Bolzano – Simfonia Smart Cities

• Integrated energy
• Transport mobility;
• Land use planning;

Bolzano municipality – presentation made by EURAC – PP in SINFONIA project

Speaker: Daniele Vettorato, Ph.D.

Group leader –Urban and Regional Energy Systems –European Academy (EURAC)

Board Member -International Society Of City And Regional Planners (ISOCARP)

Expert Task 51 Solar Energy and Urban Planning -International Energy Agency (IEA)

Bolzano, Italy

2005 – ongoing

Bolzano: 104.000 inhabitants

Since 2005, Bolzano (Italy, 104,000 inhabitants) has developed an ambitious investment plan for large scale urban refurbishment in collaboration with both public and private stakeholders. The work undertaken in SINFONIA is part of this plan, and aims to achieve 40% to 50% primary energy savings in the demo sites and to increase the share of renewables in the district of Bolzano SW (South West) by 20%

Context:

• Existing framework of energy and mobility plans
• Mobility plan and Master plan of the city
• Several European projects activated and related to:
  • Energy efficiency in buildings and stakeholder involvement (EPOURBAN, 3ENcult, BRICKER, COmmonENERGY);
  • Reduction of GHG emissions from transport in urban areas(REZIPE);
  • ICT and sustainable mobility for environmental data management (INTEGREEN);
• Energy planning office in the Municipality
• Sustainable Energy Action Plan (2011-2014)

Bolzano SEAP:

CO2 Emissions in Bolzano:

SINFONIA PROJECT –FP7 8.8.1 ENERGY SCC

Project submission: OCTOBER 2012

Project start: JUNE 2014 (5 years’ implementation)

Total Budget: 43 mil euro (30 mil euro – EU contribution)

23 partners + 10 third parties.

For Bolzano:

Focus was put on:

1. BUILDING REFURBISHMENT

37,000m² of social housing from the 50s-70s will be retrofitted to achieve high energy performance and improve interior comfort while ensuring cost effectiveness and minimal impact on tenants. Measures include:

• Building envelope insulation – innovative technologies were used to reduce the impact on environment and inhabitants;
• Integration of renewable energy sources for electricity, heating and domestic hot water Solar PV panels;
• Additional storeys using innovative timber construction technologies to ensure funding for the project (housing units built were sold at market value);
• Large scale monitoring system and data acquisition for 170 apartments.

Investment for refurbishment: ~ 450 –500 €/m²

Investment for additional floor: ~ 1500 €/m² (Reference price for new buildings of the Province of Bolzano: 1420 €/m²)

Investment per flat: ~ 45.000 €

2. DISTRICT HEATING & COOLING

The district heating & cooling network will be extended and optimised to reduce both the CO2 and the nitrogen equivalent emissions. Measures include:

• Real time monitoring and forecasting of peak loads and energy demand;
• Hybrid hydrogen/methane backup system;
• Study on recovery of wasted energy from local industrial park.

3. ELECTRICITY GRID

Bolzano will implement an Urban Service-Oriented Sensible Grid (USOS-grid) system in the South West district for improved energy distribution control. Measures include:

• Recharge points for vehicles and bicycles;
• Meteorological stations for local climate condition monitoring;
• Smart retrofitting of the public lighting system.

http://www.sinfonia-smartcities.eu/en/demo-city/bolzano

1. BUILDING REFURBISHMENT:

37.000 m² total refurbished area

451 buildings retrofitted

2. DISTRICT HEATING & COOLING

3. ELECTRICITY GRID

150 smart points

1. BUILDING REFURBISHMENT:

15.000 inhabitants living in refurbished areas

2. DISTRICT HEATING & COOLING

3. ELECTRICITY GRID

6 different services

50.000 citizens involved

1. BUILDING REFURBISHMENT:

50% estimated energy savings

2. DISTRICT HEATING & COOLING

Expected reduction of:

CO₂ eq. up to 30%

NO_x up to 60%

3. ELECTRICITY GRID

• Strategic and operational financial savings though the scale of energy savings;
• Re-use and exploitation of existing assets through focus application;
• Energy saving potential through LED and smart lightening systems installation (50-75%);
• GHG emissions reduction by better traffic/parking management and provision of the charging services to sustainable means of transport;
• High scalability and replicability potential;
• General city ICT data collection network optimization, data management and services provision

The success of the project was ensured by a strong planning phase. The SEAP elaboration was a stage prior to the project but ensured its success.

Weak features and criticalities of the tool/measure:

One project should reach for one goal but for several co-benefits (any socio-economic and environmental positive effect related to the execution of a project, exceeding the primary goal, regardless if intentional or not).

Contact

European Academy of Bozen/Bolzano (EURAC)

sinfonia@eurac.edu