Östersund Municipality
Sweden-
Population 49806
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Area 2501.08km 2
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GDP N/AN/A
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Targets by N/A N/Aemission
This Klimp project aimed that 50 small house owners would convert from fuel oil to district heating and 200 small house owners would convert from electricity to district heating. The municipality of Östersund offered small house owners a grant of 20% of the investment cost, up to a maximum 1131.46 USD or 2828.65 USD. The climate investment grant Klimp was necessary so that the measure would be implemented. This action had a positive effect when local emissions of dust and hydrocarbons decreased. Although methane emissions reduction that is a type of hydrocarbon. Another positive result effect of the action was that electricity generation at Jämtkraft biomass-fired power plant in Östersund increased. This led in turn to that the need for import of electricity from such coal-condensing power decreased.
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SS-EN 16001 is a quality system for energy management systems that are used worldwide and by many organizations in Sweden. Östersund is one of the first municipalities in Sweden to certify its operations according to the standard. The aim is to increase energy efficiency and reduce the costs of purchasing energy.
Read More Read LessÅlsta sawmill has installed a biomass-based timber drying facility. This means that they are now drying timber in production with its own residual waste rather than electricity or oil as was the case previously.
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Once a week in preschool and school the municipality of Östersund serves a vegetarian dish, without to offer another option. The decision is a citizen proposal who points out the negative impact meat production has on the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
Read More Read LessIn the municipality of Östersund there are three recycling centers where local residents is free to leave their environmentally hazardous waste, large and bulky waste. The recycling centers are clearly marked with information signs and staffed which should facilitate the filing.
There is an aid container on Recycling center in Odenskog where you can leave used stuff such as whole and clean furnitures, housewares and clothing, instead of throwing them in a trash container. The Salvation Army, the Pentecostal Church and the Red Cross turns to empty the container weekly and sell things in their Second Hand stores.
Within the municipality there are also 27 recycling facilities where household sorted packages and papers can be submitted. They are in a public place, often at a store, gas station or
residential area. The municipality of Östersund has developed a “Waste disposal guide” for households in Östersund. It is clear and easy to read with informative images that calls for the right sorting. Each year, large amounts of sorted waste is collected as recycled and become new products. This saves raw materials and energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. In Östersund, we are very good at sorting out environmentally hazardous waste and we will continue in the same way!
- Waste
The municipality of Östersund has implemented an environmental management system. The aim is that the municipality will reduce their environmental impact and assure the quality approach.
Efforts to obtain a certification completed in spring 2007.
Östersund is the first municipality in Sweden that environmentally certified all operations according to ISO 14001 and the second municipality registered under the EU standard EMAS. The municipality has conducted a systematic environmental work since the early 1990s. The environmental certification can be seen as the crowning.
ISO 14001 is an international standard how to control and assure the quality of the environmental performance of an organization. EMAS supplements including requirements for annual and validated environmental statement.
Östersund was appointed as the Culinary capital of Sweden in 2011 by Eskil Erlandsson, minister of Agriculture in Sweden. "Östersund has a diversified enterprise that is characterized by entrepreneurial spirit with many companies in the food area. The county of Jämtland has a widespread primary production with good conditions for forage cultivation, reindeer husbandry, livestock production and organic production sectors"
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
In a step to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the municipality has adopted a number of impact goals for 2012, this includes:
Read More Read Less- Buildings
The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation nominated Östersund Sweden's best climate municipality in 2010 in its comparative Climate index, which is compiled every third year. Svante Axelsson is the General Secretary of the society. He has worked with the investigation and justifies Östersund's nomination as Sweden's best climate municipality as follows:
“The climate work in Östersund is thorough and very broad. The municipality was not best in all the areas we investigated, but is good in all of them. If you were to compare our award with the Oscars, Östersund would perhaps not win the Oscar for best leading role, but, for best direction.”
- Other Emissions
Östersund was designated UNESCO City of Gastronomy on 20th July 2010. The city’s and the region’s support to gastronomic entrepreneurs and farmers tightly linked to the surrounding nature through guidance, training support and product development, was one of the reason Östersund was appointed as the “UNESCO City of Gastronomy”.
The city and the region, with its clean air and fresh water, has a long-lasting culinary tradition and benefits from a unique gastronomic culture based on locally produced sustainable food based on raw material from a large number of organic producers.
The municipality of Östersund has been granted 384 500 USD from the Delegation for Sustainable Cities and is now developing Storsjö Strand, a sustainable and creative city district next to Lake Storsjön that will be a unique area to live and staying in. The new district will be a model for sustainable construction and some of the country's leading consultants in sustainability issues help in this work.
The challenge is to develop an architecture that integrates new energy smart technology that minimizes and optimizes energy use and to become an international model for how this promotes and develops socio-cultural and economic sustainability.
For example all energy must be renewable, the goal is to significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Storsjö Strand will also generate more energy than it takes (both human and physical energy), it can be required that households produce their own energy through wind and solar energy and buildings to be energy-efficient with power consumption <60 kWh/m2. The area is built in small blocks which benefits microclimate by extend the summer season. This enables private plantations and greenhouses. Detailed process is in run parallel with the development of the area along with the property developer, citizens, politicians and officials.
- Buildings
The energy supply in the municipality of Östersund is today largely through district heating and renewable electricity. This is eg thanks to a major expansion of district heating in urban areas of Östersund and Brunflo. District heating can very largely get its energy from renewable fuels to the hot water unit. In 2010 approximately 90 percent of the fuel was supplied renewable. In hot water center electricity is produced simultaneously besides hot water - ie renewable electricity.
Electricity demand for Östersund residents is managed thus essentially by hydropower and electricity from hot water central for district heating - energy from renewable resources.
The efficiency of the hot water supply has also increased when a storage tank has been built. Arctura, located at the ski stadium, contains 26 million liters hot water. It is a thermal reserve that allows us to maximize the benefits of our valuable electricity, safe district heating supply and reduce the need for oil. Hot water production, thereby burning; can now be kept at a consistent and effective level. It has great significance for emissions of air pollutants such as CO2.
The local investment programs, LIP, is the largest single investment in the environment. During the years 1998-2002, the Swedish Parliament deposed 14,102184.43 $ in contributions to LIP in order to increase the ecological sustainability. The programs have been stretched over the environment - from energy efficiency and energy conversion projects to create good living environments, clean air emissions and water, and increase biodiversity.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
Technical Management / Propertys task is to "provide suitable rooms with good standards at the lowest cost and environmental impact". In this assignment, we identify energy as one of the key issues that impact both the environment and economy.
- The use of energy shall be effective compared to the benefits. We shall optimize the use of energy in our buildings, and energy to the operation of equipment and vehicle.
- We will reduce the share of fossil fuels and increasing the renewable energy we uses.
- Energy work is part of every employee's responsibility. All our staff must have good knowledge of
our energy work and the right knowledge and resources to contribute to it in their daily work.
- We will actively contribute to our partners and tenants, both within and outside municipal administration, participate in energy-saving work.
- We must take every opportunity to improve the energy performance of our properties. This
includes both property management and maintenance as maintenance planning, and new and
remodeling.
- Energy work is based on long-term profitability. Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and the effects on the internal and external environment assessment shall constitute the basis for the decisions on measures such as the purchase and procurement.
- We will comply with all applicable legal requirements in energy. We shall work with continuous
improvement and development of our energy work.
- We will communicate energy policy and information about our energy use to all employees, partners, and other interested parties.
In a step to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the municipality has adopted a number of impact goals for 2012, this includes:
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The municipality of Östersund has decided that only eco vehicles shall be purchased in to the municipal administration.
Of municipal vehicles in 2011 was 54% (170) environmental vehicles.
- Transport
In 2009, the municipality of Östersund adopted a travel policy that applies to all employees and elected officials throughout the municipal administration. Travel policy aimed at achieving eg :
travel only when necessary; business trips replaced as far as possible with video, audio, and web conferencing,
as well as an environmental and climate-adapted traveling, business trips are planned and implemented in such a way that the carbon footprint and external environmental impact is minimized.
- Transport
In a step to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the municipality has adopted a number of impact goals for 2012, this includes:
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The Municipality of Östersund has a special event policy for contributions to major sporting events. According to the arrangement, the policy can be more extensive funding may be available for events such as SM, European Championships, World Championships or World Cup. Contributions can also be granted for youth events as cups and tournaments. Associations can rent free access to municipal facilities and arenas as part of the support arrangement. For major sporting events subscribed special agreement with the organizer. The municipality has a requirement that the organizer establishes and follows a specific environmental plan of arrangement.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
In 23 of November 2012 Östersund is about to become a diplomaed Fairtrade City thanks to our commitment to fair trade and ethical consumption. Diploma means that the municipality meets the criteria relating to ethical procurement, active information work and a range of Fairtrade-certified products in the store and in the workplace. The work is led by a steering committee that will represent the entire community.
When choosing a Fairtrade product you contribute to increased environmental concerns and the conversion to organic farming in the developing world.
- Facilities
Greenhouse gas emissions increased in 263 Swedish municipalities in 2010 compared with the previous year, according to new statistics presented by Diakonia. But in the municipality of Östersund, the carbon emissions decreased - 3.9% over the same period.
Read More Read LessSome buildings has been equipped with heat recovery ventilation on units that lacked recycling. Action has been implemented in eight of the ten items that the application was made for: Fagerbacken (office and workshop premises), Wargentinskolan, Körfältsskolan, Storsjöskolan, Storviksskolan, Tavelbäcksskolan and Hemgårdens and Änge manor retirement homes. Linked to this action has public education and information measures been implemented. For example, a power-saving booklet has been produced.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
Under the years of 2003-2008 the Swedish Parliament ousted 14102 184.43 $
to support climate investments that reduce greenhouse effect. The idea of Klimp was that municipalities, businesses and other stakeholders should be encouraged to make long-term investments to reduce environmental impact and encourage local involvement and local initiatives. The support has mainly been used for physical investment. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions Klimp has contributed to the Swedish climate objective, while strengthening the local climate work.
The City Council in the municipality of Östersund has established an environmental policy which specifies the direction municipal environmental work should have. The environmental policy is examined in the management review and updated as necessary. When the City Council revises policy these changes applies immediately.
Policy:
“The winter city of Östersund thinks, implements and communicates smart environmental solutions for the short and long term”.
This means that:
- The use of energy and materials shall be effective in relation to the benefits which fossil free solutions systematically implemented.
- The municipality's business is based on a closed cycle approach and contributes to an increased environmental awareness among local residents.
- Use of land and water is a long term management that provide a rich variety of habitats, biotopes and species.
- The municipality's activities are carried out so that the negative impact on the environment in terms of emissions to air, land and water is as small as possible.
- The municipality does not use chemical pesticides in its own operations and on municipal land.
- The municipality is working to improve and develop their environmental performance in all areas and prevent pollution.
- The municipality informs suppliers and contractors about municipal environmental management.
- The municipality opposes any prospecting, exploration and mining of uranium in the municipality area.
- The municipality shall in all activities meet all applicable legal requirements in the environmental field.
- The municipality's environmental policy is openly communicated to all staff, children and students in the schools in Östersund and, where applicable, to persons working for or on behalf of the municipality and other interested parties.
As early as 1993 the Municipal Council in Östersund decided to produce a local Agenda 21. Visions spanning
the years up until the year 2025 were conceived, with the help of local inhabitants. These visions, now
focusing on 2040, have been revised in consultation with local residents and are a manifestation of what
the citizens of Östersund want for their city in the future. The important thing is that all of Östersund’s
citizens are aware of and support the visions and that we all do everything in our power to achieve them.
The local Agenda is intended to act as an instigator and means of assistance in the long-term process,
which the development of a sustainable community entails.
To strengthen local energy and climate change initiatives the Government has allocated financial support to municipalities that actively improve energy efficiency. The support is handled by the Swedish Energy Agency. The municipality of Östersund corresponds to 44 858 USD per year for the years 2010 -2014.
When a municipality takes part of the state aid it commits itself to work systematically to reduce energy consumption in the municipality by adopting a strategy for improving energy efficiency with situation analysis, goals and action plans with concrete measures to be implemented to reduce energy use in the municipality
- Buildings
In the municipality of Östersund it have currently being built a new residential area, Remonthagen. The area pursued a clear environmental profile with a sustainable building to take advantage of the site green conditions. The area's environmental and ecological thinking is supposed to be reflected in such materials, energy, ventilation, heating, and water and sanitation.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
During one week this fall climate smart dishes that was nutritional and CO2 calculated was served in all of the municipalitys school restaurants. This showed the guests how they can affect both their health and the environment positively through their food choices. Information about what is good food choices for your health and the environment were in the dining rooms.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
Streets and Parks Department on the municipality of Östersund has on trial coated some areas with "green asphalt". Energy consumption in the production decreases by 20% and carbon emissions by 30%.
The test resulted in that the Streets and Parks Department now forward will add green asphalt wherever it´s possible.
- Other Emissions
The Environmental and social committee has decided that anyone who builds a passive house in the municipality of Östersund refundable fees for building permits, building application, construction map and any fee for onsite wastewater treatment.
This of course applies to the requirements of the Energy Agency's definition of passive met. Östersund is accordning to Passive house center in Alingsås the first municipality in Sweden to take this decision. The decision has been taken to encourage energy conservation and sustainable building in the municipality. To a passive house no energy need to be added, but it is heated passively by utilizing heat from people, electrical appliances and solar, ie house-without-heating systems. In this manner, houses almost self-heated.
Through a partnership with the Swedish Transport Administration Region a focus on electric bikes in Östersund management has been implemented. This has resulted in that 24 electric bikes now are available in various activities within the municipality. In the first procurement Green Traffic was through collaboration with the Swedish Transport Administration Region award ten grants of 845,99 USD per bike to the units who bought an electric bike.
Several different units within the municipality has purchased electric bikes, including home care services where the bikes were an important part of the daily work and facilitated transport between care recipients. In other devices where short trips are less common the electric bikes has been comparatively less. About half of the trips has under evaluation replaced car journeys which reduced carbon dioxide emissions by about 1.9 tonnes. Electric bike is a new mode of transport that can not really be compared with the normal cycle when using the area widened. An electric bike makes it possible to make longer trips in the service than with a regular cycle and also meet hilly terrain without getting sweaty when you arrive. Lightweight and energy efficient vehicles as electric bicycles will become increasingly interesting ahead when energy prices are expected to continue to rise.
The municipality of Östersund and the electricity supplier Jämtkraft has been granted financial support from the Swedish Energy Agency to provide grants to 28 electric cars. The possibility exists for companies, organizations and individuals to receive 25% of the electric vehicle added cost, maximum $ 7153.89.
With the added cost is the difference between the price of the electric car and the price of the nearest comparable petrol car. Östersund and Jämtkraft reserves the right to prioritize the distribution of
entries based on the conditions to drive an electric car and get a mixed use of electric cars.
The time of delivery date will also be relevant to the grant recipient. The earlier a car
can be delivered, the greater chance of getting the grant. This is for us to get the most out of the project.
The beneficiary of contribution commits to:
- Provide electric vehicle with striping with Green Highway.
- Submit a high-resolution electronic photograph [email protected] the electric
vehicle where the logo / text as above stated. Östersund and Jämtkraft have the right to
using the photo for marketing of the project.
- Bring vehicle log and deliver data on a monthly basis according to project requirements.
- Respond to any surveys during the project period 2011-2013.
- Be the ambassador and participate in information dissemination.
The European Mobility Week is an awareness campaign which takes place September 16 to 22 each year. The campaign aims to motivate people to cycle, walk and use public transport as much as possible, and to encourage the European cities that, in different ways, easier for residents to use these options. Traffic affects climate and a shift to more environmentally friendly travel patterns is necessary.
The municipality of Östersund participated for the 10th year in a row in the international environmental campaign of the European Mobility Week. In four years in a row
Östersunds arrangements of European Mobility Week was nominated as one of the top ten in the European Mobility Award.
The three cities Östersund, Sundsvall and Trondheim together with power companies cooperate to create a Green Highway from coast to coast across the Scandinavian peninsula.
Green Highway is a project to create a 440 km long fossile free transportation corridor along a renewable energy belt from Sundsvall -Östersund –Trondheim. The city of Östersund is leadpartner in the project. The project has focus on electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, renewable fuels, testing and development, and to build and spread knowledge about this. Along this route it is possible to charge EV´s at nine places. Quick charging is established in Trondheim at 5 places and in Östersund at the moment. There are plans for many more quick chargers along Green Highway and the 10th of december 2012 a a new quichcharger will be inaugurated in Meråker on the Norwegian side.
Biogas filling stations are at place in Östersund and in Sundsvall and there are plans for biogasproduction in Trondheim in the end of 2013. There is also around 20 ethanol pumps along the Green Highway as well.
The municipality of Östersund have worked with the project "Climate Smart Food" in 2010, which will contribute to knowledge about how we can reduce the climate impact of food and how more sustainable eating habits can contribute to a better public health.
Food sector environmental impacts is significant. Food production gives rise to negative environmental impact, but also environmental benefits in the form of, for example, open landscapes and biodiversity. The public sector has a great responsibility to work to achieve national environmental goals, but also to achieve the national health objectives.
In this project, we have gathered some tips for sustainable eating habits and a recipe booklet. This was done as a study with health care staff
- Human health
ISA is an intelligent tool for speed adaptation. ISA tells the driver what speed limit applies. If the driver exceeds the speed limit a beep is heard in some systems. The municipality of Östersund has installed ISA in 18 of our cars.
Road safety is an important issue for the whole community. Vehicle speed is of crucial importance for a travel or transportation should be safe and secure. If everyone kept current speeds more than 100 lives were saved per year. A lower average speed also offers other advantages, such as reduced fuel consumption and reduced carbon emissions.
The units in the municipality have been offered to get a reduced price on EcoDriving education if they attended the Green Traffic KLIMP coaching projects. A total of 175 trained in EcoDriving which 56 participated in coaching.
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In Östersund, it is possible to refuel vehicles with sustainable biogas produced in the municipality biogas plant in Göviken. The biogas in Östersund is a secondary resource from Gövikens treatment plants. Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge takes place in a chamber where methane gas is produced, which is then upgraded and purified to the vehicle being refueled at the gas station. Biogas is renewable and does not add any new carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Östersund drive themselves around 90 of the municipal government vehicles on biogas.
In 2010, the biogas production decreased fossil carbon dioxide emissions by 947 tonnes.
Meeting Planner is a free service on the Internet for you who organize meetings, conferences or training with participants from different locations. It will help you find a meeting time so all participants can travel by train or bus. The ability to travel by train and bus in northern Sweden is getting better day by day. By encouraging sustainable travel you can reach environmental objectives the in the business - and make travel time to work. The municipality of Östersund encourages its employees to use the service.
In the Meeting planner you enter the address of the meeting, the locations / places participants traveling from as well as the desired day and time. The answer will be a meeting time that minimizes travel and waiting time for all travelers. You can also view alternative travel times and details of individual journeys. The Meeting Planner has been developed in cooperation with the municipalities of Sundsvall, Östersund and Trondheim, as well as the project "Time for Train".
Seemingly calm residential streets serviced daily by commercial traffic. Morning newspapers and mail to be distributed, garbage to be collected and the streets be cleared. The streets are narrow, snow plow edges can be wide and high, facing a garbage truck can be both difficult and dangerous. The district Odensala was appointed testing ground for introducing Green Route.
The purpose of the project was to reduce transport logistics expedient in the selected area. This will in turn lead to;
- reduced environmental impact and less air pollution through reduced fuel consumption and vehicle wear.
- increased road safety both through reduced transportation and reduced reversing.
- better working environment for drivers who handles mail and newspaper distribution by reducing the load on the neck and shoulders. This because of less torque and less concern about accidents when reversing out from mailboxes.
- better efficiency, because the distribution of mail and newspapers and emptying trash cans are effective.
- reduced noise since the time of the vehicle maintenance area decreases.
- improved working environment and reduced accident risk Renhållningens environmental workers through rubbish bins placed in the Outer Row, in that they do not have to turn around and go back in every intersection.
- changed the mindset of the planning process leading to the placement of waste bins and mailboxes that reduces mileage in residential areas.
On the municipal website there is information about carpooling and reference to various car pools.
Carpooling has many advantages, by sharing the car with each other the trip can be cheaper, nicer and more environmentally friendly. More carpools will result fewer cars in traffic. It reduces emissions of carbon dioxide and a reduced fuel use, it also helps reduce congestion making the journey safer and faster. In addition to saving the environment, the cost of the trip will be much lower when you share it. Carpooling is also a chance to meet new people and share experiences on the road.
In the project ADORE IT (Adolescence for Renewable Energies in Transportation) Green Traffic interacted along with project partners from the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Estonia, Italy and Romania. The goal with ADORE IT in the municipality of Östersund was to increase the use of alternative fuel vehicles that run on renewable fuels. The project was running for the period 2008-2011.
Examples:
- The municipality of Östersund has organized over 40 information sessions to encourage
process to increase biofuels vehicles. Some of these were really big seminars such as the one on the ethical and social impacts of biofuel production with 265 visitors and some large biogas seminars.
- The project has contributed to increased demand for biogas. This has led to the beginning of a process to find a contractor for the construction and operation of a new biogas filling station in Östersund, and operation of the existing.
- The project is likely to have contributed to the process that resulted in 30 biofuel city buses (7 ethanol, 5 biogas and RME 18 buses).
- The number of biofuel-powered vehicles increased by 62%. The total volume sold biofuels has increased in Östersund, mainly due to a sharp increase in the annual sales of biogas has more than doubled + 109%.
- Green Traffic has published a comprehensive gas car guide (see uploaded file). The guide provides an overview of the gas cars that are available in the global market model year 2011. In the guide you can find both car price, performance and range on gas, safety and cold tests, links to further reading, and more.
The municipality of Östersund have participated in Earth Hour
four times.
Examples from March 31, 2011 at. 20:30 to 21:30: This was done by turning off the street lights, buildings (apart from those with day-round activity), as well as sports facilities. The municipality informed the local residents, road associations, companies and organizations, asked them to participate. This was done through advertising in local media, www.ostersund.se, and letters to the lighting unions. Municipal employees were briefed by staff website, an information letter to the Child and educational administration and a special mailing to KLG. All council members were also briefed. Direct contact was made with a number of local players such A4/Campus, Jämtland County Council, the electricity supplier Jämtkraft, Swedish Church in Östersund, Östersund Residential, Jämtkraft Arena, Länsförsäkringar and merchants in central city by Richard Hallström. The aim was to inform that the municipality was going to participate in Earth Hour and hear about if interest and the possibility existed of organizations to participate. A large part of the contacted organizations welcomed the initiative and decided to participate.
The municipalitys mobility office Green Traffic works to reduce the climate impact of our travel and transport. Additionally Green Traffic informs on the climate issue and monitors municipal carbon emissions in the environmental management system.
Read More Read LessDuring the winter, the municipality's mobility office Green Traffic organizes a cycle campaign called "Winter Trample". The campaign aims to increase winter cycling and helmet use among municipal employees. Winter Trample participants gets studded tires and helmet from Green Traffic if they commit themselves to cycle 60% of their commuting trips to and from work during the period from December to April. This is to improve participants' health and reduce carbon emissions. At the end of the campaign, participants receives carbon dioxide diploma for replaced car trips. The carbon diploma indicates how many kilometers each participant has cycled and how many kilos it has reduced carbon dioxide emissions. The campaign is popular among municipal employees and has contributed to more people are choosing to cycle to and from work, even in the snowy winter.
Read More Read Less- Human health
In 2011, the municipality of Östersund was named Sweden's best electric car municipality. For several years, the municipaltiy of Östersund and the electricity supplier Jämtkraft invested in electric cars in the region. There are presently 25 electric cars out of which the municipality of Östersund has purchased six and Jämtkraft six. The remaining 13 electric cars are purchased by other businesses and organizations.
A project is a fossil fuel free transport corridor, Green Highway, between Sundsvall, Östersund and Trondheim. Today there are nine locations with charging facilities for electric cars in Östersund and on the entire route there are a total 43. Four new ones are planned, including one in Häggenås. At the beginning of the year northern Europe's first fast-charging station was opened, type CHAdeMO in Lillänges shopping center. The fast and new technology is charging 80 percent of the battery in an hour and 50 percent in the quarter.
In addition, in 2012 the municipality of Östersund became Sweden's second best electric car municipality.
The Test Traveller campaign in 2010 was a collaboration between Green Traffic (Östersund municipality), city buses, Länstrafiken and Jämtland County Council. The aim was to reduce fossil carbon dioxide emissions from road traffic by increasing the proportion of travelers who use public transport. The 2010 project focused on employees at the County Hospital, Jämtland County Council, who commutes by car to instead use the bus when traveling to and from work. 52 people were selected to be the test traveler and got to ride the bus for free for a month. The share of bus trips of total travel was before the campaign 6% and had six months after the campaign increased to 29%. During the test period, the test traveler campaign led to reduced fossil carbon dioxide emissions of 3.6 tonnes and, based on travel survey conducted over six months after the trial period, to an annual reduction of fossil carbon dioxide emissions of 21.8 tonnes.
Read More Read LessThe municipality of Östersund is informing about the economic benefits with biogas car. Citizens that have a biogas car as company car, are entitled to 40% less benefit taxation.
Benefit value of cars that can be powered with biogas may be reduced by 40% relative to the nearest comparable gasoline model. Maximum allowable reduction 2 289 USD per year. The adjustment shall be requested by the employer.
Once a year the municipality of Östersund hands out an environmental award to individuals, companies, organizations and associations in the municipality. This is to reward and encourage activities that contribute to sustainable development in Östersund. Anyone who wants to, can submit proposals for winners. The prize can be awarded for both non-profit and professional activities and consists of 10 000 SEK, flowers and diplomas. The winner is chosen by a jury.
Read More Read Less- Human health
In Östersund the entire city bus park tanks with renewable fuels. From 2011, a shift to renewable mean that carbon emissions from buses decreases by almost three-quarters of Östersund in the locality thus a decrease from 2263 tons / year to 643 tonnes / year. The city buses consists of 5 biogas buses, 18 RME and 7 ethanol buses.
Also the rural buses tanks 34 of its 80 buses on RME.
Owners of eco vehicles in the county of Jämtland may by the municipality of Östersund apply for parking permits. To get the permit it requires certain criteria for environmental and fuel conditions, vehicle, including weigh less than 3.5 tonnes and partially run on such ethanol or biogas. When granted permission an administrative fee of 71 USD is taken. The license is valid in a public place, ie. on the streets and public parking lots in Östersund. Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are additionally exempt from the administration fee.
Read More Read LessThe municipality in Östersund has been participating in the project Time for Trains. This is an information and marketing projects that were created in order to change attitudes to commuting by train and other public transport. The goal was that more people will leave their cars and take the train. It increases the chances of hiring qualified workers in a geographically larger labor market region. When motorists choose rail instead we get a better environment by reducing exhaust emissions. Increased travel by public transport also provides opportunities for the development of traffic supply - the more people travel, the more trains we will be able to choose from.
Read More Read LessThe goal of the project is to be charitable and to conserve resources when new homes are built or when rebuilding. Reducing carbon emissions is an important factor. The long-term goal is to become a fossil fuel free city. By increasing awareness among property owners knowledgeable and demanding consumers / clients that can set environmental standards is created. The planned actions are:
to develop information materials, organizing information sessions and seminars, as part of the network for sustainable construction organize seminars, information meetings and study tours / visits for professionals and individuals. Participants in this project are The Municipality of Östersund, Energy Office Jämtland, Mid Sweden University and The County Administrative Board of Jämtland.
A travel comparator in which to compare the time required, cost, amount of calories and carbon emissions for different transport modes is established on the municipalitys web page. The aim is to illustrate the impact your travel habits have on your wallet, health and environment.
Read More Read LessDuring 13 months Östersund are, as the most northerly municipality, agreed to test two energy-efficient electric vehicles of type Zbee. One Zbee on Environment and Health Department and one Zbee on the Real Estate Department, will be available for staff to test how they work in winter climate.
The Zbee is classified as a EU moped and has a top speed of 45 km / h. It takes 5-6 hours to charge and it can run about 18.64 miles in city traffic, up to 31.07 miles if it's not so much starting and stopping. Zbee weighs 200 kg, has been approved for three people and the tailgate can load 10 kg. It is Saab's biggest retailer Ana who have been contracted to build the electric powered, three-wheeled urban vehicle Z-Bee.
Status of compliance
Compact of Mayors