• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

Food stands for a big part of the emissions of greenhouse gases, the municipality have decided that 50 % of all food thats being served in the public school shall be organic. Monitoring shows that at this moment 30% of the food in schools are organic so actions are now being taken to increase the amount. The municipality is also increasing the numbers of vegetarian meals.

• Start year: 2012
• Type: Fiscal / Financial mechanism
• Status: In operation

The green parking purchase is an agreement on voluntary basis for reduced parking standards for employee parking. In exchange, the real estate owner makes a commitment in effecting a change in travel behavior in his/her property with less car use and increased number of pedestrians, cyclists and users of public transport. It gives the real estate owner the possibility to provide properties with an environmental focus while making savings with fewer parking purchases. The real estate owner will gain a modern trademark and incentives for sustainable transport solutions in the property. The city on the other hand will benefit from better conditions to generate growth of a sustainable and high dense city and reduced car dependency among employees.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

The European Commission has granted money to the project "Green Citizens of Europe". Umeå Municipality, in collaboration with several local, regional, national and international partners shall find new solutions to motivate and help citizens to change their behavior. Three specific settings have been selected: individual apartments in residential areas; jointly used waste management areas in residential blocks and the intra-city-region mobility system. Within these settings the project will set up a number of actions, which aim to demonstrate methods and techniques that inspire and motivate people to change their behavior and become part of a process towards more sustainable city management policy and governance. The project have been awarded best Swedish project by ”Svenska kommunal tekniska föreningen” and also awarded best marketer in Umeå for its innovative information campaigns towards the citizens.

• Start year: 2008
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

The conditions for wind power is very good in the Umeå region but there are also conflict of interest with other important areas such as recreation, farming, same heritage, military and biodiversity etc. Therefore a comprehensive plan for wind power in the Umeå region has been developed. The plan points out the best areas for wind power with in consideration of the other interests and the best wind conditions. The purpose is to make it easier for companies who want to build wind power plants and to ensure that the risk for conflict from other interest is decreasing.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Public Participation/Stakeholder engagement
• Status: In operation

The cycling forum is a meeting place for information, discussion, proposals with one purpose: to make Umeå a better city for cyclist. It includes representatives from the city council, citizens and organizations.

• Start year:
• Type: Public Participation/Stakeholder engagement
• Status: In operation

Since 2003 Umeå are co-financing Biofuel Region, which supports the transfer to renewable energy within the transportation sector and is financed by Västernorrland´s and Västerbotten´s Counties, municipalities in the two counties, and about 15 companies. Efforts includes; collaborations with schools and awareness-raising activities to citizens, officials and politicians, and also coordination of EU projects, notably BEST (Bio-Ethanol for Sustainable Transport) nominated for Sustainable Energy awards 2009, and currently BioGaC (TEN-T) on development of biogas filling stations in northern Sweden.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

During 2013 the Umeå municipality has been making a follow-up of our environmental targets. Umeå has invented the environmental status in different areas, such as nature, air, water, energy, climate changes etc. in the region. It has been made available online for the public.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

Umeå was one of 4 cities on the short list for European Green Capital Award 2017 and was chosen to presentate the citys work for the european green capital jury in Bristol. The city were also shortlisted the year before.

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

Umeå is certified as a Fairtrade City. According to this certificate the city has to offer different Fairtrade products and over 50 of the work places in Umeå is offering at least one fairtrade product. Every year the municipality is organizing four events with information on fairtrade and ecological food. A broschyre over sustainable shops in Umeå is also printed to make it easier for citizens and visitors to shop sustainable.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

A project focusing on showing and educate visitors in how we create the sustainable city, This project is co-financed by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and affiliated members are 25 stakeholders from companies and organizations in Umeå. Technical Visits is an element in making Umeå a northern hub for environmental engineering.

• Start year:
• Type: Public Participation/Stakeholder engagement
• Status: In operation

Umeå is involved in Cleaner Growth – a new regional long-term initiative with neighbouring municipalities, companies, universities, focusing on innovation, commercialization and export. It will enhance the competitiveness of the region, companies and universities while mitigating climate change. The initiative includes two sub projects: International markets and Commercialization.
In addition to creating conditions for better, more environmentally friendly work with increased efficiency, an investment in the development of innovations contributes to sustainable growth, commercialization of new products and services, new and growing businesses, increasing employment and increasing tax revenues.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

The municipality have since 2010 joined the international manifestation Earth hour. Every year a week full of activities are organized for the citizens. The purpose is to push people to join Earth hour and also to communicate how you can get a more sustainable lifestyle.

• Start year: 2011
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The City council has adopted 6 strategic long-term objectives outlined in the annual budget. One of these objectives is the vision that Umeå should grow with sustained social, ecological and economic development towards 200 000 citizens in 2050. The municipality of Umeå, as one of Europe’s fastest growing cities, currently has 119 000 citizens. Umeå has also signed the Aalborg Commitments, as an integrated framework for sustainable urban development. The Aalborg commitments and the city 2050 vision has influenced all subsequent objectives, plans and strategies relevant to ecological sustainability, for example energy use, environmental requirements in procurement etc,

• Start year:
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

”Help lonely car drivers” – was a campaign to encourage car-sharing (collaboration between the City of Umeå and the nonprofit car-sharing movement Skjutsgruppen). In general there are approximately 1.2 passagers per car, that´s sad! The twist in the campaign was how lonely it most be for all people that are traveling alone in their car everyday. A crying car was placed out at different parking lots around Umeå.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

Based on over ten years of research, BioEndev has developed an innovative torrefaction technology for production of black pellets.Black pellets resembles fossile coal in many ways but is renewable and carbon neutral. Black pellets are hydrophobic and has up to 50% higher energy density compared to white pellets.Today BioEndev has a Pilot plant in operation and an Industrial Demonstrations Unit under construction starting its production during 2014. A first full- scale commercial unit is planned to be in operation during 2015. The company consist of scientist from Umeå university and is co-financed by municipality owned company Umeå Energi.

• Start year: 2000
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

The environmentally adapted block, Green Zone, in Umeå is years after the inauguration still a role model. Many visitors come to Green Zone every year to learn more about energy efficiency and sustainable solutions. Ford Motor Company, McDonald's and Statoil inaugurated an eco-friendly and energy-efficient neighborhood with a car agency, car rental, a power station with grocery store and a way side inn.
Thanks to a unique solution and a long-term system approach environmental impact is minimized. The focus is on various forms of environmental technology; recycling of heat and cold, green sedum roofs, recyclable materials and filter purified supply air are just a few examples.The project are planned to be evaulated by Umeå university in 2015.

• Start year: 2008
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

One of Sweden’s largest energy efficiency projects in existent buildings. The project is led by the municipality’s properties department and includes 130 properties and 425 000 m2 floor area, more than 50 percent of the total area of the municipality owned buildings.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

Developing Echolog for individual metering of energy consumption.
The municipality owned real estate company Bostaden is developing an apartment display called "Echolog", which will later be tested in several versions for maximum ease of use. The Echolog has a display that shows a tenant’s individual consumption of electricity and hot and cold water in real time. Tenants can also monitor their consumption over time and see statistics, while other interesting services can also be linked to the Echolog. Bostaden is looking at how different types of interactive design can influence and motivate tenants to save more energy. The goal is to show how communication can optimize energy saving in a residential area.

• Start year: 2009
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

Pedal Medal is an activity directed aimed at the Umeå region's workplaces. The activity is a further development and adaptation of a bike competition in the workplace. Workplaces in the Umeå region challenge each other in cycling.The rules are simple, those who cycle most to, from and during work wins. The novelty of the Pedal for Medal is that the teams must recruit at least one motorist to the team and the teams chances of winning increases with the number of motorists who are recruited to the team. The purpose of the Pedal for Medal is to increase the share of work trips and business trips by bicycle, while reducing commuting by car in the Umeå region. The race takes place in late fall to get those who who normally put away the bike to cycle later in the season.

• Start year:
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

In Umeå the share of commuters traveling by public transports are constantly growing. In three years the numbers of bus rides have increased with 40 percent. In 2010 a new train railway was officially open which makes the commuting from nearby municipalities quicker and easier. Two new traveling centrals have been built to meet up the increasing demand for train travels.

• Start year: 2014
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

A interactive map that shows every individual roof in the citys potential for solar energy. Estate owners can zoom in on their own house and get a first idea on the potential for solar energy. The map is published on Umeå energis webpage.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

The action plan for waste management is focusing on management of resources and supports sustainable consumtion and production. The main objective is to decrease the amount of waste produced in the region, The second is to manage and treat waste in the most environmental friendly way.

• Start year:
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

The city of Umeå is planning to invest in 30 electric cargo bikes, free to use for the public. It´s supposed to function as an option for shorter car trips.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

Umeå has a fossil free bus fleet with electricity and ceritified biodiesel HVO as fuel. Umeå is investing in fully-electric buses and ultra-fast charging stations. In 2016, a total of 9 fully-electric buses will be operating. By 2020, 24 additional buses will be implemented, for a total of 33, or more than 70% of local buses. Fuelled with renewable wind and hydrogen power the new buses will result in close to zero GHG emissions. Reduced noise levels for electric buses create opportunities to build in areas along public transport routes, which previously was impossible because of the environmental impact of traditional diesel buses

• Start year: 2011
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

Bostaden, the housing company owned by the municipality have invested in 5 wind power plants. Besides that they also purchases all of their electricity from renewable sources.

• Start year: 2012
• Type: Organizational / Governance
• Status: In operation

With the purpose to make it easier for employees to travel more sustainable the municipality have formed a working group with representatives from different divisions in the organisation. The group are working with travel policys, education/awareness for employess, support for leaders etc.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

Our general objective with the establishment of an RCE in the northern part of Sweden is to provide an arena in which knowledge, ideas, innovations, experiences and research on education for sustainable development can be exchanged, disseminated, promoted and explored. An RCE is a network of existing formal, non-formal and informal education organisations, mobilised to deliver education for sustainable development (ESD) to local and regional communities. A network of RCEs worldwide will constitute the Global Learning Space for Sustainable Development. RCEs aspire to achieve the goals of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD, 2005-2014), by translating its global objectives into the context of the local communities in which they operate. There are currently 117 acknowledged RCEs worldwide. RCE in Umeå is one of three RCEs in Sweden.

• Start year: 2008
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

Umeå have for several years worked with schools to create more sustainable travels to school and to make the traffic environment near the school safer. At a school for sustainable travel, the school has decided to reduce traffic around the school, simply by children walking and cycling to school instead of being drove by car. As a parent you will notice this by a number of activities organized by the School in collaboration with project office Be Green Umeå.

• Start year: 2001
• Type: Public Participation/Stakeholder engagement
• Status: In operation

The award have been presented 11 times since 2001. The award can go to either a company, organisation, school or a public person who made something extra good for the environment during the year. The citizens of Umeå nominates their candidate for the award and the a jury makes the final desicion.

• Start year: 2008
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

The municipality has since 2008 a car sharing unit, at this moment the unit contains of 23 cars localized at 5 different places in the city. Some of the cars are driven by biofuel and all of the cars are energy efficient. The car sharing is mainly for the municipality employees but is also open for the public and is a way to make it easier for people in Umeå to live more sustainable.
The employees can also use the bicycle sharing unit which contains 19 bikes and 4 electric bikes.

• Start year: 2008
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The municipality owned housing company Bostaden have adopted an action plan called environmental focus 2016. The plan have five focus areas, energy, waste, buildings and materials, transports and information/education. All areas have objectives with target year 2016. For example energy use in buildings shall decrease with 20 %.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

In Europe, especially in small and midsized towns and urban areas such as the Umeå region, we face the same problem concerning the public transport: It does not fully support the citizens need for fast commuting and flexibility in the same way the car does. Most cars drive around with a lot of empty seats which could be filled with people going to the same destination. This action will explore the possibility of joining together the public transport and private cars in order to broaden the range of sustainable travel options for the citizens of Europe. A webbased service will be developed that support, not just planned joint commuting and public transports, but also spontaneous joint car rides as a fully adequate complement to existing public transport.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

The growing city of Umeå sets new demands for effective use of land, increased accessibility to the city centre and also actions for better air quality. The parking action plan is concentrating on solutions to these challenges and also encouraging the citizens to a more sustainable lifestyle. The parking action plan is integrated in the comprehensive plan for the city and focusing on cycling parking spots, remove parking spots for work places from the city centre and make room for visitors. New solutions like park and bike, green parking purchases are some measures in the plan.

• Start year: 2012
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

Umeå Energi, the municipality owned utilities company, has adopted an objective to be climate neutral by 2018. By investing even more in renewable energy for heating, cooling and electricity, by offering 100 % renewable electricity to its customer. For the emissions that can´t be avoided Umeå energy is compensating by bying FN-approved reduction units. (CER).

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

The municipal is heating one of the public swimming bath with solar heating.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

To highlight all the people in the region that are doing incredible things for the environment in their everyday life, the municipality announced an contest were people could nominee one person that they reconsider as their "Green Hero". The public then had a chance to vote for the person that they consider their "Green Hero".

• Start year: 2011
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

The newly built Hedlunda pre-school is the world’s northern-most and northern Sweden’s first certified public passive house. The building goes way above national standards on energy use, using less than 15kWh/m2/year for heating. It is certified according to BREEAM and the national standard Miljöbyggnad, using environmentally friendly building materials and building process. Sustainability is the focus area also in the education with a special gender equality direction.

• Start year: 2005
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

The municipality of Umeå has a long history in working with sustainable schools. Already in 2005 the municipality decided that all kindergartens and schools should be registred for the award "School for Sustainable Development" according to government regulation. Today all schools are now certified as a school for sustainable development, top ranked in Sweden. The certificate is a way to secure that schools are working structured and with a long term vision for a sustainable school.

• Start year: 2008
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

SEE - Västerbotten sustainability week gather all the organizations, companies, municipalities, non-profit organizations in Västerbotten for a week full of events. SEE Västerbotten sustainability week is a model for arrangements and networks for sustainable development in a region. The SEE week started in Umeå in 2008 and has grown every year since then, first to include the whole county, Västerbotten, and to this year also include our neighbors in the county of Norrbotten.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

Be Green Umeå is the municipalitys project office for sustainability projects with special focus on behaviour changes.The project are also responsible for a website full of tips, tools and information on how to live more sustainable. Target group is the citizens and companys in the Umeåregion.

• Start year: 2011
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

The Umeå climate account is a webpage were people can calcylate how much carbon dioxide their lifestyle is creating. You answer questions about your lifestyle in different areas like, transport, buildings, food, etc. After you have completed the questions you get a summary on how much carbon dioxide you create compared to a sustainable level. You also get examples on how you can decrease your effect on the climate.

• Start year: 2009
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

An action plan for more and safer cycling in Umeå was adopted in 2009. The purpose is to increase the share of bicycle travels in the city. The aim is to make cycling and walking the most common way to travel in the city.

• Start year: 2011
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

The city of Umeå are anually highlighting the european mobility week in september. During the week a lot of different activities towards the citizens are being made. Mainly focusing on sustainable mobility.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

Test traveling means that people who usually travel by car to work get a free commute card for a month on the bus or on the train. In return the commuter are supposed to give us feedback on how the traveling system could improve. They are supposed to leave the car at home at least 3 days a week. Surveys shows that 6 months after the test period is over still 65 percent are commuting by bus.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

Umeå municipality is the first of Swedens municipalities to be certified in energy management. ISO 50001.
It provides a framework of requirements for organizations to:
Develop a policy for more efficient use of energy, fix targets and objectives to meet the policy, use data to better understand and make decisions about energy use. Measure the results. Review how well the policy works, and continually improve energy management.

• Start year:
• Type: Organizational / Governance
• Status: In operation

The municipality is running a store where people can leave their old products instead of throwing them away. The store is located nearby one of the city´s recycling stations. Besides selling second hand products, they are also renovating products and making new products from recycled material. It’s also have a social sustainability to it since many of the employees are people that’s, for different reasons, have a hard way to find employment in the society.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

On the roofs of Matematikgränd and Geografigränd photovoltaic-cells (pv-cells) have been built by the municipality owned companies Bostaden and Umeå Energi. When the plant is completed in 2014, the area will have 2800 square meters of pv-cells. The first pv-cell was introduced in May 2011 and in the end of the summer, an evaluation was done with a very positive result. The measurements indicate that the pv-cells, even on an annual basis, will provide more electricity than needed to the property.

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

Umeå is selected as the only municipal representative in the national reference group for UN10YFP, United Nations framework program for sustainable consumption and production. Co-ordinated by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. In mars 2015 Umeå arranged a national workshop on sustainable lifestyles co-arranged with Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

• Start year: 2012
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

Umeå Energi, the municipality owned utilities company, offers 100 % renewable electricity to its customers, with Guarantees of origin. Electricity production in Umeå comes from Stornorrfors hydropower plant (Sweden’s largest, producing 2.3 TWh/year, 25% city-owned), complemented by CHP, wind power, and photo-voltaics. About 80% of Umeå residents buy electricity there, the remainder from other energy companies on the market

• Start year:
• Type: Awareness-raising / Promotion
• Status: In operation

In the project "the low carbon place" the city of Umeå will investigate consumption based carbon emissions from the citizens of Umeå. What impact has the lifestyle of the citizens of Umeå? Umeå is a net exporter of green energy but a lot of the consumption of goods, food etc are produced outside the Umeå region. The project will also test and evaluate solutions that will make it easier to be change behaviour when it comes to travels, housing and consumption.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

Umeå is located in the north of Sweden, and yes, we do have long cold winters with a lot of snow. Of course some are taking the car to work during the winter, to encourage them to try the bike the municipality have for several years campaigned for more winter cyclist.
The activity named "Vintertrampet" is an individual activity to encourage people to cycle all year around. Participants agree to cycle to and from work at least three days a week in average during the winter. In return they get the bike equipped with winter tires and saddle protection, and of course encouragement to cycle through the most harsh winter months. Participants register their cycling in diaries on the web.

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

The municipality have adopted travel and meeting guidelines for the employees to follow. With special focus on sustainable travels. The aim is to decrease the emissions from our transports by using webmeetings, carpool, bicycles, train etc.

• Start year:
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

The municipality’s parking company has changed all the lamps in public parking garages to LED-lightning. Bostaden, the municipality owned housing company is also changing its lamps - LED technology for indoor lighting and induction lamps for outdoor lightning. More than 2000 lamps have been switched to induction and 500 to LED, and work is scheduled to continue in the years to come . So far this initiative has saved more than 1 000 000 kWh since 2011. The municipality is also changing the lightning equipment continously.

• Start year: 2009
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The action plan contains 28 different actions in 8 areas like building, energy efficiency, waste, transports and planning, and clarifies the connection between energy use and climate change in the municipality. Most actions have been completed or started, and progress is monitored annually. In 2011 Umeå also signed the Covenant of mayors to underline its ambitions to reduce energy use.

• Start year: 2008
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

Umeå pioneers in including energy in its environmental inspections. Several projects for manufacturing companies have focused on energy efficiency and use of renewable energy. Over 75 companies have been supported. 2008–2014 surveys shows that the companies use of oil have decreased with 60% after the inspections.

• Start year: 2012
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The city of Umeå and Umeå university has an agreement to collaborate on sustainable city development and clean-tech aiming to make Umeå a “Northern force for sustainable urban development”. In 2015 a similar agreement was signed with SLU, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, also based in Umeå.

• Start year: 2007
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

At the Dåva power plant exciting new research are in progress. In
an unique pilot facility algaes are massproduced from sewer water and carbon dioxide from the flue-gases from the power plant. The algeas are then used to produced biodiesel. The project is runned by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and is co-financied by Umeå Energi.

• Start year: 2009
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

The municipality have installed four air pumps for bicycles on strategic places in the city. Alongside two of them there is also bicycle counters wich are visualizing how many cyclist that have passed that point during the day.

• Start year: 2003
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

The municipality gives free energy and climate advices to companies, organizations and the public. Raise awareness on climate change and gives personal advice on how to switch to a more sustainable livestyle. Mainly focusing on energy efficiency and renewal energy in buildings. Several seminars, projects and technical visits for the public are arranged every year.

• Start year:
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

Umeå has been reallocating land from parking and car lanes to parks, bicycle and pedestrian paths. This has been done along Nygatan, the main route connecting the University with the city centre. Along Nygatan, one car lane has been removed while bicycle and pedestrian paths have been broadened, forming a super cycle highway. Similar transformations have been made downtown.

• Start year: 2012
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

High school construction students are building passive houses together with an acknowledged passive house architecht from Umeå. The project are one concrete example how projects are being started from the co-operation between the municipality and other key actors in the building sector. An co-operation driven by the network for more sustainable constructing and real estate management in cold climate. A key factor for more sustainable buildings in the future it´s to educate the construction workers early in their careers.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

All employees in the municipality have to undergo an education in waste management with special focus on waste reduction and recycling.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

Umeå has invented the environmental status in different areas, such as nature, air, water, energy, climate changes etc. in the region. It has been made available online for the public. The barometer is supposed to be revised once a year.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

The municipal company INAB has built a new railway station in the eastern part of Umeå and the most modern facility in Sweden to load cargo by rail. The freight yard is now located outside the city center (northwest). Together with the ring road it is a significant step to optimize and reduce freight transport in the city center. Along with the Bothnia Line, the new freight yard more than doubles the possibilities to transport goods by rail to and from northern Sweden.

• Start year: 2014
• Type: Organizational / Governance
• Status: In operation

Umeå was the European capital of culture in 2014. One important part of the culture year is to create financial growth in the cultural sector. The citizens of Umeås consumption of culture events is growing in favour of other products. There is a switch to more sustainable consumption. The culture year have been a big sucess and the city are now in the progress of making plans on how to take this further in the future. Sustainable consumption is a big part of the legacy of Umeå capital of culture 2014.

• Start year:
• Type: Awareness-raising / Promotion
• Status: Under construction / set up

Starting in August 2017 and running to December 2020, the program aims to put Sweden on the map as a country that actively and critically works with the sharing economy in cities. The objectives of the program are to:
1. Develop world-leading test-beds for the sharing economy in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and Umeå.
2. Develop a national node, Sharing Cities Sweden, in order to strengthen national (and international) cooperation and promote a good exchange of experience.

• Start year: 2014
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

In 2014 Umeå participated in The European Cycling Challenge. Umeå ended in sixth place best ranked among the participating Swedish cities. Second best city in Europe if calcylated per capita. Also in 2015 Umeå was ranked as the best of the Swedish cities and received an award during Civitas Forum in Ljubljana as 3rd best cycling city in the European cycling challenge.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: Completed

The municipality have made a cycle map over the city to make it easier for cyclist to find the best bicycle ways in the city. It also include information on safe cycling and how to behave in traffic.

• Start year:
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

Umeå municipality is changing the car park to more sustainable vehicles. The short car trips, especially in the city area , are ideal for switching to electric cars. The municipality has a policy that all cars that are driving less than 1000 km/year shall be replaced by either an electric bike or an electric car. The municipality, at this date, owns over 30 electric cars and we are waiting for several more cars to be delivered in the near future. In 2013 the city was nomineed as one of as Swedens best electric car cities, by the national lobby organisation Gröna bilister (Green motorists). Many of the muncipalitys departments are using electric bikes instead of cars for work travels in the city centre.

• Start year: 2012
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

Actors in the Umeåregion are planning on building a biogas plant in Vännäs. The gas produced are supposed to be used in cars in the Umeåregion. Taxicabs and vehicles at the airport are some of potential users. The gas are going to be produced by a mix of energy crops and litter.

• Start year: 2011
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

The project will test and evaluate a new type of transport, where the parking fee includes the hire of a bicycle at two selected car parks outside the city center. By parking outside the city center and from there have access to a bicycle, commuters can reach their final destination without losing any time.
The parking fee will be cheaper than in the center, and will also include rental of a bicycle.The aim is to reduce the number of cars in the city center but also to provide long-distance commuters sustainable travel options. The target audience is people who commute long distances by car and who have no other alternative transport. Furthermore, this can lead to that more people will start using the bike for office trips.

• Start year: 2011
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

In 2011 the city adopted a new comprehensive plan, including infrastructure, outlining the vision for the future with continued sustainable growth of the city to 200 000 inhabitants in 2050. The plan was awarded the Swedish Plan award for 2012 for its inclusion of sustainability in six development strategies, and focus on monitoring of progress. The six strategies are:
•Five kilometer city
•More city! Complementing existing city districts as a vitalizing force
•High density in new city districts
•Growth in public transport corridors and conversion of transport through-ways
•Investments in public spaces and parks
•Everybody shall take part (Co-creation of the city)

• Start year: 2009
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

In 2020, the Umeå region aims at being world leading in sustainable building in cold climate. This vision, and later on the legal requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive were important driving factors for establishing the ”network for more sustainable constructing and real estate management in cold climate” in Umeå. It includes companies, organizations, university and the public sector in a joint effort for creating a market for sustainable buildings in Northern Sweden.The network started in 2009 and is still on going and makes an important force for a more sustainable Umeå region.

• Start year:
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

Designated semi-quick charging places for PEVs are scattered in car parks and other strategic locations, a dozen more will be operating in the coming year. By 2016, municipal energy company Umeå Energi in cooperation with fuel company OKQ8, will have three quick-charging stations installed. Umeå Energi is also developing a product for those who want to provide the opportunity for their customers to recharge vehicles (e.g. supermarkets, hotels).

• Start year:
• Type: Stakeholder engagement
• Status: In operation

In RUGGEDISED, Umeå will focus on an Innovation District that is situated immediately to the east of Umeå city centre, the University city area, which includes a mix of residential, academic and research facilities from two universities, a regional hospital, and community, recreational and commercial buildings. The neighbourhood is characterised by its young, student-influenced, population with 40, 000 daily visitors. As such, the neighbourhood is one of the least car-dependent neighbourhoods in Umeå. The area will triple its inhabitants during the time of the project. Amongst the smart solutions implemented, the RUGGEDISED project will look at peak load variation management, shared use of energy and a smart, open- data city decision platform. www.greenumea.se/ruggedised

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

The project Energy Efficient Construction in Cold Climates is a measure study where six new-built low-energy houses in the Umeå region have been evaluated. Four buildings are villas and two buildings are apartment buildings. The different buildings are located from Sikeå in the north to Nordmaling in the south. The aim with the study is to investigate the energy performance of buildings and the risks involved in building low energy houses in cold climates. Humidity and temperature measurements in the construction show no signs of rot or mold today, however, longer periods of measurement are required as moisture migration is a slow process.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Fiscal / Financial mechanism
• Status: Completed

The municipality owned energy company Umeå energi is offering climate neutral district heating to its customers. Today the district heating is 80 percent renewable, with biofuels and waste as main fuels. To make it climate neutral Umeå energi is compensating for the customers emissions by bying reduction units (CER, Certified Emission Reductions) for the fossil part of the fuel mix.

• Start year: 2012
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

The municipality and Bostaden, the municipality owned housing company, have both decided energy use in new buildings shall not exceed 65kWh/m2/year, compared to national guidelines for northern Sweden 130 kWh/m2/year, as contributions to EPB Directive (2010/31/EU).

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

Sustainable Ålidhem is a national pilot project opened in 2010 for sustainable urban development including social, technical, environmental and economic aspects. It focuses on large-scale sustainable renovation of 1960s and 1970s buildings, side-by-side with new low-energy buildings. Phase 1 involves 1 % of Umeå’s population (about 1000 people) and runs until the end of 2014. The overall objective is transform Ålidhem to a more sustainable neighborhood by halving the energy use in the area with sustained rent levels, and to create a more comfortable and safe environment. Photo-voltaic cells have been installed on the roofs, and when completed in 2014 Ålidhem will have 2800 m2 of PV cells, with early measurements indicating that the facility will provide more electricity/year than needed for property management. The project was awarded the European Sustainable energy award in 2013.The project is a co-operation between Bostaden, Umeå energi, the municipality and Umeå university.

• Start year: 2000
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: Completed

In 2010 Dåva 2 Combined heat and power plant was opened. The facility dramatically reduces the amount of oil in Umeå Energi´s fuel mix, and with the new plant, both environmental performance as well as security of supply in overall heat production is improved. The majority of the municipality buildings are connected to district heating meaning a positive effect on the municipality’s own use of renewable energy. In Dåva 2 biofuels such as logging residues, wood chips, bark, sawdust and peat are used as fuels. These fuels are mainly from the region, contributing to employment in the forestry and transport sectors in northern Sweden. The first CHP in Umeå, Dåva 1, was opened in year 2000 and is one of the world's most energy efficient and environmentally friendly plants with waste as its main fuel. Here we produce district heating and electricity from sorted waste and residues from the forest industry.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

In 2013 the municipality started a school project in co-operation with WWF. The main object was to make the students more aware on sustainable urban planning and also how the planning process in the community works. With support from teachers and officials the students created their suggestion of the sustainable Umeå. The project ended in a counsel for sustainable development were students presented their work and discussed sustainability with 200 politicians, officials and stakeholders. A counsel meeting were also made 2015 and one is planned for 2016.

• Start year: 2007
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The Municipality of Umeå signed the Aalborg Commitments
in August 2007, thereby taking a holistic perspective of its
efforts for sustainable development. The Aalborg work will
assemble and structure the municipality’s ongoing sustainability
efforts as well as previously adopted objectives and
programmes, such as environmental and public health targets. Through the work on the Aalborg Commitments, the Municipality of Umeå is taking one step closer towards the objective
of sustainable development.

• Start year: 2007
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

Umeå has an action plan for better air quality with actions focusing on transport and mobility management. The program is divided in four subject areas: actions in street infrastructure, actions focusing on the emmitting source, governance and influence on traffic behavior, planning and land use. The plan have recently been revised with a wide representation of stakeholders and organisations in the region.

• Start year:
• Type: Public Participation/Stakeholder engagement
• Status: In operation

Umeå is part of Global Sustainable City Network (GSCN) as one of five selected progressive Swedish cities, coordinated by the Swedish Energy Agency. GSCN is a part of Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), and includes Sweden, Denmark, Finland, China, France and United Arab Emirates, and focus is on transfer of knowledge.

• Start year:
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

A public-private partner initiative to develop the university campus area (3 700 inhabitants) focusing on sustainable mobility, integrated infrastructures and low-energy built environment is scheduled for implementation 2016–2020.
The initiative builds on previously agreed political objectives – to establish Umeå as a Northern hub for cleantech and sustainable city solutions. To this end an agreement of collaboration on sustainable urban development and cleantech has been signed with Umeå University, and is now further developed, along with other interested stakeholders.

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The municipality of Umeå is currently working with a new comprehensive planning model for the near-city village of Röbäck. The aim is to achieve attractive urban development, adaptation to climate change (minimize risk for flooding in the run off creek and integrating smart storm water management) combined with a high quality living environment. The example integrates sustainable growth both in the existing village and for a large development area planned for 2200 future inhabitants, is based on ambitious dialogue with local residents and will work as a future model for comprehensive planning.

• Start year: 2012
• Type: Assessment/Research
• Status: In operation

The municipality have signed an co-operation signatory with the University in Umeå. The city can be used as an research area for scientists, with special focus on urban sustainable development and public health. The universitys hold international acclaimed expertis in climate changes effect on public health, the research focuses on how climate and climate change has effects on health, including how heat waves affect mortality and morbidity, and how preventive measures can limit the health consequences.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

Contains assessments of vulnerability, identification of ongoing adaptation work, analysis and identification of the need for adaptation and recommended action. The action plan is divided in 6 different areas; transport, buildings, technical supply, health, business/industry and heritage. The action plan is adapted for the whole region Västerbotten.

• Start year: 2014
• Type: Assessment/Research
• Status: Completed

The municipality have made a report on the consequences of climate change in the region. It contains scenarios of future temperature and consequences for different areas like infrastructure, bio-diversity, health, buildnings etc.