First National Sustainable Urban Energy Design Competition and Conference Featuring Metropolitan Energy and Environmental Plans from Metropolitan Regions across the U.S.Website: http://www.gastechnology.org/

(PRWEB) January 9, 2002

Gas Technology Institute, in cooperation with the United States Department of Energy, the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Japan Gas, Cities for Climate Protection Campaign, the Urban Energy Task Force, the energy industry and the planning community, is conducting a U.S competition on metropolitan energy and environmental planning (MEEP). “Energizing America’s Cities” is the first-ever U.S competition focusing on showcasing creative and effective programs that demonstrate comprehensive metropolitan energy and environmental planning across the United States. Showcasing these plans intensifies the national dialogue regarding MEEP. Areas of emphasis in the competition are electric power generation, alternative transportation fuels, future technologies, energy efficiency and renewable energy. A panel of energy experts currently or previously with organizations or companies including Austin Energy, American Planning Association, Northeast Midwest Institute, California Energy Commission, International Center for Local Environmental Initiatives, Inform, and the U.S. Commerce Department will evaluate programs and plans with special attention given to increased efficiency, fuel diversity, and emissions reductions.

MEEP links energy use and urban planning with a systematic integrated approach to environmental, economic and social goals for the energy demands of a metropolitan region. Metro regions in twelve different states are being represented in this first ever event. They include Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

The U.S. Competition will culminate in a metropolitan energy design conference held in Chicago, May 30th and 31st, 2002 at the Chicago Hilton Palmer House. The single best energy and environmental plan will be selected at the conference. The winning team will represent the United States at an international competition for Sustainable Urban System Design, in Tokyo, Japan, June 2003, as part of the 22nd World Gas Conference. Resources will be provided to help the U.S. team prepare for the international competition, at which teams from seven other countries will share their long-term (100 year) energy and environmental plans for their selected cities and regions.