Cities worldwide are setting bold net zero goals to accelerate their transition to sustainable energy. For real impact, action must follow. What comes next?
Cities must take practical steps towards achieving their ambitious zero emission targets. Auditing energy systems and infrastructure in light of medium and long term energy needs, and identifying available resources and partnerships will help create a long-term, sustainable approach. A city’s energy mix should reflect its strengths and will need the support of various stakeholder groups, backed by effective policies and investment to achieve future visions.
Key steps to support your journey
Audit of energy systems and infrastructure decisions to understand gaps and goals
Assess if the city is meeting its future energy needs 5-10 years ahead through strategic scenario planning, encompassing energy masterplanning
Take stock of available resources and potential partnerships
Plan an energy mix that tells your city’s strengths – pre-feasibility studies at this early stage will be crucial to review viability from a capability, resource and commercial standpoint
Energy Transition
Climate Adaptation
Solutions
Clean energy investment is expected to exceed EUR 1.8 trillion by 2030, but to meet net zero goals, the real investment needed is estimated at EUR 4.6 trillion annually until at least 2050. There is no effective plan to become carbon neutral if legislation and funding don’t match.
Collaboration between public and private sectors is necessary to create attractive business cases, and support this with evolved pricing systems and subsidy mechanisms. Explore more about how clean, smart funding decisions can help bridge the investment gap and secure the transition today.
Key steps to support your journey
Bring public (municipalities, utilities, social housing corporations) and private (real estate, corporations, infrastructure developers) interests together through stakeholder engagement so legislation and subsidies can incentivize investment
Strategic financial advice will be critical in realizing the benefits of investment at different levels: social, corporate,consultants/engineers
Reduce risk via the effective use of cost data like social cost benefit analysis and partnerships to build a business case
Prioritize ‘clean’ investment
Energy Transition
Business Advisory
LifeCycle Think
Sustainable Operations
Solutions
Smart investment decisions for social housing corporations will differ from those made by utility companies. Traditionally, this would require several business cases to be made. However, considering the needs of all key stakeholders together can lead to better, more effective investment decisions and also help de-risk programs. Tim Cooper, Sales Director, Resilience UK & Ireland.
Tim Cooper
Business Development Director for Resilience, UK & Ireland
The property sector accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions. So, achieving a sustainable energy mix in cities heavily relies on buildings - the primary users – to be energy efficient.
Reducing energy consumption and use of low-carbon materials should be a priority. Circular use of materials and retrofitting ageing infrastructure provide valuable solutions. Combined with low carbon energy sources, this can help the property sector decarbonize their stock. A multi-year approach with an effective asset management and maintenance program supported by innovative tools to help match demand between real estate developers, municipalities and utilities will be key.
Key steps to support your journey
Assets should be looked at with a multi-year maintenance program and budget in place. As part of this, matching demand between real estate developers, municipalities and utilities will be key to decarbonize stock
Energy reduction should be a primary target for asset management and operations maintenance for infrastructure and real estate assets. Consider circularity of materials in retrofitting, and low carbon materials
Low carbon energy sources that further support decarbonization goals and meet citizen demands (cost and social benefits) should be part of the overall asset management program
Innovative tools and technologies can help measure best scenarios to retrofit and/or reshape assets, with periodic assurance & compliance audits being essential in ensuring assets continue to remain energy efficient in line with goals and legislation
Energy Transition
Solutions
What’s critical to ensure buildings and property assets stay on-track with their decarbonization goals, is to look at not just the planning and development stages, but the entire asset lifecycle. As part of our asset management, we consider direct emissions from materials and construction, but also indirect elements like greener energy sources, optimal heating solutions and how far down the supply chain is access provided. As an example, energy consumption of a building nowadays represents more than 70 years of the energy consumption of the materials needed to build it.
Rebecca Couzens
Sustainability Advisory Director, France
A key factor in carbon reduction is prioritizing the use of what’s readily available in the local area and/or the re-use of existing materials. We should also consider the entire lifecycle of the building, from design to demolition. Sometimes this involves taking risks on materials. Carbon innovation can be simple but asks for creativity and braveness! Nature itself can provide inspiration for design challenges – we call this ‘biomimicry’ – which results in stunningly elegant and simple solutions.
Marjolijn Versteegden
Global Solution Director Net Zero Facilities & Sustainable Communities
The more various stakeholder groups can get behind a single ambition and evaluate effective policies, regulations, and investments they can jointly benefit from, the more opportunities we create for a sustainable energy plan in achieving the city’s visions. To add value to what’s required is the golden thread that ties the Technology, Market, Institutional arrangements, Governance, and investments.
Blessy Babu
Energy Transition Lead, Sustainability Advisory UK & Ireland
Investment decisions should be carefully chosen so as to not further exacerbate disparity. Looking at social, economic, governance and ecological elements in tandem are key. This requires a long-term view – you can’t come away with getting the right benefits in five years. Creative, green financial solutions and models are essential. Big pension funds, like CDPQ in Canada, are investing in infrastructure to drive the energy transition. We’re seeing similar trends in the Netherlands too.
Wim Voogd,
Program Director Energy Transition
Cities are living, interconnected systems comprising natural and built environments, governments, communities, and the culture that makes them unique. A ‘systems thinking’ approach is key to realizing a city's potential towards carbon neutrality.
A successful and sustainable city energy transition plan must consider not only the potential impact on its systems and stakeholders, but also importantly, bring citizen and stakeholder viewpoints and benefits in on initial planning stages. Learn more about how a ‘systems thinking’ approach can accelerate the transition to low-carbon goals and benefit urban resilience.
Key steps to support your journey
Ensure pre-feasibility assessments are part of your plans right from the strategic planning stages
Connected decision-making from day-one through effective stakeholder engagement (covering social, economic and natural elements)
Consider all interests and lay out the benefits for all parties – bringing sustainable masterplanning strategies into large scale projects can prove effective
Bring in more stakeholders rather than less – cities can influence but all stakeholders need to be part of the conversation for implementable plans
Policy and legislation must connect at the regional and state level, supported by investment. Public-private partnerships are key.
Energy Transition
Climate Adaption
Business Advisory
Enviro-social permitting
Solutions
Cities drive governance and therefore have a great level of influence in achieving carbon reduction goals. To be effective, the governance structure needs to be met by the right level of infrastructure, capability and investment to be implementable by utilities, residents, and the private sector. Public-private partnerships are one model that can link capabilities with funding, making investment decisions more attractive.
Matt Yonkin
Energy Transition lead, U.S.
Energy Transition is the biggest and most complex system transformation of our lifetime; and requires an integrated approach. This means bringing together players across various sectors, such as energy, mobility and real estate. And considering governance requirements at a municipal level, as well as citizen participation to drive real change. A systems thinking approach does just that – identifying common benefits and pooling investments to de-risk programs and accelerate the transition. From better insulation in homes, to managing energy use and supply chains, everyone must work together towards realizing low carbon goals in cities.
Ian Minnes
Project Manager Energy Transition
What are the next steps for cities that have set ambitious net zero commitments? When it comes to taking action, overcoming decision paralysis, and considering rapid urbanization, rising costs and ageing infrastructure will be critical in planning decarbonization programs.
Strategic forward planning is the first step in preparing cities to achieve their decarbonization goals. The simplest and most effective solutions lie at the micro-level. Taking a ‘building to neighborhood to district approach’ when reviewing and maximizing resources, can provide valuable answers when setting and implementing realistic and feasible goals. Learn more about how you can prepare your city´s energy system.
Key steps to support your journey
Simple effective solutions based on what’s available at the building, neighborhood and district level are key to overcome decision paralysis in this complex ecosystem
Any future energy mix should tell the story of a city’s strengths, maximizing its available resources, while also ensuring this is done in a sustainable way. Environmental impact assessments can be key in ensuring the energy transition plans aren’t at the cost of the local ecology needed for the city to thrive
Feasibility studies are critical to ensure potential roadblocks are proactively assessed as part of strategic plans
Innovative solutions should be part of the permitting, tendering and contracting stage to help create an optimized system. For example, energy supply-based models that determine optimal zones to plan neighborhoods
Energy Transition
Sustainability Advisory
Business Advisory
Environmental Social Permitting
Water Optimization
Solutions
Feasibility studies are critical in initial stages of determining a city’s energy mix and systems needed to meet goals. This means, looking into the deliverability of targets before setting them and the means to operationalize them. At Arcadis, we have both the strategic and technical expertise to look at solutions that will work – considering factors such as the investment needed around skills, capabilities and (innovative) technology needed to deliver.
Rob Banes
Sustainability Advisory Director, UK & Ireland
Electricity is at the heart of urban energy systems. The ability to tap into cleaner, innovative solutions that can help decarbonize grids remains critical. But overloaded grid capacity and the rapid evolution in electrification poses challenges around cost, pace of adoption and complexity. Where do the solutions lie?
The success of electrification also faces practical obstacles posed by infrastructure and energy supply. Charging infrastructure for instance, needs to match demands, and energy supply to support this needs to diversify. Citizen participation, innovative technology and public-private partnerships can help power resilient, decentralized but connected systems. Explore how you can start your journey with practical steps to electrify cities of the future.
Key steps to support your journey
Planning and design of electric networks and grids will need to consider decentralized but connected systems to meet future demand and congestion
More companies, energy communities and citizens are generating electricity using solar panels and wind turbines. Information and Communications Technology makes this decentralization of the electricity system possible
Innovative technology, mobility hubs and incentive programs that encourage ‘EV as flexibility service’ can help citizens hook up to the grid to create new supply avenues
Fleet electrification feasibility studies, pilot programs and predictive technology can provide no/low regret electrification opportunities at pace with the evolution of energy technology
Design resilience into fleet electrification plans and infrastructure with reliance on a diverse energy mix – battery storage, hydrogen provide valuable alternatives
Energy Transition
New mobility
Solutions
Decarbonization and electrification of vehicles isn’t enough. We need to promote decongestion in our cities, across infrastructure and systems. Mobility hubs are designed to encourage citizens to move away from personal ownership and towards shared mobility services. We need to rethink our infrastructure to support schemes like this and adopt new technology that makes it easily available to all citizens. This also means looking at innovative ways we could connect EVs to grids over time to match demand. Citizen participation is key.
Simon Swan
Global Solutions Director – New Mobility
Adoption of new technology, particularly with EV infrastructure in cities like New York where space is limited can pose questions around feasibility – with long lead times and huge costs of investment, the perceived risk is high. Public and private sector partnerships can help with testing of new technologies. We’ve worked with clients to identify funding opportunities for pilots that help de-risk programs, giving confidence in making these decisions.
Amina Rahill-Marier
Water Resiliency Engineer & Planner
Taking stock of
energy goals
Systems Thinking: Bringing everyone along
Smart investments to accelerate the transition
Preparing and shaping city energy systems
Retrofitting and
Reshaping assets
The art of electrification
blog MAR 2023
From paper to practice
to prosperity
Project
Financial District New York
Put your money where
your energy is
Blog MAR 2023
Transport for the North Decarbonization Strategy
Project
Renewable Energy
Turbine Prototype
Project
Greening the grid, today
Blog MAR 2o23
City of Amsterdam
Project
Antwerp District
Heating Network
Project
Nam Decommisioning
Project
Reshape or regret
Blog OCT 2o22
Paris
Project
Benefriches
Project
Dairy Campus
Project
All hands on deck for urban energy systems
Blog MAR 2o23
Energiewende
Project
Noise Forecast App
Project
Police Fleet
Electrification UK
Project
Critical infrastructure and the art of electrification
Blog OCT 2o22
Tesco Charging
Network
Project
Johan Crujiff
Arena
Project
Johan Cruijff
Arena
Project
Tesco Charging
Network
Project
Police Fleet
Electrification UK
Project
Critical infrastructure and the art of electrification
Blog mar 2o23
Business Advisory
Net Zero Facilities and Sustainable Communities
Systems Thinking:
Bringing everyone together
Smart investments to accelerate the transition
Preparing and shaping city energy systems
Retrofitting and
Reshaping assets
The role of electrification
Smart investments to accelerate the transition
Preparing and shaping city energy systems
Retrofitting and
Reshaping assets
The role of electrification
Preparing and shaping city energy systems
Retrofitting and
Reshaping assets
The role of electrification
Retrofitting and
Reshaping assets
The role of electrification
The role of electrification
Project
Financial District New York
blog MAR 2023
Taking stock of your city’s energy plans and goals
Energiewende
Project
Noise Forward App
Project
Bringing everyone together with a ‘systems thinking’
Blog MAR 2o23
Energiewende
Project
Noise Forward App
Project
Bringing everyone together with a ‘systems thinking’
Blog MAR 2o23
Transport for the North Decarbonization Strategy
Project
Renewable Energy
Turbine Prototype
Project
Making smart investment decisions to drive transition
Blog MAR 2023
Transport for the North Decarbonization Strategy
Project
Renewable Energy
Turbine Prototype
Project
Making smart investment decisions to drive transition
Blog MAR 2023
City of Amsterdam
Project
Antwerp District
Heating Network
Project
Preparing and shaping your city’s energy systems
Blog MAR 2o23
City of Amsterdam
Project
Antwerp District
Heating Network
Project
Preparing and shaping your city’s energy systems
Blog MAR 2o23
Johan Crujiff
Arena
Project
Tesco Charging
Network
Project
Police Fleet
Electrification UK
Project
The role of electrification
Blog mar 2o23
Johan Crujiff
Arena
Project
Tesco Charging
Network
Project
Police Fleet
Electrification UK
Project
The role of electrification
Blog mar 2o23
Johan Crujiff
Arena
Project
Tesco Charging
Network
Project
Police Fleet
Electrification UK
Project
The role of electrification
Blog mar 2o23
Nam Decommisioning
Project
Paris
Project
Benefriches
Project
Dairy Campus
Project
Retrofitting and Reshaping assets
Blog OCT 2o22
Nam Decommisioning
Project
Paris
Project
Benefriches
Project
Dairy Campus
Project
Retrofitting and Reshaping assets
Blog OCT 2o22
Nam Decommisioning
Project
Paris
Project
Benefriches
Project
Dairy Campus
Project
Retrofitting and Reshaping assets
Blog OCT 2o22
Nam Decommisioning
Project
Paris
Project
Benefriches
Project
Dairy Campus
Project
Retrofitting and Reshaping assets
Blog OCT 2o22
RAI Urban Energy Systems
Project
All hands on deck for urban energy systems
Blog MAR 2o23
Energiewende
Project
Noise Forecast App
Project
RAI Urban Energy Systems
Project
RAI Urban Energy Systems
Project
Nam Decommisioning
Project
Reshape or regret
Blog OCT 2o22
Paris
Project
Benefriches
Project
Dairy Campus
Project