Results day for URBACT

The physical and economic environment was the focus of ESIMeC (strategies for medium-sized cities), OP-ACT (effects of declining population), CASH (energy-efficient housing), EVUE (electric vehicles), LINKS (historic centres) and SURE (regeneration of deprived areas). Meanwhile, Active Travel Network (walking and cycling), Roma-Net (integrating Roma) and TOGETHER (social inclusion) focused on the lives of residents and communities. Seen from a broader European Union perspective, the aims of the projects reflected the four policy priorities of the Europe 2020 Growth Strategy, namely:

• Making a reality of the low-carbon future;
• Targeting local economic growth potential;
• Building capacity for inclusion;
• Developing new governance.

The results can therefore be seen in the context of these same policy priorities.

Making a reality of the low-carbon future

Buildings and transport are the two biggest CO2 emitters in European cities and both came under the spotlight of the URBACT networks. New financial and procurement tools, such as Energy Saving Certificates and Energy Performance Contracts for buildings, and new financial instruments, such as the JESSICA revolving fund or public-private partnerships, were among the approaches explored by URBACT projects. EVUE’s work on the role of energy companies in building the e-mobility infrastructure was just one example of that public/private discussion.

However, several projects highlighted the importance of ‘soft’ measures to improve energy efficiency as well as the ‘hard’ financial/contractual ones. For example, Active Travel found that a quarter of Munich’s cycling budget is spent on marketing, information and testing new behaviour campaigns, while LINKS cities used training and workshops to help residents in historic buildings to use less energy. 

Targeting local economic growth potential

ESIMeC was among a number of projects that focused on job creation, with an initiative in Albacete, Spain being particularly striking. Unemployed building workers are being trained in new, green construction skills as part of a city plan to reduce CO2 emissions from public buildings: a real win-win situation. The project also underlined the need for cities to understand the real needs of local employers, with the Job and Training House in Cherbourg being one example of good practice.

As city budgets decline, the idea of social enterprises has generated considerable interest across Europe. The SURE thematic network looked at the potential – and limitations – of such a model in deprived areas. A study visit to Albacete showed how a network of shops selling donated and recycled goods could be developed to create both voluntary and paid work.

Building capacity for inclusion

Cities are, of course, about people. But not all communities are able to make their voices heard when it comes to urban development, and marginalised groups are at a particular disadvantage. ROMA-Net brought city partners around the table with Roma representatives to discuss integrated, community-led approaches to regeneration that involve the local Roma population. The URBACT Local Support Groups clearly offer a model for delivering that involvement.

The TOGETHER project developed a mechanism for allowing city residents and politicians to discuss the pressing needs for local services. One result of this was the creation of a Social Pharmacy project in Kavala, Greece, where the city, the health service and volunteers have all come together to run a public service.

Developing new governance

A message from all the URBACT networks is that doing things differently is one way of achieving results when room for manoeuvre is limited. New ideas of governance that unite ordinary citizens, the private sector and different levels of state authority need to be on cities’ agendas. OP-ACT, which was devoted to population decline, found that adapting to shrinkage was a far more complex task than planning for growth - and that the commitment of a wide range of stakeholders is vital. 

URBACT networks also highlighted the need for support from national and regional levels in dealing with the challenges faced by cities. As CASH examined energy-efficiency in social housing, it became clear that national and regional revolving funds were important instruments. It also recommended that independent third parties – potentially at a regional level - should be created to handle the technical, financial and organisational aspects of housing renovations.