An "Application Design Workshop" was hosted at the William Penney Laboratory in Imperial College (London) on 22 June to identify and agree upon components of the THERMOS project software application. The workshop was the first step in an iterative process to develop and refine the THERMOS model specification based on user-feedback from the project pilot and replication cities.

The cities present were invited to provide details about their municipal needs, in order to relate user requirements to THERMOS modelling choices. The cities, which included ICLEI Member city Warsaw (Poland), as well as Jelgava (Latvia), the London Borough of Islington (UK), Granollers (Spain) and the Greater London Authority (UK), gave their perspectives on the software blueprint presented by leading modelling partners Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) and Imperial College. To help the programmers further shape the tool and identify areas of commonality and difference, the cities outlined their specific energy planning challenges, along with special aspects or requirements to be considered.

Josh Thumim, Project Director at CSE, explains further: "Each city has somewhat different needs as a result of its individual circumstances, and these workshops are about exploring how we can produce a tool which is both technically robust and sufficiently flexible for the intended user-groups." The second half of 2017 will see the completion of the initial application design and production of the first version of the application software. CSE is keen to keep to schedule: "Our aim is to get the pilot cities testing the THERMOS tool early in the project so we have plenty of time to roll out our replication programme and focus on dissemination and user-training."

For more information on the THERMOS model and upcoming events and activities, click here or sign up to the newsletter here.Image copyright: THERMOS project more   6 July 2017 Cities and water sector institutions eager to contribute to Urban Water Agenda 2030

With the words "we want cities to lead the European Urban Water Agenda 2030", Karen Dalgaard-Sanning from the Directorate-General European Commission, DG Environment, set the tone for discussions at ICLEI's latest Breakfast at Sustainability's session, which took place in Brussels (Belgium) on 28 June 2017.

Exchanging perspectives on the needs and interests of "˜Cities driving integrated urban water management', representatives from over 30 cities and other stakeholder institutions gathered to examine the opportunities presented by the Urban Water Agenda 2030. The initiative was established with the support of the European Commission in early 2016.

Many European cities have already taken big strides towards making sustainable water management a reality. Six of them "“ Copenhagen (Denmark), Genk (Belgium), Leeuwarden (The Netherlands), Oslo (Norway), Paris (France), and Stockholm (Sweden) "“ shared their perspectives on what is needed at the local level to make this happen, whilst expressing their readiness to play an active role in the Urban Water Agenda 2030 process.

"We want to develop a comprehensive approach to water", said Arnaud Stotzenbach, Deputy Director for Water and Sanitation for the City of Paris. The five strategic directions presented as part of the draft agenda were received well by participants. Potential additional agenda points mentioned in discussions included the need to integrate water across various urban management sectors, link up existing water-related initiatives, and build an effective governance system.

The draft Urban Water Agenda 2030 is open to public consultation until 31 July 2017: European cities, water utilities and operators, and other water sector experts are invited to comment. On behalf of the European Commission, ICLEI and EUROCITIES are conducting an online survey to collect their opinions. Its results will help guide the agenda's future development.

To participate in the survey and for more information about the consultation process and EU Urban Water Agenda 2030, click here or contact water@iclei.org.Image copyright: UWA Workshop more

» Publication Date: 07/07/2017

» Source: Iclei Europe

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