EERA Joint Programme Smart Cities’ (EERA JPSC) kicked off the summer 2023 with a Conference in Lisbon, jointly organized with the Portuguese National Laboratory of Energy and Geology (LNEG) and COST Action Positive Energy Districts European Network (PED-EU-NET) with the support of Cascais Municipality. The hosts were LNEG and Cascais Municipality, who welcomed COST and EERA JPSC participants at Nova school of Business & Economics in Carcavelos (Day 1) and LNEG-IAPMEI Auditorium in Lisbon (Day 2). 

The conference Energy in Built Environment Conference-Climate-driven solutions for the next generation of EU cities brought together nearly 100 researchers, practitioners and policymakers across Europe to share and exchange knowledge and ideas on climate driven solutions for three scales application of built environment: Cities, districts and buildings, facilitating cooperation and science, policy and practice dialogue.

The transformation of the built environment is a key step for a climate neutral Europe and demands scaling up effort and actions from the building level to district and city level. Significant innovation at building level has already been reached with the recent development of the nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (nZEBs) and the uptake concept Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), built on the paradigm of zero energy smart and sustainable cities.

The first day of conference was devoted to the Urban living labs as a ground for Circular innovation within the 3rd PED-EU-NET urban stakeholders’ workshop. The workshop was followed by interesting and engaging World Café Sessions and inspiring technical visit of the Carbon Neutral Space Living Lab – Cascais – Sustainable Smart Pole. 

New ideas were exchanged, and connections were strengthened during the joint EERA JPSC and COST Action PED-EU-NET Joint Workshop in the afternoon, led by three EERA JPSC Working Groups: Sustainable Buildings, Smart and Livable Neighborhoods and Communities and Smart Cities. The workshop was a great opportunity for presenting the vision, goals, and objectives of each Working Group, as well as to discuss potential for collaboration on research calls, joint publications, new projects, and alignment with other Working Groups.

On the second day, the focus was on presenting the achievements of the Urban Energy Transition, 100 Climate neutral Cities and EU Cities Mission Europe, which was followed by plenary session, on Climate Neutral CITIES and Sustainable Neighborhoods and districts. Additional insight and inspiration about the climate-driven solutions for the next generation of EU cities were provided to all attendees through the Posters Gallery.

Program, presentations, more photos, and videos are available on the Conference website. 

Summary report from the EERA JPSC and COST Action PED-EU-NET Joint Workshop is available on the link below: