Towards a cold and dark future? It would be somewhat exaggerated to present the “energy sobriety plan” that the city of Lille is putting in place in this way. One thing is certain, however, to deal with climate issues and soaring energy prices, we will have to do more than what has been undertaken for fifteen years. Audrey Linkenheld, 1st deputy mayor, in charge of ecological transition and sustainable development, detailed 18 “temporary” measures to save energy and public funds.
Last week, the city had already announced and implemented the two most symbolic, or visible, measures of its energy sobriety plan: stopping the lighting of most municipal buildings at night and not refilling of two fountains. Symbolic in the image and in the share of savings that this represents, ie 129,351 euros out of an expected annual amount of one million euros. If the other actions will be more discreet in the eyes of Lille, they will not be less effective.
A general decrease in the heating of equipment
Starting with generalized temperature drops in public buildings and facilities. Already, civil servants and elected officials have had to make do with heating set at 19°C since 2008. But the most cautious had electric space heaters which they used happily. It’s over. The town hall also plans to reduce the temperatures of the swimming pools, which therefore remain open, and cultural facilities by 2°C. Either 18°C at the Museum of Fine Arts, or 26°C for the water in the Marx-Dormoy swimming pool, for example. Indoor sports enthusiasts will have to make do with heating at 14°C, increased to 16°C for barefoot activities.
Some services or activities will be optimized or even simply stopped. No more “baby swimmers” in swimming pools, an activity that requires water at 30°C, or the “Lille snow” ice rink. The opening of schools during school holidays to accommodate leisure centers will now be limited to one establishment per district. The climato-economic issue will no doubt also get the better of the municipal equatorial greenhouse, an energy gulf.
Save to contain the increase in the energy budget
With all these measures, one would expect to see the city’s energy bills melt away. This will not happen, the goal being above all to prevent them from exploding with inflation and tariff increases. In recent years, the gas and electricity budget (buildings and public lighting) has stabilized at around 11 million euros. “In 2022 we will be around 14 million and probably 16 million in 2023”, recognizes Audrey Linkenheld. A significant increase, in particular due to a change in the gas contract which triples the amount of the bill (from 2 to 6 million euros).
All of this is “conjunctural”, therefore provisional, according to the deputy mayor. However, the city does not refrain from perpetuating all or part of it, “depending on feedback”, slips Audrey Linkenheld. If you don’t get used to being cold, you will have to get used to being less hot.