DUBLIN is to be lauded in front of 1,000 city leaders for its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.

The Lord Mayor has been invited to address a major conference to outline how the capital is leading the way with projects such as the world's first carbon neutral convention centre and a wholly urban sustainable park.

"It's quite a big deal for Dublin," Lord Mayor Emer Costello told the Herald, adding: "It's a major feather in our cap."

The conference in Brussels on May 4 will focus on getting cities to sign up to a 'Covenant of Mayors' which is a commitment to go beyond the objectives of EU energy policy in terms of reduction in CO2 emissions.

Dublin signed up to become an energy-smart city last year and is already significantly ahead of targets set in the Covenant.

The plan states that the city must reduce its emissions by 20pc by 2020, but Dublin officials are actually aiming for a reduction of 33pc.

The meeting will be attended by President of the EU Commission Jose Manuel Barrosso and leaders from all over Europe, the US and elsewhere.

Ms Costello noted that improvements in residential energy usage will be key to making the city more environmentally friendly.

"We could retrain and upskill people in the whole area of upgrading and insulating buildings. It could have a big impact on employment in that sector," Ms Costello told the Herald.

Figures from an action plan show that potential savings of over €1bn could be achieved by homes in the Dublin city region alone by 2020.

This includes savings of over €450m by properly insulating walls and attics, more than €400m from boiler upgrades, €70m on replacing windows, €88m on low-energy lighting and over €100m on renewable energy.

The Lord Mayor will also be highlighting the role local authorities can play in sustainable energy.

Dublin City Council is producing renewable electricity locally at Fr Collins Park which opened as Ireland's first wholly urban sustainable park last May.

Five 50kW wind turbines provide electricity for the park's sport facilities, public lighting and water aeration.

Similarly low-carbon cement was used in the manufacturing of the new Convention Centre meaning it will be the most environmentally-friendly building of its kind in the world.

kdoyle@herald.ie

- Kevin Doyle, POLITICAL REPORTER