15 Apr 2020 — A new video explains how POCITYF will make cities smarter, greener and more liveable, while respecting their cultural heritage
As the urban population is rising quickly, 2050 is set to see four out or five people living in towns and cities. Against this backdrop, air quality is expected to worsen due inefficient buildings and CO2 emissions from transport. Therefore, transforming cities into more sustainable and liveable places has become a priority. However, this can be challenging, especially in historic cities with protected heritage sites where regulations impose restrictions on retrofitting buildings.
POCITYF is an EU-funded smart city project that will help historical cities to become greener, smarter and more livable while respecting their cultural heritage”. This new video explains how:
At the heart of the project lie Positive Energy Districts (PEDs). These are groups of buildings embedded in cities that produce more energy from renewable sources that they use. This results in a broader positive impact further along the energy system.
PEDs will be deployed in the two Lighthouse cities of Alkmaar (The Netherlands) and Évora (Portugal). These two cities will test innovative technologies and sustainable solutions applied to buildings and districts, e-mobility, citizen engagement, ICT and advanced energy management. Citizens will play a key role throughout the process.
Six other European cities – Granada (Spain), Bari (Italy), Celje (Slovenia), Ujpest (Hungary), Ioannina (Greece) and Hvidovre (Denmark) – are part of the project and will replicate the model tested in the Lighthouse cities.
POCITYF aims to become an example for all European cities with protected heritage areas. Showing that it is possible to protect and promote their history while making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
