Case study (1.4 MB PDF)

Summary

The “Fenice Park” was first created in 2001. Initially, the initiative set out to reclaim an abandoned and heavily polluted green area (6 ha) involving public bodies (Industrial Area of Padua Consortium – Consorzio ZIP) and civil society organisations (CNGEI Scout Association). Eventually (2004), these bodies committed to create the first didactic park (Fenice) for renewable energy sources to encourage sustainable and responsible behaviours among entrepreneurs of the nearby industrial estate, local public administrators, educational institutions, associations, and private citizens. It is a completely innovative body located in a unique natural context (a small island within the city) next to the productive area of Padua, Italy. A 1.8 Km path has been built along which every year an average of 6 000 students (6-25 years old) may learn while experiencing how renewable energy sources actually work. Recently, an Energy House has been added to host public meetings and conferences as well as seminars or training courses for employees, unemployed and entrepreneurs.

Results

The main results by field of activity are: A) Energy (kW) impact: the effective actions of dissemination and awareness raising for a sustainable industrial zone oriented Consorzio Zip and Solon Ag toward the strategic agreement (July 2009) to install 17 MWp, by positing about 70 000 modules on the roofs of the Magazzini Generali and Interporto structures (250 000 mq); a recent agreement (2010) between Consorzio Zip, Solo Ag and X-Group provides the foundation for the gradual coverage of the entire roof area (1 250 000 Mq, 163 Mwp potential); the Fenice GAS (solar buying group sponsored by the Fenice Park in collaboration with Elettroecology srl and Luxproject srl) is worth 50 kW.

B) Environmental positive impact: 30 Ha of greenwood plantation to absorb CO2 from the industrial area (752 t in 2008, 835 t in 2009).

C) Educational impact: 250 visiting groups (elementary, middle, high school) from seven different Italian regions, which means over 6 000 students per year. Recently, in the Energy House open space, a performing lab started for young citizens (6-10) based on creativity, recycling games, basics concepts concerning energy themes, activities in collaboration with the riding school Gondrano & Berta; summer school activities reach every year an average of 475 students (10 weeks) and every year a course is held to train the ecological guides of the Fenice Park (averaging 25 people).

D) Skill improvement: training course for 250 professionals and technicians in the photovoltaic sector who will receive an ESF participation certificate (target group: employees from 235 enterprises); 4 seminars per year dedicated to the dissemination of green technologies and energy saving issues (target groups: entrepreneurs within the industrial area of Padua); stages (8 different positions open per year); 5 Fellowships in collaboration with CNR and the University of Padua.

E) Social events: the Green Love Festival every year gathers together nearly 700 participants. Citizens, families or volunteer associations (Scout, social cooperatives) can spend weekends, preparing BBQ (there is a grill and soon there will be a traditional pizza oven) or creating music.

Lessons learned and repeatability

The main difficulty was to find the way to produce an effective impact in a reasonably short period of time. However, it was clear from the beginning that the implementation of green economy technologies alone (short term impact) would not have been completely effective without a combined cultural influence and mentality change (medium/long term impact).

A decisive factor for the success of this project was the progressive character of the action as well as the project-oriented attitude. This allowed great flexibility and adaptability to encourage partners to be engaged in specific concrete actions increasing their trust, therefore their participation and engagement in wider or longer term initiatives.

The strength of this project is the simplicity of the implementation: an open place where people meet and play, at the same time gain experience in a unique natural context. This is the basis of the scout method: to learn while participating in outdoor activities. A specific didactic path may be planned according to specific needs.

The choice of this particular site was meaningful: An abandoned area on a small island with very few inhabitants and surrounded by the large industrial estate of Padua.

The attempt to restore this historical site and one of the last green areas within the city limits has been completely successful. At the same time, its implementation contributed to humanize the anonymous industrial area, partially changing or widening its use: a sustainable kindergarten for families working in the Zip area is now under construction, along with an approved project for a sustainable research tower centre that will be built in the next few years.