It is proposed the experience of the research team of the Engineering Faculty of Udine University in conceptualizing, designing, and fostering the construction of an innovative urban energy supply symbiotic system, involving a new trigeneration plant in Udine Hospital with a municipal district heating network serving university buildings and other public structures such as the municipal swimming pool.
We describe how we conceived and implement our role of an university research group aiming at fostering sustainable development. A new declination of urban symbiosis concept is introduced to explain our strategic vision, while our tactical approach to enable cooperation among stakeholders is analysed based on literature evidence. The development of mathematical models as decision support tools to support the adoption of the energy supply system, and impact on internal operations and education of this initiative is also described. The final selection and integration of different traditional and renewable energy technological options to foster energy efficiency and lowering GHG emissions is proposed. The organizational structure adopted to make our sustainability vision into reality and pursuing system design, realization, and operation is then analyzed, as well as how the original symbiotic system has been changed to accommodate the actual needs of various subjects involved.
