SmartEnCity Network Bulletin Archive

SEC Network Bulletin

Bulletin no. 33 (June 2022)

The SmartEnCity project is ending in July 2022! It has been a 6 1⁄2 year journey that we have had the pleasure of sharing with the 35-partner SmartEnCity consortium from 6 different countries – managing also to reach a total of 70 SmartEnCity Network member cities! All working towards the same goal – to become Smart Zero Carbon Environments!

In this last edition of the Network Bulletin, you will read a summary of the final conference in Vitoria-Gasteiz, highlighting the main messages and discussions and facts and figures from the project and valuable links for our Network city members and readers to use after the end of the project.


Bulletin no. 32 (May 2022)

Congratulations! Our three SmartEnCity Lighthouse Cities have been chosen to be a part of the EU Mission: 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities and in addition to this six of our SmartEnCity Network Cities have been selected too!
Our SmartEnCity Network is still growing and now have reached a total of 67 city members!

The national SmartEnCity Networks in Denmark, Estonia, Bulgaria and Italy are progressing their cooperation. Furthermore, the members in the Spanish Network are rapidly growing and are due to have their first meeting!

Have you registered for our final SmartEnCity final conference? Find all the program details and how to register below.

Bulletin no.31 (February 2022)

Content: This edition is inviting you to come to Lighthouse City Vitoria-Gasteiz to join SmartEnCity Final Conference on 14 - 15 June 2022, is telling about the big success of Vitoria-Gasteiz' electric bike sharing and awards, about the Masterplan2029 of Lighthouse City Sonderborg and the replication potential of the Danish SmartEnCity Network Energibyerne.

Bulletin no.30 (December 2021)

Content: In this edition of the Bulletin, you will learn about the last meeting of the Danish SmartEnCity Network. Lighthouse City Vitoria-Gasteiz started an information campaign at the bus stops of the Smart Electric Buses – find out how the City Council is raising awareness regarding their new public transport system. Follower City Lecce was a part of the 1st Urban Stakeholders Workshop organized by Sapienza University  and presented how they have used the Cities4ZERO strategy to develop their Integrated Energy Plan. Read more about how Lighthouse City Tartu continues to engage its housing association leaders in the smart home systems journey. The EU corner provides an overview about the Commission’s proposal for a new EU framework to decarbonise gas markets, promote hydrogen and reduce methane emissions

Bulletin no.29 (November 2021)

Content: In this edition of the Network Bulletin, you will learn about the activities of Lighthouse city at the COP26 in Glasgow, the archive with the presentations and videos from  the virtual Climate Neutrality Conference in Sonderborg in October 2021 and the award of the Danish Energibyerne Network. The Lighthouse City Vitoria-Gasteiz’s building envelope improvements are visible with thermography and their Smart Electric Bus had its first test drive with passengers and the EUCF grants continue with their 3rd call for applications, find out more about it in the EU corner.

Bulletin no.28 (September 2021)

Content: This edition of the Network Bulletin features the SmartEnCity Final Publication (Booklet), a study on the Danish SmartEnCity Network, the Lighthouse City Tartu’s “Smartovkas", the most energy-efficiently renovated apartment buildings in Estonia, Sonderborg's success to halve its carbon emissions since 2007 and offers a view on the upcoming Sonderborg Climate Neutality Conference end of September. 

Bulletin no.27 (July 2021)

Content: In this edition of the Network Bulletin, you will find an update from the 7th Estonian based SmartEnCity Network meeting, Lighthouse City Tartu’s new video, the new waste sorting system of Lighthouse City Sonderborg. Furthermore, more and more newly renovated facades are coming in  Lighthouse City Vitoria-Gasteiz.  

Last but not least, the SmartEnCity Final Booklet “The Journey towards Zero Carbon Emissions - A Travel Guide for Cities” is available for download! 

Bulletin no.26 (May 2021)

Content: This edition of the Network Bulletin offers information on the Integrated Energy and Climate Plan of Asenovgrad, Bulgaria – a Follower City of the SmartEnCity project, on how the new biogas busses in Lighthouse City Tartu performed last year and about Tartu’s new Sustainable and Energy Climate Action Plan: “Tartu Energy 2030”.  The EU corner is providing an overview of the upcoming events during the summer and early fall.

Bulletin no.25 (March 2021)

Content: In this edition, the main topic is energy efficiency. Lighthouse City Tartu has implemented numerous building murals following major retrofitting of apartment buildings from the Soviet era. In addition, they released a handbook for the residents living in the newly renovated buildings. The Danish housing association SAB implements battery storage solutions along with solar panels and energy renovation of their buildings in Lighthouse City Sonderborg. And Lighthouse City Vitoria-Gasteiz deploys the connection of the buildings to the new District Heating Network.

Bulletin no.24 (January 2021)

Content: The new Bulletin is reporting from the national SmartEnCity Networks in Estonia and Denmark and giving an overall update from the EU-wide SmartEnCity Network.COVID-19 is no longer slowing down the Networks ambitions for creating joint actions. In addition, another topic is the public discussion process supporting the new Tartu Climate Action Plan. And key partner ProjectZero, from the Sonderborg Lighthouse City, has created a Public Private Partnership guideline with city-partners across the Baltic Sea.

Bulletin no.23 (November 2020)

Content: This edition of the Network Bulletin covers news from the Italian based SmartEnCity Network, and the testing of the electric bus in Lighthouse City Vitoria-Gasteiz.  The artwork on the buildings in both Lighthouse Cities Tartu and Vitoria-Gasteiz continues, learn more about the co-creation murals.  
The SmartEnCity project continues sharing the knowledge accumulated with other European projects, learn more about how in this edition of the Bulletin News.  

Bulletin no.22 ( October 2020)

Content: This month’s Network Bulletin addresses the development of the national SmartEnCity Networks in Estonia and Spain, the integrated energy planning process of our Lighthouse City Vitoria-Gasteiz and how SmartEnCity activities are affected by COVID 19.

Bulletin no.21 (August 2020)

Content: This edition of the bulletin dives into activities from two of the SmartEnCity Lighthouse Cities –Tartu and Vitoria Gasteiz. An update from the Bulgarian SmartEnCity Network explains the progress to develop the national City Network. The activities of the Network slowed down due to the world pandemic COVID-19, however, the efforts to engage and continue the work with the national City Network are advancing by looking into non-contact collaborations.Do not miss the finalSmartEnCity Academy Lesson on the 22ndSeptember 2020, 2 PM CEST.

Bulletin no.20 (June 2020)

Content: In this edition of the SmartEnCity Bulletin you will find news about the development of the nationally-based SmartEnCity Network in Denmark –“Energibyerne”, from the past half year. Learn about the smart housing association projects in the Lighthouse Cities Tartu and Sonderborg. Our Follower City Lecce is a part of the “Europe towards positive energy districts” booklet. Have you missed the SmartEnCity Academy webinar lesson or want a replay? Now you have the chance to watch the recording of the webinar!

Bulletin no.19 (April 2020) 

Content: This edition of the Network Bulletin provides updates from the Lighthouse Cities of the SmartEnCity project. You will find more about Sonderborg’s Youth Climate Council (YCC) and the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure of the city; Tartu city is being an inspiration for high school students and you will find an update about the public transport system written by the Deputy Mayor Raimond Tamm; Vitoria-Gasteiz is fast moving forward with the Coronation neighbourhood district heating system and plans for smart electric buses. The Estonian Smart Cities (network) Club had their 5thmeeting, this time in Elva, where they discussed smart city opportunities and tools that can be used locally. Last but not least, you will find an update on the SmartEnCity Academy online training course which has presented its first two lessons.

Bulletin no.18 (February 2020)

Content: This edition of the Bulletin provides an overview of the first national based Italian SmartEnCity Network meeting based on large base of ambitious cities across Italy-ready to start cooperation and boost their Zero Carbon Transition. A warm welcome to our newest city member – Gabrovo, Bulgaria, find more information about the city’s energy initiatives and goals in its city profile on the SmartEnCity Network Platform. More news from two of our Lighthouse Cities – Vitoria-Gasteiz and Tartu are highlighted, along with a new financial support and services to cities' sustainable energy projects. European City Facility (EUCF), a new EU-funded program will provide financial support and services to cities and municipalities – or their groupings – across the EU.

Bulletin no.17 (January 2020)

Content: In 2020, we will launch the SmartEnCity Academy for Zero Carbon Transition, a new webinar series for ambitious climate cities created by the SmartEnCity partners. Learn more about the new webinar-series.  A warm welcome to one of our newest SmartEnCity Network members – Chortkiv, Ukraine. Read more about the city and its ambitious energy initiatives in this Bulletin.  Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain will enhance the quality of life for its citizens by the use of BIM technology. The art works on apartment buildings in Tartu, Estonia is paused for the winter, but the artists will continue their SmartCity art-creations in 2020.  EU Corner – Save the date: the 4th CITIES Forum 2020 is coming up soon!

Bulletin no.16 (November 2019) 

Content: This month, the Bulletin reports from the 4th Estonian Smart City Club meeting, the national based SmartEnCity Networkin Estonia. Furthermore, you can read about the latest initiatives of one of the SmartEnCity Lighthouse Cities – Sonderborg, Denmark. Learn about how the city transition its Roadmap2025 integrated energy plan into execution and find out more about the 100% Climate Neutrality Conference and the Hackathon focused on Sonderborg ́s climate and energy challenges. At the EU corner – we are happy to welcome another Smart Cities and Communities project – ATELIER.

Bulletin no.15 (October 2019) 

Content: This edition of the Network Bulletin starts with the awards that two of our Lighthouse Cities – Sonderborg (Denmark) and Tartu (Estonia), received for their climate innovations and energy actions this year. A warm welcome to one of our newest Network members – the municipality of Elva, Estonia. Read more about the ambitious municipality and its energy related goals and initiatives below. Learn more about “Retrofitting Soviet-Era Apartment Buildings with ‘Smart City’ Features: The H2020 SmartEnCity Project in Tartu, Estonia”. A new scientific publication created in collaboration between University of Tartu and Tartu municipality. Last but not least, be inspired by the outcome of the final Triangulum, Grow Smarter and Remourban Lighthouse Cities session “From dream to reality: sharing experiences from leading European Smart Cities”, held during the European Week of Cities and Regions, Brussels, October 2019.

Bulletin no.14 (September 2019) 

Content: In this edition of the Network Bulletin we explore the Integrated Energy Planning (IEP) processes of the SmartEnCityFollower Cities Lecce (Italy) and Asenovgrad (Bulgaria). Lecce provides insight in its Foresight Workshop and Asenovgrad highlights its Integrated Energy Planning process and stakeholder engagement workshop. David Drysdale, PhD fellow at Aalborg University, Denmark published a new article on the Integrated Energy Planning methodology that has been developed in the SmartEnCity project and has been tested by the Lighthouse and Follower Cities. This methodology can be used and adapted to any city that strives towards CO2 neutrality. Read about Nordic Edge Expo and Conference 2019 in Stavanger, Norway this September and join the learning experience at the largest Smart City event in the Nordics.

Bulletin no.13 (July 2019)

Content: This Bulletin covers the story of one of the latest city members of the SmartEnCity Network – the city of Valga, Estonia. Learn about the participation of the Danish national SmartEnCity Network (The Energy Cities) at the yearly event – Folkemodet (People’s Political Festival) in Bornholm, Denmark and find out about the new programme some of them are joining in order to strengthen their cities’ climate change resilience. Our SmartEnCity partner – PlanEnergi, is developing a new tool called “Climate Balances and Integrated Climate Planning” and Ms Langvad, who is leading the process, is giving the SmartEnCity Network an overview of what the tool is and how it could be used in municipal energy planning. More news from one of our Lighthouse Cities – Tartu, Estonia: the bike sharing system in the city is up and running; and the city’s innovative cost comparing tool for citizens helps to raise awareness by demonstrating the benefits of renovation in a simple, interactive way.

Bulletin no.12 (June 2019) 

Content: This edition of the Network Bulletin provides an overview of the main topics discussed at the SmartEnCity Network Workshop Day held on the 5th June 2019 in Cagliari, Italy – namely Integrated Energy Planning and City Information Open Platforms. Learn about one of our Lighthouse Cities’ –Tartu, Estonia news! Tartu is ready to launch its bike sharing system and in addition won the Smart City Information Platform (SCIS) roadshow. Another news from Estonia is that the national based SmartEnCity Network (“The Smart Cities’ Club) met for the third time in Tartu and participated in the “Smart City for citizens” conference that focused on data and artificial intelligence as game changers for the cities. Last but not least, the Bulletin briefly explains about how the climate becomes top priority in the EU’s budget for 2020.

Bulletin no.11 (April 2019) 

Content: Learn about solutions from our Lighthouse Cities – Vitoria-Gasteiz’s Urban Management System and how Tartu is reusing old EV batteries to store energy. Read solutions from some of our Follower Cities – learn how Vratsa, Bulgaria is transforming its residential buildings into energy effective living environments, Lviv, Ukraine is teaching its residents through its “Smart people program” and learn about the CO2 impact that Voru, Estonia had when they switched to smart street lighting.  The SmartEnCity Network is organising a SmartEnCity Network Workshop Day this June in Cagliari, Italy. Main topics will be focused on Integrated Energy Planning, City Information Open Platforms and how your city can become a Smart Zero Carbon City.

Bulletin no.10 (March 2019)

Content: This month, the Network Bulletin shares a press release on how a city can become a Smart City following the experiences and lessons learned from the SmartEnCity project and its Lighthouse Cities.The Bulletin also:
• Highlights this month’s meeting activities of the SmartEnCity Network in Denmark - the Energibyerne.dk
• Provides an overview of the new energy-retrofitting works in Vitoria-Gasteiz
• Summarises an Estonian construction delegation’s visit to Sonderborg
• Summarises a lecture held at the University of Tartu at the beginning of February 2019 on “SmartCity and Smart Citizens - how to control the environmental burden ”You are invited to join the CELSIUS webinar held mid- April 2019 on “Policy recommendations for carbon neutral energy systems and markets”.

Bulletin no.09 (February 2019)

Content: This month, the Bulletin focuses entirely on the Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) created lately by one of our Lighthouse Cities – Sonderborg, Denmark. The IEP, also referenced as the ProjectZero Roadmap2025, gives an overview of 50 initiatives that Sonderborg is focusing on to achieve carbon neutrality. The main points of the roadmap are highlighted and summarised here. You can find a link to the full version of the Roadmap2025 at the end of the Bulletin, along with the previous roadmaps that Sonderborg has developed; i.e. Roadmap2015 and Roadmap2020, and the Masterplan2029. In addition, learn about some of the tools and methods that our Lighthouse Cities are using to start and develop their smart energy city transitions and learn more about the European Smart Projects Summit in San Sebastian scheduled for March 2019.

Bulletin no.08 (January 2019)

Content: We start the year with an overview of the SmartEnCity Network and its new developments. One of our Lighthouse Cities – Tartu, Estonia – has already started its Integrated Energy Planning process and its integration into their Sustainable Energy Climate Adaptation Plan (SECAP) – find out about the current progress. One of our Follower Cities – Rome, Italy – shares their Good Practice label award for being a role model for urban regeneration. In addition, another of our Lighthouse Cities – Sonderborg, Denmark –won the Smart Cities Information System (SCIS) video competition for smart and innovative city initiatives.

Bulletin from December 2018

Content: This month the Bulletin is focused on the best practice stories from 2018 from different cities within the SmartEnCity Network. The three SmartEnCity Lighthouse Cities – Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain), Tartu (Estonia) and Sonderborg (Denmark) as well as the two Follower Cities – Asenovgrad (Bulgaria) and Lecce (Italy) are highlighting some of their best practice stories of this year. In the following you will find more inspirational best practice stories from some of the other cities within the SmartEnCity Network. You can read about the status of the network and how it evolved from the beginning of the year and more.

Bulletin from November 2018

Content: This month, the main focus of the Bulletin is on different ICT solutions that cities use in their smart energy transitions. Find out about Dubrovnik Eye application which enables the fast communication between citizens and municipal administration in regards to different issues the city may have. The Danish company KMD’s solution – Energy Key, helps municipalities to monitor their energy production, consumption, etc. effectively allowing the cross communication with other ICT solutions the municipalities may have. In addition, learn more about the 5G cross-country corridors which allow for testing of autonomous vehicles in 29 European countries and much more.

Bulletin from October 2018

Content: This months’ Bulletin is all about communication activities in cities and efficient stakeholder engagement through informative and well-structured events. One of our Lighthouse Cities – Sonderborg is sharing their experiences and outcomes from their local stakeholder engagement processes. In addition, David Drysdale continues with his series of articles about Integrated Energy Planning. This time he goes into the role of the planner and policy-makers in the decision-making, implementation and monitoring processes of planning. Furthermore, Sonderborg won a prize in the Covenant of Mayors award “Covenant cities in the spotlight” which you can read more about in this Bulletin. Several Smart Cities and Communities events are highlighted along with an invitation to this year’s Smart City Expo in Barcelona.

Bulletin from September 2018

Content: In this September 2018 edition of the Bulletin you can read about the SmartEnCity Network development across Europe. Several cities in Estonia are taking steps towards establishing a national based SmartEnCity network and together they are hoping they can tackle climate change and move towards their zero carbon city futures. Read the interview with our experts that are coordinating the process and find out more. As usual our expert David Drysdale has written another of his series of articles relating to stakeholder engagement with a real life example from one of our Lighthouse Cities –Sonderborg, Denmark.

Bulletin from August 2018

Content: This August Bulletin is focusing on the technologies that our SmartEnCity Network cities across Europe use to back up their Smart Zero Carbon journeys. Find more about the District cooling solution in Tartu from our Estonian expert – Margus Raud, Fortum Tartu. Our expert David Drysdale from Aalborg University continues with his series of articles, this time he focuses on the second phase of the Integrated Energy Planning process that a city goes through.

Bulletin from July 2018

Content: It is time for our second SmartEnCity Network Bulletin! This month we focus on stakeholder engagement as we believe that this is the key to achieving Smart Zero Carbon Cities across Europe. We are drawing out various experiences, solutions and news from our SmartEnCity Network and our experts. This month, we have interviewed a citizen engagement expert from one of our Lighthouse Cities: Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, who had a lot to tell about the citizen engagement strategy for the retrofitting package of the city. In addition, our expert David Drysdale from Aalborg University, Denmark continues with his article series on “How is SmartEnCity contributing to zero carbon cities across Europe” but this time with the focus of stakeholder engagement. You can also learn about the EU programme that focuses on citizen engagement in the EU policy-making processes. 

Bulletin from June 2018

Content: Welcome to our first monthly SmartEnCity Network Bulletin! The Bulletin outlines different topics regarding smart energy transition of cities along with presenting news from the network members. In addition, our SmartEnCity technical experts are regularly interviewed for more insights on how cities in SmartEnCity Network are progressing with their zero carbon transitions. This month, our main subjects are focused on smart mobility, smart energy buildings and the concept of how we – in SmartEnCity, perceive zero carbon city transition. Furthermore, one of our technical experts will explain how one of our Lighthouse Cities, Sonderborg, manages its zero carbon transition.