Partnership and collaboration: building a model for sustainable cities


The private and public sectors can no longer work independently if we are to create a greener future for our urban communities, writes Dave Morgan (Right), Head of Cities in E.ON's Sustainable Energy business


The world’s cities are currently experiencing exponential growth. According to the United Nations Population Fund, “the world is undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history”: more than half of the world’s population is now living in towns and cities and this number is due to increase to 5 billion by 2030.


In the UK cities still manage to grow against a backdrop of severe national debt, rising unemployment and cuts to public sector services. As the effects of austere times continue to bite, the UK’s urban planners and developers have recognised a real need to lower carbon, reduce fuel poverty and bring affordable, secure energy supply to homes and businesses. Cities across the UK are now required to reduce emissions and improve their energy infrastructure by 2020 – as part of the UK’s commitment to a 34% reduction overall in greenhouse gases in the 2008 Climate Change Act.


Britain’s energy industry, those who generate it and those who use it, is entering a period of great change. With targets to be met on fuel use and carbon reduction, local authorities are beginning to take on greater responsibility for reducing the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels through increased generation of renewable heat and power and the rollout of energy efficiency programmes.


But how can these commitments be fulfilled when there is such a dearth of available funds to invest in energy initiatives?


Enabling sustainable growth through


partnership In the past the public and private sectors have sometimes operated on the basis of a pseudo “poker game”


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both keeping their cards close to their chests and communicating via tenders and PQQs – both trying to second guess what the other party needs and wants.


It is imperative that this model changes to one of partnership, one of shared expertise and knowledge, so we can come up with sustainable solutions to the real problems we face. This is easy to say but it requires co- operation and understanding from all stakeholders, not just from those who are directly involved. For this reason E.ON is partnering with a coalition of willing UK local authorities to develop a model of a Sustainable City that can be rolled out nationwide.


This model was born from E.ON's involvement in street lighting PFIs. At the time we were tendering for £150m, 25-year contracts to replace, operate and maintain street lights, which are critical to the safe and efficient operation of a city. Energy efficiency measures like remote monitoring, dimming and trimming lighting profiles and LED lights are all part of that efficiency and cost saving. But over and above the pure logistics and technical aspects of lighting, as a long-term strategic partner we identified a need to add value to the communities we were working in.


This is where we became involved in using resources to form a community hub; to invest in schools programmes, aiming to educate children on energy efficiency and generation and work alongside the local community to create jobs and encourage sustainable living. From this the Sustainable City partnership concept was born, moving us from a transactional relationship with a public body towards a much more collaborative partnership.


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