Our cities need to be ‘smarter’ and more sustainable: making better use of their existing infrastructure and finding new ways to engage with citizens, many of whom use digital technology daily as they go about life in their city.

This three-year European partnership project runs from 2013 until 2016 in four pilot cities: Bristol (UK), Zaragoza (Spain), Majadahonda (Spain) and Rovereto (Italy).

Each city is developing a series of mobile apps based on an open platform, which bring together open government data and information contributed by citizens. For example, the Bristol partners are using government tree-planting data in a mobile app that residents can use to suggest new locations for trees.

These internet-based services and mobile applications are useful, innovative and, most importantly, relevant to the needs of each city and its citizens. This approach allows people to move from being merely consumers of information to “prosumers”: providers, producers and consumers of information.

IES Cities enables companies, citizens and councils to interact and collaborate towards achieving a Smarter City: a place of connection and innovation that addresses and meets the needs of its citizens.

The project partners are TECNALIA, Deusto Institute of Technology, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC), Toshiba Research Europe Ltd (TREL), GEKO, Eurohelp, Amis, Bristol City Council, Comune di Rovereto, Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza, Ayuntamiento de Majadahonda.

Information:

Funding: European Union’s Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme
Website: www.iescities.eu
Contact person: Jorge Pérez Velasco (Project Manager)
Organisation: TECNALIA Research and Innovation