Planning for Energy Efficiency in a Historic City. The Case of Santiago de Compostela, Spain

• Published in: Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning 2016-01 (5), p.53
• Main Authors: Fernández-Maldonado, Ana María, Méndez, Patricia Liñares, Montes, Esteban Vieites
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation; Alternative energy sources; Climate change; Colleges & universities; Energy efficiency; Historic buildings & sites; Legislation; Quality; Renewable resources; Sustainability; Urban planning
• ISSN: 2069-3419; 2248-2199
• DOI: 10.19188/06JSSPSI052016

Santiago de Compostelais well-known for its historic core of exceptional quality, as a World Heritage Site. The present study assesses Santiago's strengths and weaknesses in terms of urban planning and energy efficiency, and explores what local planning can do for the adaptation of the historic centre to energy-efficiency considerations. The findings show that local plans have paid attention to environmental issues differently in the past decades, according to each period's priorities. Only recently, local planning has address ed energy efficiency issue, mainly in the case of public infrastructure. They also suggest a limited capacity of the local authorities to pursue energy efficiency goals at a residential level, and serious lack of knowledge about the actual energy situation. A proactive role of the local government towards energy efficiency requires the commitment of all stakeholders. The presence of institutions specialized in urban regeneration, such as the 'Consorcio', gathering the most important local stakeholders, suggests positive outcomes if long-term coordination is achieved.