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European local government leaders look to Freiburg, Germany, for energy policy inspiration

A workshop on Procurement & Financing at Local Renewables: Improving financial access to sustainable energy roll-out took place on 25th October 2014 in Freiburg, Germany. 'It was inspiring to hear how the city has turned energy into a powerful tool to improve sustainability. The study tour and workshop have provided a wealth of ideas, which can be adapted to our own context.' said Antonio Marco Dalla Pozza, Councillor for sustainability and planning of the City of Vicenza, Italy.

Participants heard first-hand accounts of the challenges faced and solutions found in implementing Freiburg’s exemplary energy policies. Klaus Hoppe of the Energy Department and Dieter Bootz of the Department of Waste Management (ASF) outlined how the German city is using its energy policy to reach broader climate mitigation goals.
 

The green district of Vauban was the first stop on the study tour. A former military base developed into a residential area in the 1990s, Vauban is an internationally known model of sustainable urban planning.

Next was the district of Rieselfeld, a model of ecological housing and the region’s largest neighbourhood project. All residences are built as low-energy buildings, and the use of renewable energy and district heating are part of a far-sighted energy concept.

Participants also viewed 'Buggingerstraße 50', Germany’s first high rise building renovated to passive house standard. It now consumes 78 percent less energy than the original building, with minimal rent increases.

The final stop was a tour of the recycling facilities in the district of Haslach. The city of Freiburg’s waste policy is based on strict sustainability principles, and favours waste prevention, followed by waste recovery, and finally, if no alternative is open, ecological disposal.

The workshop, titled ‘Procurement and Financing at Local Renewables’, took place on the second day of the event, and looked at improving financial access to sustainable energy roll-out, a particularly important topic in a time of widespread financial austerity in Europe.

The event was supported by the Conurbant project and the City of Freiburg, with the participation of the LEAP project. Covenant capaCITY, Conurbant and LEAP are all co-funded by the European Commission’s Intelligent Energy Europe Programme.

Download presentations and the agenda

 

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