URBAN ENERGIES Urban Challenges Id
M e m or a n du m
“URBAN EN ERGI ES –
Ur ba n Ch a lle n ge s“
M e m or a n du m
“URBAN EN ERGI ES – Ur ba n Ch a lle n ge s”
Rising t o t heir responsibilit y for t he urban and regional fut ure, t he part icipant s of t he int ernat ional conference have developed t his m em orandum in full and open part icipat ion of
nat ional and int ernat ional part ners from t he privat e sect or, academ ic inst it ut ions, civil
societ y and various polit ical levels.
Alt hough we will m ainly focus on Europe, sust ainable urban developm ent rem ains nonet heless a global necessit y
I.
Pr e a m ble
( 1) The LEI PZI G CHARTER on Sust ainable European Cit ies was adopt ed five years ago. I t
builds on t he result s of t he Global Conference on t he Urban Fut ure URBAN 21 held in
200. The cha lle nge s ident ified at t he t im e are st ill valid t oday: dem ographic change,
social inequalit y and int egrat ion, short age of affordable housing as well as environm ent al
and t raffic problem s. Since t hen, clim at e change has becom e m ore serious and it s im pact s m ore significant , t he era of cheap fossil energy is nearing it s end, food product ion
has becom e m ore vulnerable t o crises, and t he financial syst em ’s t urm oil has not only
burdened public finances but is also a t hreat t o social peace. These developm ent s affect
cit ies, but increasingly also rural areas.
( 2) Policy m akers, t he civil societ y and t he privat e sect or m ust provide answers t o t hese
challenges – int ernat ional, nat ional, regional and m unicipal answers. Cit ies of all sizes
hereby have a part icular responsibilit y and obligat ion. The m aj or st rat egic t ask for t he
fut ure is t he loca l a nd r e giona l im ple m e n t a t ion of t he e n e r gy t r a n sit ion. Only wit h
great er energy efficiency and t he use of renewable energies can t he era of cheap fossil
energy be left behind. And only by doing so will an effect ive cont ribut ion be m ade t o fight
clim at e change. Cit ies are once again called upon. The Energiewende ( energy t ransit ion)
can only be successful if it is nor considered as an isolat ed t ask but rat her if it is em bedded in int egrat ed urban developm ent st rat egies. This requires ext raordinary econom ic,
social, ecological and cult ural sensit ivit y.
( 3) I n m any st at es, drast ically reducing greenhouse gas em issions and energy consum pt ion is a st at ed obj ect ive. I n Europe, t he housing st ock should be alm ost clim at e- neut ral
by 2050. I n Germ any, wit hdrawing from nuclear energy and enact ing t he energy t ransit ion has creat ed a new fram ework and im posed new const raint s. I n addit ion t o increasing
energy efficiency, an ext ensive conversion t o renewable energy sources is essent ial. The
u se of r e ge n e r a t ive e n e r gy r e sou r ce s will not only change urban ut ilit ies infrast ruct ures but also affect buildings as well as cit y- and landscapes. Wit h it s enorm ous dim ension, t he form of t his change brings new t asks in t he renovat ion and new const ruct ion of
buildings and neighbourhoods as well as in urban, t ransport and landscape developm ent .
( 4) Eu r ope a n cit ie s provide good condit ions t o address t hese challenges. Cit yscapes,
public spaces, st reet s, green spaces and buildings offer a sense of local ident it y and
hom ebuilding in t im es of accelerat ed globalisat ion. Their respect ive singularit y m ust be
considerer. Thanks t o t heir archit ect ural and social qualit ies, cit ies can m ake a significant
cont ribut ion t o t he im plem ent at ion of t he energy t ransit ion.
( 5) The socia l e ne r gie s for a sust ainable urban developm ent are concent rat ed in cit ies.
Urban energies com e first and forem ost from creat ive people, t heir skills and com m it -
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m ent t o accom pany sust ainable urban renewal, but also from educat ion and science inst it ut ions. Cit ies are “ energet ic cat alyst s” of key social, econom ic, ecological, t echnological and cult ural innovat ions. They concent rat e init iat ive and willingness t o part icipat e as
well as com m it t ed and com pet ent cit izens. Regarding foreigners and m inorit ies, t he vast
m aj orit y of cit izens is t olerant and shows solidarit y wit h social issues.
( 6) This m em orandum coins requirem ent s for polit ical inspirat ion, innovat ion, creat ivit y
and civic engagem ent t o ensure an environm ent ally responsible, socially balanced and
econom ically robust – in short , a sust ainable urban developm ent .
II.
Ke y t a sk s for su st a ina ble u r ba n de ve lopm e n t
( 7) Fou r m a j or t a sk s a r e on t he a ge n da : fir st ly, t h e ca u t iou s e cologica l r e n e w a l
of bu ildin gs a nd n e igh bou r hoods, se condly, t h e t e chn ologica l r e ge ne r a t ion of
u r ba n infr a st r u ct u r e s, t h ir dly, de ve loping a ne w m obilit y a n d four t h ly, socia l
in t e gr a t ion . Th e se fou r m a j or t a sk s h a ve be e n discu sse d a t le n gt h bu t a r e u su a lly se pa r a t e d fr om on e a n ot h e r , m or e ove r in va r iou s pr ofe ssion a l a n d polit ica l
cir cle s. The y m u st be br ou gh t t oge t h e r . Th e e n e r gy t r a n sit ion a nd t h e figh t
a ga in st clim a t e cha nge r e qu ir e s n ot on ly r e n e w ing cit ie s a n d r e gion s, ch a nge s
in u r ba n infr a st r u ct ur e s, n e w m obilit y a n d socia l in t e gr a t ion but a lso n e w e con om ic a nd fina n cia l ba se s a n d r e spe ct for cu lt u r a l ide n t it y. And on ly w h e n t h e
cit y a n d it s su r r ou n din g h in t e r la n d a r e br ou gh t conside r a bly close r ca n t h e n e ce ssa r y conve r sion be su cce ssful.
( 8) I ncreased energy efficiency st art s at t he level of t he single house. Buildings are
gradually m oving away from being energy consum ers ( Plus- Energy- House) . Renovat ion
and energet ic ret rofit t ing of housing buildings are however m ore im port ant t han good
new building. Energet ic rehabilit at ion is one point , alt hough as an increasingly significant
com ponent of ext ensive renovat ion it also includes good design and a socially fair dist ribut ion of cost s. The key t o a successful energy t ransit ion is t he overall efficiency at
neighbourhood and m et ropolit an level. I n addit ion t o energy efficiency and using renewable energies, an innovat ive m ix of sust ainable, low- CO2 energy product ion, consum pt ion, st orage capacit y and input is also essent ial. The r e ne w a l a n d con st r u ct ion of
bu ildin gs a n d n e ighbou r h oods requires clear agreem ent s, int egrat ed as well as act orfocused concept s in order t o achieve overall urban efficiency and draw any addit ional
form s of financing.
( 9) Our cit ies can rem ain fit for t he fut ure wit h a need- driven adapt at ion of exist ing, and
by developing new, u r ba n u t ilit ie s in fr a st r uct u r e syst e m s. This requires considerable
invest m ent , especially in developing local renewable energy product ion syst em s. A considerable effort is needed t o find suit able locat ions as well as a good design for t hese
renewable energy syst em s. The use of m odern t echnology allows for a m ult idisciplinary
opt im izat ion and linking of energy and m obilit y syst em s. I nt elligent syst em s and net works can im prove urban life.
( 10) Anot her key t ask is a n e w m obilit y cu lt u r e based on innovat ive t echnology and a
new balance bet ween pedest rian, bicycle t raffic, public t ransport and an alt ered aut om obile t raffic. The aim is t o achieve a cit y- com pat ible, m ult i- and int erm odal t ransport , t o
develop new t ransport offers such as bike- and car- sharing syst em s. Mobilit y m anagem ent and m obilit y cards im prove local m obilit y. The rising shift of values in m any cit ies,
especially am ong t he young adult populat ion, support s t his developm ent . The use of vehicles wit h alt ernat ive form s of propulsion is an im port ant cont ribut ion t o eco- m obilit y if
t he energy com es from renewable sources and noise em issions are reduced. The freight
and com m ercial t ransport m ust be organized so as t o be com pat ible wit h t he cit y. I nt ernet individualisat ion of dem and for goods and services requires an innovat ive reorganisat ion of t he courier, express and parcel delivery services wit h decent ralized freight dist ri-
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
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but ion cent res and hubs as well as sm all, elect ric or hybrid delivery vehicles for urban
areas. The aim is t o relieve cit ies of noise and pollut ion and im prove m ain st reet s, public
spaces and squares.
( 11) Socia l in t e gr a t ion is t he fourt h m aj or challenge of fut ure urban policies. Growing
polarisat ion bet ween rich and poor as well as bet ween cult ures has led t o a deeper sociospat ial division of cit ies. I n order t o preserve and im prove t he cit y’s abilit y t o int egrat e,
t he weak m ust be prot ect ed, int ercult ural int eract ion prom ot ed, barriers broken down
and opport unit ies prom ot ed. This calls in part icular upon civic engagem ent . Social equit y,
j ust ice and inclusion in t he cont ext of t he energy t ransit ion are also key goals. I n addit ion t o affordable and efficient housing as well as social facilit ies, it is also necessary t o
prom ot e crucial behavioural changes in all social groups t o reduce energy consum pt ion.
The energy t ransit ion cost will have t o be econom ically dist ribut ed and socially fair. Wit h
t heir part icular focus on hum an developm ent in deprived neighbourhoods, t he obj ect ives
of t he LEI PZI G CHARTER becom e even m ore relevant in t he case of t he necessary int egrat ed approaches t o energy- efficient neighbourhood developm ent .
( 12) Cit ies, wit h t heir various educat ional and t raining opport unit ies, offer an out st anding
pot ent ial for social int egrat ion. They t hus cont ribut e t o t he com pet it iveness of our ent ire
econom ic syst em in a globalised world. Youn g pe ople in part icular can cont ribut e wit h
t heir ideas and com m it m ent t o m aking cit ies bet t er places t o live in. Their part icipat ion in
all areas of urban developm ent is t o be prom ot ed. I t is essent ial t o support not only
early- childhood developm ent and bet t er educat ion in schools and universit ies, but also t o
provide an at m osphere t hat offers young people and fam ilies at t ract ive working and living condit ions in cit ies, a cult ure of openness and t olerance as well as social and cult ural
diversit y. A specific challenge is t o int egrat e young people from disadvant aged backgrounds – also because social change requires any creat ive force. I t has proven useful
for schools and day care cent res t o open up t o t heir neighbourhoods and becom e local
social cent res for fam ilies.
( 13) D e m ogr a phic cha nge , in part icular in t erm s of ageing as well as fragm ent at ion of
lifest yles and widening disparit ies, requires m odifying, convert ing, ext ending or dism ant ling buildings and neighbourhoods. This is a sm art way t o com bine it wit h t he caut ious
ecological t ransform at ion of cit ies. Especially in societ ies facing populat ion decline, we
will only be able t o deal wit h fut ure challenges if senior cit izens rem ain act ive longer –
bot h professionally and wit h volunt ary work. Social housing policies are also responsible
for new housing const ruct ions t aking int o account age- and fam ily- specific needs as well
as m odernisat ion of exist ing age- friendly buildings. Mixed urban st ruct ures, easy access,
affordable rent s and age- friendly housing are essent ial condit ions for senior cit izens t o
st ay as long as possible in t heir fam iliar surroundings. I t is also im port ant for t heir fam ilies t hat t hey can live in t he cit y. Dem ographic and environm ent al goals are best com bined in com pact building and urban st ruct ures. Securit y is a basic need for cit izens of all
ages whose im port ance t o t he qualit y of life increases wit h age. Beyond obj ect ive securit y, t he subj ect ive feeling of securit y is also of great value – an individual who does not
feel safe is im paired in his or her qualit y of life and lim it ed in his or her part icipat ion in
societ y. Public spaces m ust t herefore be accessible t o all age groups wit hout fear. I t
should be not ed t hat t he neglect of public spaces t riggers fear and insecurit y.
( 14) Ur ba n a n d h ist or ic ce n t r e s creat e ident it y in t he cit y and region. They m ust be
st rengt hened as an im age of urban hist ory as well as cent res for cult ure, educat ion, religion, ret ail, adm inist rat ion and housing. The careful handling of archit ect ural herit age is
also required for t he ecological renewal. I n t his case, deprived inner cit y neighbourhoods
in part icular deserve special support .
( 15) La r ge - sca le housin g e st a t e s on t he urban fringe, insofar as t hey are needed for
housing, should be im proved in social, archit ect ural, ecological and funct ional t erm s. The
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definit ely also have som e advant ages which can be exploit ed: building densit y t hat favours energy efficiency as well as being oft en easily accessible by public t ransport . I n t he
suburbs and surrounding urban areas, t here is a need for act ion t o st abilize and possibly
dism ant le sim ple and no longer adj ust ed t o t he dem and a r e a s of sin gle - fa m ily de t a ch e d hou sin g a r e a s lacking adequat e social infrast ruct ure and facilit ies as well as an
ext ensive access t o public t ransport .
( 16) The long- t erm redevelopm ent of cit ies requires a n e w ba la n ce of de n sit y, ope n n e ss a n d dive r sit y. Cit ies need open space for recreat ion, cold air st orage and urban
agricult ure, at t ract ive, pedest rian- friendly st reet s and spaces, green and open spaces
perceived as safe and well- designed. They also need t o be densely built as well as socially, funct ionally and archit ect urally diverse. A good relat ionship bet ween densit y and
openness will help creat e a healt hy cit y. The com pact urban developm ent wit h wellbalanced open spaces paving t he way t o a “ walkable cit y and region” is t he goal of ecological renewal. Developm ent wit hin cit ies is st ill t he m ain t ask.
( 17) Resource efficiency, clim at e prot ect ion and dealing wit h consequences of clim at e
change can only be achieved by engaging t he cit y wit h it s su r r ou ndin g h in t e r la n d a nd
r u r a l a r e a s. This im plies above all an int ensive and inclusive developm ent coordinat ion
wit h t he m et ropolit an areas’s different m unicipal aut horit ies. A balance bet ween t own
and count ryside – a new regional balance – is t hus sought aft er. A keyst one is t he est ablishm ent of regional t ransport at ion syst em s t hat reduce t ransport cost s for people and
goods. Cit ies and t heir surrounding hint erland should cooperat e m ore in order t o
st rengt hen regional econom ic act ivit y, im prove cit ies’ food supply from t he count ryside,
set up regional energy and wat er aut horit ies, open up t he region t o local recreat ion and
st rengt hen m et ropolit an public t ransport .
( 18) An overall shrinking populat ion facilit at es a considerable r e du ct ion of addit ional
la n d- u se . However, t here are ot her large savings pot ent ials, especially in areas of t rade
and t ransport . The reuse of vacant buildings and derelict land for econom ic purposes
m ust prevail over building on greenfield sit es. Wast elands and derelict buildings can also
be used for clim at e regulat ion ( generat ing cold air, reducing t em perat ures, vent ilat ion,
wat er ret ent ion) and renewable energy product ion ( solar and wind energy, geot herm al
energy, energy from organic m at t er) . There are also large energy recovery pot ent ials in
indust rial areas.
( 19) A pre- condit ion t o good building, adequat e urban infrast ruct ure and new form s of
m obilit y are innovat ive const ruct ion and operat ing principles, known as sm a r t in fr a st r uct ur e s. Wat er supply and drainage, power and heat supply, t ransport and m obilit y
should be gradually decent ralised, but should also be at t he sam e t im e rest ruct ured int o
net worked syst em s. These allow for a m ult iple use of resources ( energy, wat er, buildings, land) and include t heir users. Surplus energy from buildings can be a source of energy for ot her uses – elect ric vehicles for exam ple. Decent ralised organisat ion of t he infrast ruct ure and local and regional responsibilit y are inext ricable.
( 20) St ruct ural econom ic change is m ainly t aking place in t he cit y. Knowledge- based
econom ies and t he creat ive indust ry – knowledge, educat ion, research and developm ent ,
cult ure – have an inclinat ion for urban locat ions. They cont ribut e t o t he econom ic “ urban
renaissance” . Urban environm ent s are im port ant for innovat ion and knowledge sharing,
and at t ract young people. This m akes t he buzzword of cr e a t ive pa r t icipa t ion t angible:
expert s are needed t o prom ot e, support , readj ust and secure t he econom ic, energet ic
but also social t ransform at ions in an innovat ive way. Com pet it ion for t alent will influence
t he fut ure of any cit y.
( 21) Cu lt u r a lly, t he challenges of t he energy t ransit ion are considerable. The archit ect ural herit age and charact er of t owns and neighbourhoods need t o be acknowledged. This
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
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m eans t hat ident it y- forging ensem bles and buildings need t o be rest ored in such a way
t hat t heir appearance is preserved. This principle should also be applied t o everyday archit ect ure: no energy efficiency im provem ent wit hout qualit y design. New buildings can
com ply wit h fut ure resource and energy st andards. The aim should be t o increase t he
beaut y of, as well as t he ident ificat ion t o and responsibilit y for, t he cit y alongside it s necessary reconst ruct ion. Sust ainable const ruct ion, im proved urban infrast ruct ures, new
m obilit y and changing behaviours im proving energy efficiency and conservat ion are essent ial for long- t erm , sust ainable urban developm ent . They m ust however be consist ent
wit h t he preservat ion and furt her developm ent of cit ies’ cult ural qualit ies and charact erist ics. Baukult ur ( building cult ure) is an im port ant locat ion fact or.
I I I . An a llia n ce for a su st a ina ble cit y: u r ba n e n e r gie s
( 22) A com pe t e nt a n d r e spon sible policy a n d a dm in ist r a t ion a t a ll le ve ls ca n
pa ve t h e w a y t o su st a ina ble bu ildings, su st a ina ble n e ighbou r h oods a n d t h e su st a ina ble cit y. Addr e ssin g t he m a j or ch a lle n ge s r e qu ir e s br oa d socia l a llia n ce s
a n d t r a n spa r e nt pr oce sse s. St a k e h olde r s fr om t he e con om y, a ca de m ia , t r a de
u n ions, a ssocia t ion s, foun da t ion s, cu lt u r e , e du ca t ion , m e dia , r e ligion , spor t s a s
w e ll a s pr om ot e r s a n d pla n ne r s h a ve a lw a ys be e n im por t a n t pa r t n e r s in u r ba n
de ve lopm e n t . Toda y m or e t ha n e ve r , civic pa r t icipa t ion a n d pr iva t e in it ia t ive s
a r e a lso ne e de d t o im ple m e n t u r ba n de ve lopm e n t pr oj e ct s su cce ssfu lly.
( 23) St a k e h olde r s in t he cit y and t he region follow t heir own logic and rules. I t is im port ant t o act ivat e and focus t heir st rengt hs t o innovat ion, com m unit y engagem ent and
ent repreneurial init iat ive for a fut ure- orient ed urban developm ent .
( 24) The e con om y shows ent repreneurial init iat ive, and has user- friendly and m arket able product s for a fut ure- orient ed and clim at e- conscious building and urban developm ent . Re se a r ch a n d de ve lopm e nt , especially educat ion and t raining, are t he foundat ions support ing t his success. Businesses are increasingly recognizing t he pot ent ial of
urban developm ent and playing a part in concret e proj ect s.
( 25) The cult u r a l a nd cr e a t ive e con om y, wit h it s innovat ive power, t akes part in t he
design of our cit ies. I t s social relevance allows it t o em brace t he current social challenges
in it s act ions and developm ent s.
( 26) Scie n ce com piles knowledge in fundam ent al research and applicable im plem ent at ion st rat egies for sust ainable building and urban developm ent . I t should m ake great er
use in t eaching and research of t he principles and dem ands laid by t he m em orandum as
a foundat ion for int er- disciplinary ( furt her) educat ion and t raining of t he current and t he
next generat ions. Fut ure- orient ed building and urban research should be prom ot ed.
( 27) Cit ize ns are increasingly involved in t heir neighbourhoods and cit ies and, as expert s of t heir own living environm ent , t hus help provide t he necessary m easures t o est ablish a broad social basis. Appropriat e form s of part icipat ion, co- decision, involvem ent
and co- design should be furt her developed for t his purpose.
( 28) Pr om ot e r s a nd ow n e r s ( invest ors and proj ect developers) have t o be evaluat ed
according t o t he principles of sust ainable building and of t he sust ainable cit y. Support ing
econom ic fram eworks condit ions and set t ing clear efficiency t arget s can fost er willingness
t o change.
( 29) M e dia are im port ant public discussion forum s and have a special responsibilit y in
com m unicat ing t he m aj or challenges and t he necessary effort s for sust ainable urban developm ent . Mew m edia can provide effect ive plat form s t hrough open dialogue forum s,
online sim ulat ion gam es and ot her form at s.
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( 30) Ar ch it e ct s, e n gine e r s a n d pla n ne r s m ust use t heir knowledge in closer cooperat ion in a creat ive, t im ely and responsible m anner. Holist ic approaches t o planning are
essent ial as well as early involvem ent of expert s from ot her disciplines and cit izens.
( 31) I t is im port ant t o est ablish in t e r n a t iona l, n a t iona l, r e gion a l a nd loca l a llia n ce s
bet ween policy, adm inist rat ion, econom y, sciences and cit izens. Such alliances do not
occur by t hem selves, but rat her in t he pursuit of j oint program m es, plans, and key proj ect s for t he sust ainable cit y – for exam ple, under t he Nat ional Urban Developm ent Policy
( of Germ any) . They creat e new form s of negot iat ions of st rat egic goals and proj ect s. Polit ical and adm inist rat ive inst it ut ions are t hereby in charge of bringing all st akeholders
t oget her in t erm s of procedure and cont ent as well as t riggering essent ial coalit ions.
These alliances m ust be st able, reliable and t ransparent .
( 32) Local self- governm ent is a key fact or t o t he sust ainable developm ent of cit ies,
com m unit ies and t he nat ion as a whole. I n t he light of t he rapid changes relat ed t o globalizat ion processes, t he principle of subsidiarit y rat her t han a cent ralized st ruct ure is
proving t o be a part icularly successful m odel. The public se ct or plays a k e y r ole in designing t he sust ainable cit y. Com m it t ed local councils have held a cent ral role in urban
developm ent . I n addit ion, it will also require a reliable and t echnically com pet ent adm inist rat ion holding long- t erm and t ransparent program m es. I t s apt it ude for organisat ion is
t herefore essent ial. Bet t er organisat ional and operat ional st ruct ures are required, as well
as a sufficient num ber of st uff. Only by m erging t he t opics of ecological urban renewal,
urban infrast ruct ure, new m obilit y and social int egrat ion will sust ainable building and
urban developm ent be possible.
( 33) Several good – but oft en select ive and sect oral – proposals for a sust ainable cit y are
already available. The direct ion is clear regarding pract ical m eans, however, a public debat e m ust be held in every cit y. The prim ary obj ect ive is t he sust ainable cit y, overcom ing
energy and clim at e issues. Program m es and proj ect s t hat m eet t his obj ect ive m ust be
negot iat ed and im plem ent ed on sit e. They have t o t ake int o account environm ent al, econom ic, cult ural and social aspect s. They t herefore require an in t e gr a t e d u r ba n a n d
r e giona l de ve lopm e nt in regard of sect oral, t em poral, spat ial and process- relat ed purposes t o which European Minist ers have com m it t ed t hem selves in t he LEI PZI G CHARTER
and t he TERRI TORI AL AGENDA. Concept s as well as proj ect s m ust be built upon pat hs for
act ion and long- t erm considerat ions.
( 34) Ur ba n de ve lopm e n t pla n s of a new generat ion carry a special im port ance, including int egrat ed social and econom ic issues and especially energy and clim at e dut ies and
responsibilit ies. A m aj or t ask of urban developm ent plans will be t o develop efficiency
pot ent ials in a creat ive way and fost er urban energy product ion. This im plies enabling t he
exist ing infrast ruct ure t o produce energy, generat e energy across urban areas and develop new m eans of st orage. Effort s m ust also be m ade t o m ake a closer connect ion bet ween clim at e and energy concept s of urban developm ent and urban developm ent planning and urban regenerat ion. Aft er am endm ent , t he Federal Building Code ( of Germ any)
would for exam ple provide good opt ions.
( 35) Pilot proj ect s are needed t o im plem ent urban developm ent plans. They experim ent
new approaches and show how sust ainable developm ent can be arranged. Their findings
m ust be quickly and ext ensively im plem ent ed. I n parallel, qu a lit y a ssu r in g m e t h ods
a n d pr oce du r e s need t o be conduct ed, for exam ple t hrough planning workshops, com pet it ions and discursive processes. Such m et hods also m ake t he est ablishm ent of local,
proj ect - based alliances easier.
( 36) Fu ndin g oppor t u n it ie s of program m es in t he fut ure m ust be const ant ly adj ust ed
t o and coordinat ed wit h t he current challenges of t he energy t ransit ion, clim at e prot ec-
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
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t ion and m anagem ent of t he clim at e consequence. Goal orient at ion, t echnological openness and int egrat ed neighbourhood approaches t o energy supply and building renovat ion
m ust rem ain t he m ain crit eria when designing program m es. The privat e banking sect or is
also invit ed t o be m ore involved in t he financing of t he energy t ransit ion as a societ al
responsibilit y. Com pet it ions are effect ive m eans t o decide of funding for t he best ideas in
ecological urban developm ent and cooperat ion in t he neighbourhood, t he cit y and region.
A sust ainable financing m ust be based on life cycle assessm ent s. Local aut horit ies face
m aj or challenges in t he financial and infrast ruct ure m anagem ent as well as in t he real
est at e policy.
( 37) The need for energy policy t ransform at ion and environm ent al developm ent of cit ies
and regions m ust be act ively prom ot ed and advert ised. The opport unit ies for wide cit izens’ pa r t icipa t ion and co- decision wit h cit izens are essent ial t o a successful out com e.
I t is im port ant t o raise public awareness regarding it s responsibilit y, using few resources
and an int elligent use of urban space. New pot ent ials and local knowledge for a sust ainable cit y can subsequent ly be act ivat ed. Clear agreem ent s and rules help creat e explicit
responsibilit ies and regulat e in decision- m aking powers in part icipat ion.
( 38) Public invest m ent s in urban infrast ruct ure are essent ial t o prom ot e a sust ainable
building and urban developm ent . European St ruct ural Funds should be increased wit h
regards t o t he support of t he urban dim ension. Aft er decades of successful u r ba n de ve lopm e n t pr om ot ion pr ogr a m m e , Germ any has developed a powerful inst rum ent
which, despit e changing condit ions, also need t o act ively support t he pat h t owards sust ainable cit ies. The federal level, Länder and local aut horit ies have achieved t his in close
cooperat ion. I n t he fut ure, t he federal level should t ake m ore responsibilit y for m odelbased urban developm ent proj ect s relevant at nat ional level.
I V.
Ca ll for colle ct ive a ct ion
( 39) W e ca ll u pon t hose r e sponsible in cit ie s, r e gions, st a t e s a n d in t e r na t iona l
or ga n isa t ion s a s w e ll a s a ssocia t ion s, busin e sse s a n d in it ia t ive s t o un de r t a k e
t h e ir ow n pr ogr a m m e s a nd pr oj e ct s t o fost e r a su st a ina ble u r ba n de ve lopm e n t
t a k ing in t o a ccoun t t h e cu lt u r a l, socia l, e con om ic a nd e nvir onm e n t a l dim e n sion s
of cit ie s.
( 40) A first st ep has been m ade. A sense of opt im ism can be felt t hroughout all social
groups. The different social groups m ust cooperat e as a llia n ce s and part nerships t o
achieve t he com m on obj ect ives for sust ainable cit ies. I t is im port ant t o coordinat e t hese
alliances at all levels of act ion – as in Germ any wit h t he Nat ional Urban Developm ent
Policy which is already a success. This requires a nat ional and int ernat ional experience
and knowledge t ransfer.
( 41) Polit ica l in st it u t ion s should provide t he legal fram ework for a sust ainable urban
renewal including t he im plem ent at ion of t he energy t ransit ion and init iat ing broad- based
alliances for a sust ainable cit y. This requires a disposit ion for an ext ensive public dialogue: act ors from all sect ors are already looking for ideas and proj ect s as well as set t ing
priorit ies, and are not only willing t o be involved in t heir im plem ent at ion t hrough t ransparent procedures but wish t o becom e act ive creat ors.
( 42) The public a dm in ist r a t ion should be fair in it s st ruct ures, funct ioning and cont ent s
in order t o m eet sust ainable urban developm ent requirem ent s. This m eans overcom ing
t he sect oral division of archit ect ure, urban developm ent , infrast ruct ure planning, t ransport developm ent and social planning as well as cooperat ion wit h ot her act ors in t he program m e and proj ect developm ent . Furt herm ore, it is absolut ely necessary t o set clear
priorit ies in favour of a local energy t ransit ion.
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
7
( 43) EU I nst it u t ion s a n d ot he r in t e r na t iona l or ga n isa t ion s should focus and support int egrat ed and sust ainable urban developm ent m ore t han t hey have in t he past and
t ake int o account all relevant policy areas. This requires a cross- sect oral and place- based
approach.
( 44) Econom ic, pr iva t e se ct or a n d t r a de un ion s should deal m ore wit h t he condit ions
and opt ions for sust ainable building and urban developm ent . The econom y m ust t ake
responsibilit y for t he im plem ent at ion of t he energy t ransit ion at m unicipal level.
( 45) Edu ca t ion a n d scie n ce should engage m ore int ensively in a crit ical and const ruct ive dialogue on t he sust ainable cit y. Universit ies and research inst it ut ions as well as
schools should dem onst rat e a special effort in t heir com m it m ent and endorse a m ore
advisory role, provide plat form s for public dialogue and spread t o t he public t he knowledge acquired. Vocat ional and furt her educat ion and t raining should be int ensified.
( 46) Pr om ot e r s a nd ow n e r s as well as pla n n e r s a nd e x pe r t s should m ake t he concept of a sust ainable cit y t he core of t heir work. They should not underest im at e t he
growing awareness of necessary changes and should act ively advocat e for change. I nt egrat ed and holist ic planning approaches, life- cycle- orient ed plans and const ruct ion are a
t op priorit y.
( 47) Cit ize ns from all social groups should com m it t hem selves m ore and m ore t o t he
com m on good – in t he social as well as in t he individual sense. This m eans not only t heir
st reet s or neighbourhoods, but also t he ent ire cit y and region. The aim is t o support t he
t radit ional form of volunt eering wherever is possible, as well as t hrough a public recognit ion of it s out st anding achievem ent s. I t is also im port ant t o enable new proj ect - based
and t em porary form s of civic engagem ent .
( 48) M e dia should address m ore issues of sust ainable urban developm ent in t heir report ing and responsibly report on t he cult ural, social, econom ic and environm ent al dim ensions so as t o expose t he discourse on t hese cent ral issues in t he public realm . Wit h
regard t o new part nerships and alliances, t he m edia have a m ult iplier funct ion.
( 49) The ne w socia l m e dia are increasingly im port ant as a plat form for t he discourse
on sust ainable urban developm ent and it s fut ure t rends. They can st art and support a
variet y of act ivit ies. I nt egrat ing social m edia will allow t o dialogue wit h all social groups.
( 50) Th e su st a ina ble cit y is clim a t e - con sciou s a n d e n e r gy- e fficie n t , a da pt a ble
a n d socia lly j u st , e con om ica lly e fficie n t a n d, la st but n ot le a st , cr e a t ive ly u n ique
a n d be a u t ifu l. The sust a ina ble cit y of t om or r ow is t he r e su lt of ou r a ct ion s t oda y. Con dit ion s, m e a n s a s w e ll a s ou t com e s of t h is a ct ion a r e URBAN EN ERGI ES.
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
8
“URBAN EN ERGI ES –
Ur ba n Ch a lle n ge s“
M e m or a n du m
“URBAN EN ERGI ES – Ur ba n Ch a lle n ge s”
Rising t o t heir responsibilit y for t he urban and regional fut ure, t he part icipant s of t he int ernat ional conference have developed t his m em orandum in full and open part icipat ion of
nat ional and int ernat ional part ners from t he privat e sect or, academ ic inst it ut ions, civil
societ y and various polit ical levels.
Alt hough we will m ainly focus on Europe, sust ainable urban developm ent rem ains nonet heless a global necessit y
I.
Pr e a m ble
( 1) The LEI PZI G CHARTER on Sust ainable European Cit ies was adopt ed five years ago. I t
builds on t he result s of t he Global Conference on t he Urban Fut ure URBAN 21 held in
200. The cha lle nge s ident ified at t he t im e are st ill valid t oday: dem ographic change,
social inequalit y and int egrat ion, short age of affordable housing as well as environm ent al
and t raffic problem s. Since t hen, clim at e change has becom e m ore serious and it s im pact s m ore significant , t he era of cheap fossil energy is nearing it s end, food product ion
has becom e m ore vulnerable t o crises, and t he financial syst em ’s t urm oil has not only
burdened public finances but is also a t hreat t o social peace. These developm ent s affect
cit ies, but increasingly also rural areas.
( 2) Policy m akers, t he civil societ y and t he privat e sect or m ust provide answers t o t hese
challenges – int ernat ional, nat ional, regional and m unicipal answers. Cit ies of all sizes
hereby have a part icular responsibilit y and obligat ion. The m aj or st rat egic t ask for t he
fut ure is t he loca l a nd r e giona l im ple m e n t a t ion of t he e n e r gy t r a n sit ion. Only wit h
great er energy efficiency and t he use of renewable energies can t he era of cheap fossil
energy be left behind. And only by doing so will an effect ive cont ribut ion be m ade t o fight
clim at e change. Cit ies are once again called upon. The Energiewende ( energy t ransit ion)
can only be successful if it is nor considered as an isolat ed t ask but rat her if it is em bedded in int egrat ed urban developm ent st rat egies. This requires ext raordinary econom ic,
social, ecological and cult ural sensit ivit y.
( 3) I n m any st at es, drast ically reducing greenhouse gas em issions and energy consum pt ion is a st at ed obj ect ive. I n Europe, t he housing st ock should be alm ost clim at e- neut ral
by 2050. I n Germ any, wit hdrawing from nuclear energy and enact ing t he energy t ransit ion has creat ed a new fram ework and im posed new const raint s. I n addit ion t o increasing
energy efficiency, an ext ensive conversion t o renewable energy sources is essent ial. The
u se of r e ge n e r a t ive e n e r gy r e sou r ce s will not only change urban ut ilit ies infrast ruct ures but also affect buildings as well as cit y- and landscapes. Wit h it s enorm ous dim ension, t he form of t his change brings new t asks in t he renovat ion and new const ruct ion of
buildings and neighbourhoods as well as in urban, t ransport and landscape developm ent .
( 4) Eu r ope a n cit ie s provide good condit ions t o address t hese challenges. Cit yscapes,
public spaces, st reet s, green spaces and buildings offer a sense of local ident it y and
hom ebuilding in t im es of accelerat ed globalisat ion. Their respect ive singularit y m ust be
considerer. Thanks t o t heir archit ect ural and social qualit ies, cit ies can m ake a significant
cont ribut ion t o t he im plem ent at ion of t he energy t ransit ion.
( 5) The socia l e ne r gie s for a sust ainable urban developm ent are concent rat ed in cit ies.
Urban energies com e first and forem ost from creat ive people, t heir skills and com m it -
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
1
m ent t o accom pany sust ainable urban renewal, but also from educat ion and science inst it ut ions. Cit ies are “ energet ic cat alyst s” of key social, econom ic, ecological, t echnological and cult ural innovat ions. They concent rat e init iat ive and willingness t o part icipat e as
well as com m it t ed and com pet ent cit izens. Regarding foreigners and m inorit ies, t he vast
m aj orit y of cit izens is t olerant and shows solidarit y wit h social issues.
( 6) This m em orandum coins requirem ent s for polit ical inspirat ion, innovat ion, creat ivit y
and civic engagem ent t o ensure an environm ent ally responsible, socially balanced and
econom ically robust – in short , a sust ainable urban developm ent .
II.
Ke y t a sk s for su st a ina ble u r ba n de ve lopm e n t
( 7) Fou r m a j or t a sk s a r e on t he a ge n da : fir st ly, t h e ca u t iou s e cologica l r e n e w a l
of bu ildin gs a nd n e igh bou r hoods, se condly, t h e t e chn ologica l r e ge ne r a t ion of
u r ba n infr a st r u ct u r e s, t h ir dly, de ve loping a ne w m obilit y a n d four t h ly, socia l
in t e gr a t ion . Th e se fou r m a j or t a sk s h a ve be e n discu sse d a t le n gt h bu t a r e u su a lly se pa r a t e d fr om on e a n ot h e r , m or e ove r in va r iou s pr ofe ssion a l a n d polit ica l
cir cle s. The y m u st be br ou gh t t oge t h e r . Th e e n e r gy t r a n sit ion a nd t h e figh t
a ga in st clim a t e cha nge r e qu ir e s n ot on ly r e n e w ing cit ie s a n d r e gion s, ch a nge s
in u r ba n infr a st r u ct ur e s, n e w m obilit y a n d socia l in t e gr a t ion but a lso n e w e con om ic a nd fina n cia l ba se s a n d r e spe ct for cu lt u r a l ide n t it y. And on ly w h e n t h e
cit y a n d it s su r r ou n din g h in t e r la n d a r e br ou gh t conside r a bly close r ca n t h e n e ce ssa r y conve r sion be su cce ssful.
( 8) I ncreased energy efficiency st art s at t he level of t he single house. Buildings are
gradually m oving away from being energy consum ers ( Plus- Energy- House) . Renovat ion
and energet ic ret rofit t ing of housing buildings are however m ore im port ant t han good
new building. Energet ic rehabilit at ion is one point , alt hough as an increasingly significant
com ponent of ext ensive renovat ion it also includes good design and a socially fair dist ribut ion of cost s. The key t o a successful energy t ransit ion is t he overall efficiency at
neighbourhood and m et ropolit an level. I n addit ion t o energy efficiency and using renewable energies, an innovat ive m ix of sust ainable, low- CO2 energy product ion, consum pt ion, st orage capacit y and input is also essent ial. The r e ne w a l a n d con st r u ct ion of
bu ildin gs a n d n e ighbou r h oods requires clear agreem ent s, int egrat ed as well as act orfocused concept s in order t o achieve overall urban efficiency and draw any addit ional
form s of financing.
( 9) Our cit ies can rem ain fit for t he fut ure wit h a need- driven adapt at ion of exist ing, and
by developing new, u r ba n u t ilit ie s in fr a st r uct u r e syst e m s. This requires considerable
invest m ent , especially in developing local renewable energy product ion syst em s. A considerable effort is needed t o find suit able locat ions as well as a good design for t hese
renewable energy syst em s. The use of m odern t echnology allows for a m ult idisciplinary
opt im izat ion and linking of energy and m obilit y syst em s. I nt elligent syst em s and net works can im prove urban life.
( 10) Anot her key t ask is a n e w m obilit y cu lt u r e based on innovat ive t echnology and a
new balance bet ween pedest rian, bicycle t raffic, public t ransport and an alt ered aut om obile t raffic. The aim is t o achieve a cit y- com pat ible, m ult i- and int erm odal t ransport , t o
develop new t ransport offers such as bike- and car- sharing syst em s. Mobilit y m anagem ent and m obilit y cards im prove local m obilit y. The rising shift of values in m any cit ies,
especially am ong t he young adult populat ion, support s t his developm ent . The use of vehicles wit h alt ernat ive form s of propulsion is an im port ant cont ribut ion t o eco- m obilit y if
t he energy com es from renewable sources and noise em issions are reduced. The freight
and com m ercial t ransport m ust be organized so as t o be com pat ible wit h t he cit y. I nt ernet individualisat ion of dem and for goods and services requires an innovat ive reorganisat ion of t he courier, express and parcel delivery services wit h decent ralized freight dist ri-
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
2
but ion cent res and hubs as well as sm all, elect ric or hybrid delivery vehicles for urban
areas. The aim is t o relieve cit ies of noise and pollut ion and im prove m ain st reet s, public
spaces and squares.
( 11) Socia l in t e gr a t ion is t he fourt h m aj or challenge of fut ure urban policies. Growing
polarisat ion bet ween rich and poor as well as bet ween cult ures has led t o a deeper sociospat ial division of cit ies. I n order t o preserve and im prove t he cit y’s abilit y t o int egrat e,
t he weak m ust be prot ect ed, int ercult ural int eract ion prom ot ed, barriers broken down
and opport unit ies prom ot ed. This calls in part icular upon civic engagem ent . Social equit y,
j ust ice and inclusion in t he cont ext of t he energy t ransit ion are also key goals. I n addit ion t o affordable and efficient housing as well as social facilit ies, it is also necessary t o
prom ot e crucial behavioural changes in all social groups t o reduce energy consum pt ion.
The energy t ransit ion cost will have t o be econom ically dist ribut ed and socially fair. Wit h
t heir part icular focus on hum an developm ent in deprived neighbourhoods, t he obj ect ives
of t he LEI PZI G CHARTER becom e even m ore relevant in t he case of t he necessary int egrat ed approaches t o energy- efficient neighbourhood developm ent .
( 12) Cit ies, wit h t heir various educat ional and t raining opport unit ies, offer an out st anding
pot ent ial for social int egrat ion. They t hus cont ribut e t o t he com pet it iveness of our ent ire
econom ic syst em in a globalised world. Youn g pe ople in part icular can cont ribut e wit h
t heir ideas and com m it m ent t o m aking cit ies bet t er places t o live in. Their part icipat ion in
all areas of urban developm ent is t o be prom ot ed. I t is essent ial t o support not only
early- childhood developm ent and bet t er educat ion in schools and universit ies, but also t o
provide an at m osphere t hat offers young people and fam ilies at t ract ive working and living condit ions in cit ies, a cult ure of openness and t olerance as well as social and cult ural
diversit y. A specific challenge is t o int egrat e young people from disadvant aged backgrounds – also because social change requires any creat ive force. I t has proven useful
for schools and day care cent res t o open up t o t heir neighbourhoods and becom e local
social cent res for fam ilies.
( 13) D e m ogr a phic cha nge , in part icular in t erm s of ageing as well as fragm ent at ion of
lifest yles and widening disparit ies, requires m odifying, convert ing, ext ending or dism ant ling buildings and neighbourhoods. This is a sm art way t o com bine it wit h t he caut ious
ecological t ransform at ion of cit ies. Especially in societ ies facing populat ion decline, we
will only be able t o deal wit h fut ure challenges if senior cit izens rem ain act ive longer –
bot h professionally and wit h volunt ary work. Social housing policies are also responsible
for new housing const ruct ions t aking int o account age- and fam ily- specific needs as well
as m odernisat ion of exist ing age- friendly buildings. Mixed urban st ruct ures, easy access,
affordable rent s and age- friendly housing are essent ial condit ions for senior cit izens t o
st ay as long as possible in t heir fam iliar surroundings. I t is also im port ant for t heir fam ilies t hat t hey can live in t he cit y. Dem ographic and environm ent al goals are best com bined in com pact building and urban st ruct ures. Securit y is a basic need for cit izens of all
ages whose im port ance t o t he qualit y of life increases wit h age. Beyond obj ect ive securit y, t he subj ect ive feeling of securit y is also of great value – an individual who does not
feel safe is im paired in his or her qualit y of life and lim it ed in his or her part icipat ion in
societ y. Public spaces m ust t herefore be accessible t o all age groups wit hout fear. I t
should be not ed t hat t he neglect of public spaces t riggers fear and insecurit y.
( 14) Ur ba n a n d h ist or ic ce n t r e s creat e ident it y in t he cit y and region. They m ust be
st rengt hened as an im age of urban hist ory as well as cent res for cult ure, educat ion, religion, ret ail, adm inist rat ion and housing. The careful handling of archit ect ural herit age is
also required for t he ecological renewal. I n t his case, deprived inner cit y neighbourhoods
in part icular deserve special support .
( 15) La r ge - sca le housin g e st a t e s on t he urban fringe, insofar as t hey are needed for
housing, should be im proved in social, archit ect ural, ecological and funct ional t erm s. The
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
3
definit ely also have som e advant ages which can be exploit ed: building densit y t hat favours energy efficiency as well as being oft en easily accessible by public t ransport . I n t he
suburbs and surrounding urban areas, t here is a need for act ion t o st abilize and possibly
dism ant le sim ple and no longer adj ust ed t o t he dem and a r e a s of sin gle - fa m ily de t a ch e d hou sin g a r e a s lacking adequat e social infrast ruct ure and facilit ies as well as an
ext ensive access t o public t ransport .
( 16) The long- t erm redevelopm ent of cit ies requires a n e w ba la n ce of de n sit y, ope n n e ss a n d dive r sit y. Cit ies need open space for recreat ion, cold air st orage and urban
agricult ure, at t ract ive, pedest rian- friendly st reet s and spaces, green and open spaces
perceived as safe and well- designed. They also need t o be densely built as well as socially, funct ionally and archit ect urally diverse. A good relat ionship bet ween densit y and
openness will help creat e a healt hy cit y. The com pact urban developm ent wit h wellbalanced open spaces paving t he way t o a “ walkable cit y and region” is t he goal of ecological renewal. Developm ent wit hin cit ies is st ill t he m ain t ask.
( 17) Resource efficiency, clim at e prot ect ion and dealing wit h consequences of clim at e
change can only be achieved by engaging t he cit y wit h it s su r r ou ndin g h in t e r la n d a nd
r u r a l a r e a s. This im plies above all an int ensive and inclusive developm ent coordinat ion
wit h t he m et ropolit an areas’s different m unicipal aut horit ies. A balance bet ween t own
and count ryside – a new regional balance – is t hus sought aft er. A keyst one is t he est ablishm ent of regional t ransport at ion syst em s t hat reduce t ransport cost s for people and
goods. Cit ies and t heir surrounding hint erland should cooperat e m ore in order t o
st rengt hen regional econom ic act ivit y, im prove cit ies’ food supply from t he count ryside,
set up regional energy and wat er aut horit ies, open up t he region t o local recreat ion and
st rengt hen m et ropolit an public t ransport .
( 18) An overall shrinking populat ion facilit at es a considerable r e du ct ion of addit ional
la n d- u se . However, t here are ot her large savings pot ent ials, especially in areas of t rade
and t ransport . The reuse of vacant buildings and derelict land for econom ic purposes
m ust prevail over building on greenfield sit es. Wast elands and derelict buildings can also
be used for clim at e regulat ion ( generat ing cold air, reducing t em perat ures, vent ilat ion,
wat er ret ent ion) and renewable energy product ion ( solar and wind energy, geot herm al
energy, energy from organic m at t er) . There are also large energy recovery pot ent ials in
indust rial areas.
( 19) A pre- condit ion t o good building, adequat e urban infrast ruct ure and new form s of
m obilit y are innovat ive const ruct ion and operat ing principles, known as sm a r t in fr a st r uct ur e s. Wat er supply and drainage, power and heat supply, t ransport and m obilit y
should be gradually decent ralised, but should also be at t he sam e t im e rest ruct ured int o
net worked syst em s. These allow for a m ult iple use of resources ( energy, wat er, buildings, land) and include t heir users. Surplus energy from buildings can be a source of energy for ot her uses – elect ric vehicles for exam ple. Decent ralised organisat ion of t he infrast ruct ure and local and regional responsibilit y are inext ricable.
( 20) St ruct ural econom ic change is m ainly t aking place in t he cit y. Knowledge- based
econom ies and t he creat ive indust ry – knowledge, educat ion, research and developm ent ,
cult ure – have an inclinat ion for urban locat ions. They cont ribut e t o t he econom ic “ urban
renaissance” . Urban environm ent s are im port ant for innovat ion and knowledge sharing,
and at t ract young people. This m akes t he buzzword of cr e a t ive pa r t icipa t ion t angible:
expert s are needed t o prom ot e, support , readj ust and secure t he econom ic, energet ic
but also social t ransform at ions in an innovat ive way. Com pet it ion for t alent will influence
t he fut ure of any cit y.
( 21) Cu lt u r a lly, t he challenges of t he energy t ransit ion are considerable. The archit ect ural herit age and charact er of t owns and neighbourhoods need t o be acknowledged. This
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
4
m eans t hat ident it y- forging ensem bles and buildings need t o be rest ored in such a way
t hat t heir appearance is preserved. This principle should also be applied t o everyday archit ect ure: no energy efficiency im provem ent wit hout qualit y design. New buildings can
com ply wit h fut ure resource and energy st andards. The aim should be t o increase t he
beaut y of, as well as t he ident ificat ion t o and responsibilit y for, t he cit y alongside it s necessary reconst ruct ion. Sust ainable const ruct ion, im proved urban infrast ruct ures, new
m obilit y and changing behaviours im proving energy efficiency and conservat ion are essent ial for long- t erm , sust ainable urban developm ent . They m ust however be consist ent
wit h t he preservat ion and furt her developm ent of cit ies’ cult ural qualit ies and charact erist ics. Baukult ur ( building cult ure) is an im port ant locat ion fact or.
I I I . An a llia n ce for a su st a ina ble cit y: u r ba n e n e r gie s
( 22) A com pe t e nt a n d r e spon sible policy a n d a dm in ist r a t ion a t a ll le ve ls ca n
pa ve t h e w a y t o su st a ina ble bu ildings, su st a ina ble n e ighbou r h oods a n d t h e su st a ina ble cit y. Addr e ssin g t he m a j or ch a lle n ge s r e qu ir e s br oa d socia l a llia n ce s
a n d t r a n spa r e nt pr oce sse s. St a k e h olde r s fr om t he e con om y, a ca de m ia , t r a de
u n ions, a ssocia t ion s, foun da t ion s, cu lt u r e , e du ca t ion , m e dia , r e ligion , spor t s a s
w e ll a s pr om ot e r s a n d pla n ne r s h a ve a lw a ys be e n im por t a n t pa r t n e r s in u r ba n
de ve lopm e n t . Toda y m or e t ha n e ve r , civic pa r t icipa t ion a n d pr iva t e in it ia t ive s
a r e a lso ne e de d t o im ple m e n t u r ba n de ve lopm e n t pr oj e ct s su cce ssfu lly.
( 23) St a k e h olde r s in t he cit y and t he region follow t heir own logic and rules. I t is im port ant t o act ivat e and focus t heir st rengt hs t o innovat ion, com m unit y engagem ent and
ent repreneurial init iat ive for a fut ure- orient ed urban developm ent .
( 24) The e con om y shows ent repreneurial init iat ive, and has user- friendly and m arket able product s for a fut ure- orient ed and clim at e- conscious building and urban developm ent . Re se a r ch a n d de ve lopm e nt , especially educat ion and t raining, are t he foundat ions support ing t his success. Businesses are increasingly recognizing t he pot ent ial of
urban developm ent and playing a part in concret e proj ect s.
( 25) The cult u r a l a nd cr e a t ive e con om y, wit h it s innovat ive power, t akes part in t he
design of our cit ies. I t s social relevance allows it t o em brace t he current social challenges
in it s act ions and developm ent s.
( 26) Scie n ce com piles knowledge in fundam ent al research and applicable im plem ent at ion st rat egies for sust ainable building and urban developm ent . I t should m ake great er
use in t eaching and research of t he principles and dem ands laid by t he m em orandum as
a foundat ion for int er- disciplinary ( furt her) educat ion and t raining of t he current and t he
next generat ions. Fut ure- orient ed building and urban research should be prom ot ed.
( 27) Cit ize ns are increasingly involved in t heir neighbourhoods and cit ies and, as expert s of t heir own living environm ent , t hus help provide t he necessary m easures t o est ablish a broad social basis. Appropriat e form s of part icipat ion, co- decision, involvem ent
and co- design should be furt her developed for t his purpose.
( 28) Pr om ot e r s a nd ow n e r s ( invest ors and proj ect developers) have t o be evaluat ed
according t o t he principles of sust ainable building and of t he sust ainable cit y. Support ing
econom ic fram eworks condit ions and set t ing clear efficiency t arget s can fost er willingness
t o change.
( 29) M e dia are im port ant public discussion forum s and have a special responsibilit y in
com m unicat ing t he m aj or challenges and t he necessary effort s for sust ainable urban developm ent . Mew m edia can provide effect ive plat form s t hrough open dialogue forum s,
online sim ulat ion gam es and ot her form at s.
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
5
( 30) Ar ch it e ct s, e n gine e r s a n d pla n ne r s m ust use t heir knowledge in closer cooperat ion in a creat ive, t im ely and responsible m anner. Holist ic approaches t o planning are
essent ial as well as early involvem ent of expert s from ot her disciplines and cit izens.
( 31) I t is im port ant t o est ablish in t e r n a t iona l, n a t iona l, r e gion a l a nd loca l a llia n ce s
bet ween policy, adm inist rat ion, econom y, sciences and cit izens. Such alliances do not
occur by t hem selves, but rat her in t he pursuit of j oint program m es, plans, and key proj ect s for t he sust ainable cit y – for exam ple, under t he Nat ional Urban Developm ent Policy
( of Germ any) . They creat e new form s of negot iat ions of st rat egic goals and proj ect s. Polit ical and adm inist rat ive inst it ut ions are t hereby in charge of bringing all st akeholders
t oget her in t erm s of procedure and cont ent as well as t riggering essent ial coalit ions.
These alliances m ust be st able, reliable and t ransparent .
( 32) Local self- governm ent is a key fact or t o t he sust ainable developm ent of cit ies,
com m unit ies and t he nat ion as a whole. I n t he light of t he rapid changes relat ed t o globalizat ion processes, t he principle of subsidiarit y rat her t han a cent ralized st ruct ure is
proving t o be a part icularly successful m odel. The public se ct or plays a k e y r ole in designing t he sust ainable cit y. Com m it t ed local councils have held a cent ral role in urban
developm ent . I n addit ion, it will also require a reliable and t echnically com pet ent adm inist rat ion holding long- t erm and t ransparent program m es. I t s apt it ude for organisat ion is
t herefore essent ial. Bet t er organisat ional and operat ional st ruct ures are required, as well
as a sufficient num ber of st uff. Only by m erging t he t opics of ecological urban renewal,
urban infrast ruct ure, new m obilit y and social int egrat ion will sust ainable building and
urban developm ent be possible.
( 33) Several good – but oft en select ive and sect oral – proposals for a sust ainable cit y are
already available. The direct ion is clear regarding pract ical m eans, however, a public debat e m ust be held in every cit y. The prim ary obj ect ive is t he sust ainable cit y, overcom ing
energy and clim at e issues. Program m es and proj ect s t hat m eet t his obj ect ive m ust be
negot iat ed and im plem ent ed on sit e. They have t o t ake int o account environm ent al, econom ic, cult ural and social aspect s. They t herefore require an in t e gr a t e d u r ba n a n d
r e giona l de ve lopm e nt in regard of sect oral, t em poral, spat ial and process- relat ed purposes t o which European Minist ers have com m it t ed t hem selves in t he LEI PZI G CHARTER
and t he TERRI TORI AL AGENDA. Concept s as well as proj ect s m ust be built upon pat hs for
act ion and long- t erm considerat ions.
( 34) Ur ba n de ve lopm e n t pla n s of a new generat ion carry a special im port ance, including int egrat ed social and econom ic issues and especially energy and clim at e dut ies and
responsibilit ies. A m aj or t ask of urban developm ent plans will be t o develop efficiency
pot ent ials in a creat ive way and fost er urban energy product ion. This im plies enabling t he
exist ing infrast ruct ure t o produce energy, generat e energy across urban areas and develop new m eans of st orage. Effort s m ust also be m ade t o m ake a closer connect ion bet ween clim at e and energy concept s of urban developm ent and urban developm ent planning and urban regenerat ion. Aft er am endm ent , t he Federal Building Code ( of Germ any)
would for exam ple provide good opt ions.
( 35) Pilot proj ect s are needed t o im plem ent urban developm ent plans. They experim ent
new approaches and show how sust ainable developm ent can be arranged. Their findings
m ust be quickly and ext ensively im plem ent ed. I n parallel, qu a lit y a ssu r in g m e t h ods
a n d pr oce du r e s need t o be conduct ed, for exam ple t hrough planning workshops, com pet it ions and discursive processes. Such m et hods also m ake t he est ablishm ent of local,
proj ect - based alliances easier.
( 36) Fu ndin g oppor t u n it ie s of program m es in t he fut ure m ust be const ant ly adj ust ed
t o and coordinat ed wit h t he current challenges of t he energy t ransit ion, clim at e prot ec-
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
6
t ion and m anagem ent of t he clim at e consequence. Goal orient at ion, t echnological openness and int egrat ed neighbourhood approaches t o energy supply and building renovat ion
m ust rem ain t he m ain crit eria when designing program m es. The privat e banking sect or is
also invit ed t o be m ore involved in t he financing of t he energy t ransit ion as a societ al
responsibilit y. Com pet it ions are effect ive m eans t o decide of funding for t he best ideas in
ecological urban developm ent and cooperat ion in t he neighbourhood, t he cit y and region.
A sust ainable financing m ust be based on life cycle assessm ent s. Local aut horit ies face
m aj or challenges in t he financial and infrast ruct ure m anagem ent as well as in t he real
est at e policy.
( 37) The need for energy policy t ransform at ion and environm ent al developm ent of cit ies
and regions m ust be act ively prom ot ed and advert ised. The opport unit ies for wide cit izens’ pa r t icipa t ion and co- decision wit h cit izens are essent ial t o a successful out com e.
I t is im port ant t o raise public awareness regarding it s responsibilit y, using few resources
and an int elligent use of urban space. New pot ent ials and local knowledge for a sust ainable cit y can subsequent ly be act ivat ed. Clear agreem ent s and rules help creat e explicit
responsibilit ies and regulat e in decision- m aking powers in part icipat ion.
( 38) Public invest m ent s in urban infrast ruct ure are essent ial t o prom ot e a sust ainable
building and urban developm ent . European St ruct ural Funds should be increased wit h
regards t o t he support of t he urban dim ension. Aft er decades of successful u r ba n de ve lopm e n t pr om ot ion pr ogr a m m e , Germ any has developed a powerful inst rum ent
which, despit e changing condit ions, also need t o act ively support t he pat h t owards sust ainable cit ies. The federal level, Länder and local aut horit ies have achieved t his in close
cooperat ion. I n t he fut ure, t he federal level should t ake m ore responsibilit y for m odelbased urban developm ent proj ect s relevant at nat ional level.
I V.
Ca ll for colle ct ive a ct ion
( 39) W e ca ll u pon t hose r e sponsible in cit ie s, r e gions, st a t e s a n d in t e r na t iona l
or ga n isa t ion s a s w e ll a s a ssocia t ion s, busin e sse s a n d in it ia t ive s t o un de r t a k e
t h e ir ow n pr ogr a m m e s a nd pr oj e ct s t o fost e r a su st a ina ble u r ba n de ve lopm e n t
t a k ing in t o a ccoun t t h e cu lt u r a l, socia l, e con om ic a nd e nvir onm e n t a l dim e n sion s
of cit ie s.
( 40) A first st ep has been m ade. A sense of opt im ism can be felt t hroughout all social
groups. The different social groups m ust cooperat e as a llia n ce s and part nerships t o
achieve t he com m on obj ect ives for sust ainable cit ies. I t is im port ant t o coordinat e t hese
alliances at all levels of act ion – as in Germ any wit h t he Nat ional Urban Developm ent
Policy which is already a success. This requires a nat ional and int ernat ional experience
and knowledge t ransfer.
( 41) Polit ica l in st it u t ion s should provide t he legal fram ework for a sust ainable urban
renewal including t he im plem ent at ion of t he energy t ransit ion and init iat ing broad- based
alliances for a sust ainable cit y. This requires a disposit ion for an ext ensive public dialogue: act ors from all sect ors are already looking for ideas and proj ect s as well as set t ing
priorit ies, and are not only willing t o be involved in t heir im plem ent at ion t hrough t ransparent procedures but wish t o becom e act ive creat ors.
( 42) The public a dm in ist r a t ion should be fair in it s st ruct ures, funct ioning and cont ent s
in order t o m eet sust ainable urban developm ent requirem ent s. This m eans overcom ing
t he sect oral division of archit ect ure, urban developm ent , infrast ruct ure planning, t ransport developm ent and social planning as well as cooperat ion wit h ot her act ors in t he program m e and proj ect developm ent . Furt herm ore, it is absolut ely necessary t o set clear
priorit ies in favour of a local energy t ransit ion.
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
7
( 43) EU I nst it u t ion s a n d ot he r in t e r na t iona l or ga n isa t ion s should focus and support int egrat ed and sust ainable urban developm ent m ore t han t hey have in t he past and
t ake int o account all relevant policy areas. This requires a cross- sect oral and place- based
approach.
( 44) Econom ic, pr iva t e se ct or a n d t r a de un ion s should deal m ore wit h t he condit ions
and opt ions for sust ainable building and urban developm ent . The econom y m ust t ake
responsibilit y for t he im plem ent at ion of t he energy t ransit ion at m unicipal level.
( 45) Edu ca t ion a n d scie n ce should engage m ore int ensively in a crit ical and const ruct ive dialogue on t he sust ainable cit y. Universit ies and research inst it ut ions as well as
schools should dem onst rat e a special effort in t heir com m it m ent and endorse a m ore
advisory role, provide plat form s for public dialogue and spread t o t he public t he knowledge acquired. Vocat ional and furt her educat ion and t raining should be int ensified.
( 46) Pr om ot e r s a nd ow n e r s as well as pla n n e r s a nd e x pe r t s should m ake t he concept of a sust ainable cit y t he core of t heir work. They should not underest im at e t he
growing awareness of necessary changes and should act ively advocat e for change. I nt egrat ed and holist ic planning approaches, life- cycle- orient ed plans and const ruct ion are a
t op priorit y.
( 47) Cit ize ns from all social groups should com m it t hem selves m ore and m ore t o t he
com m on good – in t he social as well as in t he individual sense. This m eans not only t heir
st reet s or neighbourhoods, but also t he ent ire cit y and region. The aim is t o support t he
t radit ional form of volunt eering wherever is possible, as well as t hrough a public recognit ion of it s out st anding achievem ent s. I t is also im port ant t o enable new proj ect - based
and t em porary form s of civic engagem ent .
( 48) M e dia should address m ore issues of sust ainable urban developm ent in t heir report ing and responsibly report on t he cult ural, social, econom ic and environm ent al dim ensions so as t o expose t he discourse on t hese cent ral issues in t he public realm . Wit h
regard t o new part nerships and alliances, t he m edia have a m ult iplier funct ion.
( 49) The ne w socia l m e dia are increasingly im port ant as a plat form for t he discourse
on sust ainable urban developm ent and it s fut ure t rends. They can st art and support a
variet y of act ivit ies. I nt egrat ing social m edia will allow t o dialogue wit h all social groups.
( 50) Th e su st a ina ble cit y is clim a t e - con sciou s a n d e n e r gy- e fficie n t , a da pt a ble
a n d socia lly j u st , e con om ica lly e fficie n t a n d, la st but n ot le a st , cr e a t ive ly u n ique
a n d be a u t ifu l. The sust a ina ble cit y of t om or r ow is t he r e su lt of ou r a ct ion s t oda y. Con dit ion s, m e a n s a s w e ll a s ou t com e s of t h is a ct ion a r e URBAN EN ERGI ES.
Mem orandum “ URBAN ENERGI ES – Urban Challenges“
8