The ICT industry has grown into one of the most energy-intensive sectors in the Netherlands and it is expected to grow in size and energy consumption in the years to come. Together with the ICT-sector, the Climate Agency of the City of Amsterdam has initiated the Green-IT Initiative to reduce energy use in the ICT-sector.

Objectives and target audience

The objective of the Green-IT Initiative is to structurally reduce energy use in the IT-sector through knowledge exchange (a podium for pioneers and energy-experts) and by taking real measures which are supported by the sector itself.
The City of Amsterdam itself has set the target of achieving 40% CO2 reduction from the levels of 1990 by 2025. This task can only be achieved if all concerned are willing to take far-reaching measures. The ICT industry has become a major energy user in the City of Amsterdam; therefore, setting energy efficiency in this growing sector is a priority for the Municipality.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

The city of Amsterdam is structurally supporting the Green-IT initiative (which is a cooperation between city and the IT partners) with a budget that covers the costs of a project leader, hiring expert knowledge where needed and the organisation of meetings.

This initiative is being developed by the Climate Agency of the City of Amsterdam. The main research study was conducted by the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (can be found at: http://www.ecn.nl/docs/library/report/2008/e08035.pdf). The whole process also involves the IT Companies in Amsterdam and the main experts in the sector.

Process

The Municipality and ICT businesses from Greater Amsterdam are jointly discussing the theme of ICT and energy use. A first meeting on the subject Green Datacenters was attended by representatives of 35 organisations, including data centres, ICT multinationals, universities and research institutes, the national government and the sector association. In a series of follow up meetings various programme lines were worked out in greater detail. Within the private sector there are “early adapters” who are already doing a lot more than what the law requires on their own initiatives.  Therefore, the Green IT Project aims to build on those good examples in order to exchange knowledge and experience among early adapters and the rest of the industry and experts.
The Climate office facilitates this process by paying organisational costs, commissioning external advisors and providing a project manager who’s responsible for personal contact with the sector. More meetings will be organised in the near future.

Results

The Climate office has created a network for the ICT sector to joint forces in the challenge to reduce CO2 emissions. With some companies specific agreements on CO2 emission reduction have been made.
In addition, the IT business will gain knowledge on best practice technologies which can lead to significant energy conservation, CO2-reduction, and lower energy costs while at the same time fulfil their social responsibility. Furthermore, the climate goals of the Municipality of Amsterdam, which are part of the national and global initiatives, will benefit from lower CO2-emissions in this economic sub-sector.
Finally, together with Cisco, Seoul and San Francisco, Amsterdam has co-founded the Connected Urban Development (CUD). CUD is a global initiative where innovative ICT applications are used as a tool for fighting climate change and reduce energy usage. The key result will be that the energy use of the ICT-sector will be significantly reduced.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

The programme has just started. However, one of the strengths so far is the formation of a strong network of ICT companies that are aware of their duty to contribute to the reduction of their energy usage and CO2 emission. The programme works on the basis of voluntary participation. Commitment of the most important IT companies is the most critical asset when starting a co-operation programme. Therefore a lot of time has been invested in selection of companies and high level representatives, building an agenda that is supported by the participants, and investing time on the emergence of a Amsterdam Green-IT community.
Sharing knowledge on specific topics helps create awareness of the great potentials to realize energy savings and reduce CO2 emissions.

In connection with possibility of limiting costs of electricity, thermal energy and water consumption Katowice City Board decided to implement Stationary monitoring system in 5 chosen schools.

Objectives and target audience

The main aim of the project was to monitor electricity, thermal energy and water consumption in 5 chosen schools in Katowice. It was put forwards to managers of individual schools and to the unit managing water and energy media account settlements in most of schools – Education Units Service Group. The expected effect is to diagnose and lower quickly and cheaply basic inputs of electricity, thermal energy and water and correction of ordered power. The aim is to generate savings in the city budget.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

260 000 PLN (about 74 300 EUR) was assigned for the project which was fully financed by the City. The Education Department of the City Board with Education Units Service Group is responsible for organization and coordination.

Process

While preparing the project, City Board officers presented the system to the President of the City, with information on the possibility of the installation of water and energy media monitoring system. A pilot system was proposed to be installed in a few chosen schools owned by the City. The City President accepted the proposal and “Reus” Ltd. signed a contract with a City and created the system according to the plan.

Results

At the conference of Education Committee a representative of “Reus” Ltd. presented “An Overall Report on Media Monitoring System”. According to their assumptions, the firm representative estimated savings in the budget for the City in 2008-2009 would be 100 000 PLN (about 30 000 EUR) thanks to the introduction of the monitoring system. After the introduction of recommended steps concerning the limitation of energy and water, basic input and possible correction of ordered power, the monitoring system will be used as educational and a demonstration or in case of failures unnoticed by the building service. The system can be also used in constant control of basic energy media consumption in large buildings ( according to “Reus” Ltd. buildings in which media bills are higher than 200 000 PLN – about 57,000 EUR)

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

The key to success was to draw attention to necessity of monitoring energy and water media consumption in buildings owned by the Community and approval of Authorities concerning installation of the system. Considering the fact that after the building is diagnosed as far as water and energy consumption, the system is not useful anymore (in most cases) it is suggested that diagnoses of water and energy consumption monitoring be realised cheaper using portable monitoring systems with constant monitoring of invoices for media.

Research on energy consumption in the Ligurian hospital sector, was carried out by the Regional Agency for Energy – ARE Liguria S.p.A – demonstrated that the energy consumption within the Ligurian hospitals are considerably higher (20%) than the national and European average.

Objectives and target audience

What was the project trying to achieve? Who was the project targeted at (if applicable)?
The main aim of the project is to optimise the energy system of the Ligurian hospital sector in order to reduce: Energy consumption; Pollution and CO2 emissions; Energy costs.

The project has the purpose to achieve these goals with an integrated way that deals with technical, economic and management aspects in the same time.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

The total cost of the project was 557.000 euro which was financed entirely by the Liguria Region demonstration.  The Regional Administration of Liguria Region are the partner of this project.

Process

The study is divided into three main phases, which include the drawing up of the guidelines for energy efficiency in the hospital sector, a pilot action in a Ligurian ASL (local health enterprise) and the operative plan for the creation of a pilot ESCO and consortia for electrical energy purchase.

The guidelines analyse the building aspects (thermal insulation of building shell, thermal bridges, insulation, natural lighting) and plant aspects (thermal plant, conditioning system, cogeneration plant) that must be considered for the planning interventions on hospital structures.

The second phase, relative to the pilot action in two hospitals of the ASL 4, is centred on an energy audit of the buildings and the plants of the two structures.  This tool has been used to analyse the critical issues at plant and building level in such a way, as a need to propose a wide range of improvement interventions.

The third phase, the operative plan, is of a purely management nature, based on the rationalisation of energy management within the structures.  It includes, on the basis of the results obtained in the second phase, an analysis of the necessary premises for the setting up of an ESCO, and the foundation of a consortium for the supply of electrical energy in the liberalised market.

Energy plant – proposed interventions: The use of highly efficient (condensing) boilers; the of CHP systems (prime mover = micro turbines, or gas engines); Local temperature sensing/control loops.

Windows and framing – proposed interventions: The replacement of simple glazing with up-to-date thermally insulated double glazing; Framing replacement (thermally insulated); the use of window shading panels in summer; the replacement of poorly insulated aluminium panels under and between windows.

Building shell insulation – proposed interventions: the insulation of roof; the insulation of horizontal and vertical walls.

Results

The potential for energy saving obtainable from the correct and systematic application of the guidelines can reach and even pass 15%, therefore bringing a cost saving of over 3.4 million euro.

Recently A.R.E. has set up the Ligurian Energy Consortium, which consists of public body members (Regione Liguria, ASL 3 and 4) and a number of hospitals, reaching more than up to more than 25 GWh.  The energy saving during the last three months of 2002 equated to just above 50,000€ while the 2003 envisaged saving was approximately 200,000 €.  During the following months the consortium will be extended to a provincial and regional level, with an electricity bill saving of approximately 10%.

The implementation of the proposed interventions in the ASL 4 will lead to a reduction in energy consumption of approximately 4,638 MWh/year.  Energy produced by renewables in ASL 4 is produced from solar thermal (100 sqm.), (56 MWh/year), and from photovoltaic system (20 kW: 78 MW/year).  The reduction in CO2 emissions equates to 1.300 tons/year.

A sum of 171.220 €/year was saved.  This allowed for an increase in personnel at A.R.E. Liguria.  The correct application of the guidelines and the launch of the ESCO in the ASL 4 will also lead into the development of possible work placements (approx 10).

A.R.E. made the Regional Administration and hospital managements aware of the critical situation within the health sector.  This involved two council departments of the same administration: Health and Environment.  This appeared to be a very important achievement.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

An innovative approach was created which its main characteristics are to face technical, economic and management aspects together and to consider at the same time different fields of application.  The main problems encountered were the collection and the use of data, plants complexity and the low level of liberalisation of the gas market.

The project was created with the intention of extending the new methodology to other hospitals.  For this reason it is easy to adopt the approach individuated in “Innovative systems for energy efficiency in the Liguria hospital sector” in other similar structures in Italy, in Europe and in third countries.  Another possibility foreseen in the project consists in the dissemination of this methodology and in other sectors (residential, public building, tourism, etc).