Affordable and clean energy – Global Utmaning

Södra Skanstull

Skanstull South is evolving into an area with reduced barriers for interaction and sustainable transport, while the pollution from surrounding traffic routes is being mitigated by positioning new buildings such that the backsides of the buildings are facing towards the roads. The Eriksdalsbadet swimming centre and the Trädgården music and arts hub are being supported and developed because they are deemed valuable meeting points for youth and people of other ages from all of south Stockholm, connecting residents from different areas and districts and helping to foster inclusion.

For the overall urban scheme, the city engaged three architectural firms in a parallel assignment. The best ideas were moulded together into the final concept (by one of the three firms). The different stakeholders were then asked to invite their own architects to pursue their projects within the overall framework. Thus, commitment from all stakeholders was secured. Meanwhile, local residents and civil and private organisations were involved in formulating needs and ideas for future development. Parts of Skanstull South belong to the civil defence infrastructure, which gives The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) an important say in its future use.

Related SDGs

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
11.2 By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
11.3 By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
11.6 By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
15.9 By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels

Hållbar utveckling 2022 Initiative

Hållbar Utveckling is a platform offering education and knowledge exchange about sustainable development, particularly targeting SMEs, larger companies, and public institutions. It was founded in 2012 by CEO Helena Lindemark.

One notable initiative from Hållbar Utveckling is the 2022 InitiativeTM in which they invite organisations to participate in a planned 2022 manifestation of the 50-year anniversary of the first UN conference for sustainability, held in Stockholm in 1972. The 2022 Initiative aims to promote further matchmaking between users and problem-solving actors and networking between actors working for achieving the Agenda 2030 SDGs.

Local 2030 Hub Partner WWF in Pakistan

In Karachi, the largest cosmopolitan city in Pakistan, communities in the peri-urban areas rely on mangroves and other forest trees for fuel to use at home. Burning wood for fuel, however, is unsustainable and negatively affects human and environmental health. Furthermore, mangrove forests are an important contributor to climate resilience.

For three years, communities in Gadap Town, Maripur and Rehri, worked together with Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, WWF, and the electricity supply company, K-Electric, to provide clean and renewable energy solutions. The transition to clean and renewable energy involved in-depth community engagement to install solar energy systems, fuel efficient stoves and gasifiers in 2,561 households.

A total of 89 residents, including 43 women, have started new livelihood activities associated with the maintenance of biogas, solar gas and fuel-efficient stoves in their communities. Women have reported having more time to spend on income generating activities because renewable energy is more efficient than traditional firewood fuel.

The transition has brought positive benefits for the environment. In Rehri, manure was previously disposed of in the Arabian Sea but is now processed for use in biogas plants, thereby reducing organic waste in the sea.

In addition, local communities have planted 90,000 mangroves and 63,555 saplings of other native tree species to restore local landscapes. This will help strengthen climate resilience and improve local biodiversity

For more information about our Local2030 Hub partner WWF, click here.

For more information about WWFs report on SDG synergies , click here.

For more information about Global Utmaning’s Sweden Local2030 Hub, click here.

E-waste recycling in China

A market leader in the area of e-waste material recycling in China, the Shenzhen based company GEM Co is internationally renowned for their pioneering battery recycling. The company was a 2018 finalist in the prestigious Circulars Awards and has taken the leading position in the high-tech recycling market in China.

Challenge

China is still by far the world’s largest consumer of raw materials. In 2015 its factories and industries accounted for about 50 percent of global steel, copper, nickel and aluminium demand. The demand for batteries in China is also growing exponentially. The Chinese government has set the target to increase the number of electric vehicles by five million by 2020, a target that looks likely to reach. This development puts a lot of pressure on the use of materials as well as an increasing need to shift to a more circular approach where battery components are reused in order to protect against supply and cost fluctuations. GEM Co Ltd has adopted a circular approach for almost two decades.

Good practices and solutions

GEM recycle materials from a number of industrial sectors including electronics, automobiles, batteries and wastewater. However, the company is most renowned for its recycling of battery, an important strategic sector for China due to the growth of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Recycling more than 10 percent of the total number of discarded batteries, or about 300,000 tonnes of battery waste per year, GEM has the highest capacity of recycling used batteries in China. Their technology enables the recycling of scrapped lithium batteries from electric vehicles, extracting the nickel, cobalt and other important resources, transforming them into materials that can be reused to produce new batteries.

Outcomes & Opportunities

GEM has combined the recycling industry with green technology. It has invested almost 300 USD million to build eight treatment centres around China, with an annual capacity to recycle 15 percent of China’s total used household appliances and 20 percent of China’s total used circuit boards. It has applied for 1,200 core patents in the field of waste recycling and material recovery and promoted international co-operation in the field of circular economy, for example co-operating with the University of Oxford.

Related SDG targets

7.A By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10‑Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead.
9. 4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.

Photo: © David Hofmann/Unsplash

The Kalundborg symbiosis

Kalundborg Symbiosis is a partnership between nine public and private companies in the city of Kalundborg, Denmark. Since 1972, these partners have developed the world’s first industrial symbiosis with a circular approach to production. The industrial ecosystem that has been created in Kalundborg is a closed cycle where the by-product and residual product of one company is used as a resource by other companies in the symbiosis. It’s a leading example of local collaboration where public and private enterprises buy and sell residual products, resulting in mutual economic and environmental benefits.

The symbiosis network is located at the Kalundborg Eco-industrial Park and involves a number of actors, including a power station, two big energy firms, a plasterboard company, and a soil remediation company. Other actors include farmers, recycling facilities, and fish factories that use some of the material flows. Kalundborg Municipality also plays an active role.

The Kalundborg Symbiosis is a pioneer in its field and provides expertise and experience to other symbiosis sites across the world and is therefore also one of the partners in the UBIS project.

Challenge

The Kalundborg Symbiosis was developed naturally from the mutual interest of the companies working in close proximity as a means to maximize resource efficiency and profitability. The development was hence not driven, primarily, by environmental or ideological concerns nor by the vision of local authorities. Therefore, it is essential for the symbiosis to continue, that the partners keep finding mutually benefiting relationships.

There are two challenges in regard to this when it comes to pricing. Firstly, the prices of the materials delivered by a symbiosis partner have to make economic sense and match the regular market price for such a product. Secondly, companies express concern about ensuring a secure and steady supply of energy and raw materials, as a participant in the symbiosis, one needs to consider the consequences, if a key-partner in the project closes or pulls out of the symbiosis.

Good practices and solutions

Applying the principles of industrial symbiosis to business practices enables companies to cooperate in order to utilise material streams, energy, water and other assets more efficiently, yielding greater overall productivity, resource efficiency and profitability.

The symbiosis established in Kalundborg is about finding mutually benefitting relationships whereby undervalued materials, by-products or waste, rather than being destroyed or sent away, are repurposed for use by another company, typically from a different sector. Having evolved organically over the past six decades, the Kalundborg Symbiosis is today a pioneer and has proven that industrial symbiosis is a model for success, both from a sustainability and profitability standpoint. The model is not only profitable for the partners, who as a result of the symbiosis enjoyed annual bottom-line savings of about 24 million €52, but also for society as a whole. The following are some examples of resources saved through the Kalundborg Industrial symbiosis initiative:

• Groundwater: 2.0 mill. m3/year

• Surface water: 1.0 mill. m3/year

• Natural gypsum: 200.000 tonnes/year

• Oil: 20.000 tonnes/year

• Reduction of CO2 emissions: 275.000 tons

Outcomes & Opportunities

For a symbiosis to work, there needs to be a variety of actors involved in relatively close proximity to each other. The stakeholders need to be diverse with different needs and forms of production to make use of each other’s waste or by-products. The case of Kalundborg also illustrates the strength in self-organizing, the symbiosis arose from the companies themselves without any external interventions. The model of cooperation that followed was simply a practical matter for those involved. Therefore, opportunities for exchange and cooperation needs to be identified in settings where companies already are active and engaged with each other.

Related SDG targets

6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.

Photo: © Victor Garcia/Unsplash

Circular Island

In 1997, Samsø set the goal to be 100 percent energy self-sufficient within 10 years and in 2004 the island reached the goal, ahead of time. The transformation of Samsø from a carbon-dependent importer of oil and coal-fuelled electricity to a pioneer of renewables started when the island won a competition sponsored by the Danish ministry of environment and energy. The agency was looking for a showcase community that could prove, the then freshly announced Kyoto target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 21 percent was, in fact, achievable. Since 2004, Samsø has continued to act as a pioneer in the wider field of sustainability with a clear target set on becoming fossil free by 2030 and circular by 2050.

Samsø Energy Academy, an organization and a meeting place on the island, has played a key role in this journey – binding together the local people, NGO’s, farmers, businesses and local politicians in a strong network.

Challenge

Meeting the goals of carbon neutrality and sustainable use of resources, requires a holistic societal approach uniting citizens, producers, agencies and organisations in a shared vision for a green transition. A holistic approach is necessary but it is also a challenge since it requires acceptance and knowledge. Therefore, it is crucial to increasing the general knowledge of local residents and make all sectors active participants in the decision-making process, to realise the master transition plan.

Good practices and solutions

Samsø’s green transition has, since 1997 when the journey began, been divided into three phases with different thematic focal points and scopes.

The first phase, Island 1.0 Utopia is possible (1997-2017), focused on sustainable energy systems, which today are partially owned by the residents of the island. With an investment of 468 million kr. (US$73 million), the island is now 100 percent self-sufficient with renewable energy, and have a negative CO2 footprint of minus 3.5 tons per resident.

The second phase, Island 2.0 This IS difficult (2007-2030) is focused on phasing out all fossil fuels by 2030. This involves careful planning, arranging themed meetings, upgrading existing wind turbines, replacing oil furnaces with heat pumps, and advising residents and businesses to reduce their use of electricity and heat.

The third phase, Island 3.0 Common Sense (2011-2050) is focused on the recycling of resources and circular economy. The entire island community needs more knowledge to make informed decisions about technologies and economic investments, decisions that are based in a circular mindset and that accelerate the transformation towards a circular island economy.

Outcomes & Opportunities

Experiences from Samsø’s green transition has shown that working with sustainable development is a special type of developmental work that requires venturing into new territory, heading into uncharted waters. It takes community and collaboration models developed by practitioners. It requires a certain kind of leadership and a leader who know the local communities. The empowered community that has been established in Samsø is a proven source of success for the green transition on the island. One example of Samsø’s green transition success is the islands CO2 emission. Danish CO2 emissions as a whole were 7.4 ton per inhabitant, while Samsø islanders emitted minus 1.4 ton – 8.8 ton less than the average Dane.

Related SDG targets

7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
15.9 By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts.

Photo: © Michal Kubicek/Unsplash

Biogas and fertilizers from bio-waste

Located in Lahti, LABIO is the largest biogas production and refining plant in Finland and it produces biogas, a domestic and renewable product, from waste. It provides a treatment service for bio-waste and water treatment plant slurry for industry, waste management companies and for the general public.

Challange

Previously, bio-waste was largely used as landfill causing difficulties with methane gas production, odours and contributed to a valuable resource and energy loss. The amount of bio-waste is growing globally. With the right treatment, infrastructure and waste management systems, it could be used as a valuable resource for organic soil improvers and fertilisers or extracted, modified or transformed into a range of different bio-based products all replacing fossil-based products such as mineral fertilisers, peat and fossil fuels.

Good practices and solutions

By using municipal bio-waste, bio-waste from food industries, forestry, fisheries, sludge from wastewater treatment plans and biodegradable materials from farming, LABIO is able to produce biogas and fertilizers. It is the largest biogas production and refining plant in Finland, and part of the industrial symbiosis in Kujala Waste Treatment Centre in Lahti. The system developed by LABIO is pioneering, by combining composting and gas production where the compost produced by the biogas production is turned into raw soil materials and fertilisers, it allows the nutrients stored in bio-waste and sludge to be put back into circulation.

Outcomes & Opportunities

The operation of the plant offers an environmentally friendly, reliable, secure and odourless production of biogas and compost. Composting and the recovery of biogas are ideal ways of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and the carbon footprint. It is also a renewable and domestic energy source. The process is dependent on the development of a successful industrial symbiosis whereby waste products are delivered to the plan where it is upscaled and then released back. This, in turn, requires the cooperation of local neighbouring companies and municipalities.

Related SDG targets

6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.

Photo: © Ivan Bandura/Unsplash

Circwaste

Circwaste is a cooperation and capacity-building project funded in large parts by the EU LIFE programme and is coordinated by the Finnish Environment Institute. Geographically focused on the Southwest Finland, Satakunta, Central Finland, North Karelia region and South Karelia region, the project gathers a selection of 20 cross-sectorial stakeholders and 10 funders to jointly promote and develop efficient use of material flows, waste prevention and new waste and resource management concepts. All actions of the project contribute to implementing the national waste management plan and directing Finland towards a circular economy. The project stands out as an example of a regional catalyst and support platform for local projects focused on improving resource efficiency through circular economy solutions.

Challenges

The Circwaste project responds to the challenge of regionalising national sustainability strategies by building multi-stakeholder partnerships with the capacity to implement national regulations on a regional and local level. In addition, the underlying challenge that the Circwaste project focuses on is developing solutions, best practices and recommendations on how partnerships of regional stakeholders can develop more resource efficient systems, not only to meet the targets of the national waste management plan, but also to support sustainable development, locally, regionally and nationally.

Good practices and solutions

Acting as a circular economy platform for knowledge-exchange and capacity-building, the Circwaste project has proven a successful catalyst supporting the regional implementation of the Finnish national waste management plan. Key to the success of the project has been its regional focus.In each region, the relevant regional stakeholders have formed cooperation groups that work to implement the national plan at a regional level. The groups create roadmaps that set goals and activities necessary to decrease the amounts of waste, improve material efficiency, utilize industrial by-products, etc.42 In addition, Circwaste is also carrying out concrete pilot projects in key areas to develop the waste management system and to promote circular economy, as well as establishing an expert network on circular economy to provide expert services and spread information on successful solutions to relevant stakeholders outside of the project. A number of projects and initiatives, linked to Circwaste, has already been successfully implemented and some are highlighted as best practices in this report. These include:

• Production of biogas and fertilizer from biowaste streams and wastewater sludge at the LABIO Ltd biogas and composting plant (Best Practice 14)

• Waste sorting system enabling more effective material recycling at the Päijät-Häme Waste Management company.

Outcomes & Opportunities

The Circwaste project emphasizes the need to develop regional roadmaps that set out the needs, opportunities and ways forward for the implementation of the national waste management plan. Creating regionalised and context-specific roadmaps is an important step to identify relevant stakeholders, build essential partnerships and find innovative solutions supporting the development of more circular and resource efficiency systems. With this method of work, the Circwaste project estimates that they will have: 1) decreased the amounts of municipal solid waste; 2) increased the recycling of construction and demolition waste; 3) improved material efficiency and waste prevention in production, industry and trade; 4) increased the use of mineral waste and industrial by-products.

Related SDG targets

7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism.

Green public procurement and taxation for circularity

For any country looking to develop efficient instruments to accelerate the transformation towards a more resource efficient, circular and sustainable community, environmentally informed taxation on resource heavy- and polluting industries, as well as green public procurement, are two core instruments.

Green Public Procurement (GPP) or green purchasing is a voluntary instrument in the EU toolbox but plays a key role in the EU’s efforts to become a more resource-efficient economy. The European Commission states: “Europe’s public authorities are major consumers. By using their purchasing power to choose environmentally friendly goods, services and works, they can make an important contribution to sustainable consumption and production – what we call Green Public Procurement (GPP) or green purchasing”.

Latvia has implemented a Natural Resource Tax and guidelines and criteria for GPP. The country is by no means alone in using these instruments to enhance the country´s resource efficiency and promote circularity in procurement processes, but the country is a good example of how such policy regulations could look and be developed.

Challenges

A major challenge to the development of legal guidelines for GPP is a perception among authorities that GPP is more expensive and complicated and introduction of “green” requirements and criteria will restrict the competition and could result in an appeal of the tender results. Also, the concept of “greening” of the procurement has to be made as early as possible in the procurement process, preferably at the project planning phase. This requires comprehensive cooperation between project developers and procurement specialists, which also has proven a challenge.

Good practices and solutions

Latvia has further strengthened one of the core economic instruments serving for environmental purposes – the Natural Resource Tax – by regularly reviewing both the tax rates and tax base in order to target the polluting activities and enhance resource efficiency. The review aims to provide financial incentives to improve waste management, reduce landfilling, enhance efficient use of resources and transition from natural resources to secondary materials34. The review of the tax also includes increased tax rates for waste disposals, with the aim of reducing waste volumes in landfills while stimulating waste management companies to switch to other more favourable waste treatment options, such as recycling or reuse. Together, these measures will help Latvia to transition towards a circular economy, where waste becomes a resource and returns back to the economy.

Latvia has also established the legal basis for Green Public Procurement with specific environmental criteria for public procurement of specific product groups including office paper, office IT equipment, office furniture, food and catering services, cleaning products and services, indoor lighting, traffic signals and several other voluntary product groups. To help develop guidelines for GPP, Latvia is also developing a “calculator” of life-cycle costs for energy consuming products groups.

Outcomes & Opportunities

The Natural Resource Tax and GPP facilitates and accelerates the transition to circular economy. These practices contribute to “doing more with less”, by increasing net welfare gains from economic activities while reducing resource use and the degradation of ecosystems. Expected co-benefits include reduced pressure on environment, a more efficient use of resources and changing consumer behaviour, which is paramount when achieving the transition to circular economy.

Related SDG targets:

7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities.
13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.

Photo: © Appolinary Kalashnikova/Unsplash

Circular Economy Road Map

In 2016, the Finnish government and launched a national roadmap to a circular economy – Leading the cycle: Finnish road map to a circular economy 2016-2025 under the leadership of SITRA, The Finnish Innovation Fund. This made Finland the first country in to world to present such a roadmap. It describes detailed actions that can accelerate the transformation of Finland into a competitive circular economy. The roadmap highlights best practices and pilot examples that can easily be replicated and provides added value on a national scale.15 The roadmap provides an outline for the transition, whilst the Päijät-Häme Circular Economy roadmap, a joint regional Circular Economy strategy covering nine municipalities, illustrates aims and actions at the regional level. The regional roadmap was launched in October 2017 as part of Päijät-Häme’s regional economic strategy for 2018–2021. The drafting process was coordinated by Lahti University of Applied Sciences, in close cooperation with the regional council and local stakeholders, such as regional and municipal authorities, academia, a regional development corporation, as well as public and private companies.

Challenges

The roadmap is an attempt to solve the challenge of getting both public and private stakeholders from different sectors to develop a joint and holistic vision for the long-term regional development that is both sustainable and mutually beneficial.

Good practices and solutions

The roadmap is a good example of how regions can take local action for sustainability and develop context-specific needs and opportunity assessments, and integrate them into their general development strategy. Additionally, the co-creation process of developing the roadmap is also a good example of how to build recognition and acceptance for the actions outlined in the roadmap. The process allows regional stakeholders to define a common vision, regional aims and detailed action plans. This was made possible through workshops, discussions, and requesting comments from additional stakeholders through a survey and direct emails. Since input was gathered from across the region and provided by stakeholders from many different sectors, it created a foundation for successful implementation. The roadmap is also a living document; annually updated to involve new actors and opportunities. In currently includes five main themes, each with regional goals and actions. The overarching themes are:

• Closed loops of technical streams to create added value
• Sustainable business from bio-circular economy
• Towards energy self-sufficiency by sustainable transport and energy solutions
• Shared economy generates new consumption models and business opportunities
• Piloting and demonstrating innovative circular economy solutions

Outcomes & opportunities

The active involvement of local authorities and regional stakeholders have been key to the successful strategy process in Päijät-Häme. the circular economy roadmap has become part of the Päijät-Häme strategic regional plan and regional development programme 2018–2021, which is a measure of success.

Related SDG targets

7.A By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism.
17.14 Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development.

Photo: © Joel Fulgencio / Unsplash

Grow Smarter

Grow Smarter (GS) was initiated in 2015 by the Environmental Department of the City of Stockholm to use the opportunity renovate existing buildings and areas into models for more energy efficient, smart, and sustainable communities.

Challenges

Following the Paris agreement in 2017, cities all over Europe have set similar corresponding goals for sustainable development, including a heavy reduction of fossil fuel emissions. By 2040, the City of Stockholm aims to become fossil free and the world’s smartest city, next to its general ambition to be a city “for everyone”.

Stockholm has been reducing its fossil fuel emissions since 1990. Realising the ambitious goal of zero emission is, however, steadily becoming more challenging because previous achievements can be classified as “low hanging fruits”. Reaching zero emissions requires both innovative and large-scale adjustments of housing, transport, and infrastructure systems.

Many cities launch innovative sustainable urban development programmes to solve these issues, such as Norra Djurgårdsstaden in Stockholm (as, in previous decades, Hammarby Sjöstad). To accelerate this effort, however, cities experience a need to team up with industrial actors in targeting the already existing housing stock. Stockholm’s building boom during the 1960s generated many apartments that are now in need of renovation, as is the case in other European cities. Grow Smarter (GS) was initiated in 2015 by the Environmental Department of the City of Stockholm as an opportunity to renovate existing buildings and areas into models for more energy efficient, smart, and sustainable communities. These models are then meant to support a “Full roll-out in European cities” of successful solutions.

Project manager Lisa Enarsson at the City of Stockholm Environmental Department has previous experience from a similar pilot project in Järva (Hållbara Järva) in north-west Stockholm. Together with Jonas Eriksson, contributing previous experience in EU development and a holistic perspective, a 1.5 year long EU funding application process began and eventually yielded a substantial sum for a 5-year project. The project involves partner cities Cologne and Barcelona because they share a similar outlook and problem formulation.

The goals of GS include creating 1,500 new work opportunities in Europe while reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 60% in each testbed area.

Good Practices & Solutions

“We at the [Stockholm] Environmental Department … are driven towards bringing Stockholm into a more sustainable future – even though we don’t have any resources! We are not the ones building houses … Therefore, we are rather good at applying for money.”

A local housing cooperative in Årsta participated in testing solar panels and an energy measuring device designed to reduce housing electricity use and costs. Members of the cooperative shared their experiences and the value provided by the solutions within GS with other residents and cooperatives in the area, for example, during GS’s “Recycling Day” event.

Although Stockholm did not join this initiative, Cologne introduced a community reporter, meaning a local citizen reporting on the progress of the solutions being tested.

It is also important to note that the EU commission has been a target for GS because part of the project has been to try to scale and spread its good practices. A policy-driving aspect has been central to the project, possibly contributing to its success.

Outcome & Opportunities

“What we do is not ‘rocket science’, but rather doing all parts at the same time, that is both [that we] supplement insulation, change windows, check the ventilation system, get a system together, and [adjust] heat pumps to recirculate the heat … Not just taking one part by itself if you are going to reach the whole way up to 60% [emission reduction].”

GS has generated a package of 12 “smart solutions”, divided into the main areas of low energy districts, integrated infrastructure, and sustainable urban mobility.

Examples of solutions include:

– Low heat loss windows.

– Isolating water pipes to reduce heat loss.

– Recycling drain water.

– Energy-efficient apartment lights.

– Energy-efficient elevators.

– A logistics centre to reduce transports.

– A “leaving home button” reducing energy output in apartments.

– Outdoor lights dimming in response to human presence, also turning off completely during low-activity hours of the day.

– Sustainable Delivery: all deliveries are stored in a designated room in every house, which recipients can enter using a unique code through an app.

– Cameras and sensors anonymously monitoring movement during large-scale events at the adjacent Tele2 Arena in order to improve available data for event attendants when searching for efficient travel home.

– Providing traffic priority to organic fuel-driven trucks.

– Smart traffic solutions: a device informs drivers of private cars which speed they should maintain in order to avoid having to stop for red lights.

– Improved infrastructure for electrified cars.

– Developing a universal sign for e-car charging, bicycle rental, and organic fuel stations.

GS is being scaled, and 12 similar projects are now initiated, coordinated, and collaborating throughout Europe. This may be due to GS demonstrating its solutions in many cities and exhibitions across Europe.

Lessons learned & Recommendations

GS is the first example of the Environmental Department working this closely together with private companies. The project has thus evolved into a learning process, discovering synergies between these sectors. Furthermore, IESE Business School has provided many companies with new insights from a scientific, interdisciplinary point of view. It is noted and acknowledged, however, that the project overall lacks much of a social approach, although this is not completely overlooked.

The fact that the project had access to a substantial amount of funding early on seemingly made it appear more credible to partners, partially explaining the high number of participating actors in the process.

However, with some solutions having been successful, new challenges have arisen in their wake; an example has been the newly installed heat-saving windows being unable to relieve the outside windows of frost during the long and cold winter, thus reducing visibility and light inflow.

Another example of the challenges of producing solutions within a wider and complex system is that of waste management. Envac introduced a new local waste management system using bags of different colours separated optically in order to increase efficiency of waste sorting. However, the nearest waste management station with the capacity of optically sorting these bags is currently located in Eskilstuna, approximately 110–120 km from Årsta. This naturally calls for introducing equivalent stations closer to the local area, which is currently being looked into.

Initially, some protests occurred due to the announcement of rent increases in the area. While the local rents were indeed substantially lower than those of other adjacent areas, and the renovation in itself being the main reason for the raise (rather than the GS project), this might have contributed to a reluctance towards participation in GS on behalf of local residents.

Related SDGs

7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
11.3 By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
11.A Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

Digital Demo

Challenges

The public sector of Stockholm and Stockholm County needs new forms of partnership to manage some of the most urgent challenges of today and the approaching future decades. Increased pressure on health services, a diminishing supply of fresh water, and an increasing percentage of elderly are a few examples of problems that public actors can no longer handle on their own. In order to secure a socially and ecologically sustainable city, technological solutions need to be developed using a combination of academic, commercial, and practical knowledge. Digital Demo Stockholm (DDS) was initiated by KTH and the two major public actors in the region, the City of Stockholm and the Stockholm County Council. The purpose was to generate innovative solutions to societal problems using digital techniques and to establish lasting structures for trans-sector partnerships in the region.

The companies involve, of which many were already established partners of KTH and its education programmes, had a particular interest in accelerating digital innovations in order to demonstrate these to their many visitors from all over the world. Stockholm, with its relatively small population, is not an important market for any of the companies itself, but rather is an exhibition arena for global investors.

Good practices & Solutions

Forming a think tank consisting of partner representatives, DDS decided to match its demos against an already existing challenge-driven inventory of societal challenges in the City of Stockholm. These challenges were broken down into workshops during which a number of possible demo projects were picked out. The industrial partners assumed a project managing role for each demo and then applied for funding from Vinnova’s R&D programs. Openlab supported DDS with a process manager, using Design Thinking as a chosen methodology for creating innovative solutions. Testing, evaluating, refining, and re-testing is thus a regular process throughout the DDS operations and its demo projects.

“DDS … is more like a big learning process than it is a project”

DDS is heavily dependent on commitment from the leadership. Being a cross-sectorial collaboration, it demands more of its participating individuals than it would if run by only one actor. The steering group has to be ready to intervene in case there is no progress.

The procurement of innovative products and services faces obstacles from Swedish legislation. To tackle these obstacles, DDS appointed a policy council with the specific task of clarifying the necessary legal, operational, and commercial frames in which the partners need to operate.

Outcome & Opportunities

In 2018, DDS had six on-going independent demo projects: iWater, Tech Tensta, Smarta lås (Smart Locks), Smarta trafikljus (Smart Traffic Lights), Safe user-centred healthcare and social care in home environments, and Energy Efficient Healthcare. The results have been tested and presented, for example, in May 2018 at Openlab.

Lessons learned & Recommendations

Each participating actor needs to acknowledge the benefit they gain from the partnership. Municipal politicians need to understand the value of them achieving political leverage from innovation within DDS; business leaders need to see that they attract investors even though not achieving direct gains from the process; and researchers need to appreciate the relationships and networks that they build during the process.

Related SDGs

4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
7.A By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
11.B By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

Partnerships central for innovation

Today, all electricity in Reykjavik is produced with hydroelectric power, and households are geothermally heated; energy usage in district heating emits no greenhouse gases. The current administration with the Mayor of Reykjavik, Dagur B. Eggertsson, in the lead, has made significant progress in the field of energy and resources, and have for the last 15 years made remarkable achievements in reducing greenhouse gases.

Challenges

A major challenge, globally, is to reduce carbon emissions and The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stated that Carbon Capture and Storage, CCS, is crucial in tackling climate change in the most cost-effective way. In 2009, the Council of Reykjavík implemented a policy to reduce 35% of emissions by year 2020 and 73% by 2050, compared to emissions in 2007.

Good practices & solutions

Cooperation with the business community has been central for Reykjavik in finding sustainable solutions to combat climate change. To illustrate this, the Mayor took initiative to get the 100 largest Icelandic companies on board for COP21. Together with the non-profit organization Icelandic Center for Corporate Social Responsibility, companies were invited to make a declaration to set concrete goals and targets commiting to reduce carbon emissions. This was submitted to the climate conference.

Outcome & opportunities

In collaboration with the energy company Reykjavik Energy and scientists from the university, a method to turn CO2 into stone and store it underground has recently been developed. In June 2016 a project called Carbfix, led by Reykjavik Energy, had a climate change breakthrough in their CCS work. The project made it possible to bury CO2 underground and turn it into stone, instead of gas, within only two years.This promises a more affordable, more secure, and more environmentally friendly way of burying CO2 emissions in other regions.

Lessons learned & recommendations

Partnership within the private sector and cooperation with the business community has been central for the city in finding sustainable solutions to combat climate change.

Related SDG targets

7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.

7.A By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.

Further reading
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/09/co2-turned-into-stone-in-iceland-in-climate-change-breakthrough

From coal to green energy

The world is at a threshold and it is becoming urgent to move past fossil-fuels and towards green energy solutions. That shift requires collaboration between different stakeholders. In 2011, Copenhagen had reduced CO2 emissions by 21% compared to 2005. Copenhagen’s Climate Director is responsible for carrying out the “CPH 2025 Climate Action Plan” in a collaborative effort between numerous stakeholders in the business community, research institutions and civil society organisations.

Challenges

According to the Danish Energy Association, the major challenge in implementing green energy is the transformation from a coal-dependent energy supply into biomass, using the same infrastructure. Today coal and gas correspond to 25–30% of the energy supply in Denmark. In order to comply with the climate action plan, Copenhagen needs to convert the energy supply and install wind turbines; the citizens must increase the use of bikes; the city will have to invest in buses that operate on electricity and biogas; buildings in Copenhagen must be energy retrofitted; the city will have to invest in more solar energy; along with numerous other initiatives. Several solutions are based on known technology that is just waiting to be implemented. In other areas, the city will need to focus on developing new technology in order to reach the goal.

Another challenge, in this readjustment, is the matter of cost. It ha generated a big national political debate in Denmark where cities have higher ambition than the central government. Danes in general support a readjustment, they understand an even demand a green transition. Many are already paying high prices for energy, and a general philosophy is that “at that cost it better be green”.

Good practices & solutions

An important factor for successful solutions is cooperation between business community, central government, organisation from the civil society and research institutions. A main player in Denmark is the Danish Energy Association, which is a non-profit lobby organisation for Danish energy companies. They promote secure and fair conditions for competition in order to promote development, growth and well-being in Denmark.

A cornerstone in the climate plan is a common vision and strive towards the same goal. In the 1990s a wind power vision was developed at the national political level. As a result, in 2020 the Danish parliament’s common goal is to reach a 50% wind power usage. The cooperation between businesses, industries, and politics have alongside collaboration across regional boundaries been crucial to be able to reach this goal.

Outcome & opportunities

For the transition from coal to renewables, a great deal of work is being done with financial instruments and stimulations such as increasing price levels for the use of electricity, tax charges on electricity, trade-ins, subsidies, and so forth. On the other hand, prices have been a major issue in the national political debate, particularly with regards to heating for households and the transportation sector. There have been plans to transfer from coal to renewable energy sources at a national level but the national and local targets do not go hand in hand. Many cities have higher ambitions than the central government and feel that they are already progressing. But as an increasing number of cities have their own ambitious targets and plans, the national level may finally be forced to adopt a common position. It is already foreseen that after 2020, a new national plan is expected to be adopted for the following period.

Lessons learned & recommendations
A important factor is the collaboration between politicians, administrations, institutions, the private sector and civil society and that they strive towards the same goal.

Related SDG targets

7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.

11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management

Further reading

https://ens.dk/en

Coaches for Climate and Energy

Coaches for climate and energy are a national initiative carried out locally that help smal and middle sized companies to reduce their energy use. The coaching is independent, free and voluntary. The investment is financed by the EU and the Swedish Energy Agency, but is largely carried out under municipal auspices in order to have as locally rooted work as possible. The coaches help the companies to lower their running costs, learn about energy and climate and lower their carbon dioxide emissions. The project runs until mid-2020 and is continuously evaluated by the municipalities to see if the working method can be implemented in the regular operations after the end of the project period.

Municipalities that are part of the project:

Stockholm, Sundbyberg, Järfälla, Sollentuna, Solna, Borlänge, Orsa, Mora, Älvdalen, Rättvik, Leksand, Gagnef, Vansbro, Malung-Sälen, Gävle, Sandviken, Hofors, Ockelbo, Gotland, Halmstad, Kungsbacka, Berg, Härjedalen, Krokom, Ragunda, Strömsund, Åre, Östersund, Tranås, Aneby, Eksjö.

Challenges

It is urgent to reduce energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally. Another important matter is to support the competitiveness of small businesses in order to have a more equal society, but also to be able to maintain nice city centers with service close to the population.

Good practices & solutions

The coaches start by going through the company’s entire energy use. This is done on site by going through premises, machines, routines and electricity bills. Calculations are then made on how and where the company can save money, carbon dioxide and energy. The company receive a detailed report with the results, tips on further education and training on the subject and an offer of coaching to go from word to action. The company is also invited to seminars, study visits, fairs or other events that the project organize on the theme of energy and climate.

Outcome & opportunities

Companies usually have great savings potential, 50% is not uncommon. There are many good examples in Sweden of companies that have gone from words to action. The companies appreciate the coaches help and hopefully they will continue to be aware of the connection of their own energy use, electricity bills and profits, carbon dioxide emissions and climate. The project also often result in better and closer relationships between companies and municipalities. New relationships between municipalities and between departments within municipalities are created at the same time (eg collaboration between business unit, supervisory unit and environment/climate unit) when challenges of different nature are included in the work on energy efficiency at small companies, such challenges that have hitherto been addressed quite isolated from each other.

Lessons learned & recommendations

The most important insight is that personal meetings are crucial to change. When the coaches and entrepreneurs meet face to face the insights come and the will for change is born.

Related SDG targets

7.2 – Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix

7.3 – Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency

8.2 – Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors

8.3 – Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

11.6 – Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management

11A – Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, per-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning

11B – By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels

12.5 – Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

12.6 – Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle

12.8 – Ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature

13.1 – Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

13.2 – Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

13.3 – Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

17.17 – Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

Elastiska Hem (Elastic Homes)

Elastiska Hem is an innovation and research project that explores diverse forms of shared living and shared economy in local housing areas.

Challenges

Sweden needs to reduce consumption, energy and material use while managing an alarming housing shortage, while simultaneously preventing non-voluntary loneliness
and fostering a strong social capital in growing cities. One particular challenge is the high percentage of single households, especially prevalent in Stockholm. For architects, used to being assigned contracts for conventional housing construction with isolated single households, this challenge may appear out of their reach. Kod Arkitekter decided to initiate Elastiska Hem as a way of exploring alternative housing solutions in a society demanding increased sharing in terms of living and consuming. The home is a powerful base from which to perform experiments of sustainable lifestyles, and architecture is an important tool for achieving this. As architects, Kod Arkitekter are used to co-create their results with other professions, but the user’s role – i.e., that of the resident – is seldom emphasised in their daily work. As new innovations are needed to overcome today’s complex housing challenges, the Elastiska Hem project was deemed a productive response to Kod Arkitekter’s perceived frustration over status quo procedures in construction, planning and housing design.

Good practices & solutions

Elastiska Hem is considered a user-centered and co-creative process focussing on using a large variety of knowledge and experience to develop and test prototypes iteratively with and for the individuals who are supposed to inhabit the new housing areas developed during the project. Consciously designing this process entails letting go of much of the otherwise centrally conducted project management, instead spreading responsibilities and power over the process to a number of working packages, each with their own participating and steering actors, albeit not independent of the project. Service designers were picked out as participants at an early stage in order to achieve as user-centered a perspective as possible.

Whereas the process itself, out of perceived necessity, is rigorously structured from the beginning, the methodology is explored along the way. No existing concrete methods has been tested; rather, tools have been utilized according to the needs of project participants and users. Testing various methods is considered part of the process. However, a substantial part of the methodology so far could be directly found in Design Thinking and various design process tools. Also, scenario sketching and design fiction methods are utilized.

Prototypes and results will be employed in three different cases operating on three different societal levels; structural level, area level and neighbourhood level, which ensures that the project’s potential for societal impact is more easily realised. Keeping up to date with news and innovation in housing policies is key; participating company Kairos Future is conducting a business strategic planning on a national and international level in order to bring as much knowledge as possible into the process.

Outcome & opportunities

“One should not underestimate the importance of the home in building social
networks”

The vast scope of Elastiska Hem enables creating impact in several complex societal challenge areas; lack of housing, reducing consumption, loneliness and mental health, as well as strengthening social capital in local areas. The economic perspective is also somewhat present; it is already suggested that 10% of the population wants to share more within their housing context, which suggests that there is a market ready to scale the outcomes and models created during the project. There is also a possible step 3 in the funding programme, in which the housing companies would be willing to expand the results into larger prototypes and actual buildings and apartments, ready for people to move in to. However, there is no ambition to influence existing housing legislation, but rather to utilize the given system in order to change behavior and habits of living.

Lessons learned & recommendations

The challenge driven innovation programme of Vinnova is considered a valuableasset, as it allows for much creativity regarding problem formulation. Also, the UN SDGs provide a common language and set of concepts created for working with the given issues. These are two of the more structural mitigating factors. On a more operational level, an important prerequisite for Elastiska Hem is to approach actors with the ability to reach the reality of the user. Instead of focussing on organisations, it is important to consider the individuals working within these organisations, as the co-creation process is always heavily influenced by particular personal thoughts, competences and chemistry.

The administrative aspect may be less obvious, but is nevertheless an obstructing factor; it is a “horror scenario” for any project manager to coordinate the economy of such a diverse project. However, as Elastiska Hem is a pre-defined, carefully structured process, this significantly helps the coordinating effort. To have 60 individuals working in a randomly ongoing process would be unlikely to yield valuable outcomes, says Åsa Kallstenius, project manager.

Engaged partners and stakeholder groups

Bio Bo, BoKlok Housing, Bo Tillsammans, Boverket, City of Stockholm, Ebab, Ericsson, Fastighetsägarna Stockholm, Hyresgästföreningen, Igeia Health Labs, Kairos Future, Kollektivhus Nu,
KTH (Architecture, Green Leap), Stena Fastigheter, Stiftelsen Tryggare Sverige, Södertörn University, Telge Bostäder, Trygg-Hansa, Usify, Vitec.

URBAN ICT ARENA

A sustainable and connected Stockholm needs an up-to-date digital infrastructure and ICT services that enables not only a decent but a pleasant life for its residents. Aspects concerned with this need are, for example, innovative traffic technology and mobility services.

Urban ICT Arena was founded in 2016 by the Electrum Foundation in the well established ICT cluster of Stockholm suburb Kista. Kista is currently the largest ICT cluster in Europe. The guidelines of the Urban ICT Arena’s operations are sustainable urban development, future job creation and accelerating innovation. Urban ICT Arena uses the concept “Not Boring” as an approach and methodology.

“We need to meet and great to achieve an exponential learning curve, but instead, everyone sits in a corner inventing the wheel. This is one of the more important things our platform enables.”

A central approach is not setting too specific goals, but rather very well defined needs or pains. The we can “play around and fail in small scale” with cutting edge technology while maintaining a vision of a sustainable city. The mindset is that we cannot know exactly what the digitalised IoT-based society will look like.

Another essential feature of Urban ICT Arena is to strongly consider and involve actual people instead of organisations; the Not Boring 5G Bike was introduced by Petra Dalunde, chief operating officer. IT equipment was provided by Ericsson, two students developed its security features and professor Mark Smith of KTH helped with construction. The testbed consists of four layers – Hardware, Software, Smart Services and Business Model – with the desire to add a fifth: Enabling Citizen Layer. The last layer is intended to ensure that the value created by digital innovation effectively reaches people living in cities. According to Petra Dalunde, CEO, 15% of the process consists of innovation whereas the remaining 85% consists of organisation and mindset. The ecosystem of innovation cannot be sustained without enterprises, without the SMEs and start-ups you only have needs and finances.

Engaged partners and stakeholder groups

Electrum Foundation with Ericsson, the City of Stockholm, ABB, IBM, KTH, RISE ICT, Region Stockholm, Stockholm University.

Notable outcomes within Urban ICT Arena for social-ecological sustainability

As the Arena is still growing, there are numerous projects and prototypes being tested and several have already made a certain impact on decision-makers.

5G Bike

The 5G bike is essentially a mobile wireless modem, visualising some social and entrepreneurial potentials of the Internet of Things. Anyone can try it out as part of the testbed in Kista.

Autopiloten

Engaged partners and stakeholder groups

Klövern, KTH, Urban ICT Arena, Ericsson, SJ.

Autopiloten is Sweden’s first autonomous vehicle to be publicly tested and is available for a short route in Kista between 7 AM and 6 PM.

GCity

Engaged partners and stakeholder groups

First stage: representatives from Stockholm University, ESRI, KTH, Urban ICT Arena, Swedish Cycling Association, cyclists, one private ICT consultant.

Second stage: City of Stockholm, Nacka Municipality, Stockholm University, ESRI, Tidma, Urban ICT Arena.

Challenges

“We still don’t quite know which problems will be solved with this solution.”

The project was initiated in 2018 to explore innovative traffic technology and mobility services for alternatives to cars. The first stage resulted in the consortium approaching further stakeholders such as public governance.

GCity explicitly uses Design Science and Action Design Research, methods from the engineering sciences. Design Science is closely related to Design Thinking but differs in that it defines the problem already in the first stage, rather than after initial empathy work. Iterative testing in close contact with municipalities as well as cyclists and car drivers is considered essential for successful results.

One of the key representatives, from the Swedish Cycling Association, unexpectedly passed away during the course of the first stage. This event revealed the project’s dependence on personal chemistry and commitment, as the association has not shown the same interest since then. Person-based collaboration is indeed a double-sided coin, since knowledge about each other’s particular expertise may also be a great asset to a group, sometimes referred to as a transactive memory system.

Good practice & solutions

Starting as a shorter conceptual project with a limited budget and timespan is a good way to form a well-knit consortium and prepare take-off for more substantial operations. Entering a large project from the beginning can be intimidating for many important societal actors.

Kista Mobility Week

Engaged partners and stakeholder groups

CityMobil2, Drive Sweden, Ericsson, Kista Science City, Nobina, politicians, Swedish Transport Agency.

Kista Mobility Week demonstrated various innovations within mobility challenges such as autonomous buses from the EU project CityMobil2 (ended in 2016) in order to highlight the value of collaboration within Urban ICT Arena between ICT companies and public transport administration. The event gathered some 3 000 visitors, including high-ranking politicians such as the (then) Infrastructure Minister of Sweden and the Mayor of Stockholm.

Grow Smarter: traffic monitoring in Slakthusområdet

Engaged partners and stakeholder groups

Facility Labs, IBM, Need Insights.

Grow Smarter used the expertise of IBM for its solutions regarding heavily trafficked areas in its testbed of Slakthusområdet (see separate section on Grow Smarter). IBM developed monitoring solutions together with Need Insights and Facility Labs in order to provide data for increasing efficient pedestrian traffic to reduce car use in the area.

Urban mobility and logistics done differently

Engaged partners and stakeholder groups

Ericsson Research, KTH students, UID students.

Ericsson, together with groups of design and engineer students, developed a safe, sustainable and human-centred logistics solution. The concept is based on individuals taking it upon themselves to deliver a package sealed within a light, locked box providing live data, thus never getting lost. Boxes are placed at pick-up points and each distributor can drop them off somewhere along the way. Deliveries are secured by contracts between agent and receiver, ultimately eliminating the need of a logistics actor.

Global Goals Lab

Engaged partners and stakeholder groups

Quantified Planet.

The Global Goals Lab is an initiative from open data association Quantified Planet with the aim of showcasing examples of sustainable projects and testbeds from all around the world.

Norra Djurgårdsstaden

Challenges

Developing Norra Djurgårdsstaden (NDS), a completely new urban district for 12 000 residents and workplaces for 35 000 people, has been a significant feature of the last two decades of planning in central Stockholm and, naturally, a huge challenge. It was, however, only half-way through the process that the Stockholm City Council in 2009 decided to profile NDS as an internationally competitive hallmark of sustainability, inspired by the previously successful development of Hammarby Sjöstad. This serves municipal marketing purposes while it promotes sustainable and innovative models of urban planning, construction and development that can be adopted by future projects.

Good practices & solutions

Developing a sustainable city district cannot be done by merely assigning the task to the Development Administration at the municipal administration; close co-operation is needed with other departments, construction, housing and other companies, residents and academia. A particular organisation was built up solely for working with NDS, with thematic groups of experts breaking down the many different project goals into specific sustainability requirements. Co-creation of problem definitions and ideas was also present at an early stage by necessity, as those involved in the long and complex development process had different experiences, knowledge, vocabulary and view of the problem, meaning that they needed to develop common frameworks in order to work together. In 2008, KTH conducted a series of future workshops, gathering experts and stakeholders around issues such as transport and energy, in order to gain a broad understanding of the challenges and possibilities of NDS. The outcome of these workshops implied a way forward for developing NDS. In 2010, a World Class Agreement (Swedish: världsklassavtal) was developed by around 100 different actors – including construction companies – regarding NDS. Again, when revising the NDS sustainability vision and targets in 2017, a similar process was conducted, in which researchers, different city administrations and companies, developers, by then established residents and others were involved in working out future challenges and objectives. Requirements specifications have been emphasised throughout the project. First, sustainability requirements are set at a high level.

Second, from an early stage, assigned developers need to declare their data on a regular basis so that requirements can be carefully followed up. Third, the main incentive for living up to requirements is not, as is usually the case, a fine, but open declaration of achievements in NDS’s annual sustainability reports. Not wholly unexpected, many developers anticipated a failure to meet requirements; thus, developing sustainability competence became a highly emphasised part of the process at an early stage. Forum för hållbara lösningar (Forum for Sustainable Solutions) was initiated in 2012 and has held around 20 events where material industry can meet developers to talk about innovative products and businesses. A capacity development programme is held since 2010 of knowledge sharing between involved actors in construction and sustainable development processes. The capacity development programme particularly demonstrates the progress of NDS, but also generally discusses innovative solutions to building sustainable housing. While many actors initially showed reluctance to participate, it only required for a few to join the competence development process for others to follow and subsequently compete with each other regarding learning about sustainability. The close dialogue with constructors also helped to improve project management’s requirement specifications.

NDS works with 5 overarching strategies, each encompassing the three dimensions
of sustainable development:
1) A vibrant city.
Emphasising the public space as an important area for equality and accessibility for all.
2) Let nature do the work
Harnessing green and blue qualities in improving life quality; for example, laying green rooftops is essential in order to meet requirements.
3) Accessibilty and proximity
Providing proximity to societal services and making fossil fuels as redundant as possible by promoting cycling and pedestrians.
4) Resource efficiency and climate responsibility
Creating smart management systems of energy, waste and engaging in a sharing economy. Moreover, a particular centre for re-use and restoration of used materials
and goods creates new value for artisanry connected to these practices, thus enabling a form of circular knowledge.
5) Participation and consultation

Local collaboration within and between neighbourhoods is emphasised through digital and analogue means. In order to experiment and push boundaries in NDS, R&D projects were welcomed to create innovative solutions with NDS as testbed. All projects were coordinated by the NDS strategic sustainability group, promoting projects in particular areas of interest to form a balanced and diverse portfolio of outcomes. Projects mainly worked according to triple or quadruple helix models, including C/O City, who developed new tools for assessing green qualities in built environment. 7For the NDS project management, the internal anchoring process of the unusual collaboration forms with construction actors, other cities and research institutesultimately took approximately 3-4 years to accomplish; however, the dialogue that has originated out of this process has become particularly beneficial and probably unprecedented for the City of Stockholm. Moreover, the close dialogue format breeds a higher level of respect and understanding due to mutual learning between actorsand their objectives, as well as an environment of constructive criticism.

No particular method has been utilised to foster co-creation apart from general project management tools; managing the chain of ownership by establishing contact higher up in the municipal management structure, and horizontally between departments, has been key to having the right expertise present at as many meetings and forums as possible.

Outcome & opportunities

NDS is currently the home of 6 000 residents having successively moved in since 2012. NDS won the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Awards in 2015 in the category of sustainable city district, awarded at the UN Paris Climate Conference. Through its high requirements, NDS has implemented a rich variety of sustainable solutions and more are waiting to be implemented. While apartments will be costly, the new land allocation agreement assigns developers to shaping properties in order to maximise accessibility in public spaces to attract a diversity of citizens.

Lessons learned & recommendations

The early stage is crucial for success in terms of co-creating sustainable solutions and knowledge. Aspects in need of particular attention in this regard are: clarifying the objectives and involvement of each actor, working on a strategic level, harnessing leadership, not giving up, have the courage to evaluate regularly, internal anchoring, revising targets, supporting the creative process and a general intuitive feeling. A particular significance is paid to including sustainable goals from the beginning, instead of pasting it onto already existing structures. A challenge hitherto unmanaged in NDS is the continuous documentation and preservation of knowledge generated in the process, in order to ensure that it lives on into other projects.