Feedback Report

Feedback report

Peer advice Gijón, Spain Eficiencia energética en edificios y distritos

Report produced by CASCADE

Author: Gijón

Version:1

CASCADE is an EU-funded project led by EUROCITIES which aims to design and deliver large-scale networking and mutual learning actions on local energy leadership among EUROCITIES members. The CASCADE consortium is composed of: EUROCITIES, Wuppertal Institut, Koucky & Partners and the following cities: Amaroussion, Amsterdam, Birmingham, Burgas, Edinburgh, Eindhoven, Gateshead, Genoa, Gijon, Malmo, Mannheim, Milan, Nantes, Stockholm, Sunderland, Tampere, Terrassa, Venice and Warsaw.

The CASCADE project is co-financed by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme. The sole responsibility for the content of this report lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EACI nor the European Commission is responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

CASCADE Feedback report – Peer advice in Gijón, Spain April 2014

CONTENTS

1. Introduction ...... 4

2. Participants ...... 4

3. The advice-giving ...... 5

4. Evaluation of the visits ...... 7

5. Conclusions ...... 8

Annexes ...... 9

CASCADE Feedback report – Peer advice in Gijón, Spain April 2014

1. Introduction

Within the framework of the CASCADE project, Gijon organized two peer advice visits with the municipality Mieres. The two visits were held on 12th November 2013 and 25 th February 2014.

During the first visit, there was a presentation from the Head of Environment Department in Gijón. The studies and practices carried out in areas like car sharing and electric vehicles were addressed too. During the second visit, the car sharing topic was examined in depth while Gijón introduced LabCityCar, a device that boots efficient driving.

The main reason to involve Mieres is its implication and interest on the subjects addressed in CASCADE project, and the location of FAEN (Energy Asturian Foundation), a pivotal energy-related, Asturian stakeholder in the municipality.

The first contact was made through Olga Álvarez, councillor of Territorial Policy, Environmental Sustainability, Mobility and Transport in Mieres.

2. Participants

First visit Second visit CASCADE city Gijón Carmen Aguado, Head of Ignacio Díaz Rodríguez, Project environment department. Manager of Planning and Modernization Service. Ignacio Díaz Rodríguez, Project Manager of Planning and Adela Garrido, Technician of Modernization Service. the Department of Promotion and Entrepreneurial Enrique Rodríguez Martín, Head Development, Municipal Center of European and International of Enterprises (Gijón City Affairs. Council). Technician of CASCADE project. Miguel Ángel Mejido, Head of Heritage Management Unit of Raúl Losa Estrada, Grant holder Gijón City Company (Gijón City at the Department of Council). Promotion and Entrepreneurial Development, Municipal Center Adela Garrido, Technician of of Enterprises (Gijón City the Department of Promotion Council). and Entrepreneurial Development, Municipal Center of Enterprises (Gijón City Council). Technician of

CASCADE Feedback report – Peer advice in Gijón, Spain April 2014

CASCADE project.

Peer to peer learning city First visit Second visit Mieres Olga Álvarez Councillor of Olga Álvarez Councillor of Territorial Policy Territorial Policy Andrés Gutierrez Porrón, Mirian García, Councillor of EMUTSA Works Claudia Otero Muñiz, Municipal Félix Santos, Head of section Technical Office, Parks and at Works Departament Gardens

Claudia Otero Muñiz, Municipal Bárbara Fernández García, Technical Office, Parks and Enviroment Office Gardens Carlos Roberto Rodríguez Bárbara Fernández García, Queipo, Technical Office Enviroment Office Diego Delgado, Electric Service Diego Delgado, Electric Service Juan José Menendez, Roberto Queipo, Technical Councillor of Staff, Citizen Office security, new technologies, rural areas and organization. Gonzalo Vilela, Head of Parks and Gardens Félix Santos, Head of section at Works Departamen

3. The advice-giving

3.1. The peer advice city:

As of 2013, the municipality of Mieres has a population of 41 175 inhabitants, of which 23908 in the urban area of the capital, Mieres Del Camino. It has a total surface area of 146, 03 km2. It is located in the southern half of the central zone of the province, framed in the Central Mountain Sector. Its highest altitude is at a height of 1160 meters above the sea level, and the lowest one at 160 meters. It borders the municipalities of Aller and Lena (on the south), Riosa and Morcín (on the west) Ribera de Arriba and Oviedo (on the north), Langreo, San Martín del Rey Aurelio y Lena (on the south). It has a mountainous orography where the River Caudal forces its way. Mieres Del Camino is located in a vast plain, surrounded by mountains born in its suburbs.

CASCADE Feedback report – Peer advice in Gijón, Spain April 2014

Mieres is not a member of the Covenant of Mayors, but the council has developed a plan on sustainable urban mobility for the municipality. The municipality does not have a Master Plan in its strict definition, but it tries to strive for less pollutant vehicles as they are being replaced, and it is trying to implement, in several vehicles, an IT application that optimizes the energy use.

During the first visit, the thematic areas of CASCADE were presented, and after serious consideration, the theme of energy efficiency in transport was chosen for the peer advice. The current situation and practices in that area in Mieres are presented below.

Road transport: The main access roads are via highway A-66 from Oviedo or Leon and the motorway AS-1 (also known as Autovía Minera), from Gijón, Pola de Siero or Langreo. It is possible to access Mieres in an interurban bus from Oviedo, Gijón, Langreo and from Madrid and Sevilla in long-distance buses. In addition, there are several within the municipality, belonging to the Municipal Transport Company (EMTUSA). Due to an urgent need to reduce costs, EMTUSA has been forced to adjust timetables and the operating bus lines.

Rail transport: The council of Mieres is crossed by the line Gijón-Madrid of RENFE. There is also the line F8 of Feve (Trubia-Collanzo). Long-distance trains (RENFE Grandes Líneas) make stops in Mieres, coming from Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante and León. Currently, several stops are removed, such as some connected to Barcelona.

Mieres has a network of cycle paths which aims to encourage the use of bicycles, in order to reduce the urban motorized mobility, air pollution and noise problems.

It’s important to highlight the existence of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, which is being really helpful as a management tool, so that the aims acquired in the Kyoto Protocol are fulfilled.

3.2. First peer advice visit

The purpose of the visit was to encourage a peer-to-peer learning between the two municipalities in one of the crucial CASCADE areas. In this case, energy efficiency in transport was chosen.

The event started with Gijón presenting the project CASCADE and its tools and methodology. Thereafter, the head of the Environment Department presented the Sustainable Energy Action Plan of the Gijon City Council.

Mieres were eager to work with the CASCADE learning methodology to the extent possible, taking into consideration its budgetary constraints. Due to the fact that it was the first peer advice visit, understood as a first contact, each area of the CASCADE benchmark was presented to Mieres. That helped decide which their areas of activity during the time between the two peer advice visits.

One of the most important topics of the meeting was the exposure of an experience of the Gijón City Council, specifically (through the project manager of Planning and Modernization Service) the studies and practices concerning car sharing and electric vehicles.

The key problems identified were mainly financial. Due to a lack of a budget exclusively focused on infrastructure, investments have only been made in maintenance and development of cycle

CASCADE Feedback report – Peer advice in Gijón, Spain April 2014

paths. No future investments are expected, since the Council is, at this point, immersed in an economic readjustment plan.

The recommendations given during this first visit were: • Restoration and conservation of the cycle path (conditioning of the surface, repainting of the cycle path lines, signaling…)

• Promotion of the use of bicycles and the public transport (sustainable mobility)

• Creation of information campaigns about energy efficiency, in order to convey this new technical concept to the population

• Creation of campaigns to provide useful ideas to the families about how to reduce the electricity and energy consumption

• Application of energy efficiency methodology in public facilities to reduce the charges related to electricity and energy consumption.

• Data and statistics that address issues pertaining to the energy consumption sector (such as data relate to the use of private and public transport) will be sent to the Environmental Civic Forum (Agenda 21).

3.3 Second peer advice visit

The municipality of Mieres tries to work for less polluting means of transports as long as they are being replaced. They are also trying to implement, in several vehicles, an IT app that optimizes the energy consumption. The progress has not been measured yet. Mieres are still working on the financial cost of implementing the measures.

In the long run, Gijón plans to help Mieres to apply efficiency measurement systems. Gijón will continue to reach out in this topic.

4. Evaluation of the visits

The visits have been very satisfying for both cities. The staff of the Mieres City Council was proactive and eager to collaborate. Out of the questionnaires (made in common by 8 persons, all of them present in the peer advice visits) it can be noted that there is a huge interest in implementing measurement systems for energy efficiency in transport (such as the LabCityCar). Mieres have thought about working on their own fleet of shared cars, but it is far too complicated due to budget issues.

CASCADE Feedback report – Peer advice in Gijón, Spain April 2014

5. Conclusions

Both Mieres and Gijón City Council have expressed intents to work together. There is a favorable environment and a climate of understanding, which will help to continue the collaboration, in order to raise the bar in efficiency energy in transport. The CASCADE benchmark was considered very useful.