What is the approach to energy of Campo Tures as a model village?
Total energy production, comprising electricity and heat from renewable energy sources, amounts to around 109 m. kWh per year (which reflects the energy consumption of around 30,000 families), with consumption of electricity, heat and mobility being 81 m. kWh.
Campo Tures consequently produces considerably more renewable energy than the total energy consumption of its population: a feat achieved only in a few municipalities in all of Europe.
The village’s focus is on producing renewable energy, specifically electricity using water power in the Tobl plant. However, it has also focused for many years on developing an energy management system to reduce wasteful energy consumption. Targeted optimisation measures in local structures created energy savings of 30% a year without affecting distribution quality.
Also, the village has introduced a compulsory measure in terms of building permits: all public buildings will have to comply with the green ‘climate house’ standard: KlimaHaus category “A“, and category “B“ when refurbishing public buildings.
Innovative projects: The ‘50 house programme‘
The village has started quite an innovative project in the framework of the Interreg IV, a scheme backed by the European Regional Development Fund: the ‘50 House Programme‘.
Private self-builders receive professional advice to maximise their refurbishment efforts. The village’s Austrian partner also implemented this project successfully. After all, the value of the European Regional Development Fund lies in sharing best practices with other strong partners from other regions. The measure in both regions also contributed to the sensitization of the two: thanks to the implemented refurbishment projects, regional added value increased.
Raising awareness and information
During autumn of 2014 a series of events on ‘Energy efficient building and living’ ran parallel to the European Regional Development Fund backed scheme, Interreg IV. On numerous nights different groups consisting of tradesmen, hotel owners and self-builders were informed about innovative building methods and innovative refurbishment procedures. Even the younger generations of Campo Tures were involved in a fun way in the whole ‘energy’ events. On World Energy Day, children from the local middle school took part in exciting experiments on energy and took an innovative water-powered bus to visit energy stations in the region.
Christian Dapunt, Director of the catchment area of Campo Tures, expressed his excitement for the topic and the possibilities for students and teaching staff taking part in the project. The final highlight was international World Energy Day, which was also celebrated in Campo Tures on 27 September 2014.
Energy and tourism: a niche market
Sustainability and efficient energy use are becoming more and more important in tourism. Katharin Willeit, Head of the Tourism Board of Campo Tures, confirms that, ‘Guests are becoming more informed about climate protection and how they use natural resources’.
The Board wants to harness the untapped potential of sustainable tourism by developing future offers which are targeted to specific guests, including families. Also: interested experts can take part in ‘enertours‘ which are offered by the village together with the TIS innovation park of Bolzano. These tours teach interesting facts about this energy conscious, model region.
The tours have been quite successful, as around 700 people from all over the world have taken part in the excursions in the energy pioneering village of Campo Tures (last figures date to September 2015).
Maintaining its pioneering status: achieving the certificate as first Eco-village
Now that the village has reached its CO2-neutral status, it has set its sights on something more: they are bursting with ideas and plans for the future. The highlight of their growing development plan is to achieve the certificate of ‘Eco-village’ 2050. There is also great potential in developing the alternative mobility network. Campo Tures is heading in the right direction.