SISCo aims to embed sustainable development policy (social, economic and environmental) into local authority planning processes, by increasing the uses for energy efficiency and renewable technologies and improving resource management in built developments.The project brings together peers from the UK, Flanders and the Netherlands involved in planning processes to exchange knowledge on sustainable construction and to create a crossborder centre of excellence, the Sustainable Purchasing and Planning Centre, where the best available knowledge and expertise in the field will be held.Partners will provide a forum to support local authority planners, developers, architects and suppliers, and not only exchange good practice and multi-disciplinary experience but also deliver a series of training and information seminars targeting local authorities and spatial planners on issues such as innovative renewable technologies and resource management methods. Achievements: What were the key results of the project?The project has achieved a range of very successful results. These are:1 web portal – the Virtual Centre of Excellence; Sustainable Planning Centre (11,261 hits in finaly year); 2 online training modules, 1 on sustainable planning and 1 on sustainable construction; 16 webstreams of training seminars; 2 webinars, 1 on Cradle2Cradle and 1 on Europe 20:20; 1 cross-border directory of suppliers; 1 legislation and guidance resource bank; 5 local authority training seminars; 6 architect/supplier/planner training seminars; 4 study visits, 1 in Belgium, 1 in Holland, 2 in the UK; 4 study visit and peer review reports; 4 comparison of models/tools workshops; 1 comparison of models report; 1 decision making tool pilot (PPP-Scan) and user guide (all information in English and Dutch); 6 local information seminars (2 per country); 6 bilateral exchanges (each partner participated in 2 exchanges); 1 outcomes and recommendations report; 1 critical friend evaluation and accompanying report; RSS cluster activity including pilot report on forum findings and guidelines to implement findings; 11 press releases; 4 project newsletters; 17 additional articles in partners' newsletters; 18 feature articles and publications; 1 report on the local authority training programme (UK).Did all partners and territories benefit from the results?The beneficiaries of the project in the cross-border area include:Local Authority planners, Local Authority decision-makers (e.g. councillors) and Regional Development Agencies, Developers & architects, SMEs in the construction sector and Suppliers of renewable technologies and services.Project partners themselves have also benefited through the knowledge gained from carrying out the project, particularly from the cross-border model exchange, training and knowledge sharing activities.Benefits for each territory:UK local authority planners have particularly benefited from the tailored training programme that was created by the lead partner, based on a thorough assessment of training needs of Hampshire planners.Decision-makers in all partner regions were addressed during the local information seminars.Developers, construction SMEs, suppliers and architects had the opportunity to attend training seminars, and to feature in the online supplier directory which forms part of the Virtual Centre of Excellence.Planners, architects, developers, SMEs and suppliers were all given opportunities to attend additional knowledge exchange events in partner regions, such as study visits and model exchange workshops.Through the Virtual Centre of Excellence, a very wide audience can benefit from all the knowledge and training which the SISCo project provided. Online users can access webstreams, webinars, online training modules, legislation and guidance directory, cross-border supplier directory, and can discuss their ideas and issues via the online forum and helpdesk.What were the effects / outcomes for the territories involved?Outcomes of the project include:- The Virtual Centre of Excellence has allowed for planning stakeholders (public and private sector) to make better informed decisions and meet sustainability requirements more effectively.- Closer cooperation between the different actors involved in the planning process from the public and private sectors so that a more coordinated and cohesive approach to planning is achieved based on the same understanding of sustainable development requirements.- Better informed decision-making processes that take into consideration all aspects of sustainability (environmental, economic and social).- Increase in skills and understanding of what is meant by an holistic approach to planning and how to implement this.- A platform for new business development (especially for SMEs) to exploit the opportunities of climate change mitigation for the benefit of new employment creation in sustainable construction.