TIPS4PED cities lead in shaping digital standards for climate-neutral futures

Across Europe, cities are embracing digital innovation to accelerate their climate goals. Among them, Cork (Ireland) and Turin (Italy), two lighthouse cities in the TIPS4PED project, are playing a particularly influential role in shaping the future of climate-neutral, smart cities. 

Alongside other European cities such as Hamburg, Munich, Utrecht, Tampere, Barcelona, Aarhus, Aalborg, Padua, Kranj, Limassol, and the Tilliria Region, they are working to define new European standards that will support sustainable urban transformation. At the heart of this shift is the development of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) – neighbourhoods that produce more energy than they consume – enabled by digital tools such as Local Digital Twins, which use real-time data and virtual 3D models to support smarter, data-driven decision-making. 

The TIPS4PED project, supported by the HS Booster initiative, is actively contributing to a new CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) – a fast-track European standard that will guide the use of digital tools for PEDs. Due in 2025, this CWA will help cities replicate effective PED strategies, promoting interoperability, reliability, and alignment with broader goals like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Since late 2024, Monika Heyder, Senior Expert at ICLEI Europe, has led a series of workshops alongside Member Cities, with strong input from Cork and Turin, to shape these practical, city-focused guidelines. This work, built on insights from initiatives such as NetZeroCities, NetworkNature, and TIPS4PED, ensures that local realities are central to the emerging standards. 

This collaborative approach was highlighted at the HS Booster Conference in Brussels, where TIPS4PED’s contributions, especially those of Cork and Turin, were recognised as key to connecting city-level innovation with European policy and standardisation frameworks. 

TIPS4PED cities have also played a critical role in the Ad Hoc Group on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities (CNSC), part of the European Technical Committee on Sustainable Cities and Communities (CEN/TC 465). The group concluded its work in June 2025 with recommendations that strengthen the link between research and standardisation and call for sustained municipal engagement in Europe’s green and digital transitions. 

Within this broader movement, Cork stands out with its redevelopment of the Docklands – Ireland’s largest brownfield regeneration project – which is expected to deliver 10,000 homes and 25,000 jobs. As part of TIPS4PED, Cork is showcasing how digital integration across mobility, public space, and energy systems can accelerate progress towards climate neutrality. Meanwhile, Turin, the project’s lighthouse city, is pioneering community-driven approaches to PEDs, empowering residents to monitor and shape local energy systems. 

Together, Cork and Turin exemplify how cities can lead in translating research and innovation into practical tools and standards that shape a sustainable, climate-resilient Europe. Through TIPS4PED, they are helping ensure that local ambition becomes the blueprint for wider European transformation.