International local government news 08.10.24

Here are the latest newsworthy and interesting stories from the local government sector that caught our attention. In this round-up of what’s happening right now in the world of local government, you’ll find best practices, inspiration, and more from across the sector.

PORTUGAL: 700 year old house to be repurposed for affordable housing
The City of Porto is rehabilitating a 700 year old stone dwelling to use as affordable housing. The city’s oldest house, the Casa do Deco dos Redemoinhos, has previously been used as clergy housing, hay storage and as a bodello. Now, the city council plans to rejuvenate the derelict space. The council says the move is a reflection of their desire to get any and all vacant properties into the affordable rental market, while returning spaces with history to city use.

EUROPE: The cities leading on zero-emission freight
Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Oxford are the only cities in Europe to have launched zero-emission zones for freight, according to the Clean Cities Campaign. With the expansion of online shopping, urban logistics and deliveries are threatening to worsen urban pollution and congestion. The Clean Cities Campaign finds that while vans and trucks amount to just 13% of vehicles on EU roads, they are responsible for more than half of all nitrogen oxide emissions and 40% of road transport greenhouse gas emissions.
Clean Cities Campaign

BELGIUM: Unique rooftop wind turbine launched in Brussels
The City of Brussels is experimenting with bringing power-generating capacity via wind into the heart of the city. Thanks to a small wind turbine model designed by a local startup, the Renewing mini wind turbine has been installed on the roof of a housing tower, at a cost to the regional government of only 6,000 EUR. Harnessing wind acceleration at the edge of the roof, the turbine could produce between 1 and 3 MWh per year. The government hopes to expand the pilot to ten turbines on the roof of the same building, the Avenue de l’Héliport.
The Mayor

GERMANY: Longest tram in the world launches in Mannheim
The Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region (RNV), home to the cities of Mannheim, Heidelberg and Ludwigshafen, is now home to the world’s longest tram. Developed by Škoda, the vehicle reaches close to 60 metres, and features a unique modular design that allows it to be shortened and lengthened like a train, and split into halves for easier handling and maintenance. In addition, the tram has a capacity of 368 people, can reach speeds of 80km/h, and forms part of a wider order of 114 tram vehicles for the RNV.

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