SMART CITY Litoměřice mentoring in PROSPECT Learning Cycle 2
The Mentor ‘SMART CITY Litoměřice (CZ)’ and Mentees ‘Municipality of Coutances (FR)’, ‘Municipality of Seixal (PT)’and ‘Municipality of Matosinhos (PT)’ are participating in the 2nd Cycle of the PROSPECT Learning Programme, constituting the 2nd Group for Public Buildings. The peer learning activities will be focalised on Revolving Funds. +Mentors' Corner
During Step 1 of the Learning Programme, an online session took place on the 19th of March 2019, where Mentor representatives presented best practices related to Revolving fund – Energy saving funds for public lighting, based on the projects, which have already been implemented. The mentor's project Complex Refurbishment of Public Building using ENERGY SAVING FUND focuses on revolving fund on publc buildings, it is a mechanism on how to invest saved operational cost (generated from energy savings) in the new energy sustainability projects. The project focuses, also, on ways of engaging and enticing the building users to be enegy efficient. The project had an initial budget of 60,000 euros.
During Step 2, a second online session took place on the 16th of April 2019 and Mentee representatives had the opportunity to present their own projects, pointing out their special needs as well as the respective sectors in which they intend to gain knowledge and experience.
The Mentees will visit Litomerice in Czechia to learn about Revolving Funds for Public Buildings
During Step 3, a two-day site visit was organised on the 10th and the 11th of September 2019, in Litomerice in Czech Republic. The visit helped the team to talk in detail about all the stages of their project and become more familiar with clean energy best practices via targeted site visits.
Replication/Transferability
The 4th and last Step of the Programme took place on the 11th of September 2019, it included an online session dedicated to the assessment and evaluation of the peer learning activities.
The municipality of Coutances faces considerable constraints with regards to financing conditions and coordination related activities necessary to set up the scheme. Whereas the legislative and regulatory frameworks as well as staff requirements seem to pose a smaller threat in the financing and implementation of sustainable energy projects. The municipality is taking its first steps in gaining further experience regarding sustainable energy city-level projects and in developing and implementing SECAP or other relevant projects. Towards this direction there is an urgent need to enhance training or outsource personnel for project underwriting and to support administration and monitoring of the projects. Finally, further developing and strengthening the cooperation with other cities as well as with traditional and less traditional actors on sustainable energy projects is a prerequisite and further effort should be placed following the experienced from other cities.
The municipality of Matosinhos has performed very well in the categories of Legislative framework and Staff availability/Technical conditions. Reportedly legal constraints for financing city investments exist and permits are required for most construction work. Also, regarding technical conditions there is sufficient, dedicated personnel for investigating funding options and supportive of administration, co-ordination and monitoring of energy sustainable projects. Room for improvement is identified when it comes to conditions relevant to communication as well as governance and management-related efforts. The municipality can take further actions to enhance the cooperation with other cities as well as with traditional and less traditional actors on sustainable energy related projects. Finally, monitoring and verification (M&V) procedures can be heightened through the adoption operational standards as well as quality assurance (QA) methods and processes.
The municipality of Coutances faces considerable constraints with regards to financing conditions and coordination related activities necessary to set up the scheme. Whereas the legislative and regulatory frameworks as well as staff requirements seem to pose a smaller threat in the financing and implementation of sustainable energy projects. The municipality is taking its first steps in gaining further experience regarding sustainable energy city-level projects and in developing and implementing SECAP or other relevant projects. Towards this direction there is an urgent need to enhance training or outsource personnel for project underwriting and to support administration and monitoring of the projects. Finally, further developing and strengthening the cooperation with other cities as well as with traditional and less traditional actors on sustainable energy projects is a prerequisite and further effort should be placed following the experienced from other cities.