URBAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT Preamble Urban areas by their very nature are energy intensive because they Are hubs of governmental, industrial and economic activities. The Cities and towns are also characterized by higher density of population per unit area than rural areas as economic and other opportunities in the cities attract people from hinterlands. Thus India's urban population increased from 17% in 1951 to 29% by 2001 and in the 1990's alone 68 million Indians became urban dwellers either by migrating to existing cities or by developing new urban centres. Any city needs to create and maintain a huge infrastructure and run civic services to support a large population. These include Public buildings, public transport, electric supply system, water supply, sewage and effluent disposal system, solid waste management etc. Electricity and petroleum the main commercial energy sources used in The urban centers. Increasing energy consumption naturally raises the question of Future sustainability of supplies besides problems like Environmental pollution, groundwater pollution and greenhouse gas emissions leading to climate change, destruction of biodiversity, deforestation and public health hazards. These issues need to be addressed through a sustainable energy management approach, which will involve taking a serious look at planning and management of energy systems that will facilitate efficient use of energy. As a major government agency working in the area of energy Efficiency and energy conservation, Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) has been engaged in creating mass awareness and providing technical know-how for improving energy efficiency and conservation of petroleum products in the country and guiding and assisting consumers in the economic sectors of transport, industry, agriculture and households to practice conservation through suitable measures. Responding to the changing energy scenario, PCRA has in recent times turned its attention to cleaner fuels like CNG, LNG and bio-fuels as potential energy sources. Our metros and other cities and towns account for a major share of commercial energy and other scarce resources consumed in the country. Inadequate attention and lack of a scientific and planned approach to utilization efficiency in respect of energy, water etc. not only results in avoidable wastage but also deterioration of the living environment and ambient air quality. For example, increasing vehicular traffic and low ratio of road space, traffic signals and speed breakers in urban centres slow down traffic movement and increase travel time, resulting in wasteful consumption of petroleum products and associated environmental pollution. Similarly, most public and commercial buildings are not provided with energy efficient lighting and heating/cooling systems. Street lighting is another area where more attention is required to improve energy efficiency. PCRA with its competencies and long practical experience in Energy management and other related areas thought it worthwhile taking up studies on the following core issues connected with Urban Energy Management in the metropolis and made a modest beginning in 2003-04: · Traffic management· Solid waste management· Rainwater harvesting· Energy audit of commercial buildings (hotels, hospitals etc.)· Ambient air quality monitoring· Energy efficient buildings· Pumping water supply and sewage system· Road and infrastructure management· Airconditioning and lighting· Energy audit of government buildings· Networking with various municipal authorities· Model depot projects with MC depots· Driver training programmes with MC depots· Speed breakers· Community washing· Grease traps· Street light management· Use of CFLs