5.3.1 - THE CITY PROGRAMME PROJECTS
THE GENERAL SECTOR
t GE01 - Monitoring the PECQ and the energy monitoring program-me in the city.
Objective: To track the future evolution of energy consumption and emissions in the city, as well as the execution of projects derived from PECQ.
Description: track annually the evolution of the degree of execution of PECQ projects, as well as to maintain the work already undertaken in the last years of “Energy Observatory” and so, continue to monitor the energy consumption of the city, of power generation facilities within the city, and all the energy generated, according to energy source type.
However, calculate the emissions of pollutants resulting from energy consumption, as well as from other emission sources such as waste treatment.
t GE02 - Programme to monitor the local emissions inventory in Barcelona and their dispersion
Objective: Keep updated the modelling tool of the dispersion of pollutants in the city of Barcelona so that it is a useful monitoring and verification PECQ tool.
Description: although the air quality is already monitored hourly, in ad-dition to annual reports, this project has another line of action that can support the first one. It is proposed to track the NOx and PM10 emissions (or other contaminants that exceed the legal limits) and link emissions to actual emission measurements of the stations located in Barcelona.
This can be done if the model of pollutant dispersion in Barcelona alre-ady developed under the PECQ is well maintained and updated.
Therefore, it is proposed to update every two years the Barcelona city emissions inventory and hence keep track of the evolution of the local pollutant emissions inventory affecting the Barcelona air quality (i.e.
NOx and PM10). Subsequently, it is proposed to modernize the pollutant emission and thus enable its comparison to actual emission measure-ments of the stations located in Barcelona.
This will involve using the modelling tool of the dispersion of pollutants that Barcelona has used at PECQ as a tool for analyzing the origin of NO2 and PM10 emissions, as a tool for controlling, managing and ve-rifying the evolution of the city and of the PECQ measures affecting local pollutant emissions.
An agreement with Public Health, within the City Council, will be neces-sary to coordinate the project.
t GE03 - Real time information on current air quality and forecasts.
Objective: Platform with alert subscriptions to predict the days and hours as well as that parts of the city where there will be high concentrations of pollutants, to warn high risk groups such as asthmatic patients or people with breathing difficulties.
Description: Currently, various cities (London, Liverpool, Copenhagen, Aalborg, Vienna, Beijing, etc.) already have air quality forecast models based on a model of pollutant dispersion, a weather forecast model, a forecast model for other pollutants such as O3, and other inputs such as emissions inventory. In fact, local pollution depends not only on emissions, but also on the weather (wind, temperature, etc.) and on other items such as ozone which, in part, comes from outside the area and, with greater or lesser concentration, create chemical reactions causing a higher or lower number of certain pollutants.
These forecast models allow -by means of different channels like the Web, email or SMS subscriptions, screens in the city, etc. - to give no-tice to different high risk groups of the population (asthmatic patients, people with respiratory difficulties, etc.) on higher risk areas of the city and on the times when the risk is higher.
It is proposed to implement a website as a communication centre, but with alert subscription services that, based on updated emissions in-ventory and other exogenous data such as background pollution, me-teorology, etc. can forecast the emission of different pollutants three days in advance.
An agreement with Public Health, within the City Council, will be neces-sary to coordinate the project.
t GE04 - PECQ website.
Purpose: To inform and sensitize the people and businesses of government initiatives and objectives into a single portal.
Description: add PECQ contents onto the Barcelona Energy Agency website, with its goals and other factors of interest such as educational information, recommendations, news, grants, computer tools, etc. In addition, this website should be a showcase of PECQ projects and its execution progress.
The information must be understandable to the people and easy to ac-cess, include information about public aid, and keep a list of RE facilities in Barcelona. The website should also have links suitable for compared consumption projects, etc.
Among other content, the PECQ website should also be a gateway for other PECQ projects such as:
- Energy savings advisory for homes and businesses.
- Home consumption viewer and web platform for compared con-sumption in the residential and business sectors.
- Ensure proper maintenance/operation of solar installations resul-ting from the OST.
- Appliance Refurbishment Plan in the home.
- Watch the PV and mini-wind power potential that each building has.
- Forecast of air quality in Barcelona.
- Where can I subscribe to the PV cooperative.
- Information on single stop procedures.
- Tour of the PECQ objectives.
- Etc.
t GE05 - Programme of awareness and communication about energy, consumption, and their environmental effects.
Objective: To sensitize the population and the business sector about energy and its environmental effects, and communicate the goals of PECQ.
Description: it is proposed to start a continuous media campaign with a defined storyline to give continuity to the campaign and to the mes-sage to be transmitted.
- Awareness raising programme to help understand the effects energy consumption has on the environment, and that it is everyo-ne’s responsibility to take care not to waste energy and to use re-newable energy whenever possible.
- Communication programme to publicize the objectives of the PECQ.
- Communicate and raise awareness regarding the analysis of the li-fecycle of products we consume.
- Also adding to the awareness and reporting on the environmental costs of excess consumption (in reference to consumerism) and the issue of packaging.
It should be noted that, according to the sociological study prepared under the PECQ, 29% of the Barcelona population belongs to the so-called conscious segment and therefore, according to the ethnographic study, the people in this segment “…show interest and are environ-mentally conscious and aware of their impact and they would like to know more, as they would easily change their lifestyle to be more “sus-tainable”; they would like to consume less energy if they are shown how to go about it and what the beneficial impact would be”. Regar-ding the comfortable segment (27%), they lack a clear perception of what the environmental impact of the household sector is, since they have the perception that most of the contamination is derived from in-dustry/business. It must be explained to them that part of the pollution problem is in the hands of the people themselves.
It is proposed that the storyline of the campaign should be attractive and catchy to get the public anxious and eager to see the campaign’s
“next chapter”.
t GE06 - viability to look at defining a regulatory framework to en-sure the utmost energy efficiency in buildings in accordance with their use.
Objective: To study the viability at defining a favourable regula-tory framework that integrates other existing and future regulati-ons related to power generation systems in buildings and energy efficiency measures.
Description: due to the fact that there are more and more regulations
SCENARIOS AND STRATEGIES FOR ACTION - BLOCK 5: STRATEGIES FOR ACTION - THE PROJECTS
framework for energy efficiency of buildings that includes all other mu-nicipal ordinances (solar thermal Ordinance, photovoltaic Ordinance, etc.) and providing for other alternatives (i.e. micro-generation, DHC), with an analysis of the whole and to assess the natural resources of the environment and energy alternatives that are commercially available.
This legislation would contribute, for each project, to the study from a global point of view of minimizing the consumption of primary energy and/or emissions of greenhouse gases, without favouring any single technology, requesting an analysis of alternatives from the designer with their respective justification for the selected alternative.
t GE07 - Agreement between administrations to monitor all the energy certification of buildings.
Objective: agreement between governments to monitor the ove-rall energy certification of buildings and the CTE and other energy regulations applicable to buildings.
Description: the RD47/2007 application of building energy certification is regulated by the Government of Catalonia. The City Council should have the information and procedures relating to the CTE and RD47/07 energy certification of buildings located in the municipality of Barce-lona.
It is proposed to initiate a flow of information agreement between the Barcelona City Council and the Generalitat de Catalunya, as agile enough for the Council to monitor the level of implementation of the CTE and RD47/07 energy certification in new construction and rehabili-tation of residential buildings and in the future, the regulations concer-ning the certification of existing buildings, before they are approved by the competent body.
Other energy standards for buildings such as the Eco Decree must also be incorporated.
Ultimately, it may be that the City Council requires a minimum energy rating of new buildings being built in the municipality. In this case, it is essential to have mechanisms and monitoring tools that are necessary to monitor this properly.
t GE08 - Environmental works to reduce emissions of pollutants.
Objective: To reduce emissions of particulates and other pollu-tants resulting from the execution of works and the movement of trucks.
Description: project already initiated by the City Council and which in-volves, for large civil works (H-9, HST, beaches, ATLL, etc.) requesting that the construction companies bidding for the job have to use low emission trucks and to take action to reduce emissions and re-suspen-sion of particulates.
A mechanism for environmental monitoring of the work must be in place to verify proper work progress.
t GE09 - Setting energy and environmental efficiency criteria in new urban projects.
Objective: To establish rules to ensure that new urban projects harness the full potential of energy efficiency and use of natural resources that each area can offer.
Description: building, just as other sectors are changing their rules in favour of improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions of po-llutants into the atmosphere. In reference to urban planning, although there are “manual” or guidelines to improve these aspects in reference to the current regulations, there has not yet been a transformation of the urban regulations to common and optimal criteria or thresholds from the various points of view needed in planning assessment, inclu-ding energy efficiency.
Following regulatory changes in the building sector, the next natural step would be a transformation in the way of thinking and regulating urban planning. Please note that the difficulty posed by this change implies that it must be done in a transitional manner while assessing many aspects, since there is a conjunction of urban, social, economic, environmental and energy factors; aspects that require joint analysis in order to set minimum and maximum values, ranges or thresholds.
Therefore, PECQ proposes to promote and accelerate this transition towards a more conscious planning from the point of view of energy and therefore a project is added to PECQ to incorporate to the current process, key chapters of analysis of different alternatives that each
project can present with the respective justification of the adopted so-lutions, all from the standpoint of energy efficiency and use of available resources, but without forgetting other key aspects of planning.
t GE10 - Strategic study on adaptation to climate change in the city of Barcelona.
Objective: To have a clear view of the risks and costs of adapta-tion to climate change, and of a set of measures and projects to anticipate their effects on the people of Barcelona, on its infras-tructure and on its economy.
Description: Project that proposes to develop a strategic study to pre-dict the effects of climate change on the Mediterranean, its shore along Catalonia and, specifically, the possible impact on the city of Barcelona, its people and its economy and to also incorporate the concepts of re-silience and adaptation to the effects of climate change. As other cities like New York, Liverpool, or areas like the Australian coast, Japan, UK, etc. are already doing, the idea is to analyze the effects of climate chan-ge on the people of Barcelona before, for example, extreme heat/cold waves, intensification of storms, increased drought stress, decrease in precipitation, sea level rise and intensification of the effects of the sea on the sandy beaches or infrastructure near the coast, on the wildlife, food availability, etc. The study should be complete enough to allow risk assessment and the costs of possible solutions and to make decisions to adapt to climate change and, above all, anticipating the effects.
In short, proposals should be given to reduce or mitigate the effects of climate change in the city of Barcelona, taking the necessary actions to:
- Ensure the supply of water.
- Reduce the impact of floods, identifying first the potential risks of the infrastructures of the city and adapt them according to the risk of damage.
- Take into account the future rise of sea level.
- Promote active animal and plant species management and conser-vation programmes and improve the quality of habitats.
- Rethink the tourism model.
- Prevent the city from high-impact weather events such as heavy snowfall, major storms, etc.
- Prioritizing strategies and regulations necessary to adjust to climate change.
- Draw a map of coastal climate change vulnerability of the coast.
t GE11 - Energy saving advisor for homes and commercial premi-ses.
Objective: that people, employers and store owners have access to an expert or benchmark for consultations and to act on energy saving, economic and energy efficiency.
Description: from the social study with environmental and energy com-ponents carried out by the PECQ, it seems that there is a significant percentage of the population that does not have a clear understanding of how they can save energy and whether they are spending a lot or little.
This project proposes to create or provide a customized energy advice service for households, small shops, local services and offices.
This personal adviser goes to the homes or places of business, makes a simple preliminary diagnosis in which potential savings are easily de-tected, and delivers a report saying, “you are spending X and you may end up spending X - Y in a year if you do Z “.
The project also provides real information on inadequate uses to support the campaigns.
The cost of advice may be included in the equipment maintenance con-tracts of households/business premises if agreements with the guild are reached. Alternatively it can be arranged to charge the customer and if consumption goes down the cost is credited; or it could be free in the beginning and the customer is charged if in a year consumption is not reduced. So there must be a companion during the process to faci-litate the implementation of proposed actions and to eliminate doubts.
However, it may well be a very small cost and easily recoverable with economic savings proposed by the consultant.
An agreement should however be reached with the Barcelona Cham-ber of Commerce or other groups to ensure that the measure is
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t GE12 - Consumption comparisons, platform for comparing energy consumption and environmental impact.
Objective: that individuals, businesspeople and traders raise their awareness of their own energy consumption and take appropri-ate action to reduce it, helped by a system that allows compa-risons of unitary consumption and energy and financial savings achieved by other individuals or businesses.
To inform individuals whether they consume much or little energy com-pared to other people and/or neighbours or friends.
Description: a web platform for managing people’s energy consump-tion data that allows individuals to make comparisons. As an alterna-tive to creating the platform, an existing one can be used, like Google PowerMeter.
The project will:
- Monitor past energy consumption as well as consumption indica-tors (kWh/m2, kWh/person, etc.) of people or businesses that have an installed device for measuring and monitoring energy consump-tion.
- For citizens or businesses that do not have installed a device as mentioned above, the system will allow for consumption data entry based on consumer monthly bills or notes, for example.
- Open the possibility to compare indicators of private consumption or families with similar characteristics or local shops.
- Portal for dissemination of good practices and rankings of the best
“savers” and most effective measures for industries.
- Comparisons with the average consumption in BCN and/or District and/or other cities if the project expands.
- The platform provides advice to reduce consumption and CO2 emis-sions.
- Design incentive programmes and “competitions” where children can be encouraged to “educate” the adults doing educational pro-jects in schools linked to the consumption of each household and;
the case of the commercial sector, you can create a label “more efficient business or less CO2 emissions.”
t GE13 – Pilot test on photocatalytic building materials to reduce the presence of NOx in the air.
Objective: To see the effectiveness of new photocatalytic materi-als to reduce the concentration of NOx in the air.
Description: a pilot demonstration of the effect of some materials with photocatalytic capability on certain pollutants like NOx and the organic particulates in suspension.
Certain materials such as ceramics, mortar, painting, and paving sto-nes that are currently entering the market have the ability to reduce pollutants present in the atmosphere such as NOx, PM10, benzenes, carbon oxides or aromatic polycondensates. Depending on the type of pollutant, photocatalytic cement with photocatalytic capability, with the help of sunlight, transforms the pollutants into nitrates, carbonates or sulphates, all nontoxic compounds.
It is proposed therefore to apply a material with these characteristics in one large area or inside a tunnel (it can also work in the presence of artificial light with wavelengths below 400 nm) to measure the effect of absorption of NOx and particulates on air quality.
t GE14 - Educational programme for exchanging experiences and ratios of consumption and emissions in schools.
Objective: To make school students encourage parents to save energy through an educational programme that can be treated as a school game.
Description: based on the project “Compared consumption, platform for comparison of energy consumption and environmental impact”, adapt the web platform to incorporate a network of schools and scho-ol students to the system, and thus be able to incorporate new and imaginative educational programmes in schools.
This project is related to the project: “Dissemination of educational content towards the rational use of energy and the environment in schools.”
This project is related to the project: “Dissemination of educational content towards the rational use of energy and the environment in schools.”