Established in 2008, the Green Capital of Europe award is given annually to a European city of over 100,000 that has established itself as a leader in environmental, social and economic sustainability. Grenoble has been named the Green Capital based on several indicators: combating climate change, managing green spaces, developing alternative modes of transport, combating air pollution, recycling and preserving biodiversity.
Unison Group experts on the PERETO project Bakyt Askarbekov and Salavat Soronbaev met with Mayor Eric Pjollet and Grenoble’s administration.
The delegation from Kyrgyzstan studied various good practices: the use of renewable energy sources for heating and transport, the introduction of energy efficient technologies in construction, the replacement of outdated heating and hot water infrastructure with a new, more energy efficient one, and the use of regulatory tools to stimulate business.
“We were in a house where solar stations were installed, which provide residents with electricity and heating. In addition, there is a centralized recuperation ventilation system: That is, the air leaving the street gives up its heat to the air entering the house, which allows the air to remain fresh and warm. The outgoing stream, on the contrary, cools down, making the system as a whole energy-saving.
I was surprised by another practice: in multi-story buildings, rainwater enters a tank, where it undergoes filtration, disinfection, and returns to drinking needs. This water has been tested for 5 years, the results confirm that it is suitable for drinking,” - says Bakyt Askarbekov.
PERETO experts also noted that energy-efficient technologies are highly developed in Grenoble: purification facilities have been installed everywhere, ecological transport has been launched, the construction of multi-story buildings is carried out with the provision of green energy, private and municipal organizations make a great contribution to the sustainable development of the city.
A lot of attention is paid to the processing of solid waste. “We visited a waste processing plant, where we got acquainted with the best practices for waste disposal and recycling. The plant is very large; it burns garbage that cannot be recycled. As a result of combustion, they receive electricity, while, due to the powerful filters of the building itself, there are no harmful emissions into the atmosphere, this is a very environmentally friendly approach," says Bakyt Askarbekov.
At the same time, it should be noted that the city not only improved its environmental performance, but also increased its financial income due to the growth in the number of tourists who are attracted by the environmental and aesthetic changes in the city.