City of Ghent
Belgium Mayor: Mathias De Clercq-
Population 248242
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Area 158.0km 2
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GDP 13 BillionUSD
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Targets by N/A N/Aemission
Following up on the Thermography of Ghent (action Thermography) , the city of Ghent organized a group purchase of roof insulation. The group purchase aimed not only at reducing the cost for the individual, but also at making sure the roof insulation was done correctly and accurately.
Citizens who participated in the process received guidance on insulation materials, construction advice, interpretation of the tenders as while as a discount negotiated through the group purchase. Up to now, a group purchase has been organised twice. In total 1000 households participated in the process and 200 households used the group purchase to insulate their home. The others used the process to be better informed about their insulation choices, leaving the actual insulation over to the timing dictated by their personal renovation process.
- Residential
Max Mobiel is a non-profit organisation, owned by the Gent City Council and his partners: the province East-Flandern, Pom-East-Flandern trade unions (ACV – ABVV) and employer organizations. The aim of this organisation is to set up a shuttle fleet for employees between the railway stations and the industrial areas. Max Mobiel also provides rental bikes to a larger group of companies and employees.
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Since September 2008, all the electricity used in the municipal buildings and for public lighting in Ghent comes from renewable energy sources.
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In 2011, it was decided that all new municipal buildings will be passive, i.e. the net energy demand for heating and cooling is at most 15 kWh / m2*y, the airtightness n50 is at most 0,6 / h and overheating in summer is avoided. Thus the city of Ghent prepares itself for the EU nearly zero energy building obligation for public authorities by 2019. The decision in Ghent applies e.g. for new municipal offices and schools. For renovation, a feasibility study is made to determine the optimal energy performance and opportunities for renewable energy.
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A CO2 neutral community house in Ghent was finished in 2012. The building envelope is passive. The remaining energy demand is met by a heat pump, which operates CO2 neutrally thanks to photovoltaics.
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This measure aims at reinforcing the growth curve of car sharing in Ghent. This was done first of all by installing new car sharing stations, partially based on the results of a survey. Secondly by elaborately introducing the system to local residents by offering a trial formula allowing people to try out the car sharing system for two months without further engagements. Thirdly, businesses were actively addressed to take part in a pool card system that is developed to make it possible for businesses to join Cambio. Furthermore, new communication tools were used to promote car sharing based on the common knowledge of car sharing experts that mouth-to-mouth communication is the most effective promotion channel for this concept, e.g. client-ambassadors, cambio home parties, Facebook campaigns, new information panels at the car sharing stations etc.
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This measure consists of providing support to Gent companies voluntarily intending to implement a company mobility plan. The Gent City Council contacted several companies with the aim to coordinate company mobility plans and to stimulate sustainable transport modes for home to work trips. In support of these plans, each time, an employee oriented campaign to promote sustainable travel behaviour is set up. The Technologiepark Zwijnaarde/ Tramstraat (TZT) was assisted by the Mobility Company and the private consultancy Traject in the set-up of a mobility plan, and Mobi weeks were organised three times. All these actions lead to a modal shift of 5,9% towards more sustainable transport modes. Also 12 other companies or organisations ended up with a company travel plan or are currently working on it.
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From 2010 to 2013, a replacement programme for the least efficient lamps in public lighting in Ghent was realized. This reduced electricity use for public lighting by 20%.
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Main goal in the energy management plan is to reduce energy consumption with 10%, reduce CO2 emissions with 50% and use of 40% renewable energy in 2013 in public buildings and public lighting, regarding 2003 as base year.
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Learning from the experience of the free sustainable construction advice (see action construction advice), the city of Ghent plans to follow it up by providing extra sustainable advice at the construction site. Experience has learned that to accurately incorporate sustainable building measures in a building/renovation project, more guidance is needed. Once confronted with the actual (and often unforeseen) problems that any building project entails, the sustainable measures often become deprioritised. Although there is a sustainable solution for any problem that might occur, this is often not the solution chosen. Pressed for a quick solution for the problem at hand, the builder often relies on the solution presented by the contractor. Expert knowledge on a sustainable solution for any specific problem is often missing. An expert coming to the construction site can provide tailored advice so that the builder is presented with accurate information about the costs and benefits of a sustainable solution to his problem.
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Bicycle theft and lack of space to install bicycles at home are an important problem in this area of Gent. Good secured bicycle sheds could limit the number of thefts, but there is too little parking space for bicycles in general and secured bicycle sheds especially. Therefore, various types of secured bicycle sheds were tested during the project: Park & Bike boxes (used by commuters) and local neighbourhood bicycle bins (used by residents).
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This measure aimed at stimulating safe cycling in the City of Gent through the development of an Internet-based route planner for bicycles that not only gives the fastest route, but also the safest one by e.g. avoiding cobble stones, tram tracks and busy traffic roads.
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As the first Belgian city, Ghent approved in 2008 her first Climate Plan 2008-2020. The Climate Plan 2008-2020 contains 5 groups of measures: 1) measuring the impact from city and government on climate change, 2) giving the example in our governmental organisation, 3) stimulate citizens and visitors in the direction of climateneutral living and producing, 4) less and environmentally friendly transport and 5) developing green spaces and forrests in and around the city.
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- Industrial processes and product use (IPPU)
- Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use (AFOLU)
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The city tries with a local subsidy to promote the use of alternative and innovative vehicles. Currently citizens can receive a financial compensation when they buy a new e-bike or e-cargobike or citizens can receive a refund for the tuition fee for car or cargo-bike sharing. Companies can receive a financial compensation for up to 20 e-bikes if they can prove the bikes will be used for work-home or work-work transportations. This measure is very successful and since the implementation the demand for compensation is bigger than the foreseen budget.
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In 2012, the City of Ghent started an educational project ‘Education for Sustainable Transition’, with both primary and secondary schools. Main goals are to enthuse children about their city’s ambition on climate neutrality, to discover their own dreams about a sustainable, green city in 2050 and to use transition methods for this target group. The project ‘Climate Kids’ focuses on primary schools. The aim is to stimulate pupils aged 10 to 12 years old to formulate their own ideas about the future. What would they change in order to save the climate? At the end of the project the climate kids can present their advice to the policy makers about the future and climate mitigation, impersonated by the deputy mayor of Climate and Evironment. The project ‘Ghent 2050: serious urban game’ is an urban game developed for and with the active participation of youngsters between 15 and 18 years old. During the game, players discover the challenges we face concerning climate change. Will the world be saved or not? It all depends on their choices and actions.
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Student and Mobility is a non profit organisation founded by the city of Gent, the University and the Gent schools for Higher Education . The emphasis is on a bicycle rental project whose aim is to provide a sufficient number of bicycles for the students, thus encouraging bicycle traffic, diminishing bicycle theft and increasing bicycle safety in general. With the development of a bicycle repair network and a reliable after-rental service, the organisation tries to uphold the quality of the bicycle offer.
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Within the EU funded Music project we want to develop energy maps to give citizens and developers a Geo-based view on energy reduction potential and potentials for renewable energy. Currently we are working on roof potential for PV, potentials for shallow geothermal energy and mapping needs for district heating. In the beginning of 2014 different data sets will be provided to the public trough an on-line application. This should promote rdustion measures and introduction of renewable energy at parcel level. Combined with other maps (eg. energy poverty) this information should support decission making.
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Oude Dokken is a new residential public-private waterfront development of about 1500 houses and apartments along the docks in the former industrial port of Ghent. The polluted soil will be treated first. The project includes 20% social housing, 20% modest houses / apartments, quay promenades and several public parks and smaller green spaces. Access for motorized vehicles will be restricted; a pedestrian and cyclist bridge over the dock leads to the city centre. The buildings in the first phase of the development will have a net energy demand for heating and cooling of at most 30 kWh / m2*y.
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Tondelier is a new residential public-private development of about 530 houses and apartments on a former industrial site north of Ghent’s city centre. The polluted soil will be treated first. The project includes 20% social housing, 20% modest houses / apartments and a public central park with no access for motorised vehicles. All new buildings will be (nearly) passive with a net energy demand for heating and cooling of at most 20 kWh / m2*y. Different energy options are studied, e.g. air-water heat pumps and district heating. Roofs will be used for rainwater harvesting, green roofs and / or photovoltaics.
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STEP-UP wants to lift the local SEAP on a higher level and create more support for implementation by focussing on co-creation with local stakeholders and politicians. STEP-UP zooms in on priority business cases in the SEAP to select pilots. Each partner city will prepare the practical outrole and market uptake of 1 or 2 pilots. Ghent has already selected 1 of its pilots: the district renovation project St-Amandsberg. This concrete project will deliver bottom up input to make the SEAP more tailor made and realistic. Ghent will make the link between the energy and integrated sustainability. The STEP-UP approach will be fed and tested on its opportunities for reproduction by buddy cities.
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The campaign 'Thursday Veggie Day' of the ngo EVA has been supported by the City of Ghent since 2009. Through this campaign, we stimulate Ghent citizens to eat vegetarian at least one day a week, preferably on Thursday. Less meat is good for the climate, our health and our taste buds. Ghent became the first city on earth with an official veggie day – a news item which could be seen and read worldwide. Through the decrease of the meat consumption, the City of Ghent takes a big step in its engagement to became a climate-neutral city by 2050.
Read More Read Less- Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use (AFOLU)
- Other Emissions
The City of Ghent seeks to reduce the flow of vehicles passing through the pedestrian area, including motorised two-wheelers, and thus to improve the pedestrian amenity. The aim is to control the amount and type of vehicles going through the pedestrian area, using a system of cameras to ensure an efficient enforcement.
Cameras record the movements of vehicles accessing the pedestrian area. Automatic number plate reading technology is used to identify the passing vehicles. If the license plate matches a white list of vehicles with valid permits, then the recorded image is erased, with no action being taken. Any vehicle that is not on the white list (i.e. a vehicle that does not have a permit or a vehicle that has used up all the access fares on its permit) has its recorded images archived and a financial penalty is imposed.
The installation of the cameras is delayed for technical and organisational reasons. In September 2012 cameras are installed and being tested at two locations. Another seven locations will be done in 2014.
- Transport
This measure consisted of improving the fleet management for the employees of the City of Gent. The main goal was to reduce the emissions of the vehicle fleet by increasing the efficiency of the fleet and reducing the use of fossil fuels in the City fleet. The number of vehicles was reduced, cleaner vehicles were introduced (e.g. more than 30 electric cars, 11 CNG cars, 6 hybrid cars and 1 electric truck ) and car sharing was promoted. Also employees had the chance to reduce their fuel consumption through an ecodriving training. All these actions lead to a reduction of fuel consumption of 24%. This measures were awarded in 2013 with 2 Transport & Logistics Awards.
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Ghent aims to be carbon neutral in 2050. The remaining energy demand in 2050 should be locally produced renewable energy (for the sectors of the Covenant of Mayors). The City of Ghent wants to support business cases for the production of renewable energy. The support is carried out in various ways: financing a technical study for the extention of an existing steamnet, investigate how realisation of windmills on different locations can be accelerated, financing a study on energy from waste water, help during start-up of local energy cooperations, etc. In addition, the City of Ghent wants to be a role model. A strategy on energy self-sufficiency for own activities will be made.
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As the first city in Belgium, Gent launches a food strategy. It is a holistic approach to make the food system more sustainable. The food strategy covers food production, processing, distribution, consumption and waste. The strategy is being launced in the fall of 2013 and together with the different stakeholders various projects will be initiated and supported.
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- Industrial processes and product use (IPPU)
- Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use (AFOLU)
- Waste
Within this measure actions were done to improve the cleanliness of 2 different fleets: car fleet of Max Mobiel and the shuttle bus fleet of V-tax, a taxi service which is also subcontractor of Max Mobiel. To reduce emissions, Max Mobiel integrated 3 CNG vehicles and one electric vehicle in its own fleet. Max Mobiel also convinced the subcontractor V-Tax to increase the cleanliness of their fleet by integrating LPG shuttle buses.
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Within this measure actions were done to improve the cleanliness of the car fleet of Cambio (a car sharing service), Cambio integrated 8 electric cars in its fleet without creating an extra barrier for the people using the cambio car sharing fleet, 4 of them were in Gent. Also ecodriving courses were provided to 35 cambio users. Cambio also set up a sustainable purchase strategy by extending its calls for tender with a passage on the cleanliness (environment values as CO2, ecoscore). This has a great impact on the cleanliness of the whole cambio fleet.
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Energy saving investments is not a core business of SME's. Energy performant contracts could be a solution to make them more cost effective, more resiliant and more competitive. Therefor we would like to match ESCO companies with SME's. SME's should be made more familiar with ESCO's. We would like to offer SME's independant advice about EPC contracts. We would like to organize match-making moments.
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- Industrial processes and product use (IPPU)
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"Ledeberg is a neighbourhood in Ghent, very densely populated with a high concentration of vulnerable and disadvantaged inhabitants. The Ledeberg Leeft!-project is part of an urban renewal project aimed at improving the quality of life of the inhabitants of the areas involved. The city renovation project is based on an urban pillar, a socio-cultural pillar and a socio-economic pillar.
Although sustainability was not an explicit goal in the project, sustainable measures were mainstreamed in project’s action plan as a necessary condition to improve the quality of life in the neighbourhood. Improving housing for instance was explicitly linked with energy efficient living. As a result 750 houses were screened on the quality of life and energy. Of the 1400 applications for grants, 250 were for roof renovation, 250 for window renovation, 170 for heating and 100 for all kinds of insulation measures.
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In 2012, a group of 25 ‘front runners’ from the Ghent Climate Alliance (Gents Klimaatverbond), all with divergent backgrounds, came together into a “transition arena”. They envisioned the mobility in Ghent by the year 2050. Their vision can be read in future agenda “The Trojan Bike”. Meanwhile the group organized itself to set up experiments that show how an other mobility is possible. One of these experiments is “the living street”, where residents during one month showed that a street without cars creates a better living environment.
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This measure is a pilot project in Belgium, is the redevelopment of the Visserij as a cycle street. The Visserij changed from a road with mixed traffic (30 km/h) into a cycle street. The concept of the cycle street is that cyclists have priority and cars are only “guests”. The Visserij is the first cycle street in Belgium. For promotion and stimulation of safe cycling, but also for data collection, the cycling barometers were installed at the Visserij and the main cycling axis in Gent, the Coupure Links. The implementation of the cycle street clearly encourages cycling. The number of cyclists has increased by 36% between 2010 and 2012 so that the quantifiable target of a minimum increase by 5% is significantly exceeded. The majority of this increase has been realized after the implementation of the Visserij as a cycle street in August 2011. The success of this first cycle street has resulted in an official integration of the cycle street concept in the Belgian traffic regulations.
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The city has invested in public charging solutions for e-bikes and e-cars. The goal is to guarantee a (trans)national network of charging points in order to overcome the action radius problem linked to electric vehicles.
The city has established 18 public charging locations for cars and 12 for e-bikes. On top of that the city takes part in a project that tests the use of shared e-bikes. This network of shared e-bikes (bluebike) is linked with 3 other Flemish cities and the railway company. All charging points are charged with green electricity.
- Transport
REGent vzw, the Ghent energy agency, is founded by the City of Ghent together with local organizations, to stimulate cooperation and effectiveness around energy and water reduction. REGent uses several tools to obtain these targets: one-stop-shop, sensitization, energy scans, building advice, subsidies, guidance, cheap loans, infra-red camera, campaigns, communication and projects. REGent focuses prior on the socially weak. This target group is very difficult to reach but needs prior attention due to increasing fuel poverty.
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The Public Transport company De Lijn wanted to increase the cleanliness of the present trams by reducing electricity consumption on trams after conducting an energy audit on a “measuring” tram. The results of the energy audit lead to a proposal of a consistent package of new actions as reducing cold air import, defining variable set point for inside temperature, defining variable intake of fresh air, and reducing ventilation in function of outside temperature and when doors are open, towards less energy consumption on trams. This proposal is introduced in new tendering procedures.
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Companies from Ghent that want to reduce their energy consumption, without knowing where to start, can enrol in an energy guidance project worth 5000€. The energy advice focuses on the energy consumption and on the opportunities to reduce this consumption in order to calculate the potential gains. Afterwards, an energy plan is drafted in which there is strived for an energy care system, so the company can monitor certain parameters themself.
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Gent Sint-Pieters is a mixed (offices + residential) development around the main railway station in Ghent and along the railroad. The station itself is also renewed. The first residential public-private project includes about 300 apartments (of which 20% social and 20% modest) and a public park. Access for motorised vehicles will be restricted. The location close to the railway, tramway and bus station creates opportunities for sustainable mobility, but noise reduction is necessary. The buildings will have a net energy demand for heating and cooling of at most 40 kWh / m2*y.
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A well isolated roof consist of a thick layer of roofinsulation (at least 18cm or or have a thermal resistance factor of 4,7) combined with a windproof barrier and a vapour barrier. The city of Ghent procures subsidies to stimulate the appropriate isolation of rooftops on newbuilds as well as renovation projects. Individuals and local associations qualify for the subsidization for a sufficiently thick roofinsulation and/or windproof barrier.
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For the development of a new Business Park the ambition of sustainability has been studied. Based on this study, the selling conditions are being fixed. The goal is to realise cost-effective and energy-effective high quality (industrial) buildings with an added value and good comfort for the employees. Also collective energy supply has been studied.
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The Ghent Climate Alliance aims at cooperation between all sectors in the city to reach the climate neutrality objective by 2050. The city wants its political leaders, citizens and organisations to undergo a transitional process and rethink the functioning of the (urban) society in order to become a climate neutral city, that is less dependent on fossil fuels and that can offer an increased quality of life and work. Cooperation is a crucial element: citizens, captains of industry, knowledge and creative institutions,… are not only asked to think about the city’s climate neutral future, they are asked to actively engage. The Climate Alliance is there to stimulate co-creation and co-ownership.
The Climate Alliance is supported by comprehensive communication, actions and grants. The Climate Alliance website is designed to stimulate active participation in the alliance, social media are used to stimulate the debate and e-zines keep all partners informed on a regular basis.
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- Industrial processes and product use (IPPU)
- Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use (AFOLU)
- Waste
The City of Ghent carried out a scan of the different types of renewable energy that are possible in our territory and the potential of these types. Roof potential, bio mass, heat/cold storage in the soil, water and windpotential are studied.
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The policy agreement (2007) stated that Gent wants to become a Climate neutral city. Hence Gent drew up - as the first Belgian city - a local climate plan for the period 2008-2020. The step to sign the Convenant of Mayors was then easily made. We were also the first Belgian city to develop a local methodology to measure our CO2 impact and we monitor our impact every 2 years. We developed a 2 way strategy in implementing the climate policy: learning and doing. While implementing a range of actions that contribute to our reduction goals, we are also conducting scientific and strategic studies such as the potential of RES, the cost efficiency of all the possible measures, … . At this moment all of that knowledge is used to draw up our Climate Policy plan to 2050. This process is part of an EU-funded project.
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- Industrial processes and product use (IPPU)
- Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use (AFOLU)
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Sustainable building is one of the pillars in city policy to reduce CO2 emissions. As reducing the energy demands of residential homes is one of our priorities, the city of Ghent offers 3 hours of free sustainable construction advice to all its citizens. At the start of any renovation or building project, citizens can consult building experts to accurately incorporate sustainable building measures in their building or renovation plans. The consult happens on the basis of the building plans, thus ensuring a tailored solution for each project. For minor renovation projects a light version of the construction advice is available giving quick answers to occurring problems or doubts.
The free construction advice aims at making sustainability a to be dealt with factor in any renovation or building project in Ghent. Running for a good ten years now, the construction advice is a well-known instrument for any inhabitant of Ghent with construction or renovation plans. Over 1400 renovation or building projects already got tailored advice on how to incorporate sustainable building measures in their plans.
- Residential
The City of Ghent gives extra incentives for energy-effective measures (measures) of commercial buildings. Over the last four years 80 applications were approved. The energy-effective measures mainly comprise of insulation measures, high efficiency heating systems.
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A high proportion of heat losses can occur through the roofs of individual residences. Good roof insulation measurements can dramatically decrease these losses. To inform the citizens of Ghent about the quality of their roof insulation, the city of Ghent provided a thermographic map for roof insulation assessment. On this map inhabitants can easily locate their building, interpret the colours according to the thermographic legend and get an indication of their roof insulation quality.
The thermography was the first step in an integrated approach and was followed up by individual guidance for the correct interpretation of the map, information about the available grants and how to insulate your roof. In a next step a group purchase for roof insulation was organised (See action Group purchase)
The campaign was highly successful. Within two months of its launch, the thermographic map received over 40.000 online visitors.
- Residential
A former depot and railway station from the end of the 19th century was renovated and extended and is now used as a nursery. The authentic elements of the building (the exterior walls, the shape of the window openings) were preserved and adequate renovation techniques were applied, e.g. thermal insulation on the inside. Solar thermal collectors and a back-up condensing gas boiler provide warm tap water.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
The aim of this measure is to introduce articulated hybrid buses instead of replacing the old high-floor trolley buses by standard buses as a transitional measure between the present old trolley buses and the future tramcars foreseen on a part of the present trolley line 3. In the context of the objective to have a complete fleet of easy accessible vehicles, reaching the highest standards on energy efficiency and reduction of negative impacts as noise and emissions in the urban area of Gent, De Lijn introduced 20 new energy-efficient and innovative articulated low floor hybrid buses (type AG300H) on bus line 3.
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No Thursday Veggie Day in our city without the exemplary role of the most important propagators, the municipal personnel! Therefore, it is extremely important that Thursday Veggie Day is integrated in the catering offer for the personnel and that the personnel is encouraged to participate in the project (see mitigation action). At the Personnel restaurants, every day, a vegetarian dish is put on the menu and on Thursday, the dish of the day is always vegetarian. All municipal services assure a vegetarian offer during their events with catering services (e.g. lunch discussions, lunch meetings, …). At all municipal schools and day-care-centres all children (as from the age of 18 months) receive a vegetarian lunch on Thursday.
Read More Read Less- Other Emissions
Ghent inhabitants and societal organisations across all sectors are invited to draft project proposals for environmental projects. The city awards projects which support realization of the environmental goals defined by the Ghent Climate Alliance, or which create support for the Climate Alliance, with a grant consisting of 1.500 EUR. The grant helps finance awareness raising, communicating environment and climate values, setting up sensitizing actions, focusing actions to specific target groups, etc.
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Subventions trigger citizens to be creative and to start actions to reduce CO2. Citizens participate with other actors (this can be local companies) and make an action plan or business plan or project plan. This planning will be supported.
Target is to get projects (bottum-up and self financed) started.
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- Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use (AFOLU)
- Waste
As a part of an EU funded project we applied the methodology of transition management - as developed by DRIFT - to the energy system. A small but divers group of local frontrunners was brought together to envision a climate neutral Gent by 2050. They then did a backcasting excercise and drew up several transition paths. This transition agenda was made public and alliances were formed to start some of the transition actions. As a result of that process a carrot mob was organized, the cultural scene joined a green track to reduce their impact on the climate, research started on the possibilities to use the energy of waste water, the topic of city farming was put on the agenda, 2 new transition arena’s were formed (one on the Gent mobility system and one within the Gent University). The role of the city is to facilitate, to bring people together, to look into barriers for actions, …
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An 18th century depot was renovated into a municipal office. The authentic elements of the building (exterior walls, windows, internal structure) were preserved and adequate renovation techniques were applied, e.g. thermal insulation on the inside. Special measures were needed in order to avoid thermal bridges. Additional energy efficient interior windows were added to the original exterior windows. Heating is provided by an air-water heat pump and a back-up condensing gas boiler.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
The City of Ghent is partner in the Public Private Partnerschip Ghent Bio-Energy Valley. By joining forces a large production quotum for biofuels was obtained. GBEV also provides a platform to inform the general public on new products and technologies. The name change to Ghent Bio-Economy Valley was necessary since a whole new range of biobased activities have been introduced over the last few years.
Read More Read Less- Industrial
- Industrial processes and product use (IPPU)
Ghent wants to stimulate the reuse of rainwater. In the regional building code the use of rainwater is required in certain buildings. Ghent wants to further stimulate the use of rainwater and therefore a regulation for the subsidization of 500€ of non obligatory rainwatersystems was approved. The rainwatersystem has to consist of a rainwatertank, a filter and a pomp.
Read More Read LessGreen roofs have many benefits in an urban environment, therefore a regulation for the subsidization of 35€/m² greenroof was adopted. A green roof retains rainwater and can help to prevent peak drainage and flooding because of heavy rains. They provide green space in the city, so helping to combat urban warming and enhancing biodiversity. They limit large temperature fluctuations on roofs, thus ensuring a longer life of the roofing. They help to improve air quality. They contribute in some degree to the thermal insulation of the roof. Both individuals as companies can apply for subsidies for the installation of a greenroof.
Read More Read LessIn 2011 Gent started to work on climate adaptation. Gent wants to be a climate proof city by 2030. The first steps were to gather knowledge (e.g. mapping of the heat island effect) and to implement no-regret actions (e.g. building legislation, subsidies for green roofs, providing more green spaces and open water in the city). Gent was 1 of the 21 cities of the EU cities adapt project. We've got coaching on how to develop a local adaptation policy and learned from other cities by peer-to-peer visits. In 2014 a local adaptation strategy will be a part of our climate policy plan.
Read More Read Less- Human health
The term Uban Heat Island (UHI) describes built up areas that are hotter than nearby rural areas. In summer evenings in Ghent, the difference can be as high as 7°C. Heat islands affect communities by increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and heat-related illness and mortality. The study investigats the effect in Ghent and suggests a number of common-sense measures to reduce the effects of summertime heat islands. Finally, strategies are discovered to reduce urban temperatures (with a special focus on urban green lay-out) and will be implemented in the adaptation part of the new Climate plan.
Read More Read Less- Human health
The non-infiltratable (paved and build on) area has increased over the passed decades and a lot of fosses dissapeared. Therefore less rainwater infiltrates into the surface and the groundwater resources are no longer filled. In times of heavy rainfall floods can occure because the sewerage can't cope with the amount of water. To tackle these problems the city of Ghent provided in subsidies of 500€ for the installation of rainwaterinfiltrationsystems both for individuals as organisations. These systems allow the rainwater to sip into the underground in a controlled way. The system can be an infiltrationbasin, -channel, -pipe or -layer.
Read More Read LessWith the regional building code as a basis, the local building code for Ghent was refined concerning urban rain water management. Basic principles are:
- separation between waste water and rain water drainage
- local retention of rain water and 1) re-use, 2) infiltration and 3) delayed run-off, preferably to surface water instead of the sewage system
Additionally green roofs have been introduced, both as a measure for water management as for the additional positive effects in an urban context.
Mayor Mathias De ClercqCity of Ghent, Belgium
Initiative
