Eastern Partnership Cities Learn from Eindhoven’s Sustainable Practices

As part of the City2City project, CoM East signatories from Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine participated in a three-day study visit to Eindhoven, Netherlands. The visit, which took place from 10 to 12 September, aimed to showcase best practices in energy efficiency and sustainability.

The delegation comprised 12 mayors and deputies from various cities:
– Ukraine: Drohobych, Vinnytsia, Kryvyi Rih, Pustomytiv, Zaporizhzhia, Rivne, and Chernivtsi
– Armenia: Alaverda and Havar
– Moldova: Baltsi, Kantemir, and Chadyr-Lung.

The visit’s primary objectives were to study experiences for potential technology implementation in Eastern Partnership cities and communities, create networking opportunities, and strengthen cooperation.

The delegation toured several innovative sites in Eindhoven:

Eindhoven City Hall: A model of energy efficiency, the new City Hall saves as much electricity as 200 houses consume annually. Its natural gas savings equal the yearly consumption of 136 houses. The building also conserves 78,392 litres of tap water annually using collected rainwater for toilet flushing. These measures result in a CO₂ reduction of 450 tonnes, equivalent to planting more than 18,000 trees.

BioArt Laboratory: This dual-purpose facility serves as both a biochemical research station and a prototyping workshop. Equipped for analyzing, processing, and cultivating biomaterials, it also functions as a traditional workshop for developing new installations and equipment. Its extensive experience, collaborations, and wide range of biomaterials make it an ideal partner for biobiology-based experiments and projects.

Venco Campus: This innovative centre for global poultry farming emphasises sustainable development, innovation, flexibility, and transparency. Built to Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) standards, it’s three times better insulated and uses three times less kWh per m² compared to traditional buildings. This exceptional efficiency results in near energy neutrality, with the campus primarily using internally generated energy.

Eindhoven Water Treatment Plant: As the largest of De Dommel Water Board’s eight sewage treatment plants, it treats an average of 150,000 cubic metres of wastewater daily, discharging treated sewage into the River Dommel. During heavy rains, the plant can process up to 600,000 cubic metres per day.

Boer Bier Water Project: This initiative unites local farmers and growers from Bavaria, a small Dutch brewery that started out over 300 years ago, Southern Agriculture and Horticulture Organization, the municipality of Laarbeek, the Aa and Maas Water Board, Rijkswaterstaat, CLM and the local Rabobank. The project filters and redistributes Bavaria’s residual water from washing beer kettles and bottles to nearby farmers. This sublimation system allows farmers to regulate groundwater levels on their land, improving harvest quality.

Ebusco: A pioneer in electric public transport since 2012, Ebusco produces zero-emission buses. It was the first European company to receive the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval certificate, allowing a manufacturer can obtain certification for a vehicle type in one EU country and then market it EU-wide without the need for further tests, for an all-electric bus. Their latest model, Ebusco 3.0, can travel up to 650 km on a single charge.

RENEWI Plastics Recycling: This new sorting plant in Acht, Eindhoven, specialises in hard plastics. It can sort, shred, and wash 24,000 tonnes of hard plastic annually using advanced technologies. The plant achieves a minimum purity of 95% for polypropylene and polyethylene, processing even harder plastics into high-quality raw materials.

This study visit provided valuable insights into sustainable urban development practices that could potentially be adapted in Eastern Partnership cities. The diverse sites visited offered a comprehensive look at various aspects of sustainability, from energy-efficient buildings to innovative waste management and transportation solutions.