E-Mobility and Energy Decentralization─Saitama, Japan

　　In 2015, Tainan suffered the most serious dengue fever in history. According to statistics, Tainan experienced 22,754 cases and 112 deaths at that time. The fever pushed Tainan government to establish the Center for Dengue Prevention and Control in 2016. Under the Center, Tainan Dengue Epidemic Geographic Information System (TDEGIS) was set up as an inter-agency dengue prevention and control platform. The platform combines government prevention strategies and public engagement via information technologies such as big data analysis, cloud computing, IoT, and GIS. The ultimate goal is to integrate information and develop a thorough Dengue prevention network. The platform could display the hot spot and Breteau index in real time to support the control of dengue fever. It also provides information sharing and report functions to give advices about preventing fever. Moreover, the GeoJSON data innovated National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) inventing app, lamp and smart electric mosquito killer to solve the threat of dengue fever. The platform was successful given by the case dropping to only 10 in 2016 and 0 in 2017. And Tainan City received the 2017 IoT Innovation Award and the 2018 Smart City Summit and Expo Innovation Application Award for its efforts.

Main issues: Housing mobility Infrastructure 〈The Grow Smarter Project〉 1 Low Energy District I. Refurbishment II. A centralized logistics depot III. Measuring the energy usage and waste IV. Promoting local energy and storage investment for a better control of electricity demand (such as vehicle to grid for EV) 2 Integrated Infrastructure I. Implementing LED light (street lighting) II. Developing a circular energy system to reduce consumed energy III. Implementing automated waste collection, color-coded waste bags and smart technology to vacuum waste bags through underground collection portals. IV. Developing an open data platform that monitors and analyses patterns for cities’ environmental status. 3 Sustainable Urban Mobility I. Creating a smart integrated delivery system to solve the problem of more delivery trucks on the road. II. Traffic management → install smart sensors that monitor traffic patterns III. Alternative fuel driven vehicle → invest in charging points and infrastructure to encourage alternative fuel usage. IV. Mobility solutions → compare bike sharing shuttle services, carsharing, and taxis to determine which is the most effective

Main issues:  Ageing Population  Old Infrastructures Solution:〈Future-Oriented Urban Redevelopment〉  List housing typology by demographics and household income statistics First, Yokohama listed the housing typology by demographics and household income statistics in Yokohama City and Tokaichiba areas. This was aimed at targeting potential tenants and formatting blueprints, based on the existing dataset and its forecasts. In order to meet the future needs of tenants, the whole housing area has been divided into 3 main segments: general housing, senior residence, and public facilities (nursery, child care, and other community facilities).  Collaborate with private sectors on land utilizationand planning The principles of the Yokohama Smart City Project (YSCP, 2011) have been implemented through this redevelopment. It focused on providing a visible and user-friendly system optimizing energy supply and demand for individual houses, in cooperation with leading telecom, energy management and security management companies.  Implement smart energy management Yokohama's energy vision is to be an energy-efficient and energy-recyclable city that is environmentally robust, resistant to disasters, and economically strong. Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) and Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) were installed to enhance the visibility of energy consumption, as well as the on-site energy generation of PV generation systems and storage batteries.

The air pollution in Tainan city is mainly by PM2.5. About 30% of PM2.5 results in local factories, vehicles and constructions. With the vision to improving the air quality in city, the government must reduce the emission of PM2.5 and PM10. As a result, Tainan Environmental Protection Bureau has been cooperating with other municipal bureaus to launch “bright and clear air, suspended particulate reduction plan ( 亮麗晴空懸浮微粒管制削減計畫 ).”The policy is mainly focus on air pollution monitoring and civil awareness. Factories have to install the air quality monitoring facilities in order to identify whether they meets the standard or not. Monitor stations are installed around the city to locate abnormal particulates concentration in local area so that the government can investigate resources of pollution more precisely. Besides, the government set up vehicle license and Clean Air Zone to decrease the air pollution through regular approach. By the efforts of city, the annual and daily average of PM2.5 concentration has decreased by 32% over this period. The PM10 annual and daily average concentrations have been lower than the air quality standard for three consecutive years (2015-2017). Furthermore, in 2015 and 2016, Tainan City earned the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration’s evaluation of “Excellent” performance.

Main issue: Carbon reduction Solution: 〈Pilot Green Building Project - KAOHAUS〉 ［Human-Centered Urban Design］ The design of KAOHAUS building takes inspiration from the Vertical Forest concept in Milan, Italy. For example, a comprehensive academic study of the design determined that the buildings’ 3-meter balconies reduced direct sunlight. Therefore, Kaohsiung has encouraged the construction of similar terraces to reduce the heat load of the buildings’ roofs and facades. Vertical garden designs also create a green urban landscape instead of a cement and metal facade. Ultimately, KAOHAUS aims to develop a unique architectural vocabulary and a brand signaling high quality and internationalism. KAOHAUS confronts the problem of illegal construction by encouraging green designs that do not sacrifice building capacity but achieve afforestation vertically. KAOHAUS also simplifies construction application procedures to reduce barriers to building. For example, green buildings receive exemptions from regulations on area and volume if they meet outlined sustainability requirements. These initiatives reduce the urban heat island effect while curbing illegal building activity and promoting development. KAOHAUS guidelines promote general-purpose designs that are accessible to all ages, especially children and the increasing proportion of senior citizens. Features of universal design include layouts for baths and toilets, community gathering spaces and handicapped-accessible lifts.

Main issue: Poor water quality in Auckland’s beaches Solution: Check Before You Swim — The Safeswim Program From February to November 2017, Auckland Council and Watercare worked in partnership with Surf Life Saving Northern Region and the Auckland Regional Public Health Service to upgrade the ‘Safeswim’ program. Safeswim provides a fully-integrated web and digital sign platform of advice for beach users, allowing them to ‘check before they swim’ and make informed decisions about when and where to swim. - Water Quality Prediction with Multi-data Safeswim now combines real-time data on the performance of the wastewater and stormwater networks with predictive models, underpinned by validation sampling, to provide forecasts of water quality at 92 swimming sites around the Auckland region. The water quality predictions take into account rain intensity, duration and location, as well as tide, wind speed and direction and sunlight. Data from rain gauges around the region are fed into the system to ensure the current prediction reflects actual/observed rainfall. Water quality predictions are automatically overridden if sensors - at pump stations and Engineered Overflow Points on the wastewater network and at key points on the stormwater network - detect overflows that are likely to cause a public health risk at time when models hadn’t predicted poor water quality.

Main issue: The lack of medical resource, quality and efficiency. Solution: 〈Glass Hospital Project〉 It is to create a 3E system in healthcare on the basis of e-service and innovative management. → 3E: Equal access, Equal opportunity, Efficient care The goal of the ‘‘Glass Hospital’’ project is to create a 3E system in healthcare on the basis of e-service and innovative management. To reach our 3E system, the city has decided to introduce electronic registration, information and control software thoughout entire hospitals, especially emergency services; improve the management of the healthcare system; increase the transparency of service and decrease the wait hours of patients.

The Vector Lights project aims to make use of an iconic piece of urban infrastructure as a continual storytelling canvas to promote renewable energy and raise awareness of the critical role of renewable energy. The launch of the project is participated by multiple sectors, including public sectors, private sectors and social organization. By the wide participation, the launch of lights attracted 5.4 million people to watch. After campaign, the research has demonstrated that awareness of Vector’s solar business has increased to 11% (up from 9%) and battery awareness is now 6%.

Pasig City is the eighth largest city in Metro Manila in terms of land area and the gateway to East Philippines. Around 121 subdivisions, 176 condominiums and 26,780 business establishments are constructed in this city. As a result, crowded traffic is the main problem to local people. However, the government has launched a series of program, including Traffic Control, Real-Time Traffic Monitor, Road planning and Citizen Participation. The air quality and traffic are substantially improve.

Due to the effectiveness of climate change, extremely high temperature comes to be daily and causes a severe impact on living environment and energy consumption. It is important to know how to lower the impact without affecting crowd comfort. Not only in design phase that needs to consider energy consumption, but also in operation phase needs to consider. In fact, energy consumption in operation phase takes most part in building life cycle. GreenBIM Program - National Museum of Marine Science and Technology(NMMST) is the case that using high/low forecast temperature to adjust its air-conditioner operating timing. Precool the museum not only to decrease the peak load at noon, but also to make the indoor temperature reach the comfort zone earlier. The results are decreasing not only the penalty charges but also the rate of customer complaining about the indoor temperature.

Life cycle of a building could be more than 60 years. If it could be designed and arranged by following local climate, it will decrease a lot of energy consumption in the after operating status. This website is sponsored by DELTA Company, Central Weather Bureau (CWB), National Building Centre and International Climate Development Institute. Establishing a TMY3 climate database with 4 types of format that are oftenly used in the building energy consumption software, also providing dependable weather data and statistic climate data for calculating yearly energy consumption. This website also provides many kinds of weather data to saving energy from design to operating phase.

In order to accelerate Taoyuan’s green energy development, Taoyuan established Green Energy Promotion Office to promote green energy through solar power, wind energy, hydraulic energy and biomass energy. The city had push “Leasing and Installation of Roof Photovoltaic Systems in Public Housing”, Biomass Energy Center, subsidies of Photovoltaic Pond … etc. By the effort of city government, the city’s total installed capacity for solar energy is about 123.7 MW, which could satisfied 46% household in Taoyuan. And Taoyuan had received forth rank by Energy Transformation Promotion Alliance in 2018. Now, Taoyuan aim to new goal of reaching total installed capacity about 675MW.

Taoyuan city rooted in two Life Circle and had largest international airport in Taiwan. The city government proposed NTD110 billion budget and erected mass public constructions recently. However, public constructions required plenty of asphalt concretes, but the traditional way had low-efficiency and posed negative effects to environment. As a result, recycled aggregate became more and more important. The quality of recycled aggregate possessed some downsides. In order to improve recycled aggregates, Taoyuan city government promoted circular economy through public-private partnership. Recently, it replaced 33,500 tons of asphalt concrete. If it will apply to the Aerotropolis road, it is expected to replace 1.65 million tons.

With the development of sewer and water recycling center construction, Taoyuan sewage system gradually expanded. The connection rate of sewage became 13% in 2018 and will expect to reach 60% within 8 years. In addition, the connection rate of storm sewage system will attend 78.2% in 2021. With a view to maintaining sewage system quality, Taoyuan city government combined IoT, AR and GIS to establishing Intelligent Cloud System for Wastewater Management. The system had functions to monitoring water quality and pipeline. It will integrate rain data with sewerage facilities data to constructing real-time monitor system in future.

In 2012, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona faced an increasing demand for services, which wasn’t backed up by an adequate IT system. In this context, the challenges the AMB faced were the origin of the Smart City Platform. The Smart City Platform is an integrated informatics interface used to manage cleaning and maintenance tasks, public works and activities related to the management of parks, beaches, rivers, waste management and public transport. Through the employment of online applications, the Smart City Platform brings together technicians, public administrators and citizens, aiming to share real time information efficiently and to expand the scope of collaboration of city councils, companies and citizens. The technological platform is being developed in tandem a Smart City Metropolitan Model. It is built with common components (integration, analysis, monitoring, sensors, actuators, asset management, and connections with city councils and citizens) and by specialized operational components (technological sensor systems, operational systems, municipal systems, nucleus system, relational systems, metropolitan intelligence systems). Since its formal constitution as an official public administration organism in 2011, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) has persevered in the offering of quality services to its citizens, in correspondence with its aforementioned competencies.

Today, it is estimated that almost one in ten natural deaths in the Aburrá Valley is attributable to the effects of air pollution. Currently, approximately 4.2 million tons of CO2 are generated per year in the Aburrá Valley, of which 70% are in the motorized transport sector. Metropolitan Resolution 1379, passed in 2017, issued by the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley, adopts the Sustainable Business Mobility Plans (MES Plans) as a measure contributing to the development of comprehensive air quality and mobility management in the jurisdiction of the metropolitan territory. The MES Plans are a transport-demand management tool generated by collaborators as they monitored their travels between various origins and destinations, therefore, they must be implemented near-universally: in institutions, public and private organizations or companies with more than 200 workers (direct and indirect) in the jurisdiction of the Aburrá Valley Metropolitan Area. Organizations with fewer than 200 employees (direct or indirect) may voluntarily implement the MES Plans. The Metropolitan Area has two tools to help organizations formulate an MES Plan: the Guide for the Formulation and Implementation of the MES Plans, and the Interactive Platform. These tools aim to generate sustainable mobility capacities within organizations.

L'Aquila, located in central Italy, is part of the Abruzzo Region and is the capital of the Province of L'Aquila. People in the large metropolitan area around L'Aquila suffer from air pollution and poor air quality. Three major sources of pollutants in this area are motor vehicles on road, buildings in residential areas, and factories in industrial areas. There are as many as 100,000 people who study, work or travel here every day. The huge demand for private vehicles has caused the problem of air pollution in the city. The project of “SMART CLEAN AIR CITY L’Aquila” aims to develop and test extensively an advanced solution operating at surface level, concerning the reduction of air pollution, applicable in urban centers according to environmental sustainability criteria, with high potential industrial application market, suitable for the chemical transformation of pollutants and, in particular, of the "particulate matter" present in the atmosphere which is the major carrier of organic pollutants and heavy metals. Air pollution abatement The Smart Clean Air L'Aquila project yields Air Pollution Abatement (APA), an intelligent and innovative platform that operates the air purification in built-up area. Three features of APA explain the high efficiency and low running costs: adaptability, flexibility and scalability.

In 2017, Goyang City produced up to 1,100 tons of waste per day. The city allocated around 66.7 billion KRW to waste collection and management services, but with the Smart Waste Collection and Management Service, the cost can be considerably reduced. The technologies used as part of the Smart Waste Collection and Management Service include ultrasonic waste capacity sensors attached to pre-installed bins, solar-powered compacting waste bins, and waste collection vehicle tracker. All the data collected through these devices is sent to the Clean City Network database, where it is processed to track waste generation, overflow, and the efficiency by region, waste bin, and time period.

San Sebastian is targeted to develop a new urbanization context allowing them to achieve a more sustainable, efficient, better connected and integrated neighborhood model. In this context, Txomin has become a “city-laboratory” where different initiatives can be tested and implemented, promoted or coordinated from the public or private initiative in collaboration with citizens, city businesses, neighborhood businesses, etc. Energy efficiency, ICTs, Infrastructure and Sustainable mobility-related initiatives are carried out: Building retrofitting、Smart Building and Smart Homes、District Heating system、Sustainable mobility、Connectivity (fiber, 5G testing)、Intelligent lighting、Participatory processes for citizens and businesses. Around 1500 new homes and 156 consolidated dwellings are beneficiaries of these initiatives, enjoying close relationships with all the actors that are involved in the development of the project. This allows residents to remain the central point of the project, analyzing their needs, wishes and opportunities into particular smart initiatives.

With Minesto’s technology, SEV, a power producer and distributor on the Faroe Islands, can add a predictable and affordable source of clean energy with the potential to play a significant role in Faroes Islands’ transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2030. Minesto's patented technology is the only known technology that has been verified in authentic conditions at sites with velocities in the range of 1.2m/s to 2.5m/s. Minesto's technology consists of a wing with a small turbine attached underneath. The wing tethered to the seafloor, uses a lift force of the underwater current to move in a figure of eight shaped trajectories. In doing so, the turbine is pushed through the water at a speed up to ten times higher than that of the actual stream.

A regulation of installing Automated Waste Collection System during a new city development in metropolitan area of Seoul has come into force. Most cities have been well facilitated with Automated Waste Collection System to meet the demand for the sustainable city development. All refuse chutes are linked by underground pipes and carried by vacuum suction to a central collection station. The collection station houses on advanced control system that sends the various fractions to the right container. Underground waste management system has increasingly become an integrated part of urban infrastructure in line with electricity, water supply and sewage. Automated Waste Collection System reduces manpower as it automates the entire waste collection process and it also improves urban living environment as it eliminates foul odors and waste spillage during the waste collection, which promotes hygienic condition and enhances ambience of estate.

The need for a low carbon economy and smart energy solutions in the city of Melaka is seen as the catalyst for more efficient energy network management. Buildings with smart energy management solution integration, renewable energy and energy saving related systems can provide significant opportunities for the local community to save energy. The implementation of Integrated Energy Management Solution includes: 1. To promote energy saving-related efforts in government buildings by providing data toward a better understanding of their own energy use, and helping them to identify energy saving opportunities. 2. To quantify the contribution of GHG reduction of different energy efficiency measures after roll-out. 3. Overall picture of city-level smart energy management projects. This will encourage best practices based on technical and motivational considerations for successful workplace energy policies that is coherent with wider governmental policies.

To solve the heat island effect and reduce power consumption from air conditioning, address the city’s ‘concrete jungle’ overtaking green spaces, and meet leisure and entertainment demand, New Taipei City started launching “participatory rooftop farms” in 2015 to make the landscape greener, create safe food sources, reduce food mileage, promote food education, and create social networking opportunities in otherwise idle space. The quantitative outcomes include cooperation with 43 building units, for a total of 107 rooftop ecological farms on idle rooftops, generating a green area of 7,672 square meters, reducing power consumption by air conditioning by 2 million kWh each year, and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 1,100 tons.

The Pingtung County Government planned to establish a disaster-prevention microgrid system that could provide essential lighting, food, communication, and life-support equipment during the 72-hour “golden window” for the safety of Indigenous townships. The microgrid system combines four components, solar generators, power storage, backup power, and remote power management systems. The benefits of the disaster prevention micro-grid system are as follows: 1. The primary supply of electricity when using these systems is usually from solar power. When insufficient solar power is generated, the system transmits electricity from Taiwan Power Company. This helps reduce energy consumption. 2. The system provides 100% self-sufficiency in renewable energy during the islanding effect caused by disasters. Thus, it helps to achieve the vision of zero carbon emissions during a disaster. 3. The system provides a stable supply of electricity for 72 hours for lighting, communication, and life-support equipment. It also helps to support the residents who are waiting for rescue.

Methane was one of the major gases generated from the Nanjido landfill. The city of Seoul installed 106 methane gas extraction wells at intervals of 120m throughout the former Nanjido landfill site. The gases are then channeled into wells using fans, which are then used to provide heating for 3 public sites including the World Cup Stadium, 40 office buildings, and 16,335 households in the surrounding residential areas. As Nanjido is an internationally recognized project, Seoul continues to share the knowledge of turning landfill into useful ecological space for citizens. In terms of sustainability and urban regeneration, Nanjido is one of the core technical tours that Seoul and organizations such as WeGO conduct. Many cities also face similar challenges in terms of converting landfill and other waste challenges. With the background of Nanjido, Seoul also introduces its other sustainable policies, from implementing RFID garbage bins for reducing food waste to its sharing economy (such as bicycle sharing).

Since August 9, 2017, Taoyuan city has entrusted the Chinese Society of Pavement Engineering to carry out the Strategy and Specification Revision Service for the Regenerating and Reusing Materials in Public Works in Taoyuan City with a bid of NTD 898,000. The work items included seven meetings of experts and scholars (including normative discussions, feasibility of trial projects, pavement planning), supporting related experiments, seminars, and promotion of education and training. In order to solve the problem of millions of asphalt concrete remaining in asphalt plants for decades and the difficulty of re-construction of the asphalt plants, they will implement a procurement case of less than NTD1,000,000 over six months. Currently, it is common to use steel particles (oxidized slag) with a 30% substitution of the natural fractionation. Doing so saves about 6.24 Kg CO2e per ton in terms of carbon footprint. The Taoyuan City Office of Road and Accessory Maintenance conducted an oxidized asphalt concrete pavement trial project on Fengde Road, Bade District, Taoyuan City as a case study, using 1,300 tons of steel particles (oxidized slag). The carbon footprint was reduced by about 8,112 Kg CO2e, equivalent to one year of carbon dioxide absorption for 740 trees.

The activities implemented by the City of Toronto is driving circular economy innovation and growth by producing a variety of outputs such as: 1. Frameworks for how to incorporate circular economy principles into programs, policies, procurement and processes 2. Examples of how to apply a circular lens to assets to achieve innovative results 3. Opportunities for residents to meet, share, and repair 4. Proof-of-concept evidence for new circular ideas 5. Baseline circularity research 6. Industry expertise and input on how to advance Toronto’s circular economy transition In the long term, these activities will lead to increased investment in circular economy and a shift in thinking from the traditional linear approach to waste management and disposal to innovative ways to conserve and recover resources.

Urban blight is one of the biggest threats to local businesses and community vitality and it appears while Boston’s real-estate market is booming. The city of Boston calls it “Problem Properties.” City Innovation Exchange Lab, carrying out the Reclaiming Space Experiment in Boston, came through and presented some serious, but feasible, quick win solutions for their selected properties. A week after the experiment, the steps taken to follow up and real impact coming to take shape include: • 20k towards a civic innovation fund from WIT to advance three ideas: “The Connection Catalyst-aT Fields Corner Bakery”, “C-Square Gaming Center”, and “Vocation Training Springboard”. • One of the community leaders reached out to “Activate Art” and WIT has proposed a D4 artist showcase in the new building and with the Casella gallery under the curation of humanities. • A field book was published to help WIT students, District 4 community leaders and organizations as an inspirational piece.