Welcome to STEP-UP


Strategies Towards Energy Performance and Urban Planning (STEP UP) aims to bring together excellence on energy planning from four ambitious, European cities together with their industrial and research partners, running from Autumn 2012 to Summer 2015. 


Partner Cities

The STEP UP partner cities are:

  • Ghent
  • Glasgow
  • Gothenburg
  • Riga

Expertise

The consortium combines expertise in energy planning, economics, finance, technology, project management and delivery and has representatives from each city council, ensuring the active participation and political commitment of the cities themselves.

Focus

In each city, linking with local partnerships and stakeholder groups, STEP UP is facilitating the delivery of real projects in participating cities by using a multi-disciplinary and integrated approach. The focus is on holistic solutions that deliver real economic, environmental and technological advances in each city with regards to smart city planning.


Events

News

STEP UP Final Newsletter

Our final STEP UP Newsletter has just gone out to our subscribers.  The newsletter has information updating you on each city's progress, SEAP and recent events and achievements. Click here to view our newsletter.

Celsius Smart Cities Workshop- 16th September 2015

This interactive workshop will bring together excellence from several advanced European Smart Cities projects that will put forward their expertise and their project results on integrated planning, energy efficiency and district energy solutions, among others.

MSc Global Sustainable Cities Brochure

The Institute for Future Cities (IFC) has published a new brochure for the MSc Global Sustainable Cities.

Project Achievements 

The STEP UP project came to an end in July 2015. Find out more about the project’s achievements and what cities are doing next at the links below:


 

STEP UP Guides and Enhanced SEAPs

Ghent, Glasgow, Gothenburg and Riga have produced enhanced Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) for their cities.
 
The project has also produced two guides for cities, sharing practical advice and recommendations on developing enhanced SEAPs and sustainable energy projects. Find out more here!



New Masters programmes 

Two new Masters programmes have been developed through STEP UP, drawing on real world experience and STEP UP outputs:

  • MSc Global Sustainable Cities, University of Strathclyde
  • MSc Energy-Efficient Infrastructure for Smart Cities, Riga Technical University

Visit Masters Degrees to find out more



What City Leaders Say

We need the participation of all citizens to achieve climate neutrality in our cities through drastic decrease of energy consumption and the generation of renewable sustainable energy. Energy audits, coaching, cheap loans, smart technology and subsidies for energy efficiency measures can help make clean energy accessible for everyone, especially those who are poorly off.

Deputy Mayor Tine Heyse

Deputy Mayor Tine Heyse
Ghent City Council, Deputy Mayor of Environment, Climate, Energy and Development

Cities like Glasgow and its partners bring together education, innovation, communities and investment in ways which would otherwise be impossible. They are the crucibles in which new ideas and progress are forged.

Bailie Liz Cameron

Bailie Liz Cameron
Glasgow City Council

Step Up gives us possibilities to develop our sustainability work in the River city, to enhance the energy and climate efforts and at the same time highlight the commercial perspectives. By our financial opportunities, we will promote smart environmental and climate investments and avoid social gaps.

Kia Andreasson

Kia Andreasson
Gothenburg City Council

Riga was one of the first cities that signed The Covenant of Mayors in 2008. Collaboration in implementing various projects on energy efficiency using new technologies has enabled Riga to make citizens lives more comfortable and eco-friendly. With our partners we are now striving to become a Smart City.

Nils Ušakovs

Nils Ušakovs
Chairman, Riga City Council

Get in Touch