Join us in shaping the Future of Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities

Are you passionate about creating a sustainable future? Do you have innovative insights into how cities can achieve climate neutrality while embracing digital transformation?

The ad hoc group on “Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities” under the European Standardisation Committee for “Sustainable and Smart Cities and Communities” (CEN/TC 465) is seeking contributors for its ambitious initiative: to screen the standards landscape for climate-neutral and smart cities as well as provide recommendations for future work. This collaborative effort will consolidate standards and stakeholder interests to guide cities toward a smarter, greener future. It is designed to incorporate European knowledge and actions under the Digital Programme and Horizon Europe. This joint initiative of the German and Danish mirror committees to CEN/TC 465 is open to you and your insights.

Why This Matters

Cities are at the forefront of the green and digital transformation. From reducing emissions to integrating cutting-edge technologies like AI, Local Digital Twins, and Data Spaces, urban areas are pivotal in achieving the EU’s 2050 climate-neutrality goals. However, the path to success requires reliable blueprints for interfaces and processes and a cohesive overview that aligns the diverse efforts of municipalities, private companies, and other stakeholders across Europe. This is where your work and standards come in. Standards are more than just technical regulations. They create a common language for (requirements for) technologies, promote trust and facilitate cooperation between players. In other words, they are an instrument for disseminating and replicating knowledge and findings on the basis of a common understanding. They offer clear benefits for local authorities: they not only enable data exchange between systems and sectors but also provide a basis for procuring software solutions and reducing costs. Local authorities should become more involved in the development process to ensure that the norms and standards are formulated in line with requirements and support local authority workflows.

The ad hoc group’s work will culminate in June 2025 with recommendations to CEN/TC 465, helping shape the future of European standards. Standards are the instruments that bring the project’s solutions closer to the market. Standards create the necessary basis for successfully implementing any infrastructure project on a technical level and regarding their sustainability and cost-effectiveness. The ad hoc group work helps develop recommendations for future standardization activities. It will be based on tested, replicable, scalable solutions. And that is where you come in.

Integration with the TIPS4PED Project

This initiative is integrated into the TIPS4PED project as well as the ambition of the Mission Platform NetZeroCities with Monika Heyder (ICLEI) as interlocutor to and co-convenor of the Ad hoc group. The focus is on advancing standards for climate-neutral and smart cities. A key action includes providing an overview of relevant standards by building upon existing repositories and projects. The work involves conducting a gap and needs analysis, leveraging insights from European projects and initiatives. Partnering with the NetZeroCities Consortium and the PED sister projects is instrumental in achieving these goals.

Call for Case Studies: Your Chance to Lead by Example

We are calling for case studies to ensure the group’s recommendations reflect real-world solutions, needs, and challenges. Suppose you represent a municipality, municipal utility, community, or company with innovative solutions in the consortium or sister project working on green and digital transformation. In that case, we want to hear from you!

What We’re Looking For:

• Scalable and Replicable Solutions: Initiatives that can be adapted across different cities and contexts using mainstream financial instruments.
• Integration of Green and Digital Technologies: Projects leveraging digital tools to advance sustainability, such as through energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, or circular economies.
• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Efforts that involve diverse stakeholders and integrate multiple sectors to achieve climate-neutral objectives.
• Proven Results with Adaptability: Demonstrated effectiveness and flexibility to suit varying urban environments and demographic conditions.
• Focus on Key Domains: Digitalisation efforts in green industry, mobility, circular economy, nature-based solutions, built environment, or energy systems.

Why Participate?

Selected case studies will:

• Shape European Standards: Inform the group’s recommendations for standardization priorities.
• Gain Visibility: Be featured in CEN/TC 465 publications and inspire others across Europe.
• Foster Collaboration: Connect with leading experts, policymakers, and innovators in the field.

Key Dates and milestones in 2025

The call was launched during the Smart City Expo World Congress SCEWC24.

• Upcoming meetings and milestones
  • January 30, 13:00-14:30
  • February 20, 14:00-15:30
  • March 20, 12:00-13:30
  • April 29, 12:30-14:00
• May 2025: Finalisation of recommendations.
• June 2025: Publication of the report.

Get Involved

This is your chance to contribute to the future of climate-neutral and smart cities. Share your case study and join a network of forward-thinking individuals driving change across Europe.

How to Submit: For more details about the initiative and submission guidelines, please use the link provided here: https://forms.gle/7XXjtDvZwBa8cTqNA. Let’s work together to ensure cities are smart, sustainable, and inclusive.

Together, we can pave the way for a smarter, greener Europe. Join us in this transformative journey!