RENAISSANCE

PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES:
Bracknell , United Kingdom /
Lyon, France /
Zaragoza, Spain

OBSERVER COMMUNITIES :
Berkshire, United Kingdom
Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Falesia, Italy
Medway, United Kingdom
Murcia, Spain
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Seixal, Portugal
Surrey, United Kingdom
Lombardia, Italy (Associate Community)

Bracknell © Courtesy of Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Description of Project

RENAISSANCE stands for Renewable ENergy Acting In SuStainable And Novel Community Enterprises. It aims to succeed by demonstrating practical solutions to local energy needs.

The solutions are applied in highly innovative ways, with a large and immediate potential for replication across the rest of Europe. People will be core to the project, by learning what the local community wants in terms of energy solutions that can be developed to meet these needs.

Zaragoza © Ecociudad Val despartera Zaragoza S.A.

Use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES)

Poly-generation from a combination of innovative energy production technologies deliver secure, flexible and sustainable energy services at reduced cost to residential estates, commercial and public sector buildings. Heat, power and cooling produced locally in an energy centre comprising Combined Heat and Power plant, fired by a mix of fuels including woodchip and natural gas, together with a heat only natural gas boiler to meet peak heat demand and full standby requirements. Absorption chillers will provide chilled water to serve cooling demand as required.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

Research actions exploit unique opportunities for innovation in the development of political and planning policy and practice presented by a demonstration project of this size. The results of research and the demonstration informs local policy, regulation and practice and to used for onward dissemination.

The project builds upon best practice eco building solutions by researching and applying innovation, addressing all phases of the build process from planning, site and building design, construction and life-time operation. The results will be used as a basis for setting future energy efficiency regulations in the local buildings sector and for onwards replication.

Lyon

RENAISSANCE uses R&D to establish an innovative commercial and fiscal mechanisms to underpin the creation of local energy services and thus provide a flexible and sustainable approach to the local provision and distribution of electricity, heating and cooling. R&D is also used to develop an ESCo (Energy Service Company) model based on existing research results and feasibility assessments carried out in Bracknell and models of successful ESCo development drawn from across Europe

RENAISSANCEgains new understanding regarding community perception of EE and RES measures and to improve the measurement of acceptance and adaptation to changes in energy use habits through its research actions. The project develops and demonstrates the technologies and mechanisms necessary to monitor and evaluate the energy flows and performance of the communities involved and to contribute to a joint programme of work to establish standards with other CONCERTO communities.

PROJECT CONTACT PERSON:

Contact Ms. Kelly Hillman, project coordinator for RENAISSANCE at kelly.hillman@bracknell-forest.gov.uk