Seminar on “Digital Purchase of Energy Efficient Equipment & Energy Saving in Information and Communications Technology (ICT)”

The Murcia Local Energy Agency (ALEM), part of the Department of Government Modernization, Urban Quality and Citizen Participation, directed by second deputy mayor José Guillen, has organized a training on the “Digital Purchase of Energy Efficient Equipment & Energy Saving in Information and Communications Technology (ICT)” on the 4^th of May 2016 at the ALEM headquarters.

This seminar has been organised as a part of Murcia’s participation in the European Project Life Green ICT, which purpose is to report on the relevance of energy consumption and the carbon footprint left by ICT use, which highlight the importance of adopting a purchase policy that helps minimise energy consumption. During the training the new Guide on Purchasing Green Energy, developed within the scope of the LIFE project, was also presented.

Recent studies estimate that the use of computers, printers, tablets, phones, or servers are responsible for 5% of total energy consumption in public administrations. The ICT carbon footprint is mainly focussed in the energy consumption required for operational purposes, but also throughout the entirety of its life cycle, from the stage of manufacturing the equipment or devices, to waste-management or recycling.

Councilman Jose Guillen explained that “we firmly believe that the information and communications technology (ICT) can and should play a key role as an enabler of energy efficiency in all areas of the economy, promoting behavioural changes in citizens, employers and employees, improving the efficiency in the use of natural resources and, at the same time, reducing pollution and waste”

“To address the challenge of energy efficiency through ICT, we have the new purchasing model, the people and the know-how to implement, and at the same time develop, the Murcia Smart City project. ICT will not only improve energy efficiency and counter climate change, but it will also contribute to the modernization of the economy, making it more productive and creating new business opportunities”

“Murcia is currently highly immersed in the Smart City approach, and as such is taking part in a EU funded “Horizon 2020” project, Roadmaps for Energy Project (R4E), which pays special attention to energy management and energy saving, in a process that aims to create roadmaps on the characterisation and the model of citizen services offered by cities, focussing on smart buildings, smart mobility and smart urban spaces.

“Remarkable is its innovativeness in approaching and encouraging citizen participation, through participatory workshops attended by experts policy makers, companies, universities, associations, etc. The recently created Municipal Energy Map is a perfect example of the commitment to energy saving and reducing the carbon footprint.”

The Seminar on “Digital Purchase of Energy Efficient Equipment & Energy Saving in Information and Communications Technology (ICT)” was mostly directed to departments responsible for public purchases of all of the municipalities in the Murcia Region, to the regional administration and other government agencies, schools, etc. but anyone interested in the subject was invited attend. In the conference, in addition to the City of Murcia and other municipalities of the region three universities participated.

“Councilmember Guillén said that “since municipalities have an obligation to promote good practices and raise public awareness in order to assure energy efficiency when new technologies are acquired, even more so considering new technologies have an increasing influence on our lives and even on aspects we are not even aware of.”