A Travel Guide for Cities - SmartEnCity Final Publication
In 2016, the SmartEnCity project, one of the most ambitious and far-reaching smart city initiatives at the time in the EU, was launched. Over the course of the project, our three Lighthouse Cities Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain), Tartu (Estonia) and Sonderborg (Denmark) have worked towards reducing their energy consumption through cost-effective retrofitting actions, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, and enhancing smart green mobility in their cities. From all these smart, innovative best practice solutions to problems that most cities in the world share, are collected in the booklet “The Journey towards Zero Carbon Emissions – A Travel Guide for Cities”: tried and tested, they are suitable for replication by every interested city!
The booklet also features the Cities4ZERO strategy that the project cities used to shape their path to zero emissions. The project’s Follower Cities Lecce (Italy) and Asenovgrad (Bulgaria) also share practical insights into their experiences about applying Cities4ZERO in their replication journey. The SmartEnCity Network, which has grown to more than 60 cities, is also introduced – even though the value and support of a strong community is indescribable.
How to use & tips
- The booklet is short and concise with a table of contents at the start, making it easy to find the parts that interest you the most.
- Each chapter is equipped with a QR code that links to the project’s website that has more in-depth information on that particular topic.
- Each topic features quotes from actual implementers – their advice and tips are there to provide guidance and inspiration.
- As mistakes are a part of any process, we have also recorded our most outstanding blunders for your reading pleasure. Have a look so you do not repeat the same mistakes!
- Once you have had a look at the SmartEnKIT tutorial (“Welcome to SmartEnCity” sign), heard the SmartEnCity story at the coffee shop and now also got the basics of SmartEnCity through the Travel Guide, you are ready to explore what the SmartEnKIT has to offer you! Remember, the tools are divided into two main tracks – the “Explore more” track will tell you more about what has happened throughout the project as a source of inspiration, whereas the “Get into action” track will give you tools to boost your own zero carbon journey.
- In terms of replication, the most important SmartEnCity deliverables that you might want to look into are Cities4ZERO: The Urban Transformation Strategy for Cities’ Decarbonisation and Report on widening the scope of replication knowledge through Smart Cities Network and several European platforms.
LInks to more information
Download the guide here - The Travel Guide
Find a collection of our blunders and lessons learned here - Worst practices and Lessons Learned