ’ A C T I O N F O R S U S T A I N A B L E H O U S I N G - é C H I R O L L E S


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La Villeneuve is characterised by a high proportion of young couples and in particular in the Les Essarts sector where more than 50% of inhabitants are under 30 years1 (against an average of 38% for Echirolles and 42% for the GrenobleMetropolitan Area). It is also in Les Essarts that there are the most families with children (47% of households with children, 18% of which have more than three children). The main reason for this is the large proportion of large housing units for families. It is in this sub-sector that we count the largest number of children under 11 years (23% compared with 15% on the average in Echirolles).

La Villeneuve is actually the sector of the town where the poverty indicator is highest as shown in the 2008 INSEE study2. Poverty also particularly concerns the “Les Essarts” and “Surieux” housing developments. It is mainly concentrated on the sensitive urban area (ZUS), but seems to spill considerably over from its perimeter. This area is characterized in particular by a large proportion ofunskilled workers and part-time employees, a relatively young population that is often of foreign origin, with very few elderly persons, large households and a large number of social housing units. As a result, families with children that live under the low-income threshold, non-skilled unemployed persons and people receiving supplementary health insurance (CMU) are particularly over-represented. When it comes to employment, the situation of the residents is also very insecure. Unemployed persons, in particular, unskilled ones are over-represented. In Les Essarts and Surieux, unemployment figures are twice as high as the national average. Women are even harder hit by this situation. Precarity especially concerns families (12% of recipients of benefits from the CAF are low-income single-parent families). Lastly, nearly three-quarters of CAF recipients receive housing support.

Ageing social housing units have a very poor image, especially in the sensitive urban areas (ZUS). Although there are various advantages such as proximity to public transport and shops, the presence of green spaces and spacious units (67% of two and three-bedroom flats and 18% of flats with four bedrooms or more) and affordability, these units are not very popular with people looking for social housing. In 2010, out of the 4000 applications for social housing that cited Echirolles, only 33 asked for Les Essarts. We have also noted a significant number of refusals of accommodation on these sectors, because they often suffer from a very unfavourable environment such as run-down entrance halls.

1 Source: 2010 Activity review. CCAS Echirolles.

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CONTEXT

Echirolles Local Background Initiated in 2000, the City of Echirolles has elaborated a sustainable development strategy from 2000. So far, this strategy has resulted in the drawing up of Agenda 21, as well as the development of an ambitious local energy policy labelled Cit’ergie (linked to the European Energy Award) in 2007 and 2011. A specific component on social housing energy refurbishment was integrated from the beginning. In terms of concrete actions, one can note the creation of a programme to improve the thermal and energy efficiency of buildings (OPATB) focused on private dwellings (only 16 cities in France launched this initiative).

For the City, the concept of social housing units includes units belonging to social landlords, private co-owned properties and single-dwelling homes belonging to vulnerable owners (with low incomes and faced with energy poverty).

To better AXIS its actions in terms of the refurbishment of social housing units and to go further in its innovative process, the City of Echirolles has set up theEuropean project CASH (‘Cities Action for Sustainable Housing’), by the ERDF of which it is the leader, under the URBACT Programme financed by the FEDER.

In its Local Action Plan (LAP), Echirolles has opted to place the emphasis on hous-ing units belonging to social landlords.

Inventory of social housing units

-La Villeneuve (Essarts, Surieux, Gatinais)This is the neighbourhood where the major part of the social rental offering in Echirolles is concentrated (42%) with nearly 2,500 housing units. There have been no new constructions in recent years. This neighbourhood is made up of many small residential developments, in particular, the sectors of Les Essarts, Surieux and Le Gâtinais which are all different in terms of social occupancy. This must be taken into account for housing-related projects.


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• Little information, training, support for players (from the owner to residents),result in :

- little cohesion between players, which does not allow for optimum design and process of the renovation;

- insufficient involvement of players, given that none of them were ready for this approach;

- very little civic involvement in decision-making and renovation design;- excessive energy consumption by residents.

• No spatio-temporal overview of energy consumption at the municipal level and follow-up to identify and prioritise the actions.

2. Causes• Little knowledge of the issue at municipal level, in terms of characterisation and scope• Need for long-term sector-based planning whereas contexts change and requirements

increase very quickly• Difficulty in adopting new and complex concepts• Complex and short-lived financial packages (many reference systems for minimal

funding)• Limited human and financial resources of the Municipality, social landlords and

owners of social housing units• Players on the field not sufficiently trained• Existence of other immediate needs of social landlords and owners, that compete

with energy renovation (renewal/making lifts compliant, accessibility, asbestos removal, fire safety, etc.), as a result of new regulations that take a toll on budgets.

3. Consequences• Determination to act on 40% of social housing units in Echirolles based on

priorities• Determination to find effective solutions that fit the needs of citizens (there are

already some ongoing projects based on excellent ideas and that have made it possible to detect problems) and that can be easily reproduced on the housing stock

• Determination of the various players (social landlords, municipality, electedrepresentatives, technicians, architects, residents, etc.) to act together

• Determination for participatory action by the two largest landlords (key players targeted and present, making it easy to act and fostering dialogue).

• Determination to involve residents in the choices and actions to ensure full adoption.

Data on units allocated have dropped (91 in 2011 in Les Essarts compared with 1104 in 2009) despite the efforts of social landlords. Consequently, vacancies continue to rise in the sector (2% in 2009), in particular on the high-rises located in Les Essarts (8.2% on flats with three or more bedrooms on 1 January 2010, against 4.2% on 1 January 2009 according to the flow monitor). Likewise, there are a particularly high number of requests for transfers of households living in this neighbourhood. However, these areas have the most affordable housing units, which means that most of its residents are among the poorer populations. The majority of them have resources 60% lower than the income cap that qualifies for low-rent housing (78% of new entrants in 2009).

ISSUES

1. Identification of issuesThe summary below of problems related to the energy renovation of social housing units faced by the various players concerned at the Echirollesmunicipality level was drawn up at the 3rd meeting of the Echirolles LocalSupport Group on 15 Nov. 2010):

• Energy-intensive housing units:- few renovation operations. Most of these were carried out in the 1980s after the

oil shock (shells and woodwork). The 1990s, before the Grenelle round table, was not very productive;

- energy labels ranging between E and C, since social housing units consume less energy than private housing units;

- high consumption / high energy bills;- unsatisfactory results for thermal insulation and ventilation systems in social

housing energy operations.

• Financial tools:- not well suited to the vulnerable private housing stock. Existing La Metro tools

touch only a very small volume of needs;- not very attractive for social landlords: not part of a long-term plan and no continu-

ity, which make it difficult to have visibility. They are inadequate compared with the challenges because of the volume and complexity of the housing units to be renovated.


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GOALS OF THE LOCAL ACTION PLANAND THE CITY’S ENERGY POLICY

1. WhatThe Echirolles LAP should enable Echirolles to:• make an inventory of the locations of the social housing property and prioritise

the actions at municipal level in terms of energy renovation• develop tools for:- Optimising the technical aspects of insulation and ventilation - Finance the energy renovation of social landlords • serve as a lever on a large-scale by acting in the short term on reproducible pilot

operations.

2. WhenThe Echirolles LAP will start being implemented as it is designed during the two years of the implementation phase of the CASH Project and will continue to be Post-CASH. It will be managed by each of the parties concerned, in particular under the Essarts-Gâtinais urban renewal project supported by the City.

3. HowThe Echirolles LAP will be established participatorily by the ULSG created for this purpose and made of the key players in the field. It will be implemented through the ULSG workshops and the pilot activities and operations will be integrated into the programmes of the various ULSG members.

ECHIROLLES LOCAL SUPPORT GROUPTo define the Local Action Plan (LAP) of the City of Echirolles, a local support group was created in February 2010. It comprised the main local stakeholders concerned by this theme. Its first task was to take stock of the situation in Echirolles and to define the problems experienced in this area.

WhoMembers of the Échirolles Local Support Group must analyse the players involved in this plan, in the next stage of the elaboration of their Local Action Plan. According to the URBACT programme guide on the creation of Local Action Plans, this analysis consists in identifying the front-line players of the project, who are the most involved and active in their drawing up and implementation, as well as players who will play a less direct, but important role in guiding the project and those who will play an active role but on specific occasions. The criteria will be defined at a subsequent meeting. The table below, which gives an indication of the participation of members of the Local Support Group, will serve as a basis for discussion.

Creation of working sub-groupsProposals made at the third and fourth meetings of the local support group to create a working sub-group based on the strategic axes of the Local Action Plan has been implemented.

To manage this task force, it was suggested that a Secretariat be created. It should be made up of the leader of each subgroup and the CASH coordinator, who will have the following tasks: define a work framework; prepare elements of analysis for meetings; define a work timetable in line with theme-based seminars; specify the deliverables expected.


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• Model energy renovation scenario:- process to promote innovation and the control of rents and service charges:

energy audit; co-design and participation in the neighbourhood/urban integration project; implementation technique; organisation of worksite; bonds between players and support; funding, etc.,

- minimum renovation levels and requirements of existing and future legislative framework (European directives, future decrees of Grenelle 2, etc.)

- acceptable deviation between energy requirements for new and existing property

- choosing between routine work and energy work - energy choice: inventory of existing sources and methodology or methodologies

of choice, etc. (analysis of examples from other countries)- choice of materials: synthetic, natural / bio-sourced, combined, etc.

• Comparison of a demolition or renovation operation (resources, duration, budget, social cost, urban recovery, etc.)

Axis 2: Optimisation of residents’ habits to cut down energy consumption (possible proposal of action on two test buildings).

• inventory: type of heating, lighting, air-conditioning/ventilation, etc., types ofelectrical and electronic appliances, condition of equipment and appliances

• analysis of the energy expenditure: use of equipment and appliances• influence of heating contracts and others, etc.

Axis 3:Design of a database and a municipality-level monitoring system

• analysis of available data: type of data (consumption ratios, CO2 emissions, monthly consumption per building, service charges, outstanding bills, thermography, etc.), source of data (PACT-Isère, CCIAG (the La Metro heating utility company), EDF-GDF, La Metro, social landlords, jointly-owned units, etc.), scale (building, neighbourhood, municipality, urban community, etc.), frequency (daily, monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.), type of building and energy labelling, etc.

• database design: choice of type of data to collect (consumption, service charges, comfort of residents, etc.) and scale.

• design of the monitoring system (mechanism, frequency, resources, responsibilities, outputs, etc.).

STRATEGIC AXESBased on the context and the problems experienced at the level of the Echirolles municipality, the 5 strategic axes of the Echirolles Local Action Plan were outlined during the first two meetings of the Local Support Group – Echirolles (20 Sept. and 25 Oct. 2010) and were approved at the third meeting (15 Nov. 2010):

Axis 1:Comparative analysis of jointly produced “renovation” or “demolition/reconstruction” scenarios on energy-consuming assets (possible proposal of action on 15 “Les Goélands” housing units by OPAC38).

Axis 2:Reduction in energy consumption through the practices and habits of residents and managers (possible proposal of action on 2 test buildings).

Axis 3:Observation and energy monitoring of social housing at the local community level.

Axis 4:Design of financial engineering adapted to the needs of social housing.

Axis 5:What methodologies should be adopted to create commitment and sharing?

In the fifth axis, the term “methodology” takes on full importance because there are existing tools and instruments in terms of energy renovation. However, there is a dearth of communication campaigns/operations to make them known, training to understand them and involvement mechanisms to ensure optimum implementation.

Proposal of Components and sub-themesper Strategic Axis

Axis 1: Comparative analysis of “renovation” or “demolition/reconstruction” scenarios on energy-consuming assets (possible proposal of action on 15“Les Goélands” housing units by OPAC38).


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PRIORITY ACTIONS/PILOT OPERATIONSUnder the multi-authority urban planning programme (SCOT) of the Grenoble urban region, in December 2009, the Grenoble Alpes Metropole – La Metro urban community launched a call for papers from all the municipalities of the urban community to develop a structure plan that would clarify the implementation of the SCOT and adapt it to the specific challenges and characteristics of the urban community by drawing on the defining projects of the municipalities.

Some of the main challenges of the structure plan include the urban intensification strategy, in particular, urban renewal, in connection with interchange hubs and transport networks to ensure social and urban diversity. La METRO, with its local communities, is aiming for urban renovation actions on eight sectors of its territory, five of which have resulted in the signing of an agreement with the National Agency for Urban Renovation (ANRU).

Echirolles’ contribution is to specify the challenge of the “Polarité Sud” project that it shares with the cities of Grenoble and Eybens , aimed at improving the living environment through the urban renewal of the two new cities of the urban community, by reinforcing the diversity of housing and consolidating the establishment of economic activities. The sectors of Villeneuve in Echirolles and Villeneuve in Grenoble are priority sectors in several ways such as their size and their position in the urban community, the number and types of housing units that were built towards the end of the 1960s and the social challenge that the resident population represents. The two Villeneuves are home to a vulnerable population and have a very poor image. They were originally built to become a new axis point in the south-ern part of the urban community that would create a balance. This second centre of the urban community has become a major residential area made up of an urban network criss-crossed with infrastructures (road and rail networks).

Polarité Sud is part of the balanced setting in motion in each of the three branches of Grenoble’s “Y”, including:• Polarité Est (eastern site of the University of Grenoble and the Teaching Hospital,

CHU).• Polarité Nord-Ouest (north-west sector on both sides of the Drac/Isère

confluence and the peninsula).The cities of Echirolles and Grenoble have for many years been involved in an ambitious sustainable development project. The future of the two 2 Villeneuves is therefore part of an exemplary project of a renovated eco-neighbourhood featuring

Axis 4:Financial tools and financial engineering for social landlords and vulnerable co-ownerships

• financial tools available in France and Europe for vulnerable co-ownership(landlord and occupant co-owners) and social landlords

• what tools must be developed? Facilitator tools such as the pre-financing ofsubsidies; third-party investors; carbon financing on the investment of financial profits made on emissions savings, etc.

• financial engineering: what is the best mix between funding and subsidies? What are the mechanisms to be developed? What level of involvement and coordination is expected of financial backers? etc.

• communication tools used by the various players to disseminate financial tools.

Axis 5:Involvement/participation and training of players, assistance to residents and communication campaigns, at community and metropolitan area level.

• involvement/participation: definition of the concept; identification of players and current player interfaces; optimisation of the process by encouraging the involvement of residents and player interfaces as upstream of operations as possible; existing methods and methods to be developed, etc.

• training of players: inventory (training currently existing at national level – FEEBAT, REBBAC, e-NERGIEBAT, etc. depending on the various targets; best practice capitalisation networks – BEEP resource centres, BBC Observatory, PRAXIS Ecobat, etc.); evaluation of needs depending on players (owner, project manager, consulting firms, contractors, residents, federations; material retail outlets, insur-ance companies, etc.); training axes to develop depending on new needs and requirements arising from the concept of energy efficiency and directives and regulations in the pipeline: interdependency between professions and busi-nesses, man-building interactions, etc.

• support (case of social housing units and co-owned properties): in the choices made for energy audits, energy performance contracts, insurers, financial tools/financial engineering, sources of energy, renovation type and materials, type of contract, electrical and electronic equipments, etc.; during the renovation works; in terms of practices; in terms of monitoring and management of service charges, etc.

• communication: existing or future strategies and tools.


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the CASH pilot operations);• Work to optimise the energy consumption measuring tools that the landlords

provide to tenants and the co-design of tools that are more suited to the different tenant categories. The aim is to act on practices and energy gains with a social target of reducing charges. This work will be based on the experiences of tenants in using the new facilities and energy-saving systems installed the Rumba Nova buildings of Village II in 2011 and the Kedros building of the City-Centre in 2008 (ref. : analysis grid developed by the working sub-group dedicated to the behavioural lever);

• Financial levers: creation of a working group on energy efficiency contracts with the Rhône Alpes Regional Council (CRRA), Rhône-Alpes Energie Environnement (RAEE), Local Energy Agency (ALEC), Caisse des Dépôts, OPAC38, SDH, the City of Echirolles, the National Housing Confederation (CNL), to exchange feedback on energy efficiency contracts at the national level (one-day meeting planned in Lyon, in early October 2012, organisation in progress). The group will work on the preparation of project management assistance to envisage a new financial engineering system for the Maine-Limousin-Vivarais pilot operations based on the energy efficiency contract.

SUMMARY OF PILOT OPERATIONS ON THE TERRITORY OF THE CITY OF ECHIROLLES

To sum up, the pilot operations recommended on the territory of the City of ECHIROLLES concern two scales:

• action at territorial level, based on the future urban renewal project ANRU 2 Polarité Sud – Section Essarts-Gâtinais, which could receive European co-funding under the new Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) promoted by the EU Cohesion policy 2014-2020 and by European tools such as JESSICA. The Polarité Sud project proposes an integrated sustainable development strategy in an urban environment, innovative development actions in urban areas in terms of civic participation and energy renovation of social housing on a large scale, a axis on urban development at the strategic level by targeting the specific needs of geographical that are the hardest hit by poverty and exclusion, as well as the combination of actions supported by specific sectoral priority investments in urban areas such as the promotion of low carbon emission strategies and social inclusion by helping with the physical and economic revival of underprivileged urban communities;

social and functional diversity, “soft” transport and accessibility, re-vegetation, sustainable water management, governance and civic values - with civic participation at the heart of the transformation process - and high energy efficiency of buildings.

In 2010, the City of Echirolles commissioned a social and urban study by the firm Lieux Dits that enabled a clear prioritisation of the Echirolles Villeneuve space and the identification of the land potential needed to introduce diversity and to recreate the public facilities offering. The Essarts-Gâtinais neighbourhood of the Villeneuve Echirolles was chosen as the scope of the study.

Within the Essarts-Gâtinais neighbourhood, designated as the study scope, the local support group of the URBACT–CASH project - comprising the Echirolles municipality unit that was the leader of the “Polarité Sud” project - has decided to axis its actions concerning the energy renovation of social housing on pilot operations that will enable it to test ventilation systems and insulation techniques that can be easily transposed on a large scale. The operations selected are those corresponding to the next operations scheduled on the housing units of the major landlords: Le Maine for OPAC38 and Vivarais-Limousin for SDH.

Actions scheduled for the identified buildings under the CASH programmes:

The following innovative actions will represent the core of the pilot operations carried out on the Maine and Limousin-Vivarais buildings:• Analysis of the demolition/renovation scenarios based on the grid developed by

OPAC38 and SDH under the CASH programme, which integrates environmental, energy and social components;

• Genuine involvement of tenants in decision-making to achieve maximumco-design of energy renovation. This means that the social landlords have to work to integrate this aspect into their specifications (this work will be based on the analysis grid of civic involvement in the various phases of energy renovation ;

• Identification of insulation techniques and ventilation systems that are best suited to the type of buildings representative of the housing stock of social landlords dating from the late 1960s and early 1970s, which can be reproduced on their building complexes - on a large scale. This approach is also supposed to be innovative in terms of the maintenance management technique (see box below on the state of the art for ventilation and insulation, with advanced solutions under


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Contacts & sources

Ville d’Echirolles Service Environnement Développement DurableAddress: 1 place des 5 fontaines 38130 ECHIROLLESPhone: + 33 (0)4 76 20 56 00e-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.ville-echirolles.fr

• action concerning operations on test buildings in the Polarité Sud project, on which the innovative approaches reproducible on a large-scale proposed by the LAP in terms of energy efficiency of social housing recommended under the CASH programme, will be tested. These could be funded by the European regional development fund (ERDF) and depending on the analysis of the working group on the financial tools, by an energy efficiency contract.

POLITICAL COMMITMENTTo implement these pilot operations, the City of Echirolles:• has undertaken to integrate the CASH local action plan (LAP) in its sustainable

development strategy• has presented a deliberation at the city council of October 2012 that notably

explains the pilot operation and its related actions • Will present a final deliberation at the city council at the end of the CASH project

to officially record the LAP at the municipal council meeting.


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ENERGY EFFICIENT RENOVATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING

BRIDGEND LOCAL ACTION PLAN SYNTHESIS

C I T I E S ’ A C T I O N F O R S U S T A I N A B L E H O U S I N G - B R I D G E N D


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SHO’s Estate improvement programmes include energy efficiency measures such as external wall insulation, photovoltaic units, internal insulation and renewable energy solutions. The SAP rating for social housing is currently 73 on a scale of 1-100 which is better than the private housing rating of 55 according to the Bridgend private housing stock condition survey 2010. It has been recognised that much more work needs to be done in the private sector to make homes energy efficient.Future Government initiatives will include Energy Company Obligations and the Green Deal. The Welsh Government will continue with their ERDF programme ARBED over the next 3-5 years to ensure that low-income citizens in the private sector in deprived areas will benefit from energy efficiency measures. Research under the LAP pilot operations will be undertaken to progress promoter status for the Green Deal and options for district heating in new affordable housing schemes and refurbishment of existing estates.

What problems have we identified throughout CASH?

Identification, causes and consequencesThe key problems Bridgend are facing to perform energy efficiency renovation identified throughout CASH are:1. An ageing housing stock mainly in the Valleys areas, particularly those properties

built in terraces associated with the coal mining industry, most of which are solid wall construction and hard to treat.

2. The inability to fund energy efficiency improvements in the private sector without grants and the lack of co-ordination among grant funders, i.e. National and Local Governments and Utilities.

3. Lack of co-ordination between agencies and utilities in data collection and dissemination

4. Over 6,800 private households (13% of private households) were found to be facing fuel poverty and 30% of these were found in the private rented sector.

5. Lack of education and low awareness as well as difficulties in monitoring, educating and changing the behaviours of all residents/tenants in realising the benefits of energy efficiency and cost savings.

The key causes of fuel poverty identified by the ULSG were as follows: - high fuel prices, low-income households and inefficient health systems; - the inability to change tenants and residents attitudes and behaviours; different

energy tariffs;

‘GREEN CITIES GREEN MINDS’

How do we ‘green-up’ our Cities?

Global context The Welsh Government (WG) is taking a lead on energy. It is working towards a Low-carbon Wales and is committed to reducing greenhouse emissions. Its target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3% per year by 2011 in areas of devolved competence, including actions on diversified renewable energy generation. WG has reiterated the recognition that climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity. WG’s aim is to enhance the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of people and communities in Wales to achieve a better quality of life for all. It is working with private, public and social sectors, business and industry to create a stable environment for the necessary long-term investment. The transition for Wales to low-carbon energy covers electricity, heating, waste management and transport, through key enabling policies such as economic development, housing, planning, environmental regulation, pollution and transport. WG has a legal obligation to promote Sustainable Development and has embarked on an ambitious and long-term programme of cross cutting policy initiatives to address the reduction of carbon emissions and fuel poverty across Wales. One Wales: One Planet (2009) sets out a vision where within the lifetime of a generation WG want to see Wales using only its fair share of the earth’s resources.

Local contextThe County Borough of Bridgend consists of three Valleys, the Ogmore, Llynfi and Garw, the seaside town of Porthcawl on the coast to the West, towns and villages south of the main M4 corridor and Bridgend City the administrative centre. The Bridgend County Borough has a population of 135,200 and 59,000 households. There are 76% privately owned properties, 14% social rented properties and 10% private rented properties.The age and profile of the private housing stock consists of 29% pre-1919 properties, 11% built 1919-1944, 21% built 1945-1964, 17% built 1965-1980 and 21% built after 1980. There are four social housing operators (SHO) in Bridgend County, the largest being Valleys to Coast (V2C) with 5,847 properties. There are a small number of lease-hold properties co-owned by the SHOs which are flats. All social housing rents are regulated by WG. The Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) was introduced by WG in 2002 and SHOs were expected to devise realistic improvement programmes to reach the standard by 100% by 2012. The standard has been extended to 2015.


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What is Bridgend’s main LAP goal in making social housing energy efficient?he main goal of Bridgend’s ULSG is to make the County Borough green and to encourage citizens, social housing tenants and co-ownerships, private residents and owner occupiers to ‘think green’ and understand technologies in order to reduce carbon emissions and fuel poverty. We intend through the Local Action Plan to reinforce partnerships between existing partners and stakeholders, mainly by exploring and developing new fields of co-operation. We want to ensure that stakeholders and partners are delivering each activity of the LAP, which is expected to evolve over the next 3 years. The entire LAP is based on cooperation and networking to deliver the activities and new financial tools will be integrated to achieve our goals. Specific workshops, task forces and finish groups will be established to implement activities to address fuel poverty, change attitudes and behaviours and continue to access grants and private finance to undertake energy efficiency renovation.

What are the strategic priorities for Bridgend? 1. We want to accurately identify those areas and specific housing occupiers faced

with fuel poverty with the help of WG, the Fuel Poverty Coalition, the National Energy Association, the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust and to undertake measures to lift areas and individual occupiers out of fuel poverty. We will do this by liaising with those bodies in Wales that specifically address the issue at a national level.

2. We want to change attitudes and behaviours by persuading tenants/residents and owners to reduce energy consumption prior to, and as a result of energy saving investments. We will do this by liaising and mentoring tenants through tenant organisations and forums, facilitated by SHOs. We will obtain energy advice and information from energy suppliers (utilities) and work with other local authorities in Wales to share good practices and identify future innovation. We will use techniques currently being developed by National Local Governments and by our European Partners through the CASH network to effect behavioural change and to develop new tools to meet the challenges of climate change and in mak-ing our cities and towns green.

3. To ensure that best practice examples are available to all, we intend to improve collaboration and regional networking and partnership working and establish potential delivery partners at a sub-regional and regional level to deliver housing retrofit energy saving investment in the County Borough. We will ensure that co-ordinated delivery is facilitated through collaborative action.

- the lack of co-ordination among energy providers; - lack of co-ordination and timing of different grants to fund energy efficiency

renovation. CO2 emissions are recorded by WG, the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust. There is, however, no synergy between systems and equal access to information.

The impact of rising energy costs should not only escalate fuel poverty, but also increase poor health and environments, particularly for low income households in private sector housing. The failure to tackle energy costs and the deteriorating condition of existing social and private housing will adversely affect the delivery of effective and successful local improvement programmes. More financially resilient models of delivery need to be considered to retrofit existing housing units that embrace energy efficiency measures. In this context Bridgend is considering combined heat and power units for districts and has developed a District Heating Network Opportunity Plan and commissioned A-COM to undertake a networks study for district heating pilots.

Who is involved to elaborate Bridgend’s CASH Local Action Plan?To ensure the highest political support, Bridgend’s ULSG is chaired by the Cabinet member for Communities, and the Bridgend Seminar on Citizen Involvement and Engagement in January 2012 was opened by the First Minister for Wales. The four main SHOs are members of CASH. They are working towards meeting the WHQS ensuring that they have equal access to available grants to improve the energy efficiency of their homes for all tenants and residents. They work with tenant forums to educate tenants and residents about the benefits of energy efficiency in relation to improving health and to change their behaviours in using controls and reducing energy consumption. Regeneration Skills Collective Wales, Rockwool Manufacturer, the National Energy Agency, Energy Saving Trust, the Carbon Trust are our networking partners who will develop the LAP in up-skilling, training champions to change attitudes and behaviours, providing advice and information and sharing good practice to address fuel poverty. We will be working more closely with banks and other local authorities to deliver our commitments on the Green Deal pilot and proposals for District Heating and will be working with colleagues in BCBC from Planning, Sustainable Development, Transportation and Regeneration who are members of the Carbon Reduction Group.


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‘The Only Way is Green’Bridgend has highlighted how they are going to green-up their city and towns and get citizens in the County Borough to think green. So what are we going to do to ensure that our tenants and residents are taken out of fuel poverty and live in homes that are safe and warm?

Grant funding through ERDF and the utilities and SHO own reserves through their Estate Improvement Programmes have been well utilised over the past 10 years. However, much more money is needed to achieve the energy reduction targets and the WHQS in both social and private housing. We need to explore new financial models for providing energy efficiency renovation and the sharing of combined heat and power units.The two pilot operations that we want to take forward post CASH as well as the strategic priorities and activities in the work plan are given below. We have also included how they fit in with the EC Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Cohesion Policy 2014-2020.

PILOT OPERATION 1 – THE GREEN DEALThe Green Deal will enable householders in Bridgend to invest in energy efficiency improvements to their homes, at no upfront cost, that will pay for themselves through savings on their energy bills. The money to pay for the improvements will be borrowed from a Green Deal provider who will arrange for the measures to be installed. It is expected that the repayments plus reduced energy bills will always be lower than energy bills before installation of the measures. We have set up a Carbon Reduction Group and are speaking to other Welsh Local Authorities to see if we can work on a Regional basis to deliver the Green Deal. We are also working with the Energy Saving Trust to develop a database of all properties in the County Borough and the energy efficiency measures they have had undertaken to date and intend building upon the database for the future. We would like to encourage a stronger axis on urban development at a strategic level. To do this, we want to ex-pand stakeholder involvement in this pilot project to include utilities, NEA, Rockwool, NGO’s, BTCV and the Skills Directive and SME’s and to seek funding from the European Cohesion fund 2014-2020 through its ITI programme. We are looking for continued support from grant provision for cross-sector interventions and regional working. The estimated cost of establishing a data base, setting up networks, workshops and advisory services is £75,000.

4. We will ensure that all participants are trained in the implementation of energy saving measures are fully skilled to deal with the physical delivery and after-use of scheme actions by training at scheme preparation stage, scheme implementation and scheme occupation.

How do we intend to deliver our priorities within the Work-Plan?Fuel Poverty – Confirm the methodology of identifying those in fuel poverty in local areas; review existing data; and identify key areas for targeting future measures. The outcomes will be agreed mapping of areas and individual households in fuel poverty. This will be undertaken by setting up workshops and consultation meetings and will be coordinated by SHOs and the LA in partnership with Energy Organisations over the initial 3-year-period of the LAP. Financial resources required for this action is estimated at £15,000.Changing Behaviours – We will ensure there is a greater awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency renovation by dissemination of information and awareness raising of funds available and financial benefits; website development and Media campaign; presentations made and links to other advisory agencies established. The outcomes will be tenants and residents will be aware of financial tools and available EE renovation products. This will be coordinated by SHO and energy partners. We will liaise with energy advice agencies SHOs, community organisations and voluntary sectors. The estimated cost of developing a website is £25,000. We will facilitate training for tenants and residents on how to use controls and measure consumption and encourage participation by undertaking briefing sessions with tenants; developing a promotional activities guide; one to one training using local champions. The outcomes will be that residents will be equipped with knowledge and ability to save energy and use controls effectively to measure consumption and use; better understanding of energy savings. The costs estimated for this activity is £10,000. The stakeholders concerned in the delivery will be SHO/BCBC, energy advice agencies, community organisations, energy ambassadors. We will work with our regional partners to establish networks and exchange information to improve partnership working and increase awareness of what is available. We will develop a set of tools designed to roll out across the region using examples and experiences taken from CASH projects and partners good practice. The Stakeholders involved in each strategic axis and in delivering the activities within the work-plan are both primary and secondary stakeholders depending on the tasks to be undertaken. Primary and Secondary Stakeholders are identified in the main LAP and their knowledge and expertise that they bring to the LAP. We have targeted those Stakeholders who will need to be involved in delivering the activities and any obstacles to their participation will be solved at an early stage.


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PILOT OPERATION 2 – DISTRICT HEATINGWe are exploring the possibility of installing District Heating in buildings, existing housing estates, Strategic Regeneration Areas, and urban areas. District Heating plants exist in schools and leisure centres and some commercial buildings. There have been major advances in technology and reliability, which means there is potential to look again at introducing district heating in Bridgend. To this end, AECOM was recently commissioned to undertake high level technical feasibility and commercial viability assessments of establishing heat networks across seven areas in the County Borough. Planning policy has been designed to include the provision of district heating and further research needs to be undertaken. We are looking for support within innovative urban actions from the EC Cohesion fund and ERDF grant programmes to continue to advance research into making our urban and strategic regeneration areas ‘greener’

Political commitment: The Director of Communities, Bridgend Cabinet Members and the Welsh Government are committed to the Pilot operations.There is a cross-sector working group and strong stakeholder involvement.

Contacts & sources

WG – ‘One Wales / One Planet’► http://wales.gov.uk/topics/sustainabledevelopment/publications/onewalesoneplanet/?lang=en

‘Climate Change Strategy’► http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/climatechange/

publications/strategy/?lang=en

‘Fuel Poverty Evidence Plan 2012’► http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/energy/

fuelpoverty/?lang=en

BCBC – ‘Housing Strategy & Stock Condition Survey 2009► http://www.bridgend.gov.uk/web/groups/public/documents/services/009560.

hcspPlanning / LDP► http://www.bridgend.gov.uk/web/groups/public/documents/services/023413.hcsp

Edited by Elaine Williams, Local CASH Coordinator for Bridgend


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C I T I E S ’ A C T I O N F O R S U S T A I N A B L E H O U S I N G - B R I N D I S I

WATT / ILOPILOT PROjECT

TO IMPROVE THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENERGY SAVING INPUBLIC SOCIAL HOUSING THROUGH NEW BEHAVIORSFOR A BETTER USE OF ENERGY


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2 Local level The Apulia Region has shown great sensitivity to environmental issues with a special axis on energy issues; furthermore, the position and natural morphology of Apulia has allowed the rapid and constant distribution of solar panels and wind turbines for renewable energy production.

The results are considerable and Puglia is a leading producer among Italian regions, accounting for 1/5th of the national demand, according to data from 2010. There have been numerous measures in regional laws to fund energy efficiency in public buildings and to support private investors.The city of Brindisi has been committed to energy issues for a long time now, as is evident from the presence of 3 thermal power plants, 2 of them working on coal.Even if politicians were focused on the environmental aspects of production, they also adopted measures for energy efficiency in the public housing stock in deprived local areas.

ANALYSIS

1. Problems

Fuel PovertyThe European economic crisis, along with the side effects on investment and employment, has exacerbated the emergence of energy poverty, which has increased the vulnerability of the most exposed social groups, hard-pressed to meet their fuel costs.A quantitative definition of fuel poverty has been given by the British institution charged to study the phenomenon and to suggest intervention strategies; it states that the critical level in fuel poverty is when a household spends more of 10% of its disposable income on fuel.Varying climatic conditions between countries do not allow a consistent index for the definition of fuel poverty valid for each EU member state.Weak social groups usually live in houses built when energy efficiency was an anti-economic subject and excluded from design considerations.In Brindisi, low income people are not sufficiently aware about the risks of fuel poverty.

CONTEXT

1. National levelThe Italian Government has been committed from the start to identifying and implementing policies focused on achieving the objectives set by the guidelines of the Europe 2020 strategy.Procedures for implementing rules on energy efficiency and consumption reduction were initiated, by transposing EU directives from the national legislation to the local level, with a particular eye on “green economy”, a fundamental meeting point between sustainable development and the needs of the free market.

Among these new rules, we can underline:• Decree no. 115/2008, transposition of EU 2006/32/CE directive on energy end-use

efficiency and energy services, involving the local level, from Regions to municipalities;

• Presidential Decree no. 59/09, the Government Decree of 26 June 2009 and the National Guidelines for Energy Certification of Buildings to implement Decree no. 192/2005, which is the transposition of EU 2002/91/CE on the energy performance of buildings;

• Decree no. 28/2011, which is the transposition of EU directive 2009/28/CE; • The Rotation Fund created by the 2007 Financial Law, intended to fund renewable

energies, energy efficiency and forestry management; • National Action Plan for Renewable energies, which follows the EU directive

2009/28/CE.

Since 2007, the Government has launched campaigns to support energy renovation in the private housing stock, through certifications and tax deductions.

Europe 2020 Strategy:- New National Action Plan;- Covenant of Mayors;- New release of the “buildings directive”;- ESF for the renovation of buildings;- Strengthening of “white certificates”;- New financial tools: ELENA, European Local ENergy Assistance - Funding for EUR 146 M to support energy efficiency.


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2. CausesTo find the right strategies, we should analyze the causes of the following problems: • lack of alternative sources for energy production;• need for a way of thinking about energy efficiency renovation with an eye to

management• issues after the renovation;• lack of integrated approach to the problem;• bad energy behaviors of the tenants;• low level of monitoring.

Main causes are:• high fuel prices;• low income of tenants (sometimes too low); • behavior change is a long-standing problem;• energy bills and lack of coordination between energy providers.

Strategies could be:• to identify easy-to-use and low-cost plans, as for example: - individual calculations of consumption could increase the responsibility of final

users, “forcing” them to change behaviors;- change of behaviors itself could help to save consumption, up to 30%;- information campaigns to disseminate good practices;- pilot project to show how much it is important to improve a sustainable way of

building;- periodic upgrade for officers and institutions involved in social housing.

3. ConsequencesThe rise in energy costs exacerbates fuel poverty; furthermore, it leads to a very poor state of health in the built environment, especially in social housing, where low-income families will have to borrow to cover energy costs for gas and electricity.The difficulty in reducing energy costs and supporting the renovation of existing buildings contributes to the lack of perspective in urban renewal programs, programs that also aim to tackle economic, social and environmental problems in a coordinated and collaborative manner with the private sector.

Energy BehavioursThe current living conditions of many people can be improved through a new sensitivity to building materials, building techniques and use of renewable energy to meet the energy needs of housing stock.Retrofitting public housing stock could be complicated because of the fragmentation of property; it could be more incisive and decisive to inform residents about technological advances in the field of renewable energy, through information campaigns to raise a new awareness towards a more correct and responsible use of energy.

Since the beginning, the Brindisi USLG meetings have focused on people living in a neighbourhood built in the early 1960s, in order to find out:• how high the level of information about energy issues is;• how much they know about the buildings they are living in;• which are their current energy behaviours;• how much they know about their energy bills.

The analysis was very informative and it helped to advise officers and stakeholders about the actual level of awareness among the people.

Specific problem of social housing• Public housing stock could face problems different from private housing, as

regards energy efficiency:- features of the housing stock (bad maintenance, low availability of data);- tenants with low income and high level of arrears;- lack of incentives (tax reductions of 55% for energy renovation usually denied);- lack of specific funding;- problem with the payback of investment just from rents.• The dichotomy between those who invest and those who cover the investment by

saving energy is increasing;• Rents are not enough high;- average rent is EUR 40 /month;- average money available for housing maintenance is 20 euro/month.• This scenario makes it difficult to ask for funding from third parties;- need for guarantees for regular payment of rent;- need for deals with tenants• Relations with final users, their level of awareness and their willingness to

cooperate are the key.


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1. for social housing tenants we should: provide efficient and user-friendly information; work toward raising their awareness about “self-management”; work toward raising their level of knowledge about energy issues; work for a new involvement of neighborhood, starting from schools, churches, local associations.

2. to help people change behaviors we should: inform them about energy issues, in general; convince them they can play an active role in the process; teach them how to read an energy bill and which information is actually important; provide them tips to save energy; show them how to monitor consumptions in a long term period.

WhenThe plan could last up to 3 years. The stakeholders have been identified and the new city council1 is working on the next steps, building on the CASH experience. In the meanwhile, USLG has had several meetings to axis on the problems, to talk with tenants and to look for new partners.

HowLAP should integrate the contribution of the members; from the public SHO, I.A.C.P., or Istituto Autonomo Case Popolari, to the regional institutions involved, O.R.C.A., or Osservatorio Regionale sulla Condizione abitativa, to tenants unions.Workshops and labs should work together on an information campaign meant for tenants, and on the new tools available for politicians to implement energy efficiency at all levels.

1 Citizens of Brindisi elected a new council in May 2012. The former Mayor resigned in July 2011.

Local Action Plan goal

What

1. Long term strategyThe long-term strategy for the city of Brindisi is to improve the energy efficiency of its public housing stock. Members of the local ULSG have signed a letter of intent with the I.A.C.P., a public SHO, which is a sort of commitment to achieve a reduction of CO2 emissions and they have agreed to promote common actions, to implement activities and to share the experience that will increase energy efficiency in public housing, through regional funding and the “self-management” tool.

“Self-management” was authorized by a decision of the National Committee for Economic Planning and it allows the final users to manage the budget for ordinary maintenance and heating.So, one of the main goals is the involvement of tenants, and people in general, in the process.That is the reason why Brindisi USLG has focused on the participation of the people, using a tool to inform people about energy issues. Some members of ULSG are representatives of tenants unions and they ask for more information, for more examples.The combination of new investments in public housing stock, following energy efficiency guidelines, and a new generation of tenants, well informed and aware of their role, could be the key to success.

2. Key issuesThe main goal of Brindisi LAP is to fight fuel poverty, by adopting a new approach to problems and by strengthening the relations between tenants, public SHOs and public officers.

We basically strive to:1. identify the weak social groups as our main target;2. disseminate good practices to let tenants know how much they can save just

changing energy behaviors.


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Environmental achievementsAfter 1 month of experiment, energy savings levels were:• 10 families exceeded 50%;• 24 families reached 40 – 50%;• 18 families reached 30 – 40%;• 13 families reached savings above 30%;• 10 families did not save energy.

- Economic achievementsConsidering the average cost of 20 euro/cents for Kwh, in one month of experiment:• 11 families saved more than EUR 20;• 37 families saved from EUR 10 to 20;• 19 families saved less than EUR 10.

- Social achievements87% of the families involved discovered a better use of domestic energy, learning about energy savings and renewable energies.The competition method, successfully adopted in the first program held in Bari, involves engaging participants and making them active in the experiment. Once the competition is over, there will be a screening of the consumptions and “winners” could be awarded with prizes offered by a private sponsor (probably a retail chain of home appliances) such as low consumption bulbs.1. There is a further goal to achieve and it could hopefully lead to the installation of

solar panels on the flat roof of the “winner” building to generate electricity that can feed at least the common areas of the building, stairs and elevators. The idea is fascinating and could certainly highlight the outcome of the project; it is currently being examined in the light of the implications of surface rights and the legal framework of the property.

2. One more action could lead to a pilot project to experiment with an ESCO company, after the tenants information program.

To ensure that good practices are available at all levels and that they could be transmitted in our region, Apulia, to attract new investors.

Proposed actions:1. Improve networking and increase partnerships between public and private sector;2. To ensure the presence of the same key players in each network focusing on

energy efficiency.

Strategic axisFuel poverty: main targets.

Objective: To identify deprived areas and social groups most exposed to fuel poverty.

Proposed actions:1.A survey on incomes and rents, according to I.A.C.P. and Housing Policies office

of the municipality of Brindisi;2.A screening of the levels of energy efficiency in the buildings involved.

Energy behaviors: need for a change.

Objective: The main goal is to disseminate a basic knowledge for an ethical and informed use of energy in social housing, in order to reduce consumption, pollution and to improve the control on energy bills. Citizens who, through a good experience, reach a greater level of awareness on environmental issues, energy efficiency and control of consumption, could themselves be experts and could involve other citizens.

Proposed actions:1. In the fall of 2009, the O.R.C.A. (Osservatorio Regionale sulla Condizione

Abitativa) conducted an interesting experiment, together with the I.A.C.P. (Istituto Autonomo Case Popolari) of Bari and the local tenants union SUNIA (Sindacato Unitario Nazionali Inquilini e Assegnatari), using the lighthearted and interesting method of competition.

The experiment, which aimed at raising awareness among families about the concept of energy saving, focused on daily habits related to energy consumption, with the help of a handbook of good practices to suggest families a new use of domestic energy. The results went beyond expectations.Among 77 families participating in the project, 67 achieved the goal of saving energy. Although the period of competition coincided with the daylight saving time (less daylight hours and more unavoidable consumption), the average energy savings amounted to 40 to 50%, while 10 families exceeded the threshold of 50% savings.


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ENELThe leading energy supplier in Italy, even after the energy market was opened up to others companies.► www.enel.it

CETMA (Centro di Progettazione, Design e Tecnologie dei Materiali)The Cetma is a non-profit operating consortium for R&D that offers innovation, products and processes development, planning, simulation and characterization services for materials and components. ► www.cetma.it

ANCE (Associazione Nazionale Costruttori Edili)ANCE is the National Association of private construction contractors, active in public works andresidential and industrial building. It represents 20 Regional organisations, 102 provincial associations and 20,000 building companies of all specializations and sizes. ► www.ance.it

Tenants unionsUnione Generale del Lavoro, Settore casaUnione InquiliniUnione Italiana del Lavoro, Unione Nazionale Inquilini Ambiente Territorio

University of Pescara Engineering and Geology Department

2. WhyPublic officers in Brindisi and private players could be a good mix to garner various perspectives about the problems.The local USLG coordinator called public and private sectors to be part of the working group and the attendance was very encouraging and inspiring.Members agreed to follow up the experiment, beyond CASH network.

MonitoringObjective:The process, as a whole, and the results should be checked and evaluated to achieve a format, a standard to use as a benchmark for future processes.They could be the new good practices to follow and that is why they should be uniform.

Proposed actions:1. definition of a tool to monitor the process;2. independent validation.

ULSG INVOLVED

1. WhoMembers of USLG are:

Regione PugliaAs mentioned earlier, Regione Puglia has been very sensitive in the last few years to environmental topics and has been an avant-garde player in energy issues.► www.regione.puglia.it

IACP (Istituto Autonomo Case Popolari)Founded in Brindisi in 1937, IACP now manages 6,000 social housing units around the city and its suburbs.► www.iacpbrindisi.it

ORCA (Osservatorio Regionale Condizione Abitativa)It is a regional institution in charge of analyzing housing issues to help public decision makers, from a regional to a local level.► orca.regione.puglia.it

ARPA (Agenzia Regionale Protezione Ambiente)It is a regional institution with the mission to monitor and prevent environmental issues. ► www.arpa.puglia.it


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Stakeholder analysis The stakeholder analysis was the first step of the USLG.Local coordinators found it a well-balanced working group, with private players such as CETMA, ENEL, ANCE, and public players such as IASCP, ORCA, ARPA. Tenant representatives were always present and very inspiring. They were charged to make people confident about the project, showing the good results achieved with the previous experiment in Bari.ANCE, the private association of building contractors, was very concerned and its role could prove to be highly strategic for the future of the USLG.ENEL attended the early meeting and it was supposed to provide consumption data, according to a historical profile.IACP owns and manages the public housing stock in Brindisi and, even if it is coming out of a very hard financial situation, it will soon support an important energy efficiency renovation project in a block in a deprived area in Brindisi, the “Paradiso” district.

PRIORITY ACTIONS / PILOT OPERATIONSThe first action should be the information campaign to disseminate tips for energy savings, along with general information to improve knowledge about renewable energies and building renovation.A pilot operation is going to be implemented in Brindisi, in the same “Paradiso” district, and it is already funded with national funding for a total amount of EUR 5 M. A substantial of EUR 400,000 should be spent on energy efficiency of a block, owned by the municipality.

POLITICAL COMMITMENT The new council has been working for the last few months and the Mayor of Brindisi, Mr. Consales, is highly concerned about environmental issues and fuel poverty risks as well.The commitment at regional level is very high.

WORK PLAN OF THE INFORMATION CAMPAIGN

step title activities

Phas

e 1

Introducing the project

• first contact with the families to explain the project, the goals and the activities;

• printing leaflets to disseminate;

• meetings to talk about energy and the possibility of saving money with new

behaviors;

• preparation of a short “10 golden rules to save energy” handbook;

sharing of experiences;

• analysis of bills together with consultants;

• communication strategy using social networks, blogs, newsletter, viral

campaign;

• press conference with authorities and players involved.

Phas

e 2 The

experiment• kick off meeting with the distribution of “energy saving pack”, containing

self-analysis sheets and the “10 golden rules to save energy” handbook;

• schedule of meeting while the competition is running to support families with

tips and suggestions, together with experts and consultants;

• reading consumption meters and collecting data to analyze.

Phas

e 3 Monitoring

strategy First outputs

• validation of data;

• ranking of the winner families;

• final conference with all the families for a feedback and discussion about points

of weakness and points of strength of the experiment;

• party with families, press and authorities for awards.

Phas

e 4

Strategy for a long term result

• to follow up the experience, families, Municipality and I.A.C.P. should talk about

a common commitment which could involve all the players toward a new “policy

for energy saving”, built on the participation of communities;

For example:

• families could change their own behaviors;

• Municipality and I.A.C.P. could work to provide solar panels on the roofs to

produce enough power to light common spaces.


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Contacts & sources

Municipality of Brindisi - Who’s in charge:Name: Francesco CannalireInstitution: Municipality of BrindisiPosition: Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Position: Deputy Mayor for International Cooperation Address: Palazzo GuerrieriE-mail: [email protected]

Municipality of BrindisiName: Arch. Valerio costantinoInstitution: Municipality of BrindisiPosition: Officer for Housing PoliciesAddress: Piazza Matteotti, 1Phone: +39.392.0026516E-mail: [email protected]

Osservatorio Regionale Condizione Abitativa - O.R.C.A.Name: Arch. Maritè CuonzoInstitution: ORCA / Osservatorio Regionale sulla Condizione AbitativaPosition: Director Address: Via delle Magnolie, 8 / Z.I. Modugno (BA) E-mail: [email protected]

Istituto Autonomo Case Popolari - I.A.C.P.Name: Arch. Gianluca TucciInstitution: Istituto Autonomo Case Popolari / BrindisiPosition: OfficerE-mail: [email protected]

University of PescaraName: Arch. Beniamino Attoma PepeInstitution: University of Pescara / USLG coordinatorPosition: ConsultantAddress: Via De Giosa, 46 / 72015 Fasano di Brindisi (BR) / ItalyPhone: +39.335.6693391E-mail: [email protected]


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C I T I E S ’ A C T I O N F O R S U S T A I N A B L E H O U S I N G - C O N S E I L R E G I O N A L R H O N E A L P E S

ENVIRONMENTALQUALITY OF BUILDINGS TOWARDS ANINTEGRATED REGIONALSTRATEGY

SYNTHESIS OF CASH LAP ON ENERGY EFFICIENT RENOVATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING INRHôNE-ALPES


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PROBLEM ANALYSIS

Identification, causes and consequences60% of public housing was indeed built before 1975 and the first Thermal Regula-tions. Under the terms of the Grenelle law, 130 000 homes are energy inefficient (E,F,G energy classes), that is 33% of social housing. Concerning private social stock, over 300 000 primary residences are in co-owned buildings builtbetween 1950 and 1975, with energy consumption between 335 and 400 kWhep/m²/year. The energy regulation has been recently set up and strong programmes have begun only in the past 10 years. That is why the task of a global rehabilitation is technically challenging and needs strong political, organisational and financial support.Even if it is challenging, the technical requirements of renovation are mastered by both landlords and firms. At a regional level the main issues are:1/ finding financial resources to fund the needed renovation,2/ ensuring the coordination and harmonising all renovation operations3/ leading the local renovation stakeholders to improve the social, environmental

and economical efficiency of operations.

Thus the main obstacle to ensuring a steady and fast renovation pace is the lack of financing resources. Global investment needs have been estimated at €1.66 billion (€26,000 per accommodation, in order to renovate 8,000 flats per year to 2020). This amount is well above the current investment efforts and capacities.

ULSG INVOLVED(describe the local support group created to develop the LAP)

Who & whyEQB standard and related subsidies are the core policy of RA Regional council to support social housing renovation. This is why the main members of USLG are ARRA and ADEME, the two partners in the design and deployment of the EQG standard.

CONTEXT

Global context The national law “Grenelle 2”, adopted in 2010, sets high energy performance standards for buildings:- Regarding new buildings

From 2013, all constructions will have to achieve energy consumption lower than 50 kwh/m²/year (BBC – low-energy buildings) – with a transitory threshold of 57.5 kwh/m²/year in 2015.

- Regarding existing buildings By 2020, energy consumption will have to be reduced by 38% and 800,000 public housing units will have to be renovated at national scale and reach the renovation BBC-level (80kwh/m²/year).

Local contextRhône-Alpes covers 43,698 km², which represents 8% of the total surface area of France, and has a 6 population million.Social housing stock amounts to about 435,000 homes or 16% of main residences. The average energy consumption of the regional social housing stock has increased up to 230kwh. There are 85 landlords in Rhône-Alpes - more than 65% are public organisations. However, private homeowners build and rent social housing following the same social requirements as public owners. There is also a large stock of co-owned social properties. 93% of this housing is collective. One-fifth of occupants live below the poverty threshold.In Rhône-Alpes, a standard has been set up to increase the energy performance of social housing: the Environmental Quality of Buildings (EQB) standard. It grants subsidies and technical assistance to landlords or owners who match its criteria. It proposes a global approach of the renovation (architecture, energy, material, charges, accessibility, health, etc.) which is based on technical, energy andsocial diagnosis. It is more stringent than the national regulation as it requires a BBC level since 2010.This standard is in accordance with the regional climate programme, which aims, among others, to reduce GES emissions of the building sector.For more than 15 years now, the new supply of public housing (about 10,000 constructions each year) has not been large enough to meet demand. As a result, construction has fallen behind, and there is a shortage of 100,000 new housing units.


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• Confédération nationale du logement Rhône-Alpes,regional tenants association. Ensures the relationship with tenants and promotes their view in ULSG’s works. In USLG it can promote tenant’s interests and have a direct influence on the political -making process.

LAP MAIN GOAL energy excellence for social housing policy• What, when and how

The LAP ambition is to foster the involvement of landlords towards high quality thermal renovation operations throughout the region. This will be achieved by strengthening and enriching the framework given by the EQB standard, by improving regional coordination between stakeholders, and by tightening the existing regional partnership.As a regional plan, the LAP does not support operations on the ground. It is rather designed as a master plan aiming to gather all existing actions in a coherent strategy and to launch cooperation on the less-developed topics. The LAP shall be deployed within different timeframes, since the EQB standard is currently ongoing while some tools and topics will need time and financial resources to be supported by the stakeholders. The whole LAP’s time scope covers then a period of around 5 years.For the new topics, the LAP is designed to provide the first steps of a strong cooperation (pilot operations, experimentations, etc.). This “step-by-step” approach is required to gain the unanimous support of all stakeholders.

STRATEGIC AXESOur LAP has 6 axes. Axis 1, 3 and 4 are considered as the priorities.

1. Regional support for renovation operations in social housing RA Region, ARRA and ADEME have together developed an environmental quality standard to support renovation operations in social housing: Environmental Quality of the Buildings (EQB). RA Region’s financial support to landlords is conditional upon compliance with the standard, which has now become a recognised quality standard.

USLG members are:

• Rhône-Alpes Regional Council Departments:Housing, Finance and Environment/Energy. This local public authority carries out housing policy. It is able to mobilise the stakeholders and to ensure the consistency of all the activities at a regional level. The LAP shall guide elected representatives in charge of this policy and strengthen the partnership built round the EQB standard.

• French Environment and Energy Management Agency(ADEME Rhône-Alpes):It has a strong technical expertise in the energy-saving renovation of buildings. Being in the ULSG allows it to promote a high quality level of renovation operations, and to benefit from experience-sharing in the seminars. Ademe joined USLG to strengthen further the regional partnership on the thermal efficiency of social housing.

• Regional association of private and public social landlords(ARRA Habitat):Its direct link with the landlords (its members) allows a dissemination of CASH’s and ULSG’s outputs. ARRA has a vast knowledge of landlords. It joined USLG to further strengthen the regional partnership on thermal efficiency of social housing. ULSG is a place where it can promote the landlords’ interests and contributes to the setting up of the regional housing policy.

• Rhône-Alpes Environment, Planning and Housing RegionalDepartment (DREAL):Under the authority of Sustainable Development and Housing French Ministry, DREAL carries out the national housing policies on the regional territory. It knows the regional territory very well and manages crucial steering tools. Being an ULSG member allows DREAL to work together with the Rhône-Alpes Region authority to coordinate the implementation of both national and regional housing policies in the region.

• Rhône-Alpes Managing authority (State institution):ensures the global cohesion of EU policies implementation in the region. It can be directly linked with EU organisations. Joining ULSG allows it to follow the ongoing works in the CASH project and to design the next operational programmes for ERDF.


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WORK PLAN

Activities, results, time schedule, budget, indicators

Axis 1. EQB standardThe main activity of our LAP consists in following up the regional renovation plan based on the EQB standard, and to carrying out pilot operations to improve the overall quality of the renovation process (energy, social and economic aspects).The EQB standard will be a tool to achieve the regulatory renovation objective for social housing in Rhône-Alpes. About €80 million is needed for this until 2050.

Axis 2. MonitoringThe LAP will spread out the results of studies aiming to monitor the efficiency of renovation, and launch new ones until 2016. In a second phase (after 2016), a regional open database could centralise these results for better coordination and access to information.About €1.5 million is needed.

Axis 3. Financial engineering We intend to promote the use of financial tools to finance renovation operations. This will be done through the organisation of a regional workshop, and by launching studies and support pilot operations on Energy savings certificates and the Energy Performance Contract. This will be done until 2015, and require about €60,000.

Axis 4. Tenants awareness This Axis aims to encourage landlords to involve tenants more in saving energy when they enter their renovated homes. Awareness-raising will be done through a regional workshop (2013) and the publication of a guidebook with recommendations and examples of good practices about tenant assistance (2014-2016).The estimated budget is €50,000.

Axis 5. Professional trainingEmployees of works and maintenance firms need to be trained in new technologies, and on the management of the relationships with tenants. We intend to set up a training programme and to test it with the staff involved in the pilot operations (axis 1). This training plan could be a part of a regional training programme toward all professionals of thermal building renovation field.These activities shall be carried on from 2014 and require about €1m.

The EQB standard is the core intervention of RA Regional council to support social housing renovation. This axis is therefore is the main one in the LAP.

2. Monitoring and assessment of social housing renovationin Rhône-AlpesIn Rhône-Alpes there are many stakeholders involved in supporting the energy renovation of social housing. Their respective interventions cover diverse but complementary fields. Therefore a centralisation and coordination of all interventions and information is needed, mainly through the creation of a database.

3. Development of financial engineering In a context of lack of financial funds for both landlords and public organisations, increasing the use of existing financial tools and developing new ones is a requirement. Some tools are already used by landlords. Our works will axis on Energy Saving Certificates, Energy Performance contracts, and the financial contribution of the tenants themselves.

4. Tenants assistance and awareness about energy efficiencyThe final efficiency of a renovation depends on the tenants’ behaviour. That is why tenants have to be aware of the energy issue, and of the way to use the new equipments installed in their home. At a regional level the USLG intends to play the role of experience-sharer and support to innovative initiatives taken by landlords or inhabitants.

5. Professional trainingImproving the social and environmental efficiency of a renovation operation requires a change in the management of works. The firms responsible for works and maintenance need more training. Our partnership, together with landlords and firms, could set up a global training plan to improve the regional field of thermal renovation.

6. Production and dissemination of collective knowledgeThis axis aims to bring together the results of the whole LAP, and more broadly, of all the work done by the regional partnership on social housing thermal renovation. Gathering information could increase the visibility and the efficiency of interventions done at the regional level.


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- Regarding ESC, one problem is that some landlords cannot benefit from them due to regulatory constraints (the amount of energy savings is too low). In the framework of CASH ULSG, Rhône-Alpes Region will launch a study to find out solutions to pool ESC at a regional scale in order for these landlords to reach together the critical size to sell them. To put in place the tool proposed by the study, investments will be needed. ERDF could cover some of these investment costs (e.g.: fund the capital of a public company which could sell and redistribute ESC for the landlords) – which are not yet budgeted.

- Rhône-Alpes ULSG is working with Echirolles USLG as well to set up a feasibility study for the launching of an Energy performance contract on pilot renovation operations in Echirolles.

These two pilot operations represent some of the first steps toward a global reflection about a new financing scheme for the social housing renovation operations. To achieve this ambitious project, engineering support is needed and that is where the EU could support our project. ERDF credits could be used to finance technical support (experts in economics, law, energy), and to finance some pilot investments (e.g.: public society to pool ESC). In this process, coordination costs with all the stakeholders could be high (local authorities, national authorities, landlords, banks, energy firms, associations, etc.)

- The EU could help training professionals in the field of energy renovation of buildings (ERDF or ESF)

The other axis where a clear financial gap exists is the one related to professional training. Here EU could provide funds to:

- Pay professionals to set up a training programme for stakeholder of the renovation project cycle (it needs a background work to assess the training needs in order to match them)

- communicate about this new training programme – fundamental and advanced work lasting 1 or2 years to ensure that each stakeholder knows about it and see the advantages of being trained

- Hand out the training sessions (1 to 3 years), capitalise on their results, update them and set up new programmes in an improvement process.

This activity could be co-coordinated by Rhône-Alpes Region (competent to set up and finance professional training), ADEME (already providing training sessions on energy savings), ARRA-HLM (who trains the landlords in project management).

Axis 6. Collective knowledgeThe results of CASH and EE renovation in Rhône-Alpes will be spread during a regional workshop (2013 or 2014). This dissemination of information could be pursued through the development of a website. All data about EE renovation in social housing could be gathered into a collaborative platform (including the database of axis 2). It could be working in 2015. The planned budget is €55,000.

Stakeholders analysis related to activities In all LAP activities the main stakeholders are the “hard core” of the USLG, with the members described above. Other stakeholders can be, depending on the activities: landlords, firms (project managers, construction and maintenance), financial institutions, European Investment Bank, housing assistance organisations, Echirolles USLG, non-profit organisations for the environment, training firms. Depending on the activity they can be considered as primary stakeholders.

PRIORITY ACTIONS REQUIERING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM EUROPE

Financial support to the regional renovation plan

Considering the broad territory it covers, Rhône-Alpes’ LAP is thought more as a strategic planning than an operational one. The main issue to speed up the trend of housing rehabilitation is to find out financial resources. In 2007-2013 Operational Programme, ERDF financed renovation operations of the regional social housing stock (€15M). ERDF has been immediately programmed by regional social housing landlords, but all needs have not been fulfilled. Thus much more money is needed to achieve our energy efficiency objectives for the social housing sector. This priority is related to the first and third axis of our LAP (regional renovation plan and financial engineering).- Using ERDF to develop financial engineering

Besides this “traditional” subsidy model, the priority action of our LAP is to de-velop the use of new financial tools such as Energy Saving Certificates (ESC) and Energy Performance contracts, and to raise awareness about UE tools (such as JESSICA).


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Axis 1. Regional support for renovation oper-ations in social housing (regional EQB renovation plan - public and private housing)

2. The state of play, monitoring and as-sessment of public housing renovation in Rhône-Alpes: data base and steering tools implementation

Activity 1.1.Follow up the regional renovation plan

1.2. Carry out pilot renovation operations

2.1.Follow upthe development of studies and steering tools

2.2. Design adatabase to gather data from studies and steering tools

Result Carry out renovation operations based on the EQB Renovation standard

Pilot operation with innovativetechniques, financial engineering, partnership (public and private housing, collective or not). Promote existing operation and launchnew projects

Develop a large panel of monitoring and assessment tools fitting each type of eco-renova-tion operation

Regularly updated central database gathering the results of studies and steering tools. In order to have a complete view of the state of housing renovation in Rhône-Alpes

2013 X X

2014-2016 X X

> 2016 X X

Indicators - Number of EQB-level funded operations- Number of EQB standard updating- Number of EQB standard presentation meetings- Number of connections to EQB-renovation hotline

Number ofinnovative operations

Monitoring reports of existing tools- Existence of the data base- Number of updates per year

Financial resource

€75M from 2010 to 2050

€5M €1M €30,000

Stakeholders Main stakeholders- Rhône-Alpes Regional Council- Ademe- Landlords and Arra-Habitat - Tenants’ organisationsSecondary stakeholders- Financial organisations- Construction firms

Main stakeholders- Ademe- DREAL- Arra-habitat- Regional CouncilSecondary Stakeholders- Organisations for housing assistance

ACTIVITY TABLEPOLITICAL COMMITMENTRhône-Alpes’ LAP is supported by the Vice-President of Rhône-Alpes Region in charge of Housing policy. She attended two CASH seminars and follows the progress of the LAP, asking to strengthen the partnership and develop activities on some axis (e.g.: “citizens’ involvement” axis).Rhône-Alpes Regional council voted the launch of CASH project in 2010 (deliberation No.°10.10.277). It has been reminded about CASH when voting the launch of a study on financial tools in the framework of the project (July 2012). The report presented for vote informed the Regional Council about the LAP contents. The CASH project has been presented orally to the elected committee responsible for housing policy, on 27 September 2012. RRA local coordinator and one member of the City of Echirolles have led this presentation.The LAP therefore has a non-official status, but nevertheless stimulates political decision.

Contacts & sources

Service Ville, Habitats, SolidaritésAddress: Région Rhône-Alpes, Direction des Politiques Territoriales,1 esplanade François Mitterrand, CS 20033, 69269 LYON Cedex 2Phone: + 33 (0)4 26 73 41 09 e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.rhonealpes.fr www.logementsocialdurable.fr


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Axis 5. Professional training 6. Production and dissemination of a collective knowledge (ORHL ; logement-socialdurable.fr ; regional experience sharing platform)

Activity 5. 1. Set up a training programme for each targeted group

5.2. Training of all the stakeholders of pilot eco-renovation operations

6.1. Organisation of an ORHL workshop about energy efficiency in social housing

6.2. Collaborative website devoted to the renovation of social housing : development and updates

Result Multidisciplinary training tackling each thematic of the LAP, with a axis on the specific need of each public. To ensure a common knowledge basis and awareness raising

Training each team working on a new renovation project

Awareness raising about the project cycle of eco-renovation operations, issues and solutions as discussed further in the other LAP axis

Collaborative platform opened to the regional players of social housing, energy efficiency, local authorities (could host data from the monitoring database, general information pages, CASH outputs)

2013

2014-2016 X X

> 2016 X X

Indicators - Number of training set up by thematic

- Number of training participants- Number of professions targeted in each training session

- Workshop report- Number of participants

- Website creation- Number of connexions- 6-months update

Financial resource

€200,000 €1M €6,000 €50,000

Stakeholders Main stakeholders- Regional Council- Ademe- Landlords and Arra-Habitat - Firms responsible for exploitation and maintenanceSecondary stakeholders- Training firms- Organisations for housing assistance

Main stakeholders- Regional Council- Ademe- Landlords and Arra-Habitat - Tenants’ organisations- Organisations for housing assistance

Axis 3. Development of financial engineering: which financial tools to fund energetic renovation operations ?

4. Tenants assistance and awareness about energy efficiency: dissemination of good practices at a regional level

Activity 3.1. Organisation of a workshop about financial engineering for eco-renovation

3.2. Experimenta-tion of innovative financial tools on the ground

4.1. Workshop on inhabitants’ involvement with all regional stakeholders of the renovation process

4.2. Produce a regional guide on good practices for tenants’ assistance

Result Communication about innovative financial tools, their opportunities, the way to implement them at a regional level. Targeted public: social housing and energy efficiency organisations, local authorities.

Strategic action plan to experiment Energy savings certificates and develop Energy performance contracts (pilot operation or other, eg technical assistance to landlords)

Sharing experiences and paving the way to improve inhabitantsinvolvement: inform stakeholders, create dialog between them, involve the landlords for a better cooperation

Guidebook setting up the basis of aregional code of conduct considering cooperation,involvement and awareness raising of the tenants. One part of the guide targeting the tenants themselves and the other one targeting all other stakeholder of the renovation project cycle

2013 X X

2014-2016 X

> 2016 X X

Indicators Workshop report- Number of participants

- Number of pilot operations- Publication of studies and analysis reports

Workshop report- Number of participants

Guidebook publication- Number of guidebook presentation meetings

Financial resource

€10,000 €50,000 (studies and engineering only)

€10,000 €40,000

Stakeholders Main stakeholders- Landlords and Arra-Habitat- Regional Council- Echirolles USLGSecondary Stakeholders- Caisse des Dépôts - Rhône Alpes Energie Environnement- Tenants’ organisations- European Investment Bank

Main stakeholders- Regional Council- Ademe- Landlords and Arra-Habitat - Tenants’ organisationsSecondary stakeholders- Firms responsible for exploitation and maintenance - Project manager and Construction firms


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CASH FINAL LAP ON ENERGY EFFICIENT RENOVATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING

FRANKFURT AM MAIN

C I T I E S ’ A C T I O N F O R S U S T A I N A B L E H O U S I N G - F R A N K F U R T A M M A I N


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Traditionally, most company owned social housing units are connected to large scale or local district heating networks, in general with heat from cogeneration.

At the local level, the City of Frankfurt am Main has an Energy and Climate Action plan, where energy saving (heat and electricity) and the growth of district heat and cogeneration are the main targets. The city aims to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 40% until 2020. In 2012, the City Council decided that Frankfurt should shift to 100% renewable energies while reducing demand until 2050. A new national funded project to set up a “100% climate protection master plan” was started in year 2012.

The City of Frankfurt am Main is therefore faced with the following situation:There is a huge potential for reducing energy demand and energy costs in social housing.The national framework does not provide much support to meet these targets.However, there are some funding programmes, which can be used.

Therefore the main action on the local level axes on organising local cooperation and presenting local shining examples. A main instrument will be the “Common Energy Advice Centre” Energie-Punkt – Energieberatungszentrum Frankfurt e.V. (association), with 17 members (craftsmen guilds, energy companies, etc.) comprising all activities of other partners which offer energy advice.

Another instrument should be a refurbishment roadmap for the whole housing stock. With this instrument we want to develop a long-term strategy until 2050 with the goal of a CO2-reduction of about 90%.

In the Cities Energy and Climate Internet City Guide, there is the possibility of virtually visiting the projects with CHP in social housing, passive houses, solar installations etc.

► http://stadtplan.frankfurt.de/klimaschutz/html/de/index.html

CONTEXT

Global context The national energy policy in Germany is focused on energy efficiency and renewable energies with the climate target of reducing CO2 emissions by 30% until 2020 (and by 40% if all other EU-member states will set a European target of a 30% reduction). There is a long tradition in Germany of energy efficiency requirements for buildings as for residential buildings and social buildings. The main legal framework is the energy saving law and the energy saving ordinance which are defining targets and heat transmission and losses limits for buildings. Residential buildings account for 20% of total CO2-emissions with a high saving potential of a reduction of more than 60% end energy and 80% CO2-emissions.

However, the energy saving ordinance axes mainly on new buildings, and the re-quirements for existing buildings are rather weak. The opportunity for social landlords are funding and financing programmes offered by the government via the KFW-bank.

The main obstacle for the tenants and rent law remains that there is still no legal solution for solving the tenant-investor dilemma (raising of rent by 11% of energy modernisation costs and the reduction of energy costs)Social housing in Germany is defined by a law to support the construction of new dwellings for low-income households (defined as households with an annual income of less than €12,000 (1 person), €18,000 (2 persons) + €4,100 (per any other person)). The outgoing rent should be lower than about €5-6 /sq. Metre permonth.

Local contextThe City of Frankfurt am Main has been active in energy saving and climate protection since 1990 (and before). In 1990, we founded the energy agency. The modernisation of buildings and especially- social housing has always been a axis. The City owns a residential housing company (ABG Frankfurt Holding) with more than 50,000 dwellings. This company is systematically modernising new buildings as well as some existing buildings, and creating the passive house standard. Together with some other residential housing companies, there are about 100,000/300,000 (33%) social housing property by companies (but some of these are no longer counted as social housing). Concerning the “non corporate”- private sector we don’t have statistics about the percentage of co-owned property.


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There is a strong need to find a compromise in the level of interests. There is a proposal that one-third of the costs of energy modernisation must be paid by the landlord toward maintaining the house, one-third by the tenant to keep the “warm rent = rent + energy costs” constant and the other third through state funding to achieve CO2 reduction and lower energy imports. This must be solved at a national level.

At the local level we can try to organise model projects and a Clearing office.

A principal economical obstacle is that in bigger cities there is a survey of rents of residential dwellings (“Mietspiegel”), which acts as a reference system. Some dwellings with definite characteristics will be allowed to have a specific rent. Higher rents can be reduced if tenants lodge a complaint. However, the heat energy demand of residential houses is not included in this rent survey scheme. The City of Frankfurt is updating its rent scheme, and after some delay, this will be presented in first quarter of 2011, and if statistically proved, will include a factor of how lower energy demand may result in higher rent (and vice versa). For the first time, the City of Frankfurt has developed and presented a rent survey that includes energy criteria. If a landlord has installed new windows or a new boiler, the rent may be raised by about €0.20-€0.40 €/sqm. per month. This value was derived through statistical means, and therefore the higher rent for “new windows only” cannot be seen as a good recommendation for improvement. We are therefore still thinking about another approach to change the regulation to shift investment to rents in the national rent law.

Additionally there will be an integration of the successful electricity saving service of the CARITAS Energy team in Frankfurt. This service is based on the training of unemployed persons as “simple” energy checkers to help low-income households save electricity and water. Because in some cases the “warm rent” including rent and heating costs is higher after the modernisation of heating, lowering the total costs for living areas by saving electricity and water may be helpful. This service was launched in 2005 and will be extended through another EU-funded project in 2011 (the “ACHIEVE” project funded by the IEE programme). There are plans to expand this service to save heat energy and to control heating bills.

Problem analysis• IdentificationThe main obstacles are:- No right legal framework for energy modernisation of buildings, no legal

requirements- No balance between tenants’ and landlord’s interests- Landlords are not at all motivated to modernise - Programme too complicated, and funding programmes that are often changed- Architects and craftsmen do not know enough about modernisation components

(see 2.1., Appendix)- No long-term strategy for the housing stock - There is no lack concerning technology. - There are a sufficient number of studies; the main problem is organising local action

with insufficient background and framework from national level.

There is a lack of information about the transformation of modernisation costs into higher rents. Typically 11% of the investment for energetic modernisation (additional costs) can be transformed to higher rent. But the reduction of energy costs is usually lower. There is a lack of transparency about how modernisation can be implemented in an economically and social feasible way. The City of Frankfurt therefore is planning to install a “clearing office”, based on a contractual agreement with the landlord’s organisation, where house-owners and tenants can reach an agreement about modernisation of the buildings, supported by landlord and tenant associations. The basic idea and planning of a “clearing office” has been presented to the landlords association, but they refused this idea, even though they had once asked for such an office. In 2013, there will be another approach, but the cooperation with the landlords association strongly depends on the acceptance of the director of this association.

• Causes This non-conducive political background is due to conflicting interests of tenants and landlords, mainly property owners, who are reluctant to invest in energy saving, and are backed mainly by the conservative and liberal parties.

• Consequences


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STRATEGIC AXES The key strategic axis is to overcome the obstacles through a national framework by organising local cooperation schemes after the identification of common interests of the different players.

We are trying to solve problems within model projects and hope that this will help to find solutions on national level.

The main parts of the Frankfurt LAP are:Setting up of a new structured energy advice centre, the members of this energy advice centre will also act as a ULSG in this field. The energy advice centre was founded in May 2010 and became operational in 2011. It comprises 18 members: energy companies, several craftsmen guilds, the Caritas Energy team, the tenant organisation and several energy advisors and architects.

Frankfurt am Main invented and launched the “Electricity Saving Check”together with Caritas in 2005. Today, more than 2000 checks have been made in Frankfurt, and more than 80,000 in 100 other German cities. Unemployed persons will be trained to run these saving checks while installing direct saving technologies in the household. Electricity and water consumption is immediately reduced by 25%. Two EU-funded programmes are extending this experience to other EU member states.

The next “Mietspiegel” should comprise energy issues. This rent “mirror” survey compares rent by statistical means with several comfort and interior issues of rents. Energy demand was initially not included. The first “rent mirror with energy components” was made in 2011. Landlords now can claim a higher rent i.e. €0.30 /sq.m per month if a new heating boiler or new energy saving windows have been installed. The 2011 Mietspiegel was stopped after political complaints related to general rent increases in some districts of Frankfurt. A new Mietspiegel that includes energy criteria has now been launched.

We have introduced a new information service to improve the understanding of incomprehensive heating bills (more than 20% of bills are just wrong!) To address the energy savings potential through the behaviour of users (tenants), there is a long existing scheme of heat billing in Germany. However, the scheme lasts 6-12 months after the heating period before the heating bill is sent. Heating bills are very difficult to understand and there are calculation errors in a large number.

ULSG – URBACT Local Support group A ULSG is not set up on its own because there are constant cooperation projects with the Frankfurt housing company, the planning department and specific architects. The ABG Frankfurt Holding has set up a statistics about the status of energy demand of their buildings and a plan on how the buildings stock will be modernised step by step. There is a constant exchange of experience with social housing companies mainly on bilateral basis.

We started a proposal to set up a “Clearing Office” with the association of landlords to clear the costs of modernisation related to raising of the rent. The Energiereferat developed a calculation methodology to give a transparent basis of the modernisation costs. When we presented it to the landlords’ association, they were no longer interested. This shows that local initiatives to transform modernisation costs to rents only can be solved within another national framework.

LAP MAIN GOAL – CITY ENERGY EFFICIENT SOCIAL HOUSING POLICYThe main goal is to pave the way towards an 80% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2050.

In social housing, the comfort level of housing concerning indoor climate and health status should be improved. Additionally the total rent (rent plus energy and water costs) should be kept at the same level or only slightly higher. This leads to the target of heat costs neutral rent = affordable rent, where raising of rents should be offset by lower heat costs.

Sustainability in social housing ensuring healthy houses with affordable rents while maintaining buildings with lower energy demand for lower CO2 emissions.


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WORK PLAN • Activities, results, time schedule, budget, indicators

Support for energy advice centre: €50,000 p.a. by city, €50,000 p.a.by other membersIndicator: Number of consultations, expected savings.Model project for modernisation of 2 houses with nice façade: 2* €50,000 funding by the City (2010-2012) Mietspiegel – no additional money needed because it already exists. No indicator, because Mietspiegel works indirectly as a framework for the market. Energy saving service is supported by €15,000 each year, most of funding comes now from national level€100,000 for the development of the simulation tool for housing stock

• Stakeholders analysis related to activities Primary stakeholders are housing companies and private landlords, they have the buildings, the money and the power to decide whether or not to modernise and how to do so. They like to have a good building stock to obtain a high percentage of rented flats (fewer unoccupied flats) and to keep their property sustainable. Secondary stakeholders are City planning and City energy agenciesThe City can lead the way through urban and energy planning, the City follows local political energy-saving and CO2 reduction targets. Energy companies and craftsmen, architects and planners can support modernisation projects. They are driven by good quality and the desire to keep customers satisfied by low energy demand.

• Risk analysis and Logical framework The main risk is that the general political and economical framework will not support or force private landlords who are not interested in energy modernisation at all. A kind of push-pull policy is needed. The main challenge will be that local housing companies will have to show how they could be better on the market.

The “logical framework” is that you start good and ambitious projects at a local level, with competent motivated partners and using this as a general example to try to extend this experience to other partners. This strategy has worked in Frankfurt with respect to the energy standard of new office buildings, and the establishment of the passive house standard.

The City of Frankfurt and consumer associations as well as tenant organisations offer a service to check the heating bill. To develop a general and common scheme for informing tenants about heat energy and heat costs in Europe may be an important target of the CASH project group. Frankfurt provided a report on this service and results at the Utrecht seminar in January 2011 and at the Frankfurt seminar in September 2011.

Refurbishment roadmap – Long-term planning is essential for housingrenovation. A house will be only renovated once in 25 to 30 years, or even longer periods for a full refurbishment, so it is a once in a life time opportunity, to do it in an Energy Efficient way (see 2.2, Appendix). However, what should be the energy standard target of a refurbishment? This depends on the development of renewable energies and the different potential of buildings types.

The first step is to analyse and to collect data of the housing stock. The next step is the development of a dynamic simulation tool for the housing stock. With this tool we want to determine how much renewable energies and which kind of energy standards by refurbishment is needed for an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions until 2050. Different model projects should complement this. In the end, the results of the simulation and of the model project should be part of a long-term roadmap for the Frankfurt housing stock.

ULSG INVOLVED(describe the local support group created to develop the LAP)

In the ULSG are involved:Residential housing companies, architects, urban planning department, office for heritage protection, craftsmen guilds, and energy companies.

Why Residential housing companies because they are owners. Some of them are motivated to have a low-energy building stock in futureSeveral organisations are interested in energy advice because they can offer their servicesPlanning and heritage municipal offices want to integrate urbanism and energy saving.


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POLITICAL COMMITMENT The political commitment of the City of Frankfurt is to combine environmental protection and CO2-emission reduction (100% renewable until 2050) in an economic way. Frankfurt wanted to become European Green Capital and was one of the shortlisted cities in June 2012 (the winner was Copenhagen). It will apply again in some years and will maintain the “on the way to Green City” process.

CASH Summer Meeting - ResultsWe want to refer to the results of the CASH Summer Meeting between the cities Utrecht, Sonderborg and Frankfurt am Main, supported by the Lead expert Jan Dictus.

The results of the summer meeting include a more general, but common, problem analysis, solutions and recommendations for the sustainable development of social housing. The results of this summer meeting are an important supplement of our Local Action Plan.

Contacts & sources

Internet links:

► http://stadtplan.frankfurt.de/klimaschutz/html/de/index.html► www.frankfurt-spart-strom.de► www.kwk-kampagne-frankfurt.de► www.stromspar-check.de► www.energiereferat.stadt-frankfurt.de ► www.greenbuilding-award.de ► www.energiepunkt-frankfurt.de

The main risk is that some politicians, media and architects continue to bicker about heat energy saving with wall insulation, even now that oil prices are at their highest level. In the current context of the German “Energiewende” (Energy transition) to phase out nuclear power, the heat-saving component is nearly not a real part of the transition. The German government has not implemented the heat saving strategy after 2 years. Local players such as cities have therefore started to develop their own local heat energy transition strategy with heat maps and modernisation road maps (Sanierungsfahrplan).

We will prepare the knowhow, the structures, the cooperation partner models – and wait for the next oil crisis (and a political change that may help to change the attitudes of landlords) to implement some of our proposals to change the legal framework.

PRIORITY ACTIONS / PILOT OPERATIONS In Frankfurt, nearly no projects will be directly funded by ERDF. The region/county of Hessen is able to set up funding programmes to transform ERDF funds to local partners.

The main funding for energy modernisation is made by KfW-bank. We could propose an ERDF funded programme especially for buildings with facades to be maintained by inner insulation. This is a problem faced many low-income tenants all over Europe with private landlords.


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LES MUREAUX

SYNTHESIS OF CASH LAP ON ENERGY EFFICIENT RENOVATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING

C I T I E S ’ A C T I O N F O R S U S T A I N A B L E H O U S I N G - L E S M U R E A U X


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PROBLEM ANALYSISOur territory has 11 social landlords with whom it is sometimes difficult to exchange data on energy consumption.We also have difficulties when we move from a central boiler to individual heating because bills are increased. This is because the tenants do not know how to use them properly and do not always have the right behaviour. Sometimes the bad behaviour has a cultural origin, sometimes it is people who do not know how to use heaters, ventilation, etc. We also have a problem because there is no public consultation with tenants prior to the project. The project is exposed to tenants after the owners have taken their decision.

We also have financing problems. They are too small compared to the cost of our project.The financial aspect is crucial in this kind of project to carry out all the projects of urban renovation.We see a lot of behavioural problems (many people have high energy bills because they use their housing facilities incorrectly).We know that the best way to start a community energy project is through participation and public awareness. We need more action and need educate the public to make better use of housing facilities.

LAP MAIN GOAL – CITY ENERGY EFFICIENT SOCIAL HOUSING POLICYThe main goal of the ULSG is to make Les Mureaux a centre of energy efficiency. The city wants to develop a training school to train students for careers in energy, to bring new skills in energy to professionals of the territory to ensure their effective use in all renovation projects in our territory. Thus, people will use less energy, pay lower bills and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The working group which is the most active is the “Shared energy skill centre “(technical training platform). This group works with all ULSG players: municipality services, engineering schools, major energy companies, associations, social landlords, etc.We would like to educate all the people. We want tenants to have the reflexes to best use their housing. We want them to identify where they can get information and ask any questions.

CONTEXT

Global context In France, as in many other European countries, the share of the built-up environment in total energy consumption is the highest at 44%. To deal with this environmental challenge, the French government has launched various policies in the last two years. The two Grenelle de l’Environment roundtables led to the promulgation on 12 July 2010 of the “Law on national commitment to the environment”, which encompassed six areas including energy and buildings. It consists in the reduction of energy consumption and the carbon content of production, as well as improving energy efficiency in buildings.

The social housing sector is one of the main targets of the French government. The challenge is very strong for housing managers who have to invest but who have rent increase limitations imposed by regulations.Grenelle 1 provides for the rehabilitation of 800,000 housing units by 2020.

Local contextIn 2010, the city of Les Mureaux signed the Convention of Mayors. It is committed to reducing its energy consumption by 20%, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and use 20% renewable energy by 2020.The social housing sector is owned by HLM (low-rent housing) agencies or other social housing providers and is subject to HLM rent laws.In 2012, the city counts 5,159 social housing units, which accounts for 46% of the entire housing stock. Les Mureaux has 11 social landlords.

Since 2006, Les Mureaux has been engaged in a National Renovation Programme and has signed an agreement with the state to improve and transform the town’s lifestyle. Les Mureaux and its surrounding areas thus represent one of the most important areas of urban renovation in France. The city wants to improve its energy strategy. We wish to combine the two heating systems just to make in order to cover the entire city. In the end we want operate only with renewable energy: wood with our wood boiler. This will enable us to obtain a classification for our heating system.


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Our three working groups are:- Expense’ observatory, involving: Veolia, inter-social landlords, CAUE (urbanism,

environment and architecture), ODD (Office of Sustainable Development), council energy information.

- Shared energy skill centre: Committee of Experts, engineering schools, researchers, business corporations.

- Model Renovation.The direction of sustainable development meets the project managers to provide solutions.

WORK PLAN

STRATEGIC AXIS 1 :Energy charges observatory at municipal scaleThe stakeholders for this strategic axis are the Office of Sustainable Development, housing services, AUDAS (town planning and development of Seine Aval), elected representatives in charge of urban renovation projects, sustainable development, and housing, social landlords, associations (Réprocité, etc.). The primary stakeholders in this group are: Housing services, AUDAS and an association in charge of fuel poverty (Energies Solidaires).Main barriers identified: the difficulty of obtaining data on the specific energy consumption of tenants.

STRATEGIC AXIS 2 : Model renovationThe stakeholders for this strategic AXIS are the elected representatives in charge of urban renovation projects, sustainable development, the urban renovation services, the public spaces and sustainable development services, social landlords, the consulting firm Explicit, funders, the Energies Solidaires and Reciprocité associations and the Office of Sustainable Development. The primary stakeholders are the urban renovation services, housing services and social landlords. All the social landlords and the urban renovation services work together. National and European funders are also important. Each renovation project is different and special. For instance, the Sofilogis project is an example of changing from electric heating to a district heating network.Main barriers identified: difficulty of discussing issues with social landlords, lack of public consultations, lack of funding.

STRATEGIC AXES

STRATEGIC AXIS 1 : Energy charges observatory at municipal scaleAims: To identify critical items of energy consumption in order to propose concrete solutions to support families, to raise energy saving awareness and to learn good habits.

STRATEGIC AXIS 2 : Model renovationAims : The city wants to be an example for other cities in terms of urban renovation. With the renovation of seven social housing districts, the city of Mureaux has the largest urban renovation programme in France. The renovation is exemplary in terms of development of public spaces, but also with specific examples as Sofilogis, Osica, etc.

STRATEGIC AXIS 3 : Shared energy skill center/center of excellence in energyAims : Create partnerships with industries, universities and schools leaders, a centre of excellence ... to receive each year students training from the energy sector, develop continuing education in the territory and promote the rise of the economic network Seine Aval.

URBACT Local Support Group (ULSG) INVOLVEDIn our USLG we have scientist experts in building, a national agency that gives financial and technical supports into environment and energy project, major energy companies. We also benefit from the support of advisors and financial planning.We also have the support of the management authority who used to be in charge of European founds and who is very present for a long time in our territory. All these stakeholders have been chosen because they are involved in our strategic priorities. We had to ask all local players so that everyone can express themselves in decision-making. There was a meeting in April 2009 when the city presented the proposed CASH each.

We have a particular mode of operation. We have three working groups each with a project manager. The three working groups are autonomous. The direction of sustainable development meets the project managers to provide solutions.


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Our model renovation project includes two pilot operations:The first project (A1-B1, approx. 7000 square meters, 75 housing units) is to create a new impetus for the neighbourhood. It will change the housing supply and create a new image of the district.Social landlord: OsicaWinning architect: Devillers Requirements in terms of environmental and energy efficiency: - designing the housing units such that units receive the maximum of sun during the

day and the year, double oriented units, along an east-west AXIS- getting the Low Energy Building Label (BBC) and the A mark for energy

consumption- connecting the apartments to the public heating system- installing individual water and heating meters- adding an external thermal insulation

The second pilot operation is: Operation JOUHAUX WOODThe social landlord is OPIEVOYIt is a mixed operation rehabilitation/construction with a programme of rehabilitation about 200 units.New Construction: 43 + 11 social housing units in accession?A competition was launched on the basis of current specifications require. BBC for new housing and rehabilitated and bioclimatic highly objective stated in the specifications of the Chief Planner GPRU.

STRATEGIC AXIS 3 :Shared energy skill centre/centre of excellenceThe stakeholders for this strategic AXIS are the public planning department of Mantois (EPAMSA), schools and training bodies (EPMI, Universities, IFAPTP, ENSIATE), engineering firms (BURGEAP), SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises), large companies/groups (EDF, Veolia, Schneider Electric, INEO, etc.), the House Employment Upstream 78, Fondaterra, architects, social landlords, property developers, funders (ADEME, Regional Office), consulting firms, experts, Energies Solidaires and Reciprocité associations, Office of Sustainable Development.The primary stakeholders are engineering schools, BURGEAP, large companies and the municipality.This project is a pioneering project. The goal is to make Les Mureaux a centre of excellence in energy efficiency. Many partners are working together on this project. They include engineering schools, the region, ADEME, technical research departments. All municipality departments and the communication department are part of the project, together with the urban renovation service. Technical and economic networks are activated. This project is at the heart of our CASH project.As part of this “Campus Energy” project, funding is very important. It is the basis of the success of this operation. The engineering schools have recently undertaken to pay for the equipment and maintenance of energy devices.Main barriers identified: lack of funding, the difficulty in defining good governance.

PRIORITY ACTIONS / PILOT OPERATIONS

The Sofilogis project is currently on holdAs part of our project “Centre of Excellence in Energy”, we have another pilot operation. This operation involves the establishment of an exemplary building. In this building, we could bring in the public for exhibitions on energy, to advise them, to answer their questions. But will also be a place of training and testing for students, for professionals and for anyone interested in learning more about energy. We have identified the building: it is the former treasury of the city. The project manager will be chosen in September. This operation is valid for AXIS 1 and AXIS 3, because the building can be used to educate and raise the awareness of the public.We have other projects in progress such as our wood boiler project. This draft wood boiler is part of the implementation of our unique heating network.


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REFERENCESUrban Renovation Project (ANRU)

► http://www.lesmureaux.fr/index.php/?idpage=200&idmetacontenu=118&id dossiercontenu=17

Energy Efficiency in les Mureaux

► http://www.ecoconstruction-seineaval.com/ actionsetserviceszoom-sur/2eme-colloque-efficacite-energetique-seine-aval/

District heating Project

► http://www.projetsurbains.com/files/projets/1099-gpu1LesMureaux.pdf

List of environmental labels :

RT 2005: 2005 thermal lawRT 2012: 2012 thermal law

Labels for newly constructed buildings:• Haute Performance Energétique (HPE): High Energy Performance• Haute Performance Energétique énergies renouvelables (HPE EnR): High Energy

Performance Sustainable Energies• Très Haute Performance Energétique (THPE): Very High Energy Performance• Très Haute Performance Energétique énergies renouvelables (THPE EnR): Very High Energy Performance Sustainable Energies• Bâtiment Basse Consommation (BBC) et BBC Effinergie: Low Energy Building

Labels for existing buildings:• HPE Rénovation: High Energy Performance for Renovated Building• BBC Rénovation: Low Energy Renovated Building

Certifications for newly constructed buildings: • Habitat et Environnement: Housing and Environment• Qualitel: Qualitel Certification for technical and economical performance• Performance: Performance

POLITICAL COMMITMENTThe city of Les Mureaux is a signatory to the Covenant of Mayors. It is committed to reducing its energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as using more renewable energy. It marks its willingness to act to reduce energy consumption. So it makes every effort to ensure that the lines described are exemplary actions.The city of Les Mureaux encourages all players of the territory to achieve its actions to reduce energy consumption

The political commitment of Les Mureaux is reflected in the funding of several associations in our territory.Indeed, the city funds the association “Energies Solidaires”, expert in fuel poverty (€ 40,000/year).Les Mureaux also funds the Office of Sustainable Development (€50,000/year). They participate in educating people in sustainable development.The city also funds an association of professional reintegration called “Réciprocités”. Agents go to meet the population.The city also funds a social contract to support families in their home ownership.The city participates in the “Living Better” programme which funds the work of energy saving in private housing .The city believes in the potential of each player on its territory and encourages them in order to see several initiatives developing.


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The Les Mureaux large urban renovation project (GPRU) is characterised by its extent and ambition:- Demolition of approximately 1,075 housing units- Reconstruction of approximately 510 on-site housing units in the scope ANRU

and 565 off-site construction- Construction of 470 rental and free homeownership units- Rehabilitation and residentialisation approximately 2,465 housing units- Redevelopment of public areas of the districts concerned (recovery and creation

of streets, parks and public spaces)- Creation and restructuring of various public facilities.

The project is based on six principles to restore urban residential conditions and make them attractive:- Opening up areas by the road network;- Create a public domain;- Maintain and build equipment to restore readability in the city;- Restructure the land and build scalable housing units;- Diversify the housing stock;- Make arrangements and quality construction through a High Environmental Quality

(recycling of materials, sharing equipment, alternative techniques for stormwater treatment, restructuring the supply of transit, bikeways, etc.)

Contacts & sources

City department in charge of the LAP:Laëtitia BIDEAU-MARUEJOULS. In charge of Sustainable Development Missions.Phone: +33 (0)1 30 91 37 54 e-mail: [email protected] BONAFOUX : Manager of Sustainable Development and Publics Spaces Service.Phone: +33 (0)1 30 91 37 52 e-mail: ice. [email protected]: http://www.lesmureaux.fr/

• NF Logement: French Standard for Housing• NF Logement Démarche HQE: French Standard for High Environmental Quality Process

Certifications for renovated buildings:• Habitat existant: Existing buildings• Patrimoine et Habitat: Heritage and Housing• Patrimoine, Habitat et Environnement: Heritage, Housing and Environment

OVERVIEW OF MAJOR PROJECT OF URBAN RENEWAL OF MUREAUXThe City of Les Mureaux is engaged in a wide ANRU Urban Renovation Project (ERP) whose objectives fall within the framework of the Law of 1 August 2003:- Rehabilitate sensitive neighbourhoods in cities in a dynamic of sustainable development;- Stop the process of urban and social exclusion of these areas;- Renovate lasting and deep urban setting.

This project involves 7 districts (Cité Renault, Grand West, Ile de France, Les Bougimonts, Bécheville, La Vigne Blanche and Musicians). The neighbourhoods of the city and Renault Grand West are two geographically and functionally independent areas. Other districts form a vast “large ensemble” whose mono-functionality and the land situation are important factors of isolation and rigidity. The PRU for a total of over 4000 dwellings inhabited by more than 15,000 inhabitants, which has grown by 70 hectares, or 25% of the municipal territory.


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MUNICIPALITYOF EORDEA, PTOLEMAIDA, GREECE

LOCAL ACTION PLAN CASHURBACT II

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Problem Analysis:The baseline study was prepared in February 2010. It presented a review of the modernisation of housing in Ptolemaida. Conversely, the Municipality owns a significant amount of buildings with a very low energy efficiency level.

LOCAL SUPPORT GROUP and LOCAL PARTNERSThe Local Support Group (LSG) held its inaugural meeting in February 2010 at the time of the Baseline Review visit (peer review).

The main participants of the Eordea-CASH-LSG are the following:• Municipality of Eordea,- Programming and Planning Dept.- Urban & Land Planning Dept.- Municipal District Heating Company- Environmental & Cleaning Dept.• Local branches of nationwide banks• Representatives of private housing and building/renovating companies • Club of Engineers of Eordea (Architects/Engineers)• Public Power Company (DEI SA)• Centre of Renewable Energy Sources• Local and Regional Media representatives

These partners were actually chosen in such a way that all sectors that are directly and indirectly linked to the housing sector were represented: municipal players, banks and buildings, PPC (Public Power Company DEI SA) that plays a key role in the area, and the media that passes on the ULSG’s message to citizens.

The ULSG held two more meetings, in August 2011 and January 2012.At the second ULSG meeting, the legal framework in Greece was thoroughly discussed, as well as the strategic axes of our LAP and the project update. The third ULSG meeting discussed the next steps.

CONTEXT

BASELINE STUDY

Global context In Greece there are still many problems and obstacles, to the modernisation of building stock and the improvement of energy efficiency.A first attempt at regulation and convergence of the Greek law to the Kyoto Protocol was the approval of the “National Programme for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for 2000-2010”. This programme was launched by a Cabinet Decree of March 2003 and at the time, it was estimated that there would be a slight increase in consumption for the housing sector in the next 20 years, due to air conditioning devices.Now, the “visible” national target is the European 20-20-20 target, which is becoming increasingly difficult with the continued economic crisis and the austerity it demands.

It is obvious that this and all newer national regulations, which are really new and sometimes contradictory, are generally not very satisfactory and need to be codified further to simplify things.The main activities at the local level will AXIS on organising information for house owners and tenants, to provide more transparency on how they can benefit from the modernisation of their buildings in relation to the cost of modernisation

Local contextThe city of Ptolemaida has significant experience in energy saving infrastructure, due to the existence of the first installation of district heating all over Greece. Furthermore, it is a signatory to the Covenant of Mayors and a member of the Energy Cities association.

There is no such thing as social housing in Ptolemaida and in Greece in general and a large percentage of residential property is owned by individuals. Additionally, there is only a small amount of houses that can be likened to social housing, as it is present in the Europe.

Individuals and housing construction entrepreneurs have only a time limited experience in specialised energy efficiency actions, more than the requirements of the law for building construction.


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COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGYInformation about the CASH project will be distributed thoroughly either by the Municipal Press Dept. or members of the LSG, which are a regional TV Channel and a prefectural newspaper.

The main target groups of the communication are housing companies, house owners, chambers of architects and engineers, landlord and tenant associations, politicians at local and national level.

Tenants will be informed through a local publication by the housing company, which is distributed among all tenants.

LOCAL ACTION PLANThe local action plan in the Municipality of Eordea (LAP) will be focused on the following strategic axes of actions, working steps and targets:

Strategic AXIS 1: Social Sector 1. The level of public awareness has to be raised, as well as energy training and

education, through constantly measurable data, targeted at improving their behaviour. An annual meeting or workshop, together with a TV show would definitely improve things in this sector.

2. An information centre has to be established. Its target will be to inform citizens about the ways in which they can improve the energy efficiency of their houses and this could be done with the cooperation of the Club of Engineers of Eordea, some of whose members are also energy supervisors. A guide could also be issued by this informative centre. Therefore, the next activity for the LSG is to rent a suitable office – probably in the City Hall- to host this information centre.

Strategic AXIS 2: Administrative Sector:There is a huge lack of an energy service company (ESCO). Its role could be covered by the municipal district company and this initiative has to be more thoroughly examined. The problem is that the legislation for the operation of such a company is not yet totally described and specified by the Greek government.

MAIN TARGETS of the CASH project in Eordea There is no long-term tradition in Greece concerning energy efficiency in residential buildings, only some directive and laws, mainly concentrated on new constructed buildings.

In the last couple of years, there have been new national regulations to modernise the residential building stock, which compared with some new funding programmes seem to be widely accepted by Greek residents and especially owners (i.e. “save money at home” programme).There are no other support programmes at the national or regional level for these initiatives.

The problem in Greece with the new regulation (called “KENAK”) is the supervision of construction, to ensure that energy efficiency standards are complied with. This regulation has also increased construction costs, which is a disadvantage nowadays. Also, overall building capacity has dropped significantly due to the economic - credit - crisis.

The Greek government has set new rules and regulations for energy efficiency, but because of the current situation it is highly impossible and unlikely that these targets (such as 20-20-20) will be met.

On a local level, the Municipality of Eordea has a main energy plan, the main targets of which are energy saving (heat and electricity) and the growth of district heat and cogeneration. This plan has to be reinforced by the presence of the newly established term of “energy supervisors”, appointed by the Ministry of Environment.

There is also a big potential for the municipality of Eordea to take advantage of European co-funded projects such as ESPA 2007-2013 and proceed with the improvement of energy efficiency in public buildings to bring down operational costs to a significant level.

In the municipality of Eordea and because of the activity of the PPC, some villages are forced to be relocated, so that the lignite in their bedrock can be excavated and exploited. These relocations can be a significant opportunity for the municipality to create innovative villages where energy efficiency and the reduction of CO2 emissions will be the top priority.


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Strategic AXIS 3: Technical SectorA series of pilot projects for the improvement of municipal buildings’ energy efficiency improvement shall be executed (e.g., schools, swimming buildings).

Strategic AXIS 4: Financial SectorA thorough and detailed recording shall take place, where all the financial tools at the regional, national and European level will be used to assist citizens and enterprises in improving their building’s energy efficiency.

CONCLUSIONThis local action plan has already taken into account the general strategic planning of the Municipality of Eordea and one of the following steps for the municipality is the incorporation of the actions and activities of the above mentioned strategic axes into the final Municipal Business Plan. In this way, the political commitment will be more than obvious in the coming years and for the next municipal authorities of the area.

Contacts & sources

City service in charge of the LAP:Kostas Nikou – CASH Coordinator, Mayor’s Executive Councillor


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LOCAL ACTION PLAN

ENERGY EFFICIENCY INSOCIAL HOUSINGSONDERBORG

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Masterplan for Sønderborg

PROBLEM ANALYSIS

Identification of challenges by stakeholdersThe local support group has identified some of the significant challenges of energy renovation faced by the housing associations, as described below. Although the local support group has the necessary motivation and knowledge for energy renovation in the departments of the housing associations, these challenges sometimes prevent the energy projects from being realised.

Solar cell panelOften, housing associations install solar cells for common areas. This is partly due to the fact that tenants in housing associations do not have the same tax benefits as private home owners and that tenants in housing associations can freely choose their electricity company.

CONTEXT

Global context In March 2012 the Danish government adopted an energy policy for 2012-2020. The implementation of a renewable energy supply by 2050 requires an energy efficiency improvement plan to reduce energy waste and energy consumption in all sectors.

ProjectZero in SønderborgSønderborg City Council has a vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2029. To attain this goal, it created a public private partnership named ProjectZero in 2007. ProjectZero is the vision of creating economic growth in the Sønderborg region, based on a carbon neutral development. Our goal is to reduce the region’s domestic electricity consumption by half and the CO2 emissions by 75% before 2020. By 2029, our ambition is to fully eliminate the region’s CO2 emissions. The project’s primary AXIS is energy - intelligent management of energy consumption and converting energy production to sustainable sources. Subsequently, we will AXIS on the related environmental aspects.The realisation of the project is based on a close cooperation between the companies, the citizens, the educational institutions and the municipality of Sønderborg. Preliminary examinations of projects have partly been financed by local foundations or EU foundations. The project implementation has been financed by local and national investors.These are ambitious goals and certainly many difficult challenges have to be overcome before the target is reached.

CASH project in Sønderborg

The CASH project has focused on energy renovation of buildings occupied by low-in-come residents. This is a welcome AXIS in the important work of reducing energy consumption in Sønderborg. About 20% of the population in Sønderborg lives in social housing. Please note that housing accounts for 25% of the total CO2 emissions in the municipality.


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URBACT LOCAL SUPPORT GROUP INVOLVEDThere are eight housing associations in Sønderborg; three of them are represented in the Support Group. Moreover, most of the consulting engineering firms are represented as well as the largest architect practice. There is also ProjectZero, as well as representatives from the municipal buildings and energy services and climate office. For the fifth thematic workshop in Sønderborg, the entire local support group arranged a site visit to see showcases in Sønderborg. Afterwards, presentations and information were available at different booths

LAP MAIN GOAL – CITY ENERGY EFFICIENT SOCIAL HOUSING POLICYThe roadmap 2010- 2015 is an action plan stating the activities to be initiated in the short run to implement a 25% reduction of the Sønderborg area energy-related CO2 emission in 20151”. This is an intermediate aim to reach zero in 2029. Apart from the CO2 goal, a central goal is also to maintain and create new green jobs. To reach these ambitious goals, it is a deflected goal to ProjectZero to involve local interested parties actively in achieving the goal.

The Roadmap has the following steps:• Significant potential within local biogas, biomass and geothermal energy• Significant potential for energy efficiency in businesses and utilisation of waste

heat• Strong support from businesses and the Municipality• Close public-private cooperation with ProjectZero that spreads best practice

solutions• AXIS on learning about energy and climate in all educations that can foster new

solutions and secure builders and consultants the best skills

The last bullet is about, how to learn about energy and climate? How to change people’s mindset?In the section “Pilot operations” actual projects are described focusing on energy-correct behaviour among residents of social housing.

Set-up of energy pricesEnergy optimisation of the housing association buildings must be obtained by the reduction of energy consumption costs. If, for example, the rent is increased as a result of the installation of a new heating plant, it must be documented that the tenant’s rent is reduced in accordance with the heating costs. District heating suppliers with high fixed expenses, for example as a result of investment in green technology, will induce high fixed expenses for the consumers. When the payment of district heating does not depend on consumption, the housing association loses the economic incentive to carry out energy-efficient renovation. At the same time, the implementation of green energy with district heating suppliers is an important part of the Sønderborg Municipality master plan to become CO2 neutral.

Other challenges discovered by local support groupSome of the challenges of energy-efficient renovation of social housing were solved during the CASH project. Two significant challenges regarding the financing of energy-efficient renovation were pointed out by the group:

• Green/Sustainable loansHousing associations are unable to take loans with extraordinary interest rates for energy renovations today.

• Financing through the Danish Building Fund

Today, the Danish Building Fund finances only the traditional renovations and not energy renovations. Local departments must take out bank loans for en-ergy renovation.

It is now possible for housing associations to obtain favourable green/sustainable bank loans.The Danish Building Foundation has changed its policy in order for energy-efficient renovation to be financed by the foundation.


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WORK PLANThe master plan to make the Sønderborg area CO2 neutral is divided into roadmaps for 5 years. In each roadmap a mid-way evaluation will be carried out. The activities are mainly financed by the interested parties. Pilot projects are mainly financed by through foundations.For more information on future projects, please see:

► www.projectzero.dk

PRIORITY ACTIONS / PILOT OPERATIONSTwo of the projects focusing on social housing that are described in the section “Strategic axes” can be characterised as pilot projects:

Project 1 :ZERO license for all chairmen of the board and caretakers as well as other persons who have regular contact with housing associations.This project will run as a pilot project for 3 years. The budget is €200,000.f the outcome of the project is a significant success, it will continue to be headed by housing associations.

The first group to test the Zero license consists of 12 caretakers of the housing association SAB.

Project 2:ZeroVille – an interactive Green city-abstraction.ZeroVille applies to the wholefamily. It is a free offer to inspire and motivate the citizens ofSønderborg and let them know what it is to live “green”

ZeroVille – an interactive Green city-abstraction.

STRATEGIC AXESThe projects focusing on social housing:

Project 1:ZERO license for all chairmen of the board and caretakers as well as other persons who have regular contact with housing associations.

Project 2:ZeroVille – an interactive Green city-abstraction.

Project 3:The Social Housing units goal for energy renovation is to improve the Energy label one or two classes.

Project 4:The best practice of housing associations is visualised through the CASH project and ProjectZero consisting of 5 concrete showcases. Every single showcase is described in the section “work plan”.

Showcase 1:Total building envelope renovation, incl. non-independency of fossil fuel and regard to a non-increasing expenditure to residents.

Showcase 2:How to ensure energy-efficient behaviour among the residents afteran energy renovation; Renovation of energy and behaviour – Søstjernevej.

Showcase 3:47 ”low energy consumption” housing units with AXIS on solidarity for the tenants in a old business school.

Showcase 4:24 ”low energy consumption” housing with green roofs.

Showcase 5:40 housing units with a small garden and green roofs.


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POLITICAL COMMITMENT The city council of Sønderborg has agreed to become CO2 neutral by 2029. Windmill and heat supply plans will be dealt with individually and can start a debate among politicians and citizens. The barriers concerning legislations are a political question. The municipality will draw attention of the state and interested parties to these problems.A memorandum must be set up based on the barriers identified in this report. The memorandum must be approved at a political level by the city council before it can be brought to regional and national authorities by the mayor.

Contacts & sources

Local CASH coordinator: Lene SternsdorfSønderborg MunicipalityAddress: Rådhustorvet 10 - 6400 SønderborgPhone: 045 8872 6636e-mail: [email protected]: www.sonderborgkommune.dk

ProjectZeroDirector Peter RathjeAddress: Alsion 2 - 6400 SønderborgPhone: 045 6550 8098e-mail: [email protected]: www.projectzero.dk

The project has been launched by ProjectZero in cooperation with Sønderborg Municipal Library. The ZeroVille project will be placed at the library.

ProjectZero has an idea how to do it - ZeroVille – an interactive Green city-abstraction. The zero emission city, ZeroVille is a virtual place – a city abstraction that encompasses all the existing famous, well-proven and cutting-edge technologies. ZeroVille is the city, where everything is possible – where the energy emission long ago has been minimised and where green technology and sustainable ways of living are the ultimate lifestyle. The city is cartoon-like in its expression, exhilarating and entertaining – colourful and forward-looking – it is just like entering a futuristic and adventurous city, full of new experiences for children of all ages. It is a city where you learn by playing – it is cosy and nice. The city is unpredictable and exciting. It is constantly evolving, while you are there. This occurs by the means of lights, sounds, animations and projections.

Facts on the ZeroVille project:The ZeroVille project is in the proposal phase and the process of seeking foundation support has been initiated. The economic scope is €530,000.

The project proposal has been prepared by HOMERUN in cooperation with KVORNING DESIGN & KOMMUNIKATION.A project leader has been employed through the Sønderborg Library.For more information on ZeroVille see:

► www.zeroville.dk


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C I T I E S ’ A C T I O N F O R S U S T A I N A B L E H O U S I N G - T A T A B á N Y A

TOWN REHABILITATION

PROJECT FOR SOCIAL PURPOSEIN THE DISTRICT KERTVáROSOF TATABáNYA


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Tatabánya. There are about 22,200 blocks of flats. About 67% of the city’s population lives in flats. The Municipality of Tatabánya owns 2,145 flats, most of which are social housing.

The city has a population of about 72,000. The percentage of rental houses and apartments in Tatabánya is about 15-20%. The percentage of social housing is 7%. The average age of the housing stock is 35 years. The percentage of housing stock that is privately owned is 91%. The breakdown of heating is as follows: district heating (75.5%), individual heating (24.5%). The city’s energy sources for heating and power: gas 90%, oil 3%, coal 1%, biomass 4%, electric 2%. The percentage of partly renovated social housing units is 20-25%.

The most relevant EE renovation programmes and funds for housing unit management by the city: Panel Programme (from 2004), ECO Programme and District Heating Modernisation Programme and Heating Modernisation Fund (from 2010), Interest-free loans.

Important EE projects of the City: New biogas plant (started in 2012); Modernisation of the district heating system (started in 2012); Energy production from biomass in Tatabánya Power Plant Ltd. (2012–2014).

CONTEXT

Global context “Energy-efficiency projects in the building sector are a key component of the improvement of energy efficiency. Today, 40 percent of all energy consumed in Hungary is consumed in our buildings, two-thirds of which goes to heating and cooling. 70 percent of the approximately 4.3 million Hungarian homes fail to meet modern functional technical and thermal engineering requirements, with a similar ratio for public buildings. Despite an improving trend as the result of the communal energy efficiency programmes implemented in recent years, the heating energy consumption of a flat in Budapest is still twice that of a similar sized flat in Vienna. (…) It is the purpose of the Energy Strategy to reduce, by 2030, the heating energy requirements of buildings by 30% through energy-efficiency programmes in the building sector in accordance with European Union targets. This will enable a reduction of more than 10% of the overall primary energy demand in Hungary.” (See in National Energy Strategy 2030, p. 13.)

The Hungarian government made some housing related strategic programmes and sub-programmes in the framework of the New Széchenyi Plan.

See more:

► ujszechenyiterv.gov.hu/strategy► ujszechenyiterv.gov.hu/housing_programme► ujszechenyiterv.gov.hu/lapozo/otthonteremtes.

Local contextEnergy efficiency and climate protection is high on the political agenda in Tatabánya. Energy security and saving on energy costs are also high on the municipal priority list. The Local Climate Change Strategy (2008) and the Integrated Town Developing Strategy (2008) created by the municipality approach the climate topic in four areas: transport/traffic, energy use, waste management and a reduction in the need for road transport through spatial planning. The aim of these strategies is to improve the living conditions of local people. The target group is the habitants of Tatabánya.

In the city – like in the other area of Hungary – the percentage of the privately owned houses is high. There are about 29,700 houses and apartments altogether in

Map of the intervention area (‘Kertváros’)


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• Social aspects:the neighbourhoods of non-renovated buildings are deprived. Low-income tenants and owners of deprived areas cannot finance the own contributions of the renovation. These social aspects are often connected to other minority problems, as well.

• Financing aspects:municipalities are underfinanced, and do not have enough money for bigger renovation projects. The renovations can only be realised with external funding. There are not enough financial mechanisms at national or regional level. Fund sources are changeable. The application formalities are very complex and difficult, and too many assurances are needed. There is a high rate of owner’s consents needed for application forms and for the implementation of renovations (80-90 %).

• Communication and knowledge:there is insufficient knowledge about the advantages and technical possibilities of energy efficient renovation among the population in Tatabánya. Owners and tenants are not well informed about the available financial possibilities for renovations.

• Behaviour:there is a lack of interest by tenants or owners, fuelled by a fear of change.There are many questions about how the building stocks of social housing can be modernised, how energy efficiency renovations can be financed, how energy costs can be reduced, how renovation related decisions can made by the different players. There are also some communication-related questions: how these modernisation activities can be well promoted and propagated, and how can local people well informed about the achievable energy efficiency solutions.

The EE renovation of (social) housing units is complex intervention with different players, factors and instruments. We have chosen a planned project as pilot project for the complex EE renovation of social housing units named Town rehabilitation project for social purpose in the Kertváros district of Tatabánya (“Kertváros project”). All the listed problems are demonstrated in this project proposal. This planned activity is well known by our regional and national Managing Authorities. Our expected input is the knowledge learnt from the activities of CASH project.

Problem analysis• Age of the buildings:

Age of buildings: the average age of the city’s housing stock is relatively high (35 years). The most part of the block of flats, houses are not or not entirely renovated. Most of the housing units need complex renovation.

• Property:the majority of properties owned by the municipality are social housing units. There are relatively few blocks of flats entirely owned by the municipality. This mixing of different property owners can complicate the social housing renovation process.

• Energy consumption:75% of the housing stock uses district heating provided by the local district heating company. The heat is from the local power plant which uses imported gas for producing heat. The price of the imported gas is high and the efficiency of the district heating system is not perfect. This means that heating costs are high for locals and also for the tenants of social housing units.

• Technology:block of flats and houses in the city have more than 10 different building technologies. There are many available materials and technologies for renovations. The renovation technologies and knowledge required differ from one building to another.

Picture of the intervention area (‘Kertváros’)


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the housing owners) cannot finance the project on its own. The relevant fund is a regional one named High priority urban rehabilitation project proposals of unitary authorities (code: KDOP-3.1.1/D-12). The first level application form was issued on 10 August 2012. The deadline for the first level was 5 October 2012. The evaluation is made by two phases. A possible date for the subsidy contract (in the case of a successful application) is the first part of the year 2012.Implementation: 2013–2015 (approximately 24 months).A preliminary project proposal was made on 2010–2011.The actual version of the project proposal will be submitted on October 2012.

STRATEGIC AXESTo reduce the CO2 emission within the City.

To improve the energy efficiency of the (social) housing stock in the City.

To reduce the energy costs of the (social) housing stock in the City.

Work plan

URBACT LOCAL SUPPORT GROUP INVOLVEDFor the preparation of our LAP and for helping the creation of the “Kertváros project” we created our URBACT Local Support Group. Most of the members of the LSG for the preliminary project proposal were also involved. We tried to involve all kind of players and stakeholders related to Kertváros area.The main participants of our ULSG were the chief architect, energy manager, head of Department for Building Control;Administration and Climate manager (City of Tatabánya);National Development Agency (Managing Authority);Economic Development Organisation Nonprofit Ltd. (Tatabánya);District Heating Joint Stock Company of Komárom-Esztergom County;Chamber of Engineers of Komárom-Esztergom County;District Heating Developing Ltd. (Tatabánya);Gyula Teleki Housing Association Authorised Joint Representatives (Tatabánya); Kékes Ltd.Authorised Joint Representatives (Tatabánya);House Service Ltd. (Tatabánya);Federation of Technical and Scientific Societies – Komárom-Esztergom County (MTESZ) and Tatabánya Power Plant Ltd..The selected stakeholders are potential stakeholders of other EE renovations implemented in the city. They can use the lessons learnt from the CASH project.

LAP main goalcity energy efficient social housing policyOverall goals from the Local Climate Change Strategy and the TownDeveloping Strategy:

• Stimulating the energy efficiency(and to promoting the use of renewable energy),

• Reducing the local CO2 emission by EE interventions.Main objective: create an effective and useful tool for EE renovation of social housing units in Tatabánya by planning and implementing a pilot project named the Kertváros project

The implementation of the Kertváros project requires external funds. The city (and Photos about ULSG meetings


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(bus station, EE street-lighting [LED]);• Development of infrastructure

(street camera system setting);

• Strengthening the functions of public sector(modernisation of kindergarten, settlement of social institute in the target area);

• Strengthening community functions(Maltese Playground);

• Soft activities(social activities labour market reintegration programme, trainingsfor unemployed people, different programmes and events for children and youth, community strengthening programmes).

Total amount of the project:about 4,2 Million EurosLength of project: 2 years

Results: integrated and complex rehabilitation of a derelict area with EEreconstructions and other additional activities.

• Indicators: - Planned number of renovated dwellings/block of flats. d: 22 block of flats, 449 flats.- Planned number of renovated public buildings: 2.- Planned number of renovated or created parts of the local infrastructure: 2.- Planned number of community strengthening activities, programmes: 10–20 programmes.- Forecasted rate of energy cost saving: 50%

Focusing on a district with many social housing units, the town has developed an energy efficiency renovation project named ‘Town rehabilitation project for social purpose in the district Kertváros of Tatabánya’. The aim of the operation is to renovate buildings, and halt and reverse the advance of deprivation by using integrated and different instruments. Kertváros has about 4,600 inhabitants who account for 6% of the population of Tatabánya. The number of dwellings in the target area is 1,633. The rate of dwellings owned by the municipality is high (26%, 425). The number of dwellings involved in the project proposal is 449, many of them are owned by the municipality (144).The project proposal will be submitted for a relevant regional call for proposal named High priority urban rehabilitation project proposals of unitary authorities (code: KDOP-3.1.1/D-12). (The expected basic funds are ERDF and ESF.)This development could be a pilot project for EE renovation of social housing units in Tatabánya.

Planned activities in the frameworkof the project:

• Enhancing activities of residential function: modernisation of heating, insulationst (heat and water related issues), renovation and changing of facade windows and front doors, renovation of staircases and entrance doors, clean entrance for disabled people;

• Development of public places

Mayor’s Office of Tatabánya


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Contacts & sources

City service in charge of the LAP coordination and coordinator:Mayor’s Office of Tatabánya, Tamás Galgovics local CASH project coordinatorAddress: Fő tér 6. H-2800 TatabányaPhone: +36-34-515-700 ext. 315. Mobile: +36-20-249-4993e-mail: [email protected]: www.tatabanya.hu

Priority actions / pilot operationsProject name: “Town rehabilitation project for social purpose in the Kertváros district of Tatabánya”. Regional call for proposal: High priority urban rehabilitation project proposals of unitary authorities (code: KDOP-3.1.1/D-12).The coordinator body of the Kertváros project is the Economic Development Organisation Non-profit Ltd. (Tatabánya). This organisation owned by the City of Tatabánya is a non-profit body and also a member of the CASH ULSG of Tatabánya. One of its issues is the coordination of bigger scale city projects

Political commitmentThe city has already developed an energy efficiency renovation project proposal named Town rehabilitation project for social purpose in the district Kertváros of Tatabány’. The aim of the operation is to renovate buildings, and to halt and reverse deprivation by using integrated and different instruments. This project proposal is also mentioned in the Integrated Town Developing Strategy (2008) of Tatabánya. We have already informed our regional and national Managing Authorities of our planned activities.

The aim is to submit this project proposal for the relevant call for proposal. (The expected basic funds are ERDF and ESF.) The related decision was made on 29 August 2012 by the General Assembly of the City of Tatabánya. A report will be also made for the General Assembly of the City of Tatabánya at the end of the CASH project with the presentation of the Local Action Plan of Tatabánya. We expect the report to be approved by the General Assembly.

Primary stakeholders Interest Specific competence

Owners / tenants Lower energy costs, better living conditions

Local knowledge about thedwellings

Joint representatives (tenant as-sociations)

Satisfied tenants / owners, lower maintenance costs

Knowledge about available funds and subsidies, local knowledge

Project manager body (Economic Development Organisation Non-profit Ltd.)

Implementation of local deci-sions

Knowledge about available funds, experiments about similar projects

Decision making body (Munici-pality of Tatabánya)

Better living conditions for lo-cal people, lower maintenance costs, reduced CO2 emission

Tools for decision making

Local experts, contributors, rep-resentatives of related depart-ments (Major’s Office of Tata-bánya)

Implementation of local deci-sions

Contact with other stakeholders, knowledge about the local hous-ing stocks, project experiments

Local elected member of the area Better living conditions for lo-cal people, lower maintenance costs, reduced CO2 emission

Contact with other stakeholders, local knowledge

Secondary stakeholders Interest Specific competence

Local power plant company Well manageable energy pro-duction

Experience related to local heat-ing consumption in housing sec-tor

Local district heating company Manageable heating distribu-tion, lower maintenance costs, better willingness to pay (con-sumers)

Experience related to local heat-ing consumption in housing sec-tor

Managing Authority More efficient and lower energy use, reduced CO2 emission, national (and EU) EE objectives, better living conditions

Programme planning and imple-mentation related to EE recon-structions of housing units

Representative of experts (Cham-ber of Engineers of Komárom-Es-ztergom County)

Collaboration with other stake-holders

Experience related to energy ef-ficiency

Federation of Technical and Scientific Societies – Komárom-Esztergom County (MTESZ)

Collaboration with other stake-holders

Experience related to energy ef-ficiency and CO2 reducing

(Financing bodies: banks etc.) More using credits and other fi-nancing products

Available credits and other prod-ucts

(Intermediate bodies for applica-tions: first level controller etc.)

Authority roles EU fund using, reporting

(Constructors) More orders Construction experience


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LOCAL ACTION PLAN

UTRECHT MAKES A POINTOF ENERGY!


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Local contextAs a city, Utrecht has set higher ambitions and goals for energy efficiency compared to the national government. The ambition of the city council is to be a climate neutral city in 2030. From 2010-2014 Utrecht will invest €26 million for the transition into a sustainable city. The city council adopted a new broad energy strategy and action plan ‘Utrecht Energy’ on 26 May 2011, aimed at reducing CO2 emission by 30% in 2020. To reach this goal we will need local stakeholders such as social housing companies.

In general the housing stock is reasonably maintained. In weak or vulnerable districts, social housing companies invest in improving the houses and the municipality invests in the public areas. However, only an approximate 10% of the houses have an energy label. The energy efficiency of the houses seems low; the average energy label of these houses is D (energy index 1.85).

Official start of E-team and renovation with alderman Mrs. Mirjam De Rijk, March 2012

Housing stock in Utrecht (1 January 2012)

Owner occupied housing 50%

Rental in social sector 37%

Rental in private sector 17%

Total 135.617 houses

Single housing 43%

Flats 41%

Upstairs/downstairs or maisonette

15%

Context

Global contextIn general, the Dutch government has set their energy efficiency goals to reduce CO2 emissions in 2020 by 20% compared with 1990. In 2008, a gentleman’s agreement (energieconvenant) on a national level was signed between Aedes (association of Dutch social housing companies), the ministries of housing and environment and the national association of tenants (Woonbond). The goal of the agreement was to reduce gas consumption in social housing by 20% compared with 2008 by 2020. Houses that will be renovated in this period will reach energy label B at least or improve by two label steps (Dutch energy label scales range between G and A). Specific financial resources or programmes were not designed because housing associations are responsible and will have the best view on their assets and management.

Municipality of Utrecht


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Citizens meeting with E-team member, winter 2012

Local Support Group involvedLocal stakeholders have participated in writing the Utrecht Energy! Action Plan. There have been many bilateral and multilateral meetings with stakeholders (social housing companies, tenants associations and active citizens) all gathered at a meeting 1 December 2010 where the final draft of the Action Plan was discussed. After the city council adapted the Action Plan in May 2011, the stakeholders are now implementing the plan. The base of participation is the E-team (Energy saving team) made up of citizens in two pilot districts who voluntary garner interest for energy efficiency in their neighbourhood. A large series of citizens meetings have been held in 2012.

To analyse the problem more thoroughly, CASH members Sonderborg and Frankfurt met up in Utrecht in July 2012 to discuss their LAPS. The recommendations of this meeting are currently being discussed at the local and national level to stress the importance of specific actions to reach social housing energy renovation targets.

Problem analysisUtrecht will reach its high targets only if all stakeholders contribute to the efforts. The culture of convincing and negotiating is wide spread in the Netherlands. Tools such as gentlemen’s agreements, citizens’ actions and participation are very important in Utrecht, without guarantees that renovation actions will be executed, as 70% of the tenants in the building block have to agree to the renovation. Energy efficiency investments are not covered only by reduced energy costs or an increase in rents. This is partly due to specific Dutch legal and financial tools (for example, energy bills are usually paid directly by tenants) or the specific housing situation in Utrecht. As the turnover in social housing in Utrecht is less than 4% and rent increases are only easily done with new tenants, it is a huge problem for social housing companies to invest in energy renovation. The economic crisis has aggravated the problem.

On the bright side, citizens of Utrecht in general are environmentally conscious. 41% of the population is aware of the climate problems and energy related issues (citizens’ panel 2011) and over half of the population claims to take simple energy efficiency measures (for example lower heating temperature). A few citizens groups (Energy U, Transition Towns, tenant associations) are involved in promoting gaining enthusiasm for energy efficiency in their neighbourhoods however this leads not automatically to investments in their houses. Either they have no (financial) possibilities for action or the interest in their housing situation is very short term oriented.

Alderman Mrs Mirjam de Rijk thanks the E-team for their efforts, March 2012


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Work Plan

Gentleman’s agreement with social housing companies A gentleman’s agreement has been entered into between the City Council and five Utrecht social housing companies (Mitros, Portaal, Bo-Ex, SSH, GroenWest). The agreement started in November 2011 and will finish in June 2015. It includes classified investments of the social housing companies for (at least) €50 million. In June 2015, 17;000 social housing units in Utrecht will have an energy efficiency rating of C or B. Due to the economic crisis, the execution of the agreement is not easy because the social housing companies have less and less financial resources for investing in renovations.

Empowering tenants and house owners to raise the energy efficiency standards in their homes.Three actions will contribute to the strategic axes of empowering tenants and house owners. In March 2012, the municipality started, in co-production with selected citizens (E-Team members), a campaign to inform and gain interest in energy efficiency in citizens’ homes. Until 2014, over 5000 households will receive information. In addition, the municipality offers them a free energy advice and support to invest in energy saving in their homes. The budget for this action is approximately €100,000. An energy information corner (physical and on the Internet) has been set up to provide independent information to all citizens of Utrecht. The goal is to have 5000 single visitors to the website within a year with a budget of €42,000. Several actions are focused on informing immigrant tenants via their social reference groups (mosques, coffee houses etc.) have recently been initiated.

New financial and legal arrangements A study performed by an expert will start in September 2012 and finish in December 2012. In this study, new financial arrangements are investigated to find a solution for the so-called ‘split incentive’, meaning that the social housing companies invest in energy efficiency, while the tenants get the profit through lower energy bills.

Dissemination of resultsBesides the E-team and energy information point, Utrecht disseminates the results of the actions in yearly reports and films on YouTube (see illustrations) and in meetings with stakeholders. Dissemination of the results of the CASH project is shared with other Dutch cities and the Managing Authority.

LAP main goalThe target of energy renovation in social housing is improve the energy classification all social housing units to energy label B or at least by two levels until 2015. This goal is part of a gentleman’s agreement between the Utrecht social housing companies and the city council. The agreement was adopted by the city council in November 2011.

STRATEGIC AXES As described in the problem analysis Utrecht decided to negotiate a gentleman’s agreement about energy efficiency in social housing. In general, no financial resources are available for investments in social housing as the municipality is not the owner of the social housing units. Backed up by this gentleman’s agreement, Utrecht has chosen to take advantage of the environmental consciousness of citizens: Empowering tenants and (home-owners) to raise the energy efficiency standard in their homes. Besides this, Utrecht considered the possibilities of solving the problem of energy efficiency investments that are not covered by reduced energy costs or an increase in rent. A study for new financial and/or legal arrangements for energy efficiency in social housing will finally result in new financial and (possible) legal arrangements. Finally Utrecht believes the dissemination of the experiences is key for upscaling pilots to standard procedures.

Training of E-team members, January 2012


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Another priority action will be a ‘block-for-block-approach”. A consortium including building companies, financial organisations, organisations of citizens and the municipality develops a strategy for large scale upgrading of housing blocks. The idea is to provide citizens (including tenants) an offer they cannot refuse with affordable energy measures (insulation, etc.) and independent information from the municipality. The block- for- block approach is financially supported from the national government.

Political commitmentAs indicated before, the gentleman’s agreement and the Action Plan Utrecht Energy have been adopted by the city council in 2011. Execution of all actions is therefore guaranteed until 2014, including the empowerment of citizens and tenants. The results of the gentleman’s agreement with the social housing companies are monitored every year. The results of the report for new financial and/or legal arrangements has yet to be adopted by the city council. These arrangements will most likely be part of a new integrated approach to ensure affordable living for low incomes in Utrecht.

Contacts & sources

CASH coordinator: Inge van de KlundertCity of UtrechtDepartment of City DevelopmentAddress: Postbox 8406 - 3503 RK UtrechPhone: + 31 (0)30 286 4115e-mail: [email protected]: www.utrecht.nl

Action Plan Utrecht Energy! (English), Summer meeting CASH (English), Gentleman’s agreement (Dutch) available on request.

Stakeholder analysis related to the actionsKey for implementing the activities are the stakeholders: citizens, tenants and social housing companies. Citizens and tenants have in general a large interest in energy efficiency, wishing to improve the comfort of the house, indoor health issues and lower their energy bills. In the two pilot districts, nearly 20 energy ambassadors are active in network activities for gaining interest in energy efficiency. In four months, they reached over a 1,000 citizens with information, heat scans and a free energy advice. From 2013 on, E-teams will be formed in the other districts of Utrecht. For tenants, the increase in living costs due to rising energy costs is felt, but most importantly the comfort of living conditions still needs to be improved in a large number of social housing units. In general, tenants and their associations are relatively easily reached and self-organised. In some parts of Utrecht, there might be a cultural and language barrier. Spokespersons from the building block could be very useful in getting the message across. Social housing companies have the obligation to provide affordable housing for lower income households. As energy costs will take up 30% of living costs in coming years, energy efficiency is more prominent. However the available financial resources of social housing companies are low, especially because the rents cannot increase too much.

Priority actions In the Netherlands the national government and the Managing Authority choose to invest the ERDF funding in economic development and knowledge transfer. In fact this means that from the budget period 2007-2013 almost none of the funding is spenT ON energy efficiency in social housing. Therefore the priority action in the Netherlands is directed towards matching EU and national funding FOR energy renovation in social housing, including ERDF funding from September 2012- March 2013 if the final decisions for the EU funding are made. Criteria for EU funding mostly consist of a request for innovations, however three CASH members (URBACT Local Support Group summer meeting) recommend using proven techniques in social housing renovation, which seems not to comply with the EU criteria. Other ways to operate include forming a consortium with other Dutch cities to interest large financial stakeholders to invest in energy renovation. Another idea includes forming an EU consortium to develop a long term planning tool for energy renovation in social housing.


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YAMBOL

LOCAL ACTION PLAN


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• Building stock characteristics- Shortage of social housing stock- Private owned. The main characteristic of the city’s building stock is that 91% of it

is private. 29% of all buildings in the city are panel blocks. - Co-owned properties. The buildings are co-owned properties and are inhabited

by many different owners.- Unoccupied buildings. A lot of apartments are inhabited by their owners.- Ageing occupants.

It is clear that the population mainly affected by the current problems are individual homeowners and those formed under the legal framework - governing boards of condominiums.

Problem analysis • Lack of an Information Bureau on Energy Efficiency.- Communication. There is a need to raise public awareness about the appropriate

renovation of buildings and its benefits, dissemination of good practices and the availability of grants- Overall awareness of environmental problems

- There is system only for municipal properties and buildings, but not for private residential buildings.

- Lack of financial resources.- Situation with property – a large private housing stock• Elaboration of strategy for energy efficiency and energy savings till the year of

2020. The municipal administration has to have energy efficiency goals and planning till 2020.There is a need to raise awareness about national policy, mobilise stakeholders to ensure municipal coherence among all the activities.

Context

National contextNational contextThe legislative framework, which regulates the activities in the area of EE at a national and local level and the municipality’s obligations, is as follows:• Energy law• Energy efficiency law• Renewable energy, alternative energy sources and bio-fuels law• Law on the purity of atmospheric air• Environmental preservation law• Ordinance 7 for energy efficiency, heat preservation and energy saving in

buildings.

Local contextMunicipal Programme and plan for energy efficiency are based on the following components:• Municipal policy for the substitution of diesel and solid fuels with natural gas since

the year 2001. All industrial and public administrative buildings are supplied with gas and 1773 residential building as well.

• Increase of energy efficiency of buildings According to the Ordinance for energy efficiency of buildings all newly-built residential buildings (up from the year 1991) need to possess certificates of energy efficiency.

• The aims of the municipal policy are indicated by priority in the plan:- Decreasing fuel and energy expenses.- Improvement of local environmental conditions by lowering harmful discharges in

the atmosphere and reducing the greenhouse effect.• Database for electricity consumption by sectors and target groups. Classified by

activities, the database encompasses the municipality’s entire building stock.• Membership in the municipal network for energy efficiency (Eco Energy). The

network is working for the endorsement of energy efficiency as a key component of the sustainable development policy of Bulgarian municipalities; cooperation with the end users in municipalities for the lowering of costs and raising of public support; formation of a new public attitude towards energy; endorsement of local energy planning and management as a key instrument of the energy policies of municipalities; spreading of information.


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Local action plan goalThe main goal is to raise awareness regarding the requirements, related to the application of legislation in the area of energy efficiency in the housing sector, and the benefits of application of measures of energy efficiency.The information, needed to be presented to the citizens, is mostly related to the following:• benefits and technical abilities of the application of energy efficiency measures

in households;• possible organisational and technical measures for the raising energy efficiency

in private residential buildings;• materials, products, appliances and technologies for raising energy efficiency in

residential buildings;• opportunities for creation of housing associations and other relevant forms of

cooperation in order to facilitate financing and implementation of projects for energy efficiency in multifamily buildings;

• funding opportunities for energy efficiency projects from special funds andcommercial banks, or through targeted national and international programmes.

The other goal is to develop a system that provides a logistical support plan for implementing energy efficiency measures.

STRATEGIC AXESStrategic axes of actions were identified to meet the goals:• Elaboration of municipal energy strategy till 2020A detailed observation of energy potential of the region and a vast public announcement of the goals and the measures required were made.• Creation of an Information Bureau on Energy Efficiency.

URBACTLocal Support Group (ULSG) involvementBased on the aforementioned characteristics of the city’s building stock, Yambol has identified the following interested parties as part of the local support groups (LSG), which are capable of influencing local policy on the implementation of energy efficiency measures in the housing stock and support the implementation of concrete measures in this area:- Municipal Advisory Council on Urban Planning;- Regional Chamber of Engineers in Bulgaria; - Chamber of Construction Workers; - Regional Council for Energy Efficiency; - Municipal Administration of YambolThey also are the parties that have the information about national and local policy and knowledge about the implementation of energy efficiency measures in buildings.This is the core of the local support group, but at certain stages, due to finance problems, or more specifically, the inability for financing, the municipality will look into ways of including financial experts in the local support groups, as well as condominium managers.


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For the creation of an energy efficiency information centre, primary stakeholders are the local authorities, LSG and citizens. Local authorities and LSG have tools, knowledge and political support for the creation of centres. Citizens have ideas for their needs, and will play an active role in process of preparation of projects for renovation. They are highly motivated but do not have financial knowledge. Secondary stakeholders for this activity are professional chambers and financial organisations engaged in design and implementation of energy efficiency measures, Ministry of regional development and public works, funding organisations and consultants. They will contribute with knowledge, active expert support, information, recommendations, financial support and possible partnership with citizens.

Time schedule• Strategic AXIS 1

It was a very long process. Implementation of activities started in May 2010 and ended in March 2012. The strategy’s measures will continue to be implemented until 2020.

• Strategic AXIS 2The process of creating an informational bureau was a process involving all members of YLSG and started on May 2010. The opening of the centre was held on August 2011. The information centre will provide services to the citizens by the end of programming period.

Indicators • Strategic AXIS 1- Creation of a group of stakeholders- Files with studies of existing experience and energy potential of the region- Preparation of the EE strategy- Conduct of meetings with the population to raise awareness about the goals of the

strategy and measures for implementations, and for the benefits for the population

- Political decision taken• Strategic AXIS 2- File with study of existing experience- File with expectations of population- Number of materials developed and printed - Creation of information bureau- Number of projects developed, number of measures implemented

Work plan

Activities • Activities for the implementation of strategic AXIS 1 - Development of the

municipal energy strategy till 2020- Creating of a working group of key stakeholders- Analysis of existing experience- Analysis and observation of the region’s energy potential- Development of the municipal EE Strategy- Public announcement and discussion of the strategy developed, goals and

measures for implementation- Adoption of municipal EE Strategy of the City Council• Activities for the implementation of strategic AXIS 2 – Creation of an Information

Bureau on Energy Efficiency- Analysis of existing experience- Creating a file on citizens’ requirements- Elaboration and printing of information materials- Setting up of an information bureau - Citizens’ assistance and awareness about energy efficiency and involvement of

citizens in the process of renovation of their dwellings.

• Stakeholders related to activities The municipal administration is the primary stakeholder for the development of the municipal strategy till 2020. It has the ability to mobilise stakeholders and to ensure a municipal consistency of all the activities and can give political support as well. To address stakeholder interest, a vast awareness of the strategy and for the resulting energy savings is required. With the strategy, the city will have energy efficiency goals and planning till 2020.The secondary stakeholders involved in the process are all professional chambers and organisations, related to the design and construction of buildings, financial organisations, investors and citizens. Professional chambers know about spatial planning and construction, and they can identify the priorities and carry out the activities. Financial organisations finance various activities for implementing energy efficiency measures and can use profitable financial instruments. Investors can implement measures from the strategy, they possess knowledge and finance. Citizens will be the end users of the outcome of the energy efficiency strategy – they will have lower energy bills and will live in more comfortable dwellings.


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• Implementation of EE strategy once adoptedAt a later stage of the LAP’s execution, the establishment of a PPP is planned, aimed at the development of a demonstration project (a building in which a variety of energy efficiency measures has been applied, in accordance with legislation). The building will house socially vulnerable citizens.A conceptual/ architectural design is required for the implementation of the project. It must first be adopted by the population. The next stage is the development of work/detailed design and the establishment of a PPP. For the preparation of necessary designs, the municipality will be looking for funding.This operation will be of great importance, will serve as a pilot model of low energy consumption buildings, have a reduced impact on the environment, and enable a better quality of life.

This, however, is only possible after the full realisation of the problem by the public and the interested parties, and realisation of the benefits of its solving as well

Political commitment• Adoption of the Yambol’s EE strategy till 2020 by the city council on 16th of March 2012• Decision taken for the creation of the EE information centre

Communication strategyFor increasing awareness regarding the activities, we plan to:• Present information about the project and upcoming related events in local publications.• Publication of aforementioned information on the Municipality of Yambol’s website.• Periodically publish information in the municipality’s information bulletin, which

informs the public about the activities of the municipal administration.

Contacts & sources

e-mail: [email protected]

Община Ямбол Този проект се изпълнява с финансовата подкрепа на Европейския фонд за регионално развитие на Европейския съюз

Results• Adoption of energy efficiency strategy and setting up of goals till 2020.- Solving of the problems related to energy efficiency in the housing stock- Improvement of the ecological conditions - Proposals for the legislative changes for the benefit of citizens and greater

autonomy of local authorities. • Creation of information bureau/centre - increased awareness regarding the benefits and technical abilities for the

application of energy efficiency measures in households;- Knowledge of the possible organisational ant technical measures for the

increasing of energy efficiency in private residential buildings;- Introduction to materials, products, appliances and technologies for the raising of

energy efficiency in housing, their characteristics and their ability to be applied in many types of buildings, both single and multifamily;

- both single and multifamily;- knowledge regarding the means and possibilities for the creation of housing

associations and other relevant forms of cooperation in order to facilitate financing and implementation of projects for energy efficiency in multifamily buildings;

- Funding opportunities for energy efficiency projects from special funds and commercial banks, or through targeted national and international programmes;

- Providing of all types of information, applicable and related to the application of energy efficiency measures;

- Raising of awareness on good practices and grant availability, in order to develop as many projects ideas, and their implementation.

Pilot operations• Creation of EE information centre

Considering the situation with the housing sector in Yambol, LAP is focused on strategic actions. The main issue is to recognise the problems and benefits of introducing energy efficiency measures in housing sector. To ensure a high level of housing renovations requires finding financing sources. Bulgaria is at the beginning of implementation of energy efficiency measures in the housing sector. The operational programme “Regional development 2007-2013” is in force. Available information should be disseminated to citizens. This priority is related to the creation of the information centre. The EE information centre will support and assist citizens and housing associations to ensure higher participation in the funding procedure “Renovation of Bulgarian homes”, funded by the Operational programme.


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Conclusion One of the striking lessons of the analysis of the LAPs but also of the whole initiatives of CASH is the importance of involvement of residents not only in the implementation phase of a regeneration project but from the start of the process, i.e. the identification of the needs and the conception and design of measures. For many years, the participation of residents and citizens to the formulation of public policies was subject of academic research but did not find any echo in the practice at large scale. However, on a subject such as the energy efficiency revolution, which is dependent on the behaviour of end-users, project promoters and public authorities have realised that the quality of the project and the ultimate performance of new systems depends on the smart and effective involvement of users. Despite the financial costs and time resources which are linked to the involvement of tenants, all CASH partners have agreed on putting this topic as one of their priorities for a successful local action plan on retrofit of social housing. The forms vary but they all aim at enhancing the quality of public debate and the empowerment of residents through their integration in the decision making.

Local Action Plans have also in most cases identified the opportunities given by the EU structural funds in particular the new programming period from 2014 to 2020. LAPs and the local support groups (ULSGs) are indeed ideal tools for Managing Authorities of the funds to rely on for the identification and implementation of well-designed projects and programmes. There is a clear signal that CASH partner cities and regions stand ready to make the best use of European Union funding in order to improve their low income citizens’ living conditions!


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URBACT WEBSITEhttp://urbact.eu/cash

Outputs in other languages:

English, french, german, italian, bulgarian, hungarian, greek, dutch, danish

ALSO AVAILABLE“Cities’ advice for sustainable housing”

Thematic seminary’s outputs :

CITIES’ ADVICEFOR SUSTAINABLE HOUSING


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Lead PartnerThierry Monel, Ville Echirolles, [email protected]: 33 (0) 4-76-206060

Lead CoordinatorSophie Moreau, Ville Echirolles, [email protected]: 33 (0) 4-76205600

Bridgend (UK)Elaine [email protected]

Brindisi (Italy)Valerio [email protected]

Frankfurt (Germany)Werner [email protected]

Les Mureaux (France)Brigitte [email protected] Laeticia [email protected]

Eordea (Greece)Kostas [email protected]

SonderborgInge [email protected]

TatabanyaTamas [email protected]

UtrechtInge Van der [email protected]

YambolMariya [email protected]

Conseil Régional Rhône-AlpesClaire Pré[email protected]

Echirolles Elected member in charge of CASHStéphanie [email protected]

Echirolles Elected member in charge of HousingCarole [email protected]

Lead Partner Technical support teamStephane Durand,Sustainable Development [email protected] Bove, Financial [email protected]

Document prepared by: Lead Partner team and CASH partnersPhotography credentials: Lead and local CASH coordinatorsPhotography cover : Nadine Barbaçon - [email protected]: www.sharewood-creative.comTranslated by: Accent Mondial.

URBACT is an European exchange and learning programme promoting sustainable urban developpement.

CASH (Cities’ Action for Sustainable Housing) is an URBACT network of 11 partners

(10 c ities- Utrecht, Tatabanya, Sonderborg, Les Mureaux, Brindisi, Bridgend, Frankfurt, Yambol, Eordea, Echirolles and one region

Region Rhône-Alpes) led by the c ity of Echirolles in France. The ambition of the CASH project is to propose new solutions

and promote new polic ies for the sustainable renovation of soc ial and affordable housing units in the European Union.

The network has organised local technical seminars and meetings in order to exchange experiences and collect good practices on issues related to refurbishment of soc ial housing :

technological development, legal framework, financ ing, c itizen involvement, energy production and distribution.

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