Selected projects
EUI-IA 3rd Call

ERDF Budget: € 4,982,746

The project supports the city in using high-frequency monitoring to address key urban climate challenges, such as managing green spaces, monitoring infrastructure, and improving temperature forecasting. These efforts contribute to climate resilience and neutrality by enabling data-driven decision-making.

By integrating satellite-based applications with AI and machine learning, the project enhances urban planning and public services. Real-time environmental insights allow for precise monitoring of greenery, detection of land movements, and more accurate climate predictions.

This innovative approach strengthens city management, making urban services more efficient and sustainable. By embedding satellite data into municipal processes, the project provides a scalable, data-driven model that supports cities across Europe in tackling climate challenges.

Partnership: City of Vienna, Wiener Linien, Wiener Lokalbahnen, SISTEMA, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, EOX IT Services, Geosphere - Federal Institute for Geology, Geophysics, Climatology and Meteorology, Urban Innovation Vienna, OHB DS, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, VRVis Zentrum für Virtual Reality und Visualisierung Forschungs, Ubicube, WH Media         

ERDF Budget: € 4,416,998.40

Coruña will test an innovative place-based solution through a Local Computing Community (LCC), designed to empower SMEs competitiveness by providing access to local AI infrastructure. ALLOCATE fosters a collaborative environment where businesses, public entities, and academia co-create AI solutions, grounded in Green & Ethical AI principles. Businesses will have access to 1) a local optimized computing infrastructure; 2) acquire proficiency in AI; 3) experiment with urban use cases around mobility, waste and incident services, including a novel auditing methodology for energy consumption and regulatory compliance throughout the AI lifecycle. By developing infrastructures that enable AI experimentation and co-creation, ALLOCATE will boost Coruña’s economic competitiveness, reduce its environmental footprint, and ensure inclusive AI-driven urban development.

Partnership: Municipality of A Coruña, University of A Coruña, ICT Cluster Galicia, Altia Group, Khora Urban Thinkers.

ERDF Budget: € 5,997,512.00   

As Tilburg accelerates its energy transition, batteREstore offers a circular solution to repurpose used EV batteries, extending their lifespan to power construction sites (2nd life) and provide energy storage for affordable housing (3rd life). Addressing energy poverty, grid congestion, and EV battery waste, the project integrates a neighbourhood-based approach to empower residents through training, energy hubs, and digital tools. Led by the Municipality of Tilburg, batteREstore unites public, private, and research partners to develop an affordable, scalable, and sustainable energy model. With community engagement, technical innovation, and policy integration, the project aims to create an inclusive and future-proof urban energy system, ensuring access to clean energy for all while reducing environmental impact.

Partnership: Municipality of Tilburg, NRG Accounting BV, Greeny Energy BV, Cenex NL Foundation, Tilburg University, Amsterdam Midwest Foundation, Foundation Emission-0, Foundation Trias Innervation | Energybox, ContourdeTwern.

ERDF Budget: € 4,999,591

Be.SHARE addresses the challenge of decarbonising dense urban neighbourhoods, such as Brussels North District. The project advances European heat network practices by testing a local, low-temperature Carbon Neutral Heating and Cooling Network (CNHCN). This system efficiently supplies heat and cooling to a diverse range of users, from offices to social housing, enabling direct energy exchange based on complementary needs. Be.SHARE harnesses local renewable energy sources in public spaces, overcoming legal and economic barriers. Geothermal units will be placed beneath parks and roads, while patented riothermal technology will be scaled up to extract heat from sewage collectors—reducing district emissions by 1,569 tCO₂e per year. A Public-Private-Community governance model ensures collaboration between public utilities, private experts, academics, and grassroots organisations. It will engage 331 low-income households in the CNHCN’s design, empowering them to participate in their own energy transition.

Partnership: Brussels Capital Region, Sibelga, Karno, Vivaqua, Convivence, Free University of Brussels

ERDF Budget: € 4,955,954

The City of Utrecht's rapid population growth and increasing demand for renewable energy are exacerbating electricity grid congestion, delaying 90% of housing projects and hindering both urban development and the city’s decarbonization goals. To overcome the challenge of grid congestion, the CED for the Future project will appoint a new district to pilot a Collective Energy District approach, in which all users at district level cooperate to collectively decrease energy peak demand, increase renewable energy integration and reduce grid congestion. This first-of-its-kind energy management model at residential level combines 1) a governance innovation with a Collective Energy Community managing a Collective Energy Transport Contract aimed at collectively reducing peak loads (targeting a 35% reduction), 2) an integrated energy system, including Vehicle-to-Grid, thermal and battery storage, and AI-driven energy management, and 3) a users’ incentivization program to foster energy-efficient behaviour.

Partnership: City of Utrecht, University of Applied Science Utrecht, Technical University Delft, Woonin, Portaal, Bo-Ex, Essent Energy Infrastructure Solutions B.V., ClimateConversations Netherlands, WKO Merwede, Mobility Company Merwede, Stedin Netbeheer B.V.

ERDF Budget: € 3,800,392

The project aims to address challenges in Madeira, including high real estate pressure, limited urban farming alternatives, and climate change impacts. It has three main pillars: 1) Societal Token that uses generative AI to develop an innovative financing system for sustainable land use and disaster mitigation. This involves creating scenarios, a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and a pilot phase; 2) exploring how AI-driven land use scenarios can foster public-private collaborations in the areas of tech for land use and local food chains. It includes selecting partnerships, providing knowledge and technology support, and capitalizing on lessons learned and 3) Resilience Living Lab that will serve as the project's backbone, integrating outputs and providing governance. It involves co-designing a physical lab, conducting educational activities, and rethinking land use planning.

Partnership: Municipality of Câmara de Lobos; Municipality of Ribeira Brava; Municipality of Calheta; ARDITI - Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation; University of Madeira; BioReboot; Ciência Viva - National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture; Startup Madeira – More than Ideas, Lda.

ERDF Budget: € 4,893,399

Over 100 million Europeans, including 250.000 in the Hamburg metropolitan area, face disabilities that limit mobility and social inclusion. In Hamburg, impaired users face significant challenges in accessing seamless travel due to a fragmented public transport system managed by multiple providers, including buses, trains, and ferries. There is no cost-free digital assistance tool for disabled users, making mobility a barrier to full societal participation. CUSTOM builds on the success of a preceding project, implementing a comprehensive accessibility app, offering a cross-modal, cross-regional solution. The system will allow visually, hearing, cognitively, and physically impaired individuals to seamlessly use all public transport modes. By involving impaired user groups in co-design workshops and integrating the system across the transport network, CUSTOM will promote greater autonomy and reduce social exclusion. The project is innovative in its holistic approach, using the “Two-Senses Principle” to ensure accessibility for all, and aims to create a fully accessible transport network. With its open innovation model, CUSTOM will generate a policy framework for adoption in other European regions to promote inclusive mobility.

Partnership: Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg - Authority for Traffic and Mobility Transition, Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein GmbH (vhh.mobility), S-Bahn Hamburg, Hamburger Hochbahn AG, HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG, Hamburg University of Technology, Dialoghaus Hamburg

ERDF Budget: € 4,736,833

To support Ljubljana’s 2030 climate neutrality goal and boost energy efficiency in public and residential buildings, EffiComfort aims to overcome the limitations of traditional energy retrofit model, which rely on static and costly Energy Performance Contracts, that fail to balance efficiency and occupant comfort. The project will pilot a Comfort as a Service (CaaS) model, delivered by Energy Service Companies, as a dynamic, cost-efficient, comfort-centric approach. It integrates real-time energy management, performance-based financing, and occupant-centred thermal acclimatization, adapting to users’ needs. Tested in three buildings of different types, the model ensures scalability across sectors. EffiComfort stands out by dynamically optimizing both comfort and efficiency, using IoT-based monitoring and AI-driven energy control—transforming energy retrofits into holistic, user-centred experiences. Ultimately, the project expects to reduce energy consumption in the pilot buildings by up to 25%, to improve indoor environmental quality, and to train energy professionals to sustain the model beyond the project.

Partnership: City of Ljubljana, Institute for Spatial Policies; Institute for Innovation and Development of University of Ljubljana, Public housing found of Ljubljana, National institute of public health, Regional development agency of Ljubljana urban region, RESALTA Company for management of energy services ltd.

ERDF Budget: € 4,981,486.56   

Energy2Act empowers communities in Cesena to take ownership of the city’s energy transition, creating Positive Clean Energy Neighbourhoods (PCENs) through an integrated One-Stop Shop for Climate Communities (OSS-CC). This innovative approach provides tailored renovation services, citizen engagement strategies, and financial mechanisms, including a Climate Community Exchange System & Fund to support vulnerable groups. The Community Readiness Level (CRL) Model assesses and strengthens citizens’ capacity to co-design and implement energy solutions. A Decision Support System (DSS), based on citizen science and open data, enables informed, bottom-up energy strategies. The project will pilot these solutions in the Vigne Acceleration Neighbourhood (VAN), demonstrating how neighbourhoods can drive climate neutrality through collaboration. By combining social, technological, and financial innovations, Energy2Act fosters a replicable, community-led energy transition that ensures long-term environmental and social benefits for all.

Partnership: Municipality of Cesena, Certimac, The House of Cuculo cooperative, BURST Nonprofit LLC, Digital Cooperation, ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Energia Corrente S.r.l., R2M Solution S.r.l., SIS-TER S.r.l. SB, University of Bologna - Department of Architecture.

ERDF Budget: € 4,967,360.00

FAVORIT+ project aims to unlock the energy potential of Urban Blocks in Bucharest through an integrated systemic approach focusing on three pillars: Nature, Technology and People. It addresses challenges such as ageing multifamily buildings, energy inefficiency, environmental degradation and social inequities. Key solutions employed in the project include bio-based renovation using locally sourced biomass (e.g. hemp, miscanthus, hay) to renovate a pilot 4-story multifamily building, providing an ecological alternative to polystyrene and stimulating a new local industry. Integrated renewable energy systems and AI-driven digital twinning will optimize energy use, support energy communities and promote decentralized energy frameworks. The project will establish a Community Innovation Hub that will act as a collaborative space for co-creating sustainable solutions, fostering social innovation and empowering the local community. It will serve as a place for experimentation, showcasing bio-based materials and supporting young entrepreneurs in developing innovative ideas in energy, social science and materials.

Partnership: District 6 of Bucharest Municipality, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucuresti; Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest; National Research Institute –Dev. for Machines and Installations for Agriculture, Food Industry, Urbasofia, Indeco Soft, Bucharest Metropolitan Area Intercommunity Development Association, Solar Decatlon Bucharest Association, DearNeighbour, UrbanizeHub, Sector 6 Innovation and Urban Design Center.

ERDF Budget: € 4,618,956

Urban areas in Southern Europe face severe heat risks, exacerbated by dense urban form, impervious surfaces, and limited greenery. Extreme heat reduces liveability, increases energy consumption, and disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations. The objective of GRID is to utilise advanced digital tools and technologies to shape and adjust solutions in order to tackle inter-linked urban challenges in the municipalities of Kallithea and Moschato-Tavros. This includes climate-friendly urban investment, spatial planning, providing uninterrupted digital services for community needs, and promoting participatory governance through digital platforms. GRID will integrate real-time data from IoT networks, AI-driven insights, and co-creation with communities with the use of AR/VR and ppWebGIS tools to provide scalable and adaptive heat risk management solutions that strengthen urban resilience, improves connectivity, and support sustainable growth. Expected results include reduced urban heat, improved thermal comfort, enhanced urban resilience, and increased connectivity between Athens and the waterfront (notably via investments in local green routes networks).

Partnership: Municipality of Kallithea, Municipality of Moschato-Tavros, Thymio Papayannis and associates S.A., Geospatial Enabling Technologies, Commonspace, Institute for Alternative Policies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

ERDF Budget: € 4,912,236.48   

The Municipality of Matosinhos is addressing the need to digitalise public services, improve data collection, and foster community-led urban governance. The project will establish an Urban Intelligence Centre (UIC) to centralise and manage diverse datasets, including information on green spaces, water resources, and citizens' sustainable practices. A key feature of the project is the Digital Neighbourhood Competition (DNC), a gamified tool designed to engage residents in tracking and contributing data from selected households and public spaces in the Bairro da Biquinha neighbourhood. Participating households will use the Cartão Único Municipal (Single Municipal Card) and an app to monitor sustainable lifestyles, while house screens will be installed to provide real-time feedback and data visualisation. To ensure the long-term impact of these efforts, the municipality will establish a dedicated working group and a revolving fund to support the development of community-driven solutions informed by the lessons learned from digitalising data at the local level. By empowering citizens with digital tools and fostering collaboration, the project aims to transform Matosinhos into a greener, more connected, and vibrant city.

Partnership: Municipality of Matosinhos, IrRADIARE, University of Aveiro, Polytechnic of Porto – School of Engineering, GREENROOFS® Innovated by National Green Roof Association

ERDF Budget: € 4,737,216

The NEW EPOCH project aims to transform three local schools into Positive Energy Educational Buildings (PEEBs) through a combination of energy retrofitting and renewable energy systems. Built in the 1970s, the schools are characterised by outdated infrastructure and inefficient energy use, with limited time available for renovations during the school summer break. To address this challenge, the project will undertake a comprehensive analysis to identify the most suitable and effective passive and active energy systems and streamline the renovation process using innovative construction methods such as off-site prefabrication of bio-based building facades. The project will also upskill the construction sector in the process and foster community engagement by raising awareness of sustainable practices among schoolchildren and the community. The wider ambition is for the renovated schools to serve as inspirational lighthouse projects for energy efficient building renovations and set up a replicable templated renovation process for municipal buildings.

Partnership: Municipality of Kifissia, National Technical University of Athens, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University of West Attica, Centre for Research and Technology, Hellas Hellenic Passive House Institute, DOMX, Easy Green, Premium Consulting, Istorima, MUD GROUP, ELECTRA energy, The Goulandris Natural History Museum.

ERDF Budget: € 4,314,171

As the Nordic Energy Capital, Vaasa aims to pioneer systemic energy transition solutions for growing urban areas. The project will showcase the creation of a digital twin of the Vaskiluoto industrial park’s integrated energy system, enabling advanced planning and sector coupling. This virtual model supports simulations of high-temperature heat pumps, industrial heat consumption, and district heating operations. It also explores converting waste heat from industrial partners located in the park back into electricity.

Beyond technology, the project promotes socially inclusive policies and data-driven energy management. Citizens will engage with satellite and energy data to evaluate urban energy efficiency. An interactive, machine-learning-powered portal will visualize insights, helping identify heat and cooling losses from both the energy network and urban environments. This data-driven approach transforms how we think, manage, and consume energy — paving the way for smarter, more sustainable, and resilient urban energy systems.

Partnership: City of Vaasa; Vaasan kaupunki; Oy Merinova Ab; Vaasan yliopisto; EPV Energia; Vaasa sähkö; Vaasan 4H-yhdistys.

ERDF Budget: € 6,248,122.00   

PULSE-TWIN enhances urban safety and liveability in Heerlen through cutting-edge digital technology. The project will develop a Social Digital Twin (SDT) that integrates social and security data, leveraging AI to predict crime trends and support frontline interventions. By combining official data with community insights, it fosters a data-driven, citizen-engaged approach to public safety. Key innovations include an AI-powered decision-support system for professionals and a Safety Module in the Heerlen App, empowering citizens to contribute to safer neighbourhoods. Rooted in Heerlen’s Social Safe approach, the project unites local authorities, police, research institutes, and community organizations to co-create solutions tailored to real urban challenges. With a strong focus on scalability and transferability, PULSE-TWIN sets a new standard for data-driven urban safety policies in Europe, offering a replicable model for cities seeking innovative, technology-driven approaches to crime prevention and community resilience.

Partnership: Municipality of Heerlen, Dutch National Police (NPOL), Brightlands Institute for Smart Society (BISS), Incluzio, JENS, Dutch CPTED Chapter - Association for Safe and Secure Urban Design - Planning and Management (SVOB), Brightlands Smart Services Campus (BSSC).

ERDF Budget: € 4,870,894.08

City of Košice faces two simultaneous and interconnected issues: underutilised public infrastructure, with a significant number of public buildings vacant or underused and a lack of premises and places to provide public services (social, cultural, communal). SAM-SUD combines AI-powered digital tools (NextUse AI, AZGARD), integrated digital systems, technology deployment and community engagement to strengthen and accelerate the transformation of vacant and underutilised buildings into a portfolio of sustainable and multifunctional assets that align with the local community and environmental needs and goals. To tackle climate goals, the project incorporates green technologies and smart IoT sensors. These will be piloted in the renovation of Hlavná 57 building.

Partnership: City of Košice; Creative Industry Košice, East Coast; K13- Košice Cultural Centres; GEODETICCA VISION, KAJO s. r. o.; Technical University of Kosice.

ERDF Budget: € 4,447,096

TRUST aims to transform the care and support system for dependent individuals and their families in Salamanca by addressing key issues such as delays, errors, long waiting times, and poor coordination between different authorities in the dependency recognition process which affects the quality of public services. It also tackles the emotional and logistical burdens faced by informal caregivers (loneliness, stress, lack of support, and insufficient training) which affect the dependent’s well-being. TRUST proposes to streamline Dependency Care Services (DCS) through advanced technology by automating administrative tasks, reducing bureaucratic delays, enabling more personalised care by social workers, and establishing a comprehensive support system for informal caregivers. By integrating AI-driven voice recognition, IoT for real-time monitoring, and predictive analytics, TRUST will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of DCS. The Innovation & Care Centre (building refurbished, retrofitted and equiped during the project) will serve as demonstrator space and a central hub for the “Caregiver Support Programme”.

Partnership: Salamanca City Council, University of Salamanca, Asprodes Inclusion Foundation, Federation of Senior Associations of Salamanca, Khora Urban Thinkers

ERDF Budget: € 3,363,222 

The WATERWAY project addresses key challenges in Galway, including low renewable energy adoption, energy poverty, and limited climate funding. Despite abundant natural resources like the Corrib River, Galway remains dependent on non-renewable energy, slowing climate progress. The project will install three small-scale hydropower systems in Galway’s historic waterways to generate green energy. This will power local energy production and reinvest surplus energy revenue into climate initiatives, such as retrofitting social housing. It will also provide training programmes to upskill residents in renewable energy technologies. This innovative approach repurposes disused canals for energy generation while creating a circular economy, where profits fund local climate action. Hydropower sites will also serve as sustainable tourism attractions. Expected outcomes include increased renewable energy capacity, lower CO₂ emissions, reduced energy poverty, and enhanced community resilience. The project supports Galway’s climate goals and serves as a model for other EU cities.

Partnership: Galway City Council, University of Galway, Quirke Renewable Systems Limited, Galway City Community Network, Northern and Western Regional Assembly

ERDF Budget: € 4,998,550.24

ZERO offers a bottom-up, citizen-driven solution to optimise grid use and minimise the need for costly expansions. It integrates social, technical, and organisational perspectives, empowering Elderveld residents to co-create a future-proof local power grid plan. This process uses a digital twin of the neighbourhood to visualise the impact of energy choices, fostering collective action and behavioural change. The project includes participatory design, neighbourhood analysis, and a pilot focusing on peer-to-peer energy exchange and grid optimization. ZERO’s innovation lies in its social, participatory design while creating a fair, sustainable, and future-proof energy grid.

Partnership: Municipality of Arnhem; Luminis Technologies, Kraft architecten, Fillip Studios, Ruimtekoers, ROCC, Alliander, Creatief Arnhem, Connectr, ABB, Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, Social Finance NL.

ERDF Budget: € 4,998,464.00

ZEROit project aims to help the City of Nuremberg to meet climate targets by reducing emissions from buildings, particularly focusing on small and medium-sized buildings, which are often overlooked in traditional retrofitting methods. The project proposes three integrated solutions. The Holistic Portfolio Planning Tool (HPP-Tool) will help to make smart, sustainable investment decisions by analysing the impact of various renovation measures across the city's building stock. The Rapid Zero-Emission Renovation Approach targets small and medium-sized buildings using cost-effective, off-the-shelf technologies, such as heat pumps. These technologies are more efficient than fossil fuel heating systems and help reduce emissions while preparing buildings for future improvements. Moreover, the project plans to engage local stakeholders, construction sectors and citizens to build their capacity and encourage participation in emission-reducing renovations. This includes providing access to the HPP-Tool, creating a simplified version of the tool for use in one-stop shops and developing Renovation Passports for building owners.

Partnership: City of Nuremberg; 3 SME: empirica; CAALA; Urban Lab; 1 Enterprise: LIST Eco.