by Maria van der Hoeven
Paris, France, 27 June 2012 - Over 60 per
cent of global energy demand is consumed in cities, where roughly
half of the world's population lives. Moreover, the urban
population is expected to continue increasing rapidly due to
growing urbanisation in emerging economies and developing
countries, putting cities at the centre of the sustainable energy
challenge.
Cities can play an important role in the application of
sustainable solutions, especially if city planners learn to
identify policy opportunities for reducing their consumption of
energy and better exploiting their capacity to generate energy.
Policy to ensure reliable energy supply
and sustainable energy generation will generally be designed and
implemented at the local level. But the impacts of national and
regional policies on the overall urban policy package must also be
considered, as they will drive energy consumption and generation at
the city level.
Energy policies should therefore strive to create an effective
link between national, regional, and local needs. Several of the
most important areas to address include city planning policies,
building energy efficiency policies, transportation policies, and
energy generation, distribution and delivery policies.
Impact analyses of such policy areas should also employ a
cross-sectoral approach. The link between energy and transport for
example is apparent, but less obvious interdependencies can also be
important, such as the interplay of energy policies with waste and
water management.
Policy-makers should include energy demand and generation
requirements in the early stages of city planning policy design. A
holistic approach is necessary, where not only traditional
technology, but also passive solutions are considered. For example,
this could include taking into account the local climate in city
planning policies, in order for buildings to benefit or be
protected from solar gains.
The nature of the energy sustainability challenge will require a
range of solutions to promote strong cities, while reducing CO2
emissions and dependence on traditional external energy
sources.
Urban Policy Package
City planning
City planning is a major policy driver of sustainable energy
generation. It is therefore essential that city officials ensure
that city planning accommodates various other policy goals, since
it determines the urban density and establishes residential,
non-residential, and mixed zoning. These decisions can have a
direct impact on building heating and cooling needs, the cost
effectiveness of public transport, and the vulnerability of the
built environment to extreme weather conditions. Overall energy
demand and supply needs can thus be reduced by design as much as by
technology.
Buildings' energy efficiency
The buildings sector is the primary energy consuming sector at
the city level. Energy efficiency policies for this sector should
therefore be developed early on in the design of urban policy
packages. These policy packages should include building energy
codes and energy labelling schemes that aim to reduce the energy
demand of both new and existing buildings, without compromising
comfort levels.
When implemented effectively, building energy codes can ensure
the deployment of energy efficient technologies and reduce the risk
of blackouts during extreme weather conditions. Energy efficient
buildings often yield greater year-round comfort levels, which in
turn can be a low-cost means to provide health benefits for its
occupants. Reducing energy demand will lower pollution levels by
cutting unnecessary power generation, and reduce urban heat island
effects.
Transport
Transport is the second energy consuming sector at the city
level, and should similarly be considered early on in urban policy
design. Transport policy to reduce energy consumption might include
the implementation of efficient, high quality and safe public
transport systems; schemes to discourage the use of personal
vehicles, such as road pricing or driving and parking restrictions;
and policies that turn multi-modal trips into seamless journeys,
such as car-sharing and employee transport plans.
Provision of infrastructure to support more and safer
non-motorised travel (such as cycling lanes and better footpaths)
can also play an important role. Such policies not only reduce
energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, but also bring substantial
improvement in other environmental externalities, such as local air
quality and noise. Mixing shopping and work areas with residential
areas can also save energy by reducing the average distances city
dwellers need to travel on a normal day.
Energy generation
Sustainable city-level energy generation policies should include
plans for electricity and heat generation through local renewable
energy sources. Cities should thus aim to be centres for energy and
heat generation, where technically feasible and economically
viable. These efforts should be concurrently supported by city
planning and building energy policies, in combination with waste
and water management programmes.
Energy generation should be part of an integrated approach that
includes energy distribution and delivery, and that can help to
increase on-site renewable generation and the overall share of
renewable energy. Such an integrated approach is not new. Since the
Earth Summit in 1992, several cities around the world have
implemented it. The approach was illustrated by the Hammarby
(Stockholm) eco-cycle model.
Energy distribution and delivery
Policy-makers should consider smart grids, distribution
management, and end-user energy delivery at the early stages of
urban policy formation. Investing in smart grids can improve demand
response, delivery of energy efficiency, integration of variable
renewable resources, and enable electric vehicle recharging
services. Such grids also smooth demand peaks and stabilise the
electricity system, helping to deliver effective energy
savings.
Capacity building, transparency and stakeholder
involvement
In order to achieve effective implementation, resources should
be secured for local capacity building and energy awareness
programmes. As cities can benefit greatly from sustainable energy
generation, it is important that they lead by example.
Public buildings should be energy efficient and use renewable
energy where possible; and local authorities should include the
purchase of energy efficient products and goods in their
procurement rules. Cities should also be mindful of transparency,
and include all stakeholders and interested parties from the early
stages of urban policy package design. Both stakeholder involvement
and transparency are key to successful acceptance and
implementation of such policies.
Cities should also be mindful of
transparency, and include all stakeholders and interested
parties from the early stages of urban policy package design.
Both stakeholder involvement and transparency are key to
successful acceptance and implementation of such
policies.
Towards a sustainable future, inside and outside
cities
In the end, city planning - including buildings, public
transport, energy supply, waste and water management - is about
human well-being. Efforts should not focus merely on statistics or
technology, but also be mindful of beautification and quality of
life. Urban greenery programmes, for example, can increase quality
of life while decreasing heatisland effects. This type of
common-sense, win-win solution is typical of good local, integrated
policy planning.
Even if national policy takes the limelight, the real impact of
energy policy will first be local. And given the importance of
cities within the wider energy equation, addressing their
particular needs in a sustainable, intelligent and efficient manner
also enhances national energy security. Cities lie at the centre of
the energy challenge; making sound urban policy is key to the
solution.
Urban energy policy design is available
here
You can order a free copy of the book by emailing copies@sustainablecities2012.com.
Read also the 2012 edition of Sustainable Cities
Maria van der Hoeven, is Executive Director, the International Energy Agency (IEA)