A dangerous crossroads gives way to a citizen-friendly space for pedestrians, cyclists and people with reduced mobility, and to a higher-performance, economical and more energy-efficient lighting system. A completely new village square was inaugurated in Heer-sur-Meuse. This smart and sustainable project – conceived and supported by local residents is financed by European Investment Bank (EIB) funds managed by Belfius.
A completely new village square was inaugurated on 18 November in Heer-sur-Meuse in the Walloon municipality of Hastière. Conceived by the local residents themselves as part of the Municipal Rural Development Plan, this complete remodelling of the village centre is the second project launched by the municipality that has been completed thanks to the Smart Cities & Sustainable Development financing programme.
The project involved altering the route of the main road at a reputedly dangerous crossroads in the centre of the village in order to improve visibility and safety for users. It included narrowing Rue Prince Albert to reduce the speed of vehicles and aimed to transform the current crossroads into a real municipal square, integrating the various roads and surrounded by pavements, plants and parking spaces, particularly for people with reduced mobility. On a technical level, different materials have been used to create clearly separate zones, while a state-of-the-art LED public lighting system will help to make substantial energy savings while reducing CO2 emissions. Overhead electrical wiring has been removed and cables buried underground. The water supply network has also been renewed and altered in line with the new layout. Work began in March of this year and was completed in November 2017.
Reduced CO2 emissions
For several years, the Municipality of Hastière in the south of Namur Province has been endeavouring to improve the energy performance of its buildings and rethink its public spaces in order to foster a pleasant atmosphere, the use of environmentally-friendly means of transport and accessibility for people with reduced mobility.
Following the complete refurbishment of its Tourist Office with an emphasis on energy efficiency, the municipality of Hastière is now once again demonstrating with the transformation of the heart of the Heer-sur-Meuse village that the “Smart Cities” approach is not just reserved for cities, with small rural municipalities also able to take full advantage of the initiative.
Already more than 100 projects amounting to EUR 660m
Since the June 2014 announcement of the partnership between the EIB (the EU bank) and Belfius aimed at supporting the development of Smart Cities in Belgium – a European first – more than 100 smart and sustainable projects, particularly those helping to combat global warming and contributing to the emergence of a circular economy, have benefited from the support and favourable financing terms provided by the two institutions. The amount provided so far totals EUR 660m, including EUR 260m as part of the second programme (Smart Cities, Climate Action & Circular Economy) launched just ten months ago.
Local authorities can play a major role in combating global warming and developing the circular economy, particularly by setting an example and thereby encouraging companies, individuals and other organisations to fully take part in the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, inclusive and sustainable growth. Many Belgian cities and municipalities have already taken the first step by signing the Covenant of Mayors, committing to voluntarily reducing the CO2 emissions in their area. Belfius and the EIB intend to support them as much as possible in this initiative with their joint Smart Cities, Climate Action & Circular Economy and Smart Cities & Sustainable Development programmes.
102 projects have so far been granted a loan under these programmes, including nine in the Province of Namur. These projects, which are currently in progress or already complete, concern a total of more than two million people and come from local authorities, CPAS, inter-municipal groupings, provincial institutions, etc.
