SUSTAINABILITY OF SETCOM
Activities and impact after the end of the action
1. Implementation of the action plan in Italy after project end
The Italian partner SVIM gained a huge interest from the municipalities. After some successful regional meetings 17 municipalities are working on the implementation of the energy action plan in the target region – the intention is also to go on with the implementation of some measures after the project running. Hopefully also the other project partners will cooperate with other institutions in order to implement the proposed measures of the energy action plan after the project end.
2. Implementation of an EMS tool developed by RAEE after project end
To address the staff of tourism facilities in the framework of the behaviour campaign for employees the French SETCOM partner developed a computer tool (EMS) that observes the energy consumption in tourism facilities. A training course for staff of tourism offices has successfully been taken place during the project were the tool has been checked also: During the course the energy consumption of employees at work has been measured and shown to the staff. The participants were surprised how much energy is consumed during their working time. Thus a complete working team could be sensitised for energy saving through behaviour changing. Sustainability of the project: It is planned to send out an excel-file with which employees can check their own energy consumption to all tourism offices in the region and to implement the computer tool/energy management system worked out by RAEE also in other tourism institutions.
3. Hotel owners in Brandenburg became aware of the problem
Thanks to the national conference that has been carried out in cooperation between SETCOM and the German Hotel and Restaurant Association of Brandenburg (DEHOGA) more than 200 participants–most of them member companies of the DEHOGA–could be sensitised for and informed about energy saving in tourism industry. SETCOM could show that energy issues in tourism facilities should be taken seriously in order to reduce energy costs and to protect the climate. Sustainable aspect: A positive impact emerging from SETCOM has been that recently DEHOGA offers an individual energy consulting for their member companies in cooperation with energy experts and plans to develop a regional project in the field of energy saving in tourism facilities. This can be seen as a continuation of the SETCOM work.
4. Other regional chambers of commerce picked up the argument
During the project running good cooperations between the Chambers of Commerce of Berlin and Potsdam could be build up. An exchange of experience took place and Berlin organised similar seminars about energy saving in tourism
industry. So the project also had a positive influence on the whole capital region Berlin-Brandenburg. Same with the regional centres of the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce: Information about qualified energy experts and energy saving topics have been exchanged on the basis of SETCOM
5. Carry out further energy audits in some partner countries
The Greek partner informed the project team that through the first energy audits more companies became aware of energy saving and showed their interest to participate in an energy audit. Most probably after the project running more energy audits will be carried out by CB2/ INEC that can upgrade the collected data so far.
6. Eco-driving courses in Crete
The Greek partner INEC plans also to carry out eco-driving courses in the target region in cooperation with the municipality of Nea Kydonia. These courses are part of the sustainable traffic actions and aim to train tourists and local residents. Dissemination material will be produced in order to address a wide audience to take part in the training courses
7. Continue dissemination of behaviour campaign and energy tour material
In many partner countries the dissemination of the material developed for the behaviour campaign will be continued after the project end, mostly in cooperation with the tourism facilities but also with regional tourism associations. In Latvia for examples more tourism facilities will start after the project end to use the material for marketing purposes and to show their environmental-friendly strategies. This will be fostered by a closer cooperation of the Latvian partner with the municipality of the target region Liepaja and the regional tourism information centre.
8. Italian campaign will be presented during the Sustainable Energy Week 2011
After the official end of the SETCOM project, SVIM organizes a photo exhibition in Brussels, at the premises of the Marche Region in Brussels, during the Sustainable Energy Week 2011 (11-15 April 2011) to increase the impact of the Behaviour Campaign and the SETCOM’s outputs and results, with a participation of more than 50 persons. Moreover, in the following months the photo exhibition will move in different places in occasion of events related to the Sustainable Energies. In particular, on the 20th of May 2011 a Seminar on the Renewable Energies opportunities will take place in Grottammare (Marche region) organized by the Municipality in collaboration with the Marche Region and SVIM will participate with the photo exhibition, catching the opportunity to disseminate all the project’s outputs and results.
9. Further energy consultancy services in Portugal
Consultancy services will be provided along the year to assist the municipality in the implementation of the energy efficiency and renewable projects aiming at the development of the Energy Tourism Concept. As the managing body for the National System for Energy and Indoor Air Quality Certification of Building‘s, ADENE will endeavour efforts to support the energy certification process of hotels that proved in this project to be less efficient than expected. Managers will be kept informed by mailing list of opportunities to apply for subsidies as the ones provided periodically under the National Strategic Reference Framework, in the Energy domain.
10. Regional network of tourism communities
The first steps to build up a regional network in each partner community have been taken by the SETCOM project team during the project running: the members have been chosen, a first meeting took place and the intention of the network has been discussed. The aim of the regional network is to keep working on the overall target of reducing energy consumption and CO2v- emission in tourism by initating a regularly exchange of experiences. Also new projects working on the mentioned tasks could be initiated by the established network. Network meetings shall be arranged also after the project running which underlines the sustainability of the project.
11. Collaboration network for rural tourism businesses in Spain
Following the success of the seminars and audits within the framework of the SETCOM project, the Spanish partner APEA established a network of collaboration and ongoing advice for tourism businesses in the province of Avila.
12. Follow the implementation of pilot projects started during SETCOM
The project managers will carefully follow and monitor the pilotprojects that could be initiated during the project running. The contact to the companies will be continued and meetings about possible investments will take place in some countries together with tourism facility owner and energy experts.