Summary

American Planning Association’s International Division is leading the Ukraine Rebuilding and Spatial Planning initiative. In support of this initiative, this document focuses on international best practices, best techniques, and planning methodologies on how to rebuild back better on the following topics:

• Set up and adopt efficient low-carbon urban forms and development patterns as a contribution to improving energy efficiency and increasing the access and use of renewable energy sources.

• Identify and recognize the value of declining built environments with a view to revitalizing them, taking advantage of their assets, and strengthening their social identity.

• Promote the construction, retrofitting, and management of “green buildings” through incentives and disincentives, and monitor their economic impacts.

This document defines a Low-Carbon/Net-Zero Energy city, as a community consuming substantially low energy with very efficiently planned and operated buildings, transportation, industries, water supply, sanitation, and solid waste sectors and producing at least as much annual energy needed through renewable sources.

Suggested Targets and Guidelines for Achieving Net-Zero/Low-Carbon Cities in Ukraine

Implement Strategies/Projects from the below Guidelines

Specific targets for each urban sector should be identified, policies mandated, and projects implemented as follows:

• Prepare a Comprehensive Low-Carbon/Net-Zero Plan for the city or the community, as detailed in Chapters 1 and 2.

• Create the Net-Zero/Low-Carbon Authority to implement the Plans and Policies.

• Develop green buildings saving energy, water, and waste, and deploying renewable energy for all constructions in the city as outlined below and according to Chapter 3.

1. Mandate new energy codes for developing commercial and residential buildings.

2. Mandate energy efficiency while retrofitting and reconstructing the old neighborhoods for the existing population.

3. Require continuous monitoring of energy performance for each building and facility and establish performance-based encouragements to save more energy, water, and waste.

4. Tackle urban heat-island with green/white roofs and paved surfaces and urban reforestation.

5. Construct NetZero Energy/Passive building demonstration, involving many of advanced planning, technology, and management principles.

6. A Low-Carbon Institute can be established in collaboration with a local technological and management university, which can offer degree and professional courses in planning, design, construction, technology, and management of Low-Carbon cities for providing education and training. Bring collaboration from American Universities and Research organizations offering similar education and research.

• Foster the market for energy efficiency and renewable energy by implementing the suggestions below and detailed in Chapter 8.

1. Provide 30% of the electricity needed for the city government operations from renewable energy by 2030, 60% by 2040, and 100% by 2050.

2. Mandate 20% of the electricity needed by private commercial and residential buildings to be provided by renewable energy by 2030, 40% by 2040, and 100% by 2050.

3. Offer specific market mechanisms for deploying renewable energy in the city (e.g. direct buy-downs at attractive prices, building code incentives, tax incentives)

4. Coordinate with all the city departments for providing single window and expedited approvals for new green developments.

5. Closely work with provincial/national financial institutions to provide Green Loans (e.g. low low-interest, expedited)

6. Establish city-backed energy efficiency and renewable energy funds/loans and if needed bond programs.

• Deploy electric, electric-hybrid, and hydrogen vehicles for all new investments in the city government-owned fleet, as detailed in Chapter 5.

• Allocate 100% of organic waste (food/garden waste/cellulosic biomass) generated within the city for energy production, with the help of biorefineries, methane to CNG conversion, gasification or biofuel conversions, as per Chapter 7.

• Utilize all methane generated from the wastewater treatment plants for energy/electricity/biofuel production, as per Chapter 7.

• Use methane generated in fueling the city’s solid-waste hauling vehicles and the government vehicle fleet, as outlined in Chapters 5 and 7.

• Assess the feasibility of smart micro-grid projects and Clean Distributed Generation (“Clean DG”) or Combined Heat-Cooling and Power Generation (CCHP) - combined heat-power projects, as specified in Chapter 4.

• Reduce the energy intensity of industrial production in the city by 30-50% with the help of advanced energy-efficient and cogeneration technologies, as outlined in Chapter 6.

• Promote industrial symbiosis at the regional level for inter-industry/sector for integration, cogeneration, and/or reuse of various resources and byproducts, as per Chapter 6.

• Launch awareness and training campaign;

1. Training for elected officials, city officials, and professionals

2. Establish green workforce training (construction/infrastructure/interiors)

3. Institute an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Exhibition Center

APA International Division hopes to work collaboratively with cities in Ukraine to develop a showcase Net-Zero/Low-Carbon city under collaborative activities.