From climate change, to supply security with the question of affordable energy, our world faces a number of serious energy related challenges. With its proven ability to reduce CO2 emissions and increasing energy efficiency in our cities, communities and campuses, District Energy has huge potential to help.
In this spirit, representative organisations of the District Energy sector (founding organisations are Euroheat & Power (EHP) and International District Energy Association (IDEA)), decided to join forces in leading the way to COP 15 in 2009. Together, these organisations focused their efforts into mobilising members, NGOs, municipal, regional and central governments and politicians for adequate climate action.
Since they were launched in 2009, the Global District Energy Climate Awards have offered visibility and recognition to the many communities, cities and campuses around the world that have embraced District Energy as a vital part of their sustainability planning. Lately, all representative organisations agreed that it is highly desirable to increase the level of scale and ambition of the awards, notably by involving UN Environment Programme, Asia Pacific Urban Energy Association (APUEA) and IEA DHC Technology Collaboration Programme.
The representative organisations
Euroheat & Power (founding organisation and coordinator):
Euroheat & Power (EHP) is the international association of District Heating and Cooling (DHC). The association represents the interests of the sector, in particular in relations to the European institutions and other international organisations. Euroheat & Power follows all European policies of relevance for CHP/DHC, such as energy, competition, environment and research policy. The Euroheat & Power offices are based in Brussels, Belgium. www.euroheat.org
International District Energy Association (founding organisation):
The International District Energy Association (IDEA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1909 to facilitate the exchange of information among district energy professionals. IDEA promotes energy efficiency and environmental quality through the advancement of district heating, district cooling and cogeneration and actively lobbies to secure favourable policies, legislation and regulations for district energy. www.districtenergy.org
Supporting organisations of the Global District Energy Climate Awards:
- The International Energy Agency (IEA) | www.iea.org & its Technology Collaboration Programme on District Heating and Cooling (IEA DHC) | www.iea-dhc.org
- The United Nations Environment | www.unep.org & District Energy in Cities Initiative | www.districtenergyinitiative.org
- Asia Pacific Urban Energy Association (APUEA) | www.apuea.org
