Engineering tomorrow: why urban efficiency is going to be the key?

Cities hold an important key to combating climate change. They are the drivers of economic growth and social change. According to the 2018 New Climate Economy Report (PDF), “3.9 billion people live in urban areas, and the urban population is expected to grow by another 2.5 billion people by 2050”

All across the globe, urban populations in cities will consume additional energy and produce even more CO₂ emissions.

Heating: strategic decisions really work

With billions of people living in urban buildings all over the globe, and with related heating demands and costs on the rise, no one should overlook available solutions and innovative ideas when taking strategic decisions about our future.

A lot can be done. Take a look at Nantes. Mentioning the 6th biggest city in France might not sound very closely related to the urban growth at first. However, its urban area could exceed 1 million inhabitants by 2030 so adopting an appropriate strategy towards a greener, healthier tomorrow is definitely something one should think about carefully.

The steps Nantes has been able to take so far are definitely worth looking at. The construction of the new Nord Chezine heating network, a project taking place in several stages between 2017 and 2021 and including schools, administrative buildings, a nursery and 7,400 residential apartments, is estimated to make the city capable of reducing 17,000 tons of CO₂ per year starting in 2020.

Moreover, the heating district network is projected to be powered by more than 80 % renewable energy and heat recovery, making the project even more commendable.

The example set by Nantes shows how efficient cities, building owners and residential and commercial buildings solutions suppliers such as Danfoss Heating can reduce CO₂ emissions, lower the costs and raise the overall quality of life.

The solutions are here, ready for implementation. Next question should be, where can we join forces?