Page 52 - U4SSC Factsheet Ålesund, Norway, June 2020

in 2017 in the municipality of Haram that also uses environmental standards to reduce energy costs
by using solar electricity, for example. It also incorporates innovative features to reduce the workload
for the staff.
49

As mentioned in previous sections, the development of the regional environment, land use and mode
of transport plan is the top priority for Ålesund. This effort will be a platform for cooperation within
the regional partnership, which will make sure that the current sustainability strategies will work well
when the existing seven municipalities merge into three. There are projects underway to develop
new visualization techniques for the plan, in cooperation with the technology capability at the local
university. The goal of these projects is to innovate the planning process and provide the local councils
with high-quality information upon which they can base their decisions.

Digitization and technological development are major focuses in other areas as well. In order to optimize
its interaction with stakeholders, businesses and inhabitants, the region is investing in revitalizing and
developing different models for local democracy and e-democracy. This will help the local government
better interact with communities and provide the best service possible to inhabitants of the region
who live at greater distances to municipal offices.

46 U4SSC Factsheet | Ålesund, Norway | June 2020