The evolving nature of European smart cities: from smart energy to sustainability

The nature of smart cities in Europe today is one of constant adaptation and evolution.

September 19, 2022

By Schuyler Cowan

Communications Officer, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability

IMAGE: Li Yuan Photography

Cooperation is key

Parma’s smart city vision to accelerate sustainable innovation for its citizens is boosted by its collaboration with project peers:

“By joining [RUGGEDISED], the city of Parma took a step forward in terms of the permanent involvement of stakeholders and local companies…thanks to the project activities, through workshops and round tables, local governance has been created that supports all activities…”

Successful collaboration between the cities offers a model for peers to consult: not just in terms of the technical design and implementation of solutions, but also in terms of international cooperation.

“The partners that are working together in RUGGEDISED have a special relationship with each other and so many new cooperation projects with new shared solutions have come out of this. It is thanks to RUGGEDISED that we have realised how important it is to keep doing this together,” shares Aschan.

Some of the shared solutions to emerge over the past couple of years include Glasgow’s smart metre solution for apartment residents, Rotterdam’s Smart Thermal Grid, and Umeå’s smart control equipment installed across its University Campus. These practical, yet inventive initiatives, demonstrate how to combine smart city efficiency with emissions reduction targets.

IMAGE: RUGGEDISED Project

Smart solutions means smarter citizens

In Glasgow, the Wheatley Group - the owner of a high-rise block - seeks to give residents more control with the installation of smart energy metres in every apartment. Including citizens through participatory solutions is an essential part of any smart city, as fellow city Gdańsk confirms:

“Making [our] citizenship smart, informing and involving inhabitants in participatory political decisions… providing them with the opportunity to be proactive and also to become the bearers of ideas,” these are the characteristics of a smart city and smart citizenry.

Glasgow’s smart metres have been shown to reduce total energy use by up to 30% and have cut back individual energy bills by up to £300 in recent years. The success of the solution has led to plans for the smart metres to be upscaled in at least 10,500 households across Glasgow.

Meanwhile, the City of Rotterdam continues to advance its legacy of innovative energy leadership with the implementation of a Smart Thermal Grid in the Hart van Zuid neighbourhood. The grid uses energy extracted from wastewater, pavements and more, to fulfil energy demands. Hart van Zuid is already experiencing positive impacts as a result of this initiative: the geothermal heat-cold storage reduces energy consumption by 924.000 kWh per year, which results in a CO2 emission reduction of 70 tonnes per year.

Another critical part of achieving climate neutrality, and creating smart cities, is the renovation of existing buildings. In the University District of Umeå, intelligent building control systems are reducing energy consumption and lowering peak demand: sensors that control air flow, climate and lighting in 130 offices across the Umeå University Campus have been connected to a smart control system. Umeå’s local hospital is testing similar sensors to see how the smart control system could be integrated into existing energy systems, a challenge that many buildings across Europe will face in the near future. Initial findings demonstrate that the smart energy system can save up to 10% of energy consumption and shaves energy usage during peak demand by 25%.

IMAGE: RUGGEDISED Project