Urban Planning for City Leaders - Cities Alliance

How to provide infrastructure and key servicesImprove energy efficiencyUnderstand key energytrendsLocal initiatives can take national energyplans forward at a practical level. Mostenergy is produced outside cities and energyplans are generally made at the national level.These are relevant to cities as they regulatesupply sources, consumption reduction andincentives for getting the best performance.However, cities are taking a practical approachand are increasingly starting initiatives which,sometimes, have even more ambitious targets.These initiatives may include advanced policiesin land use, building standards that requireenergy efficiency measures, energy generationand storage initiatives, and demand-sidemanagement.LeapfroggingOne of the more obvious opportunitiesfor cities in developing countries is thatof “leapfrogging” – skipping inferior,less efficient, more expensive or morepolluting technologies and industriesand move directly to more advancedones. This means they do not repeat themistakes of highly industrialized societiesin creating an energy infrastructurebased on fossil fuels, but “jump” directlyto renewable energy sources and moreefficient distribution approaches.Source: UN-Habitat and ICLEI 89Dundalk Sustainable Energy ZoneThe Sustainable Energy Zone in Dundalk,Ireland, is a four square kilometre areawith mixed uses. Its aim is to stimulate anational move towards sustainable energypractice by demonstrating the benefits inan exemplary community. Specific targetsare:• 20 per cent electricity from renewablesources• 20 per cent heat from renewablesources• 40 per cent improvement in theenergy performance of selectedbuildingsSource: SEAI 88Solar water heating in Hunchun, China© UN-Habitat/Alessandro Scotti81