- en
Thanks to mayor Klaas, Tartu is becoming smarter and more sustainable
Urmas Klaas is an Estonian politician who has been serving as the mayor of Tartu since 2014. He was born on 17 March 1971 in Räpina. Mayor of Tartu holds a BA and a MA from the University of Tartu.
Since the beginning of his mayoral term, mayor Klaas has been dedicated to making the city of Tartu greener and a place that offers a better quality of life for its citizens. He has started many green projects in the city, including the SmartEnCity, a project in which a portion of the residential area in Tartu City Centre will be transformed into a completely smart city district. The main goal of this ambitious project is to make the city environment smart and sustainable, but also to inspire people to become environmentally conscious.
The project consists of energy-efficient renovation of old Soviet apartment buildings into energy-efficient and modern houses. The project also contains innovative solutions in district heating, transportation, street lighting, use of renewable energy, the inclusion of residents and raising overall awareness.
Under Klass’ mayoral term, the city of Tartu was named the European Capital of Culture 2024, a prestigious European Commission initiative which was developed in 1985. The goals of this initiative, among others, are to highlight the richness and diversity of cultures in the Old continent, as well as to increase European citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural area.
Furthermore, another mayor Klaas’ main ambition for the city is to create a more environmentally-friendly system of waste collection, sorting, and storage in the city. He also wants to reduce the city’s ecological footprint through the use of renewable energy and modern technology.
Mayor of Tartu is always trying to implement smart energy solutions in the city and support its green transition. (photo credit: Tartu official website)
