Energy, EU – Baltic States, Good for Business, Innovations, Lithuania, Technology

Photo: vilnius.lt

The map project, developed by the Vilnius City Municipality together with the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University beat out projects from Oslo and Edinburgh in the finals. The winner was announced on 6 November during an international EUROCITIES event which was held in Munich.

Residents in Vilnius' 2,800 city-owned apartment blocks can now access an online map to evaluate and compare the consumption of heat in their buildings. The interactive map uses a classification system named an "actual energy consumption class", to sort buildings into six categories according to their heat consumption, ranging from good to especially bad.

Vilnius is currently in the process of renovating the blocks, with the goal of completing 600 by 2020. This will make a big difference in the city's heat consumption and in the meantime it will raise awareness among residents of ways to improve energy efficiency. By visiting the map online or on their smartphones, residents can find out how their building ranks, compare its consumption over several years and compare it with other buildings in the city. The city then offers tips on how to improve efficiency, such as insulation, window and door replacement and heating system modernization.

EUROCITIES is a network of major European cities that work together by exchanging best practices and lobby European institutions for a wider inclusion of urban requirements in European policies.