The Glasgow STEP UP team of Glasgow City Council, University of Strathclyde and Scottish Power Energy Networks held a successful stakeholder engagement event for the City’s new Energy and Carbon Masterplan at the Lighthouse in Glasgow on Monday the 12th of May.
Introduction - Graham Pinfield - Glasgow City Council
Over seventy representatives from the private, public, voluntary and community sectors in Glasgow attended the half day event to learn more about the developing Energy and Carbon Master Plan. Attendees took part in workshops covering energy efficiency; local energy generation and district heating; transport and waste – each aimed at helping to identify actions for the new Plan.
Councillor McAveety - Glasgow City Council
Councillor Frank McAveety, Convenor of Glasgow City Council’s Sustainability and Environment Policy Development Committee, outlined Glasgow’s vision and commitment to becoming one of Europe’s most sustainable cities. Councillor McAveety went on to talk about how the city is focusing on regeneration and transformation to a low carbon economy, which will deliver social and economic benefits to Glasgow’s citizens.
STEP UP Project Coordinator Richard Bellingham of University of Strathclyde, outlined the history of the STEP UP project and explained that STEP UP seeks to enhance existing sustainable energy action plans (SEAPs) in the four STEP UP cities of Ghent, Glasgow, Gothenburg and Riga while developing a process for enhancing SEAPs in cities across Europe. He highlighted the value in creating SEAPs in cities aiming to deliver faster progress towards European energy targets whilst also creating jobs, eliminating fuel poverty and ensuring energy security.
Richard Bellingham – University of Strathclyde
Alastair Brown, Head of Environment and Sustainability in Glasgow City Council discussed Glasgow’s transition to becoming a ‘Sustainable, Resilient, Smart city’. He outlined the characteristics of a future smart and sustainable city and highlighted the importance of the Sustainable Glasgow initiative, a public and private partnership working to deliver a green economy, reduce emissions and deliver social objectives. He also reported on Glasgow’s participation in the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge in 2013, where Glasgow was chosen as one of the first 33 global cities selected for inclusion. Finally Alastair described the TSB Future City Glasgow Programme and how the programme will demonstrate ideas to make life in the city smarter, safer and more sustainable through technology.
Michael Green of Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN), showed how SPEN has used GIS technology to create a comprehensive map of energy flows in Glasgow taking into account future developments. The model used by SPEN allows for projected demand estimates to be considered and future energy infrastructure requirements to be anticipated. Michael explained that an integrated approach to energy planning is being developed in Glasgow to co-ordinate development and investment in energy infrastructure by SPEN.
Michael Green - Scottish Power Energy Networks
Gavin Slater, City Energy and Carbon Manager from Glasgow City Council introduced Glasgow’s Energy and Carbon Master Plan (SEAP), outlining the actions in Glasgow’s existing SEAP. He highlighted the trends in Glasgow’s CO2 emissions and additional actions required for Glasgow to reach its target of a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020 from a 1990 baseline. Gavin explained the workshops would help develop new actions for the plan, and identify key stakeholders and how to involve citizens.
Four parallel workshops were held on the topics of Energy Efficiency, Local Energy Production and District Heating, Transport and Waste and Recycling. All workshops were well attended and lively discussions took place. A wide range of actions and suggestions came out of all the workshop sessions that will contribute to the composition of Glasgow’s new Energy and Carbon Master Plan.
Transport Workshop
Graham Pinfield, STEP UP Project Manager for Glasgow thanked all attendees for their participation and advised that results of the workshop would be assimilated and circulated to all participants, and further consultations would be held leading up to the draft plan stage together with another event at the launch of Glasgow’s Energy and Carbon Master Plan.
The results of the findings from the four workshops will be made available on the STEP UP website soon.