Nominated districts in cluster cities are in the process of a quantitative and qualitative analysis by the CITyFiED consortium that amounts to a virtual, tailored, study on deep renovation and energy savings. This is designed to enhance existing development plans and help each site benefit from the methodology and technologies of the project.
However, the challenge is not just a technical one; and so CITyFiED is also conducting a series of workshops and interviews on ‘non-technical barriers’ to accompany the process. Several such exercises have been conducted with stakeholders in the different cities.
“Achieving real replication is as much about adjusting the model to the local conditions of follower cities as teaching about the results of CITyFiED. That’s why I think this part is so important for evaluating the replication potential,” says Jeanette Green of Swedish environmental institute, IVL, task leader of the replication model.
Looking at feedback from the sessions, a reoccurring topic is, understandably, financial barriers for energy savings measures. But discussions also reveal that these barriers also have many legal and social aspects that need to be taken into consideration when suggesting measures.
On the data side, several cities have now selected appropriate districts and supplied information for energy simulation purposes. “We all know that there’re is energy saving potential in these districts, but the next step of the replication model is to put numbers on to hopefully assist in the future planning for district retrofitting in the cities” Ms. Green explains.
In the latest study tour in Udine a specific workshop on business model issues in the replication model was held. Reconising the importance of finance to get the projects off the ground, CITyFiED consortium insights into business models were discussed and a questionnaire to test concepts and perceptions answered by he city representatives to further enrich the process. This will now be analysed to suggest appropriate business model for the replication work.
A further 38 cities in the project’s Community of Interest are watching this process closely and will learn more in future webinars and technical reports about how to follow these steps. The road to replicating energy efficiency and renovation know-how at scale is a long one; but CITyFIED city cluster members are clearly at the vanguard of a movement with growing momentum!
9 March 2016