Abstract

The Ispra Establishment of the European Commission? Joint Research Centre (JRC), was set up in the late fifties. In 1992 a project, called EcoCentre Ispra, was set in motion with financial support from the European Parliament which wanted to demonstrate the feasibility of improving the environmental impact of an ageing research area according to criteria of sustainability. The most important actions undertaken so far have sought to reduce the site? energy consumption, through both retrofitting and new, low energy construction.

In order to demonstrate, scientifically, the improvement made by the project, suitable environmental quality indicators have to be defined and monitored for those areas where environmental retrofit actions have been carried out. The choice of environmental indicators is neither obvious nor objective, as there is no commonly accepted definition of environmental quality. In each context there are differences of attitude, policy and interest which prevent universally acceptable definitions being reached. This report presents the possible indicators which have been proposed for discussion by all those interested in the Ispra Centre, in order to provide a monitoring tool in support of Site management activities.

Some lessons learned from this experience may be of use to others planning similar projects.

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Panels of

Panel 2: Incentives and instruments to achive greater

Panel 1: Energy Efficiency policies, programmes and their links

Panel 4: Human dimensions of energy use and efficiency

Panel 3: Energy Efficiency options for industry

Panel 5: Energy efficiency in transport