Milano Metropoli has always linked its efforts to eco-sustainability goals.
In the North Milan socio-economic re-development process, the environment has played a decisive role both in the strategies adopted for converting brownfields and also in special technical and building criteria, in particular for new production units.

Our Agency encourages sustainability as a strategic factor with strong added value both for local development projects and for the competitiveness of local manufacturing systems.

From this point of view, we promote experimentation, eco-awareness and services to give concrete support to business and to the area on subjects such as eco-management and certification and energy efficiency:

• Portale InfoAmbiente: a new on-line consultancy service, currently being set up, to provide businesses and artisan districts in the province of Milan with information and advice on environmental issues. The main aim of the service is to help them cope with the ‘red tape' involved in complying with environmental rules and regulations. The portal also promotes and publishes solutions that guarantee greater safety for businesses and for the area. The project is promoted by the Milan Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with Milano Metropoli e Ambiente Italia.
• Organismo SENOMI: a no-profit association set up in 2005 to help firms in the Breda-Cimimontubi and Falck-Concordia Sud industrial parks with their EMAS 2 certification process, and to promote environmental certification throughout the Milanese territory. Members of the association include Milano Metropoli, Province of Milan, Sesto San Giovanni town council, Associazione Imprenditori North Milan and Sai Automazione, Leva Arti Grafiche and Autotrasporti Fraconti: http://www.lifesenomi.it/

Other experiences

Local environmental certification:
SENOMI, Sustainable EMAS North Milan (2004-2006): via this project, two North Milan industrial areas - Breda-Cimimontubi and Falck-Concordia Sud - have been awarded certification: the districts. Our Agency's aim was to motivate small and medium-sized businesses and entire homogeneous industrial districts to work towards improving their own eco-performance (efficient energy and raw material management, reduction in emissions ...) and obtaining EMAS (Eco Management and Audit Scheme) certification.

Energy savings:
PREFER - Centre for energy saving and renewable energy sources (2004-2005): the project, financed by Unioncamere Lombardia and by the Lombardy Region, in partnership with CNA Lombardia and with the technical support of La Esco del Sole, highlighted best practices in social and industrial building at an international level and offered incentives for improvements to existing buildings and those currently under construction. It also provided both builders and entrepreneurs, with suggestions, details of regulations, eco-compatible products and training courses, as well as a virtual window for contacting experts in the sector: http://www.ediliziaerisparmioenergetico.it/

Agenda 21 - Large-scale Retail Distribution (2004-2006): with this project Milano Metropoli pioneered the study of the impact that major retail distribution chains have on the environment. The idea was to identify guidelines for sustainably managed super and hypermarkets. The project looked at key factors such as time policies, energy, mobility, waste, certified products, the integrated eco-management system and communication strategies.