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Energy consumption in own facilities


An obvious starting point for local authorities is their own energy consumption, which represents between 3% and 10% of total energy use in a city or municipality. This includes heat and electricity consumed in municipal office buildings or for street lighting, sewage treatment, water pumping, municipal car fleets, swimming pools, etc. In many European countries, schools are also in municipal hands. Some local authorities own large amounts of tenanted social housing.

Climate protection in their direct sphere of influence serves several purposes. They can:

  • show leadership
  • save costs
  • practice more effective administrative action
  • demonstrate and promote new technologies and procedures

 

Many local authorities have reduced their energy demand by up to 15%, without major investment, solely by means of energy management techniques such as monitoring consumption, improved control, early recognition and elimination of weak points. Measures that involve building users are highly successful, for example awareness-raising and motivation. Moreover, municipalities have introduced innovative schemes offering incentives by sharing the monetary savings with building users. Energy efficiency and environmental acceptability are also used as criteria in public procurement.

Local authorities can systematically plan their investments in energy efficiency, based on regular energy book-keeping and energy consumption indicators from which priorities can be derived. Investments include retrofitting of buildings and heating systems, installation of efficient lighting systems, and construction of combined heat and power units in large public buildings. Many municipalities explore new ways to ensure funding for these investments: either they work with energy service companies that offer performance contracting, or they restructure their own budget in order to create a revolving fund ("intracting").

Local authorities can have a considerable influence on energy demand in the private sector. Many municipal energy utilities apply demand-side policies, offering advice and incentives for efficient devices and integrated energy services in the heating sector. In a liberalised market, local authorities are likely to play an increasing part in this area since freely competing energy producers have little interest in limiting consumption.
A core area of municipal energy-efficiency policy in most parts of Europe involves developing the manifold opportunities to save energy in public and private buildings, since in a typical municipality these contribute to more than 50% of the emissions. Municipalities in some countries have explored the legal possibilities for applying stricter building codes than are required by national legislation. Some have introduced innovative schemes committing investors to stricter standards either by contractual means or by using competitive mechanisms.

Beyond this, municipalities have to rely on awareness-raising, advice and consultancy, funding programmes, and cooperation with relevant tradespeople such as heating engineers and chimney sweeps. Information, motivation and cooperation are playing an increasing part in local policy.



Energy supply
Local authorities may also be responsible for acting as local utilities - distributing energy and sometimes also producing it as well. This function is usually, though not always, delegated to a municipally-owned company and is widespread in Northern and Central Europe. Many such utilities own district heating systems.

Major potential for substantial short-term greenhouse gas reductions lies in the extension of existing and creation of new district heating systems, the upgrading of old systems and their conversion into combined heat and power stations. Small municipalities in particular utilise biogas or biomass for their district heating. A large number of municipalities provide support for the use of renewable energies.