Project News

Utrecht University students develop Smart City Index

Posted: 29 Apr 2021

Three students from the Utrecht University, together with Prof. Mark Sanders, have developed an algorithm that can measure the extent to which a startup, project or existing organization is developing solutions to make a city 'smart'. The method developed by Maaike Hermse, Imke Nijland and Martina Picari was published last week in a Working Paper via the website of the Utrecht University School of Economics and will be submitted for publication in the professional journal "Smart Cities". The Smart City Index will provide cities and municipalities with a tool to quickly recognize and help develop innovation that is useful to them.

Utrecht first bidirectional city in the world due to collaboration Hyundai and We Drive Solar

Posted: 29 Apr 2021

In the presence of State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven, Alderman Eelco Eerenberg and Representative Huib van Essen, Hyundai signed an agreement this morning with strategic partners to make Utrecht the first region in the world with a bidirectional ecosystem. In this ecosystem, the batteries of electric shared cars are used for storage of sustainable energy on a large scale. With the arrival of a commercially available bidirectional car, innovation projects Smart Solar Charging, FLEET and IRIS take an important step towards realization.

How to design in the public space? Lessons learned on citizen engagement

Posted: 07 Apr 2021

We are currently facing many societal challenges, being energy transition a pressing one. We are part of a large H2020 EU project called a Lighthouse project, in which cities in seven countries in Europe bite the bullet to effectuate innovative solutions for energy transition in demo areas in each city. A prime focus in projects like these is solving problems in implementing emerging technologies.

How to unlock financial solutions for smarter cities

Posted: 23 Feb 2021

A report launched by the IRIS Smart Cities initiative outlines key EU financing mechanisms and provides guidance on how to identify suitable opportunities, approach funders and access resources. The objective is to build the capacity of local governments and service providers who intend to deploy innovations –from better heating systems to car-sharing platforms.

Limiting private parking lots – a step towards more sustainable mobility habits

Posted: 11 Feb 2021

In order to nudge the residents of its new apartment building towards a more sustainable lifestyle, Swedish housing company Riksbyggen made the bold choice to not offer them any private parking spaces. Instead, they were offered a comfortable alternative through a new mobility concept, developed within the IRIS Smart Cities project.

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