Dear readers,

POCITYF's seventh newsletter is finally out, and it's packed with content!

But let us take one step at a time and first see the latest progress of the Lighthouse cities:

ALKMAAR

• Housing corporation Woonwaard installed a PV system on the Noordertogt building to harness solar energy and reduce grid reliance. Two batteries inside the building store excess electricity, easing grid congestion.
• Apartments in Bloemwijk and the newly built 'Hulsthof' complex, feature modern energy-saving and energy-producing techniques including triple glazing, circular insulation, solar panels, and heat pumps.
• The project partners are working together to collect data and calculate the Key Performance Indicators for energy generation, consumption, and storage in the buildings. The results will be included in the Digital Twin of the city of Alkmaar.
• The combined charging station/lamp post for cars and boats is ready to be used, marking a development that has not only saved space but also contributed to preserving the historic cityscape in Alkmaar.

ÉVORA

• The Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) from INESC TEC were installed in the residential/commercial clients of the city centre as well as smart meters.
  
• The Mobile App will be available soon. It will allow the clients to visualise their energy data (production and consumption) leading to more conscious decisions regarding energy expenditure and lower electricity bills.
  
• The 2nd Life batteries were all installed in the clients’ houses in Valverde and flexibility algorithms will be integrated to increase their savings.
  
• The international contests to award the BIPV electrical installations in the Municipal Buildings were launched.
  
• The baseline KPIs are calculated and shown in the City Information Platform.

But the flagship cities are not the only ones benefiting from a strong innovation drive. From Italy to Spain, towns are being populated with new cutting-edge technologies for a smarter, greener future. Find out more in the "News from the project" section.

And if you are a film fan, well then don't miss Diego Giuliani's latest article on how Lars von Trier's production company and many others are working to make the film industry more sustainable.

So, what do you say? After all these innovations and successes, don't you think POCITYF deserves an award? That's what EURid thought when conferring POCITYF the first prize of the .eu Web Awards in the 'Better World' category.

Enjoy the read!

Best regards,

Julia Pereira