Smart Cities Initiatives
Covenant of Mayors
The Covenant of Mayors is the mainstream European movement involving local and regional authorities, voluntarily committing to increasing energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources on their territories. By their commitment, Covenant signatories aim to meet and exceed the European Union 20% CO2 reduction objective by 2020.
MONI - Monitoring Action Plans
SEAP - Sustainable Energy Action Plan
SIGN - signatories
EIP-Smart Cities and Communities Market Place
The European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities (EIP-SCC) is an initiative supported by the European Commission bringing together cities, industry, SMEs, banks, research and other smart city actors. The EIP-SCC consists of the High Level Group (supported by its Sherpa Group) and the Market Place. The EIP-SCC Market Place has been designed for those who are active in the area of Smart Cities and are willing to know more about ongoing and foreseen activities throughout Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) [PDF]
Search the Commitments database
CITYKeys
The CITYkeys project addresses challenges such as the transition to low carbon, resource-efficient cities and the uptake of innovative and smart solutions. It aims to speed up the transition by facilitating and enabling stakeholders in projects or cities to learn from each other, create trust in solutions, and monitor progress, by means of a common performance measurement framework, that will also increase confidence that the existing solutions can also be applied in other contexts and cities.
CIVITAS
The CIVITAS initiative was launched in 2002 to redefine transport measures and policies in order to create cleaner, better transport in cities. Over the past decade CIVITAS has managed to test over 800 measures and urban transport solutions, supported by the intensive exchange of good practices in the field. There are many ways to be involved in CIVITAS. Your city can be part of a demonstration project and develop a set of activities. You can also become a member of the CIVITAS Forum Network and participate in the exchange of experience, or join one of the National Networks.
Green Digital Charter
The Green Digital Charter commits cities to reducing emissions through ICT and promoting progress in tackling climate change through the innovative use of digital technologies. The commitments are: A. work with other signatory cities on ICT & energy efficiency, B.deploy 5 large-scale "ICT for energy efficiency" projects within 5 years, C. decrease ICT’s direct carbon footprint by 30% within 10 years.
European Energy Award
The European Energy Award supports municipalities willing to contribute to sustainable energy policy and urban development through the rational use of energy and increased use of renewable energies. There are more than 1,300 municipalities participating today.
BUILD UP: The European portal for energy efficiency in buildings
BUILD UP is an environment for building professionals, local authorities and building occupants. BUILD UP promotes the exchange of best practices available across Europe for implementation of energy-saving measures in buildings.
SETIS: Strategic Energy Technologies Information System
SETIS plays a central role in the successful implementation of the SET-Plan by helping to identify energy technology and RD&D objectives, striving to build consensus around the SET-Plan programme, identifying new opportunities, and assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of the SET-Plan in delivering energy and climate change policy goals.
Energy Cities
Energy Cities is the European Association of local authorities in energy transition. The association created in 1990 represents now more than 1,000 towns and cities in 30 countries. Its main objectives include strengthening cities’ role and skills in the field of sustainable energy, representing their interests and influencing EU policies, and exchange of experiences, transfer of know-how and the implementation of joint projects.
European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) Joint Programme Smart Cities
The Joint Programme on Smart Cities aims to develop new scientific methods, concepts and tools designed to support European cities in their transformation into smart cities. The key focus is on large-scale integration of renewable energies and enhanced energy efficiency, enabled through smart energy management at city level.
Sub-Programme 1: Energy in Cities
ManagEnergy: Supporting local and regional sustainable energy actions
ManagEnergy is a technical support initiative of the Intelligent Energy - Europe (IEE) programme of the European Commission which aims to assist actors from the public sector and their advisers working on energy efficiency and renewable energy at the local and regional level.
European Smart Grid Technology Platform
The European Technology Platform for Electricity Networks of the Future, also called ETP SmartGrids, is the key European forum for the crystallisation of policy and technology research and development pathways for the smart grids sector, as well as the link between EU-level related initiatives.
Consolidated view of the ETP SmartGrids on Horizon 2020 R&D needs in 2016-2017 [PDF]
European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating & Cooling
The European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating & Cooling (RHC-Platform) brings together stakeholders from the biomass, geothermal and solar thermal sector - including the related industries - to define a common strategy for increasing the use of renewable energy technologies for heating and cooling.
Common Implementation Roadmap for Renewable Heating and Cooling Technologies [PDF]
The European Construction Technology Platform
The scope of the Focus Area Processes & ICT (FA PICT) is to position, develop and lead to the future execution of an appropriate actions agenda covering items related to processes optimisation, extended products and future services for home, buildings, underground constructions and networks, and the appropriate development and deployment of ICT to support these items.
European Urban Knowledge Network
The European Urban Knowledge Network is a network of national governments and knowledge institutes, deeply involved in EU policy-making. Our focus on generating a professional community that shares expert urban knowledge and best policy practice inspires policy makers, practitioners and researchers, benefiting urban development and city living.
Sustainable Energy Week
European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) is a month-long series of activities to build a secure energy future for Europe. It brings together public authorities, private companies, NGOs and consumers to promote initiatives to save energy and move towards renewables for clean, secure and efficient power. You can take part in Sustainable Energy Week by:
Creating or attending an Energy Day
Competing for the Sustainable Energy Awards
Presenting at or attending the Networking Village
Organising a session or presentation at the Policy Conference.
Energy Research Knowledge Centre
The Energy Research Knowledge Centre (ERKC) is a European energy research web portal under the umbrella of the SET-Plan Information System (SETIS). ERKC collects and organises validated, referenced information on energy research programmes and projects as well as their results and analyses from across the EU and beyond. Additionally, ERKC key publications provide high-quality information on policy implications of energy research project results as well as an overview of innovative research results across energy research themes.
Policy brochure on energy research challenges in smart cities [PDF]
Thematic research summary on smart district heating and cooling [PDF]
European Technology and Innovation Platform Photovoltaics
The European Technology and Innovation Platform Photovoltaics gathers all the relevant stakeholders of the European PV sector. Its main role is to provide consensus-based strategic advice on all issues relevant to progressing research and innovation (R&I) efforts. The ETIP PV is a continuation of the European PV Technology Platform (EU PVTP) and the Solar European Industry Initiative (SEII) in a single platform under the new SET Plan governance.
Urban Agenda for the EU
The Urban Agenda for the EU is a new working method to ensure maximum utilisation of the growth potential of cities and to successfully tackle social challenges. It aims to promote cooperation between Member States, Cities, the European Commission and other stakeholders, in order to stimulate growth, liveability and innovation in the cities of Europe.
http://www.smartcities-infosystem.eu/library/smart-cities-Initiatives