Climate Solutions for Copenhagen

On the 2 October, 15 high impact companies will present their solutions to the climate challenges Copenhagen faces. These solutions, hand-picked from a total of 56 applications from 16 countries, will be presented to a panel of the city’s decision makers.

Copenhagen aims to be the world’s first CO2 neutral capital by 2025, where sustainable urban development is integrated into all aspects of a city district – green traffic, energy solutions and social diversity. The solutions presented in Copenhagen may significantly contribute to national and international goals for a reliable, sustainable and affordable energy system.

The City is continuously looking for good ideas for reductions in CO2, which can be included in it’s 2025 Climate Plan. In cooperation with Climate-KIC, an Open Innovation Call was launched this summer to create lighthouse projects both in new low energy constructions and energy retrofitting, and ultimately to roll-out applicable solutions on a large-scale.

The five climate challenges that Copenhagen faces:

#1 Flooding of the city

Copenhagen has been hit by severe floodings twice in the last five years, and expects such floodings to become more frequent. It is looking for solutions to:

• Clean surface water
• Control water flow
• Temporarily store water

These can be new technologies, services or business models, but they must also create value for the city and its inhabitants.

#2 Flooding of  citizens’ property

Solutions that can help private households handle flooding are also required. The city might be able to finance costly infrastructure solutions, but those for its households must be at an affordable cost level. Either because they are low cost, or because they incorporate innovative financing models.

#3 Buildings

75% Of the city’s total CO2 emissions comes from heat and energy consumption in its buildings. It is looking for solutions to: 

• Retrofit existing residential and commercial buildings to become more energy efficient
• Build new low energy constructions
• Help private companies be as energy efficient as possible
• Finance these solutions

#4 Smart city

Copenhagen wants future smart-energy technologies, innovative business models and new operational solutions on all scales;

• components,
• buildings,
• grid infrastructures,
• system level

These need to provide a basis for design and dimensioning of future energy infrastructure in sustainable low-energy city districts.

#5 Urban Heat Island

Copenhagen expects dryer summers with heat waves being tougher and more frequent. Combined with an urban environment of dense building structure, hard surfaces and air pollution, this lowers quality of life in general, imposes more costs on the city for increased energy consumption, and has negative health consequences as well.

The city seeks solutions that use water, shadows, air circulation, and regulation of surface temperatures to secure comfort zones during heat waves, i.e. mapping methods and tools for comfort zones and danger zones with special environmental and climate impacts in Copenhagen’s urban spaces and the location of buildings.

Data conditions must be linked to the Copenhagen digital city model and the registration of urban green structures. Mapping models used as planning and project tools are expected to be developed in collaboration with insurance companies and consulting engineers such as Ramboll or COWI.

Tools should be easy to use for the public administration so they are readily available to be used at both planning and project levels.