• Tools 11 October 2021 Solar PV on municipal buildings: a guide to feasibility and financial analysis Building scale renewable energy is the most impactful action that cities can take to decarbonise their energy sector, especially with the rapidly falling costs of renewable energy technologies. City governments can move fastest by using their own underutilised rooftop space to generate electricity with solar PVs. Not only is this a cost-efficient way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, but it can also reduce municipal reduce energy costs and generate financial…
• Podcast 17 October 2019 Battle for the thermostat: energy efficiency and gender Problem: There is a significant difference in perception of indoor thermal comfort between men and women, with men demonstrating a strong preference lower temperatures than women, sometimes referred to as the ‘battle of the thermostat’. Research discussed in this episode shows that there is also a notable impact on productivity and cognitive performance, with women performing better at high temperatures than at low temperatures. At the same time in most modern office space, the settings for the…
• Tools 1 September 2016 Global Protocol for Community-Scale GHG Emissions (GPC) A framework for accounting and reporting city-wide greenhouse gas emissions. It offers guidance to cities on developing a comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory, including establishing the base year for the inventory, setting emissions reduction targets and tracking cities’ performance. The tool also allows for aggregation of the estimates at the subnational and national levels.AimTo develop GHG inventory at the city levelTarget audiencePolicy-makers, expertsApproachPassiveScopePolicyStage of…
• Tools 19 August 2016 Green Resources & Energy Analysis Tool (GREAT) The GREAT Tool for Cities is an integrated bottom-up, energy end-use based modelling and accounting tool for tracking energy consumption, production and resource extraction in all economic sectors on a city, provincial or regional level. The model uses the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning System (LEAP) software developed by the Stockholm Environmental Institute and includes a national average dataset on energy input parameters for residential, commercial, transport, industry and…
• Tools 19 August 2016 The Co-benefits Evaluation Tool for the Urban Energy System The tool evaluates climate co-benefits for the urban energy system based on different scenarios of socioeconomic, technological and demographic developments. The tool relates systematically the climate change based on the specific energy demand in different sectors in cities to the corresponding social, economic and technological factors that affect this demand. Aim To evaluate climate co-benefits for the urban energy system. Target audience Policy-makers Approach Interactive Scope Policy Stage…
• Tools 19 August 2016 Tool for Rapid Assessment of City Energy (TRACE) This tool is a decision-support tool designed to help cities quickly identify under-performing sectors, evaluate improvement and cost-saving potential, and prioritize sectors and actions for energy efficiency (EE) intervention. It covers six municipal sectors: passenger transport, municipal buildings, water and waste water, public lighting, solid waste, and power and heat. Aim To prioritize sectors and actions for energy efficiency interventions. Target audience Local policy-makers …
• Tools 19 August 2016 Benchmarking and Energy Saving Tool for Low Carbon Cities (BEST) The tool is designed to provide city authorities with strategies they can follow to reduce city-wide carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions. The tool quickly assesses local energy use and energy-related CO2 and CH4 emissions across nine sectors (i.e., industry, public and commercial buildings, residential buildings, transportation, power and heat, street lighting, water & wastewater, solid waste, and urban green space), giving officials a comprehensive perspective on their local…