Partner Organisations

• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Poland
• Spain
• Greece
• Sweden

Here is a map of the project partners.

United Kingdom

Manchester City Council (Lead Partner)

Manchester has been a member of the Eurocities Association of Metropolitan Cities since 1992. Cllr. Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council was elected to the Executive Committee of Eurocities in 1997, served as Vice-President of Eurocities from 2001 to 2003 and was elected as President of Eurocities at the 2003 AGM for 2004-6. The 2006 AGM will be hosted by Manchester in November 2006. Eurocities now has a membership of more than 100 of the major cities of the 25 EU members .

Manchester is a pioneer in the development of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) to promote economic regeneration and social inclusion, launching the UK’s first community based computer information and communications system in 1990, establishing the first Electronic Village Halls across the city in 1992 and the Manchester Community Information Network in 1994. Manchester was a founding member of the European Telecities network and its first President in 1994-1996. The Telecities network is now the Knowledge Society Forum of Eurocities.

In 1996 Manchester was a founder member of the European Digital Cities programme supported under the 4th Framework Programme and the Infocities project supported through the TEN-Telecom programme. Since then Manchester has been involved in a wide range of trans-European programmes focused on e-government, social inclusion and the Information Society supported through Objective 2 Structural Funds, Community Initiatives (including EQUAL, Leonardo and Interreg II & III) and the 5th and 6th Framework Programmes.

Most recently Manchester is coordinating the Intelligent Cities – “IntelCities” project, funded under the EU’s Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) as an Information Society Technologies (IST) Integrated Project (IP). The IntelCities project is one of the largest EU e-government projects and has 22 cities, 20+ universities and 30+ companies involved. Manchester is leading the project’s work on regeneration and the use of new 3D visualisation technologies to support urban redevelopment, building design and community consultation and participation in new developments.

Manchester’s role in European projects and partnerships:

Manchester’s involvement in European projects and partnerships reflects the city’s experience of working in a wide range of socio-economic environments. Manchester City Council, through its newly established Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA) , represents a diverse, multi-cultural urban environment which is at the forefront of innovative approaches to regeneration. The city was recently called “Britain’s regeneration capital” by the UK’s Deputy Prime Minister. Manchester provides a dynamic test bed for applications and services being developed by its projects and partnerships, bringing together not only civic representatives, decision-makers and regeneration professionals at the highest level but also the local business community, research organisations, NGOs and community representatives. Manchester also plays a key role in networking and dissemination through the many European networks in which it is involved, such as Eurocities and Telecities (as outlined below).

Manchester will be working in partnership with Eurocities on the basis of a subcontract for work in relation to WP2 and WP8 to Eurocities. This is on the basis that Manchester is the current President and that, as Eurocities is a not-for-profit organisation, it is understood that such a pre-agreed subcontracting arrangement would be evaluated differently from that with any private sub-contractor.

Manchester Knowledge Capital

Manchester: Knowledge Capital is a dynamic force for innovation and economic transformation, built around a highly competitive combination of knowledge assets across the Manchester city region.

Through a partnership of all ten Greater Manchester authorities, four universities, the strategic health authority, other key public agencies and leading businesses, Manchester: Knowledge Capital is working to secure substantial and sustainable growth which benefits all the people of Manchester and makes a major contribution to the Northwest, the North of England and the UK’s future prosperity.

Manchester: Knowledge Capital is unlocking opportunity through action in four areas:

• Stimulating and supporting increased business innovation from research, science and knowledge;
• Engaging with the people of Manchester in securing this future, through dialogue, debate, education and employment;
• Supporting the growth of a city-region environment which facilitates business success, provides an outstanding quality of life and is open to all;
• Championing and trying new ideas and new ways of living and working.

Established in 2002, Manchester: Knowledge Capital has a small Executive Team led by Dr Cathy Garner, taking the lead on implementing the various programmes of activity. The Executive Team reports to the Manchester: Knowledge Capital Board – a high level, predominantly private sector group that meets once a quarter to steer ongoing strategy.

Since 2005, Manchester is my Planet has been working in partnership with Local Authorities, universities, businesses and nearly 20,000 individuals to pioneer new and innovative ways to tackle climate change.

Through the pledge campaign, encouraging individuals to reduce their carbon footprint, and a number of innovative green energy projects, Manchester is my Planet aims to make Manchester the coolest and greenest city on earth.

The Manchester is my Planet programme aims:

• To deliver, and facilitate the delivery of, projects and processes that can move Greater Manchester along the path to a low carbon future and help the UK to meet the Government target of reducing CO2 emissions by 30% before 2020, and 60% before 2050.
• To do this in a way that improves life quality, contributes to the social and economic prosperity of the city-region, and enhances Manchester’s image as a shining light of sustainable living and working.

Oldham

Oldham Council provides a wide range of services for the people of the Borough and manages an annual budget totalling about £500 million. The work of the Council is undertaken by five Departments which are answerable to the Cabinet of the Council. The Cabinet is the decision making body of the Council and acts in line with the policy framework and budget of the Council. A Standards Committee on probity, licensing and planning committees and six Area Committees complete the municipal structure.

The unitary borough covers an area of 14,236 hectares comprising of an urban industrial /former industrial west (forming part of the Greater Manchester conurbation) and a rural/semi-rural upland east. Some 22% of the Borough is within the Peak District National Park. The population of the Borough is 218,000.

Italy

Genoa

“Comune di Genova” or Genoa Municipality is the entity responsible for the management of a territory 243 sq. km located in Northern Italy, at the Northern edge of the Tirrenian Sea; city coordinates are Latitude: 44° 24′ 39′′ N and Longitude: 8° 55′ 56′′ E. Population is 618.438 inhabitants, as per march 31st, 2006; density averaging 2553 inhabitants / sq.km.

Genoa also is the capital town of the Provincia of Genoa, which has a surface of 1.838 sq. km and a population of 875.732 (Dec 2004 estimate) and of the Liguria Region, 5.421 sq. km and a population of 1.592.309. In Genoa are 69% of the Province and 38% of the Region population.

Genoa Municipality is organized under divisions, project units and task forces, all dealing with administration and regulation purposes. Moreover, it has a strong share participation in AMGA, the formerly municipal gas and water distribution company, involved in the capillary methane distribution in the city; this cooperates in giving a sound experience in clean-energy related matters.

As stated in the Italian Public Administration Organisation, Genoa Municipality Official Statute indicates, among others (Title 1, Art. 3 – Main objectives 2):

a) promotes the defence of life, of its quality and of health…

e) promotes the conditions for realisation of an efficient system of public and social services and best availability to all citizens, in particular the disabled…

h)… operates to repair city real estate, to overcome lack of balance in living conditions…

l) promotes the defence of nature, of living species and environmental and landscape resources

n)…enhances the value of citizen’s democratic participation to the formation of local community’s will…

According to all of that, Genoa Municipality believes that assuring the liveability of the city means reducing the energy which is necessary in order to reach and live all its settings, by all the categories of people, without any discrimination based on gender, age or ability. The problem is very striking in Genoa, where the territory emphasizes the vertical dimension of the urban space. Accessibility thus means a quality of living that the city as physical entity must offer, and that thereby consists of adapting the different spaces by removing those obstacles that hinder a development of the whole potential autonomy and free choice by everyone, or by specifying alternative means of energy that allow to remove the same barriers with the lowest waste.

Poland

Katowice

The City of Katowice is one of Poland’s most progressive urban centres. For decades it was considered a city of coal mining, steel manufacturing, and heavy industry. Its diversifying economy is helping establish it as a key centre for learning and commerce. The City of Katowice is also both the Capital city and the largest city in the Katowice Agglomeration .

While this project will concentrate on assisting the City of Katowice develop an energy management plan, the results will be particularly relevant to all 15 cities which are part of the Katowice Agglomeration. The Agglomeration is the heart of the largest and historically most important industrial region of Central Europe, and is dominated physically and economically by its massive complex of coal mines, metallurgic and chemical industries, and other heavy industries. In fact, the Agglomeration is a single mass of fifteen adjoining cities with a population of approximately 2.5 million – the most densely populated area in Poland. The largest municipality is Katowice with a current population of approximately 320,000 over an area of 164.5 sq. kilometres. Eight other municipalities have population in excess of 100,000, and there are also seven smaller municipalities. While all are independent legal jurisdictions, all share similar infrastructural and environmental problems.

With the City of Katowice being located in Poland’s ‘coal basin’, almost 100 percent of power generation and heat production is based on coal from nearby mines. This has been the cause of obvious problems including its contribution to poor air quality in the region and being a important source of greenhouse gases. Helping the City of Katowice develop an energy plan and giving it the opportunity to both share its experiences and learn from the best practices of other European cities will provide a critical step for the City, and the Agglomeration as a whole, to address its energy issues

Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency

The Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency (FEWE) is a non-for-profit , non government organization established in 1990. FEWE’s mission is to promote economic development and protection of the natural environment through promotion of energy efficiency.

FEWE activity concentrates on:

• Studies of aspects of the global economy that influence the situation in Poland.
• Studies and analyses to support energy efficiency and environmental protection nationally, regionally and on a local scale.
• Support for initiative, including joint ventures with foreign companies as well as transfer of energy efficient materials, technologies and know-how.
• Training, consulting and the implementation of demonstration and pilot projects.
• Public education.

FEWE activity encompasses fuel and energy consumers (industry, trade and services, municipalities, households) as well as fuel and energy suppliers (electrical power engineering, gas engineering, heat engineering).

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FEWE actively participates in the changes taking place in Poland and Eastern Europe. FEWE has been involved in approximately 600 different international and domestic projects in energy and environment and demonstrated capabilities in policy advice, project development and management, energy planning, demonstration projects, program evaluation, technical assistance, financial engineering, tendering, energy audits and training.

Related information:

• local energy planning in municipality and communication with society to build energy sustainable economy in municipality

The Polish Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD)

The ISD has operated since 1990 as an independent, non-governmental and non-profit organization. The mission is to implement and disseminate of the sustainable development concept in Poland. It focuses on policy issues and practical application following the polices. The Institute deals with the fundamental problems of environmental policy aligned with economic and social development supplying the central government as well as local self-governments and NGOs with policy oriented, and multi-disciplinary expertise. Recently ISD is focusing on energy and climate issues.

ISD will act as a strategic partner working with FEWE to draw out key lessons in terms of the requirements of new member states and Objective 1 eligible areas. MCC and KC will be working with ISD to test out this element of the work in the context of FEWE’s work in the Katowice city-region and Poland as a whole.

Spain

Murcia

The municipality of Murcia is located in the south east of the Iberian Peninsula, in the southern part of the Region of Murcia, at coordinates 38º2’N and 2º32’E. Murcia is the capital of the Autonomous Community (Region) of the same name, which, with its area of 11,317 km2, is the largest autonomous community of only one province in Spain. According to census figures of population at the first of January 2006, Murcia counts around 420,896 inhabitants, placing it in the group of the seven most populated cities in Spain. Of this population, 45% live in the city and the others in the outskirts (54 districts).

Due to its status as regional capital, it is the home to official bodies, health and educational organisations (public and private Universities) which together with its flourishing service sector are a focus of attraction for the citizens of the whole region and even for those living outside the region.From an energy point of view, the City of Murcia receives more than 2.500 hours of sun per year. (Global insolation: 1,610kWh/m2 year).

Since 1996, the City Council of Murcia has shown a firm commitment to ensuring that the criteria of environmental sustainability guide the development of our city. The process began with the “Programa Terra de Desarrollo Sostenible mediante Planeamiento” (Terra Programme of Sustainable Development through Planning). In 1999 it signed the Aalborg Charter, and began to design the Agenda 21 Local. In 2005, it joined, together with another 80 cities, the Red Española de Ciudades por el Clima (Spanish Network of Cities for Climate), which provides support to the cities in adopting the measures for fighting against Climatic Change, as well as promoting actions that favour the establishment of preventive policies in the Town Councils.

The action plan which the member towns of the Network of Cities for Climate will adopt will be developed in two phases. In the first phase there are nine actions, including the approval of municipal bylaws regarding thermal solar energy for new constructions and for lighting, the progressive incorporation of energy efficiency systems and the implementation of renewable energies in municipal buildings and their dependencies and sensitising campaigns regarding the efficient use of energy. The second phase will include municipal energy plans, energy audits, design and approval of a Sustainable Mobility Plan, the promotion of means of transport that consume less energy and which are less pollutant, etc. In the financial year of 2005, an investment of 1,000,000 € was made on a national level.

According to that provided in Chapter III (Article 25, 26 and 28) of the Regulatory Law 7/1985 of the Bases of the Local System, the City Council of Murcia has responsibilities with respect to the Protection of the environment, and carries out complementary activities of Environmental Education. To this end, it carries out numerous actions, which would not have the desired effect without the necessary support of the general public. Therefore, for several years, the Regional Office for the Environment has been developing two complete Environmental Education Programmes, one for the general public and another for Schools and Associations within the City of Murcia, from which more than 200,000 school children have benefited during the 10 years since it was first implemented. In the latter Programme, a selection of 12 main urban environmental subject areas complement the teaching activity, with talks, workshops, visits, etc. These subjects include Transport and Energy.

Greece

Municipality of Amaroussion Development Company (AMA)

The Municipality of Amaroussion is situated in the northern part of the greater Athens region. Its population counts approximately 100.000 inhabitants. This northern part of the greater Athens region is one of the most developed and high-income zones. More than 50% of the population hold a Higher Education Degree. 82% of the active population is employed in the tertiary sector, while the unemployment rate is around 10%. In the last sixteen years the city has been gradually transformed into a constantly increasing business centre, while there is still a growing demand of a large number of companies, of all economic sectors (industry, commerce, and services), to transfer their head offices in the city.

Today, more than 1000 companies with more than 60.000 employees have moved in Amaroussion. The city is also one of the most important locations in Greece for companies that are related to advanced technologies. Last but not least, the Olympic Sports Complex, where most of the summer Olympic Games 2004 took place is located at the outskirts of the Municipality.
A brief description of the activities of AMA is as follows:

• Carrying out studies, which are related to the interests of the Municipality
• Maintenance of facilities, that the Municipality possesses
• Provision of new services and improvement of existing ones
• Exploitation of any properties of the Municipality
• Participation in enterprises and companies (municipal and private), which aim at providing service to the citizens of Amaroussion
• Implementation of projects, which are related to the Municipality
• Execution of financial services in accordance with the existing legal framework

In relation to energy initiatives, the Municipality has formulated a plan for the rational consumption of energy and the control of electricity consumption in the municipal buildings. In addition, within the context of EU-funded projects, it has formulated a plan for the reduction of CO2 emissions as well as the installation of a photovoltaic in selected municipal buildings with the co-funding both of the European Commission and of the Greek Ministry of Development.

City of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki, a modern Greek city, the second biggest city of Greece. The city is built in the beach of homonym gulf [mycho] in the wider marine region of [Thermaikoy] gulf. Thessaloniki is the centre of Northern Greece, capital of Macedonia. It is found in a separate geographic place with direct connection to the all directions and it constitutes crossroad where are met the countries of Western Europe with the new states Central and Eastern Europe. Thessaloniki is named after Alexander the Great Sister and was build around 315 B.C. Also during the Byzantine time it was the second biggest city of the Byzantium empire.

The municipality Thessaloniki is the central and biggest Municipality of urban group of Thessaloniki, with population of 750.000 residents. It constitutes a big organism with activities that cover’s all spectrum of competences of local self-government. It is structured in seven Sub-Municipalities [Antidimarchies]. The city’s airport serves over 2.500.000 population, for the greater area of Macedonia.

The city of Thessaloniki is the biggest employer in Northern Greece, with over 4.500 employees and with an annual budget of close to 300.000.000 €.

During the last years have Thessaloniki been very active in participating in EU projects in order to exchange best practices from various departments, such as Arcitecture, Clean Energy, Culture, and more.

During the Last 8 years our Mayor is Mr. Vasilios Papageorgopoulos who is having a successful mandate, have been very active in transforming the city in to a human big city. He has been very active in the cultural sector, in clean energy resources, and he is also responsible for the new Municipality building that will be standing ready on year 2008. Our Mayor is also responsible for the creation of the new Regional Library of Thessaloniki. He is active in transforming of the city’s coast line, the ancient and historical places. During the last years our Mayor have also been pushing for the digitalization of municipality information and provide easy access to public.

Thessaloniki has 2 major universities with over 150.000 students, both national but also international.

Thessaloniki is active in the topic of clean energy. One of the Municipalities actions have been to create the Association of regional and municipal authorities of Greater Thessaloniki, Energy Department. The municipality have been active in national projects regarding the Clean energy, and have now turned towards the EU for learning more and disseminating its results from other EU countries.

Exallon

Exallon is establishing itself through high quality of work and always deliver on Time. This means that we never accept any projects we can never deliver on time or will have a negative impact on other ongoing projects. Our goal is to have a secure growth through best possible result and not to take water over our heads.

Our experience is from different fields, such as Project Management, Dissemination, IT/IS, e-Content, e-Government, Environmental, and Energy

Exallon biggest customers are:

1. Public Authorities
   Municipality of Thessaloniki, Prefecture of Thessaloniki, University of Thessaloniki, Municipality of Lachana, Municipality of Rhodos.
2. Private sector
   Euroceramica S.A, Pelle Fashion Shoe industries, Intracom S.A. OTA Meizonos Thessalonikis, SIEMENS S.A. Companies Investing in Photovoltaics

We believe in strong relations with our customers and to evolve together with them.

Sweden

City of Malmo

The City of Malmö is the 3rd largest city in Sweden, the commercial centre of southern Sweden and an international city. This is expressed, not least, by the fact that Malmö has 270.000 residents who speak some 100 languages and belong to 164 different nationalities. Malmö is also undergoing a transition from being an industrial city to a city of knowledge. Older industries have been replaced by investments in new technology and training programmes of high calibre. Malmö University, which opened in 1998, is Sweden’s latest venture in the field of higher education, accommodating some 20.000 students.

Malmö is very active in international and European cooperation. We are active members of several European networks as Energie-Cites, Union of Baltic Cities, Euro Cities, etc. Malmö takes part in more than 100 European projects and the Environment Department is one of the most active departments with 20 running European projects.

A breaking point for Malmö was the hosting of the European Housing Expo, Bo01-City of Tomorrow 2001. This was a major event with 400.000 visitors during 4 months. The housing expo was a temporary exhibition but also the development of a brand new city district in the western harbour of Malmö. The objective was to show an international example of sustainable urban development. A holistic approach included all environmental aspects such as cleaning of brown land, waste management, construction and architecture, mobility, etc. The new district was supplied with 100% locally produced renewable energy.

This innovative concept was awarded the European Commissions Campaign for Take-Off Grand Prize in 2000. The energy concept was supported by the FP5 programme, SURE/RESECO-project. The Bo01-Western harbour has been a motor for further development in Malmö towards sustainability and an inspiration to other development projects both in Malmö, Sweden and Europe.

Skane Energy Agency

Regional energy agencies are from the beginning an incentive from the EU SAVE-program. Today there are about 260 agencies established in Europe. The tasks for regional energy agencies in Sweden are to work for an increasing use of renewable energy and an efficient use of energy in their own region with consideration to national and international goals of energy and environment.

Skåne energy agency is a unit within the Association of Local Authorities in Skåne. Skåne energy agency has no basic funding from the local authorities whereas all our funding derives from projects we participate in and carry out. The projects our agency participates in can be found locally, regionally or internationally. Our work is directed towards all inhabitants and organizations in the region. It measures from industries to private citizens.

At this moment Skåne energy agency is involved in several projects. One of our basic tasks, is to handle guidance of energy matters for private citizens and smaller companies in four municipalities in Skåne. At the same time we coordinate a large project involving biogas matters in the region. The agency has a lot of experience of organizing seminars where different aspects of energy matters are discussed. We are also involved in a project that aims to reduce energy use in hospitals. Our last project, which we took initiative to, is energy planning in local authorities in Skåne. This is why, with this project in mind, Skane became a partner in the PEPESEC project.

Energy Planning

With support from the national Swedish Energy Agency, Skane energy agency initiated the work with energy planning in municipalities in Skåne. The concentration of effort started with a seminar to consider the municipalities’ interest in working with energy planning. As a result Skåne energy agency started to be active as project leader in the planning process in two municipalities. At this very moment we are in the middle of the planning process with these two municipalities and we have opened discussion with other municipalities. Along with the planning process we will arrange workshops about energy planning, open for all Skåne´s municipalities. Our ambition is, that in a time spectra of about 2 years time, continue to assist 3-5 municipalities in Skåne to develop authoritative energy plans.