The EUROCITIES Knowledge Society Forum – Spring Conference 2009

Manchester, UK. March 25th-27th 2009.

Invitation Letter by Sir Richard Leese [Leader of Manchester City Council]

Click here to download the Invitation Letter by Sir Richard Leese [PDF]

Digital innovation, energy efficiency and sustainable cities

Over the past few years there has been an increasing convergence between many aspects of the work of the Knowledge Society Forum and the Environment Forum. In particular there is a new focus on the need to ‘green’ the digital world and, conversely, to look at ways that technological innovation, whether digital or not, can support the greening of the wider world and tackling climate change. Manchester is the lead partner for the European Union funded Digital Environmental Home Energy Management System (Dehems) project (www.dehems.eu). The project is using the new open innovation model of Living Labs (www.openlivinglabs.eu) to look at how technology can improve domestic energy efficiency. Working in partnership with a mix European local authorities, private business and universities, the intention is to develop and test a “Digital Energy Home Energy Management System” (DEHEMS) for the home market.

The Manchester event will focus on three things:

1) How can large organisations, both public bodies and businesses, best use innovation to become more sustainable, especially in their own use of energy, innovation here is taken as meaning everything from particular uses of technologies (energy tech and/or digital tech) to new processes and/or approaches aimed at behaviour change including a report from the Dehems project.

2) How can the digital world itself be more green, both reducing emissions from less sustainable uses of IT, e.g. data centres, and using IT, i.e. the Internet and the Web, in new and imaginative ways to really engage people and convince them to change their behaviour and to act more sustainably, especially around energy use;

3) How can we best raise the profile of these issues and approaches and use the power and influence of the big cities, and their partnerships with business and the community, by creating a new European wide campaign, around the idea of a Green Digital Charter which will link into the launch of the European Commission’s new ‘ICT for Energy Efficiency – ICT4EE’ initiative, being launched in Brussels on March 19th 2009. http://ec.europa.eu/ict4ee

PROGRAMME

Wednesday March 25th

Knowledge Society Forum Advisory Board meeting. 4 – 6pm in MDDA offices. [Board members only] www.manchesterdda.com

Welcome to Manchester for arriving member delegates: 4pm – 8pm, at MDDA. Simply for people to drop in, get some refreshments and find out what is happening socially that evening. Hot buffet & refreshments available. [EUROCITIES member delegates only]

Thursday March 26th

The Main Event in Manchester Town Hall. This is also the day when we invite other partners, in addition to Eurocities members and other European delegates, to come along, including the UK Digital Challenge network; project partners from business and the NGO sector and other local/regional networks, including Manchester Knowledge Capital, NWDA and other RDAs, Living Labs etc., interested in green and digital issues.
The day itself will be a mix of big name speakers, presentation of key EU projects that we are involved in, including DEHEMS – see www.dehems.eu, and workshops. Followed by an evening reception and dinner in the Town Hall.

Thursday Programme

Cities becoming more sustainable through digital innovation to improve energy efficiency

9.00am Welcome
9.15am Climate change and sustainable energy use: the challenge for public authorities and business:
• Key note speakers from The Cooperative, IBM, Cisco, UK Ministry – Department for Energy and Climate Change, Manchester City Council
10.45am Coffee break
11.00am New Directions for European Policy on Climate Change:
• Key note speakers from the European Commission and the European Research Institute
12.00 Sustainable Energy and Open Innovation using ICTs/Digital Technologies: the role of Living Labs: introduction to the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL – www.openlivinglabs.eu)
13.00 Lunch
14.15 Green Digital Innovation: turning policy into practice: EU funding for projects using innovative digital technologies for energy efficiency and low carbon impacts: examples of current FP7 and CIP projects working in this area, including digital energy management for homes, public buildings and businesses: practical demonstrations and breakout sessions.
15.45 Coffee and break out sessions
16.30 Towards a Green Digital Charter: Eurocities and partners working together to develop the Green Digital Charter as an action orientated and measurable framework to support cities and municipalities in using ICT to facilitate emissions reductions.
Introduction by Eurocities, the Living Labs network and the Green Digital Charter working group. Q&A and open discussion.
17.30 Main conference event ends.
19.00 Drinks reception in the Town Hall: welcome address from Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council. Sponsored by The Co-operative.
20.00 Conference Dinner.

Friday March 27th

EUROCITIES member-delegates only. Knowledge Society Forum Working Groups. Knowledge Society Forum Members meeting. Further practical demonstrations of project applications. Project proposals for future EU Project Funding Calls. Full agenda to follow. This takes place in the CUBE Gallery (next door to MDDA’s offices), 113-115 Portland Street, Manchester. M1 6ED. www.cube.org.uk

Conference delegate fees: EUROCITIES members: two delegates free. All other attendees: €120 per person, includes reception and conference dinner.

Booking your tickets

Click here to book your tickets http://eurocitiesksf09.eventbrite.com

Eurocities discount codes can be obtained by emailing eurocities@manchesterdda.com and stating your organisation name and membership details.

When making a booking for your FREE places please ensure you have your discount code.

Eurocities Members are entitled to TWO free tickets, to book your free places use the discount code supplied via email, any additional tickets can be booked using the Additional Member Rate [Paid] ticket type and are charge at €120

Non-members who wish to book for the conference are welcome, the ticket price is €120 and is valid for Thursday 26th March only. This ticket includes evening reception and dinner – see programme for times.