Challenge: Planning and sustainable urban development of the new Älvstaden – one of Europe's largest conversion projects and city densifications – with 45,000 more residents and 60,000 new workplaces in the region's core in 2030.

Aim: Energy consumption in homes should be reduced by at least 30 per cent and electricity consumption should be reduced by at least 20 per cent by 2020 in relation to the level of consumption in 1995.

Challenge: Develop, complete and improve the region's infrastructure and increase the share of public transport and bicycle traffic.

Strategy: Use all means of control to: Reduce the environmental impact of vehicles and increase the share of public transport, walking and cycling.

Energy

In the Gothenburg region, environmentally focused energy solutions are combined with excellent business deals.

Both world-class expertise and large-scale solutions can be found here. Houses are heated by waste heat from refineries and waste, buses are run on electricity or biogas and homes are cooled by cold water from the river. There are also innovative solutions for energy-efficient homes – both new-builds and older houses which have been renovated.

Furthermore, investments are being made in renewable energy such as wind and wave power.

In the Gothenburg region, a cluster of companies including SKF, Göteborg Energi, Powerpipe Systems and Götaverken, work within district heating, wind power, renewable electricity, smart electricity networks, energy efficiency and wave power. 

The region is also characterized by research and development in the field of energy. One area of strength at Chalmers University of Technology is energy, for example. Johanneberg Science Park houses many companies and focuses on energy as well as material and nanotechnology.

Challenge: The property sector uses the most energy in Sweden and represents 40 per cent of total consumption. It is therefore an important challenge to reduce energy consumption in homes.

Aim: Energy consumption in homes in Gothenburg should be reduced by at least 30 per cent and electricity consumption (excluding industry and transport) should be reduced by at least 20 per cent by 2020 compared to 1995 levels of consumption.

Strategy: New residences should be built in an energy-efficient and sustainable way. Existing housing should be made more energy-efficient. Living spaces should be used more effectively.