FRANCE PRODUCES SIX SHINING EXAMPLES IN SIX WEEKS

In a fleet-footed and audacious move, France has come from nowhere to rank second on Display’s League of Excellence for Shining Examples. The feat has left former second place-holders Switzerland stunned and leaders, the UK, decidedly edgy as competition in the League heats up. However, with Display needing to promote 100 Shining Examples by the end of this year, there is still much to play for.

League of Excellence

Display members increasingly employ Display to promote their municipality and its achievements across Europe.

Display launches into 2007 with a flurry of activity :

 Spain signals its intention to join the League, as Ana Belén Muneta of Pamplona will be describing how a dedicated Display® Campaign engages local citizens, in the city’s first Shining Example
 Salerno (IT) – Giancarlo Savino launches a school communications campaign using Display
 South Tyneside (UK) – Robert Algie achieved considerable energy savings at a leisure centre through simple measures such as occupancy lighting controls and fitting pool covers at night..
 Utrecht (NL) – Inge van de Klundert prepares her city’s second Shining Example.
 Natural Park Normandie-Maine (FR) – an example of using Display as a means of communication with the small villages inside the park to promote energy efficiency.

Currently, Lausanne has the most Shining Examples, with three currently being promoted, followed closely by Helsinki and Verona, with two apiece.

Spain looks set to be the next country to join the league, and we look forward to Belgium, Slovakia, Lithuania and Malta submitting their first Shining Examples.

2007 Published Shining Examples include :

 Verona (IT) - Has made special efforts within their administration to involve key decision makers in Display. For more details, click (EN) here
 Rochefort (FR) – Significant energy and financial savings achieved thanks to a wide range of technical solutions and communication activities (Display included). For more details (FR), click here
 Carhaix-Plougier (FR) – the local energy agency in west Brittany use Display to show that energy and water savings can also be achieved in newer buildings. For more details, (FR) click here
 Fontaine (FR) –A School is refurbished using the well known French High Environmental Quality (HQE) system and becomes a shining example for the whole community. For more details (FR), click here
 Bedford (UK) – Uses a group of “Energy Champions” to encourage behavioural change and reduce energy consumption. For more details (EN) click here
 North Yorkshire (UK) – Incorporates low-energy passive design features such as solar shading and natural ventilation, in a new build. For further details (EN) click here.

Do you have a Shining Example ?

Shining Examples lie at the very heart of Display, because they are about promoting better performance in buildings, and showing people what works.

It is rarely possible to improve an existing public building to an A or B rating, because of its age, budget constraints and so on. So it is equally important that buildings which improve from, for example G to D, are recognised, as general improvements in municipal buildings can produce a better environment too.

If your municipality is improving its building performance – let us know ! – Display can showcase your town or city, and your knowledge can enable others to learn from your experience.

Contact : sarah@ukace.org or www.energie-cites.eu/ian

The 2007 call for applications for the Display® “Towards Class A” Award was launched during the European Sustainable Energy Week (29/01-02/02/07) in Brussels. Display® featured within the session on Wednesday 31/01 - Best Implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and attracted the participants’ interest at the Energie-Cités stand. To see the presentations go to the discussions section at www.managenergy.tv/me_portal/mst/2001/index.html.

We are looking forward to receiving your municipal communication activities. And do not forget : It is not the size of your awareness-raising project which matters, but rather its originality, public participation, dissemination of communication material and your overall strategy.

For those who already applied in 2006 : you are very welcome to try again. It is important, though, that your campaign activities have been broadened or a new strategy has been initiated. In your application you should make clear, what the differences are that make your proposal stand out from last year.

If you have any question concerning the Award please contact IanTurner.

Once you have finalised your application ; please send it before June 22nd to :

TCA Award
Energie-Cités
2,chemin de Palente
F 25000 Besançon
France

or digitally to IanTurner.

The 12th Annual Conference of Energie-Cités, hosted by the city of Brasov, will be one of the first events to be organised on a European scale since the accession of Romania to the European Union. Brasov, as winner of the second prize of the Display®/Towards Class Award last year, is no stranger to many Display® participants.

The theme of the conference, communicating to change our behaviour, fits perfectly with the major activity local authorities are undertaking during their local Display® Campaign. Thus the Display® Campaign has a special role to play within the conference programme in a specific workshop and we will be organising a special European Users Club meeting combined with an international study tour to a municipal building undergoing refurbishment. The study tour will address not only the technical aspects of the refurbishment, but also the administrative requirements and financial mechanisms needed to carry out refurbishments.

The conference and the Users Club meeting will offer the opportunity :
 to provide practical and down-to-earth answers for the following : developing a coherent communication strategy at the local level ; understanding the mechanisms behind behavioural change ; involving partners ; how to access professional operational support
 to meet and exchange ideas with other European municipalities active in the Display® Campaign
 to appreciate the views of communication and social marketing specialists

Looking forward to see you in Brasov Click here for more information and inscriptions