Civitas Portis
Under the European Funding programme Horizon 2020, which is the European Union's €80 billion research and innovation programme from 2014 to 2020, a call was released in late 2014 to invite applications for the call 'Mobility for Growth' which includes urban mobility as a key component. Aberdeen City Council was invited to participate as a project partner in the project CIVITAS PORTIS. The project was announced as successful in 2016 and it is 100 percent funded by the EU.
CIVITAS PORTIS designs, demonstrates and evaluates integrated sets of sustainable mobility measures that address the problems of port cities across Europe. The results of CIVITAS PORTIS, and the ambition of the consortium, is to show other port cities in Europe and beyond how to develop and implement a vision of sustainable mobility that can increase functional and social cohesion between city centres and ports, whilst driving economic growth and improving the attractiveness of urban environments.
There are a total of 34 partners within the consortium. The other cities involved include:
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
- Trieste, Italy
- Constanta, Romania
- Klaipeda, Lithuania
There is also Ningbo, China involved in the consortium as a follower port city.
Our local Aberdeen partners include:
- Robert Gordon University
- Aberdeenshire Council
- NESTRANS
- Aberdeen Harbour Board
Find out more on the CIVITAS website, watch a video about the project on YouTube or download the information below:
Smart Cities
The Smart Cities Strategic Intervention has been allocated £10 million to support a nationwide programme of activity using innovative technology to make Scotland's cities more energy-efficient, greener places to live and do business.
Glasgow City Council is the Smart Cities SI Lead Partner and will be working in partnership with the Scottish Government, Scottish Cities Alliance and all seven of Scotland's cities - Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth and Stirling - to deliver the following strategic aims:
reduce CO2 emissions through the innovative use of ICT;
alleviate traffic congestion through smart mobility planning;
increase citizen engagement through the increased use of mobile technology and social media;
reduce energy use through smart metering and smart grids;
promote better care through new telecare and telehealth technology services.
ACE Retrofitting
- EU funding: €2.5 million
- Total project budget: €4.25 million
- Timeline: 2016 - 2020
This project tackles energy inefficiency in multi-occupancy buildings. Targeting multi-occupancy buildings ensures that the greatest number of private owners can benefit from significant financial savings by reducing carbon by 50 to 70 percent.
Energy Cities – the European association of Local Authorities in energy transition – will work with six partner Local Authorities from five different countries in North West Europe (NWE). The project will introduce and promote a governance arrangement that overcomes various barriers of retrofitting condominiums within multi-occupancy buildings.
The development of the Agence Parisienne du Climat's CoachCopro tool is central to this project. In France, this web based platform has already successfully assisted condominium owners (demand) and building professionals (supply) through a process which cultivates trust relationships and generates direct and indirect jobs (potentially 19 net jobs created per €1 million investment).
The main outputs of this project are:
- An owners and condominium managing structures toolkit jointly developed by partners to empower this target group, overcome their barriers and increase and accelerate the energy retrofitting of condominiums;
- An operational coaching framework to improve the building professionals' capacity to renovate condominiums;
- A governance arrangement facilitated by Local Authorities linking the demand and supply sides as well as a NWE transferable ICT tool for information and project management based on CoachCopro ;
- An Energy Cities European campaign that 10 years after the project will involve hundreds of additional Local Authorities and ensure that thousands of deep retrofits are achieved;
- The project will result in 15,000 households with improved energy classification per year
Find out more about ACE Retrofitting.
Crowdfunder
An exciting new funding initiative has been launched to give individuals, community groups and businesses in Aberdeen the opportunity to turn their ideas in to reality.
Aberdeen City Council has joined forces with an array of local organisations and Crowdfunder UK to embrace the crowdfunding phenomenon, with the aim of making a lasting impact not only on the future of the city but also on the future of residents.
Crowdfunding is where a large number of people contribute a relatively small amount of money, typically via the Internet, towards a project or venture which is of interest to them.
Crowdfunding Aberdeen will enable organisations to move away from projects being fully funded by governing bodies. The scheme will enable funding to become more streamlined whilst amplifying existing reserves, providing the best value for the community. Applicants will not only receive assistance with funding but support will also be provided in the form of training. The scheme is designed to encourage partnership working with cross-organisation bodies, create strong community links and empower residents by giving them the chance to turn their ideas in to reality.
Find out more about Crowdfunding Aberdeen
OLEV
The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) is a team working across government to support the early market for ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV). They are providing over £900 million to position the UK at the global forefront of ULEV development, manufacture and use. This will contribute to economic growth and will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution on our roads.
OLEV is responsible for:
- grants to reduce the upfront cost of new ULEVs
- a programme of research through the Technology Strategy Board and supporting wider green growth opportunities
- encouraging UK businesses to seize commercial opportunities in the ULEV sector
- raising awareness, developing and strengthen the capability of ULEV manufacturing, demonstration and the associated UK supply chain
- a nationwide recharging infrastructure strategy, including funding to eight pilot areas under the Plugged-in Places programme
- contributing to the development of new carbon dioxide emissions standards
OLEV priorities are to:
- ensure the UK remains one of the premier global markets for ULEVs
- develop new initiatives to overcome barriers to uptake of ULEVs
- work jointly with the major ULEV manufacturers on public communications
- refresh the plug-in vehicle infrastructure strategy
- provide grants to reduce the up front cost of new ULEVs
- work with industry in the next phase of the joint industry-government UKH₂Mobility project on hydrogen for transport
- support research and development and the ULEV supply chain
Find out more about OLEV
ESF Employability Pipeline
This project will establish and develop a Strategic Skills pipeline in Aberdeen which will improve the coordination of service provision, and ensure that those clients in need of support will receive local tailored support designed specifically to address their individual needs.
In Aberdeen there are five regeneration areas which are targeted with regards to the provision of employability support. These pockets of deprivation are often hidden by statistical data at a city wide level.
The Strategic Intervention will enable us to offer increased levels of support in these areas, providing additional opportunities to help those individuals with multiple barriers to move closer to the labour market by enabling them to develop relevant skills based on their own unique needs.
Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce estimate that there are currently over 20,000 unfilled vacancies within the city, across all sectors and levels, greatly enhancing the opportunities for employment, progression and positive outcomes for the potential client base which can be supported through a pipeline approach
BEGIN
NSR Cities cannot cope with more frequent and intense rainfall due to climate change. To complement existing conventional grey infrastructure, we need blue-green infrastructure (BGI), eg: green corridors, permeable paving, bio-swales, rainwater harvesting. They can better accommodate extreme weather events, deliver ecosystem services, improve the liveability of our NSR cities and provide new business opportunities.
Research shows that BGI benefits outweigh costs: x2-x10. Most cities have BGI ambitions and approaches have been developed, but challenges to implementation persist, such as who benefits, pays, and maintains solutions?
Blue Green Infrastructure through social innovation (BEGIN) will demonstrate and mainstream improved BGI-based climate change adaptation solutions. The main outputs of BEGIN are:
- Demonstration of BGI in 10 leading NSR cities with proven business cases that will guide capital investment of more than €1 billion.
- Collated toolbox to guide BGI implementation and engage citizens and business as investors.
- Validation of a unique transnational city-to-city learning approach (NSR CAMINO). BEGIN will be up-scaled via UN and Mayors Adapt city networks: more than 1600 Cities.
HeatNet NWE
HeatNet NWE is funded by the European Interreg North West Europe Programme. It addresses the challenges of reducing co2 emissions in North West Europe by creating an integrated transnational approach to the supply of renewable and low carbon heat to residential and commercial buildings. Aberdeen City Council is working alongside Aberdeen Heat and Power to develop a local district heating network in areas including the City Centre and Torry.
The overall objective is to introduce and demonstrate 4th generation District Heating & Cooling (4DHC) IN North West Europe. This is a low-temperature distribution system to minimise heat loss, integrated energy storage, integrated renewable energy sources and supply to multiple low energy buildings.
District heating facilitates energy efficiency, less CO2 emissions and a greener economy.
Find out more about the Heatnet project.
Middlefield Greenspace and Regeneration Project
The Green Infrastructure Strategic Intervention is a major new Scottish programme of investment, led by Scottish Natural Heritage, which aims to green larger towns and cities. It is part-funded through the European Regional Development Programme (ERDF).
Aberdeen City Council is working with SNH to deliver a green infrastructure project in Middlefield that will deliver many benefits to the community, creating a better place to live and work in by:
• Enhancing natural resources
• Providing recreational spaces
• Creating volunteer opportunities
• Improving mental and physical health of volunteers
• Contributing to a future low carbon economy
This Project has been developed with the community, during a consultation process that commenced in 2014. A ‘Total Place’ audit was undertaken of this neighbourhood. One of the identified actions was to upgrade this Park. The Project will provide a high quality, outdoor recreational space that is readily accessible to those whose life choices are limited through personal circumstances. It is intended that these persons will also be supported in participating in a wide range of activities within this Park. It is anticipated that these improvements and activities will have a positive effect on a range of neighbourhood indicators which supports the Local Outcome Improvement Plan.
Find out more about the project here about the Middlefield Greenspace and Regeneration Project
Town Centre Fund
The purpose of the 2020/21 Town Centre Fund is to support capital projects which stimulate local construction activity and support local employment. Local authorities were also to make investment decisions in the context of national and local commitments to town centres including the Town Centre First Principle and the Town Centre Action Plan; and more recently, the Place Principle. Aberdeen was awarded £1,835,000.
Projects supported include:
- Suspended signage – Installation of 12 lightweight illuminated signs supported by visually unobtrusive 316 grade stainless steel wires and fixings, in various locations across the city centre.
- Belmont Filmhouse – Refurbishment of building to improve energy efficiency.
- Hayton Road - To improve footfall and access between two communities and their key retail areas at the Fountain area on Great Northern Road (Woodside) and Hayton Road (Tillydrone).
- Mither Kirk – The use of redundant space, in a heritage setting, to provide a place for the people of Aberdeen and visitors to the city to meet, learn and enjoy the experience.
- Parklets – To provide public spaces to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the city centre
UK Community Renewal Fund
The UK Government has launched a new fund of £220m which aims to support the community and organisations to prepare for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2022. By funding innovative pilot programmes, the investment will boost skills, local businesses and support people into work. The fund will ‘play a part in uniting and levelling up the whole country’ in the national recovery effort following Covid-19. The UK Community Renewal Fund will ensure a smooth transition and continuation in local funding levels by initially matching and then replacing EU Structural and Investment Funds.