The SMARTEES Project ended in October 2021. This website is no longer being updated. Access all project content and information, in the above menu and try out the Policy Sandbox Tool channeling the research done in the project.
The gap between ambitious climate policy and what actually happens at street level is rarely closed by legislation alone. SMARTEES — Social Innovation Modelling Approaches to Realizing Transition to Energy Efficiency and Sustainability — was built to understand what does close it. This EU Horizon 2020 project examined five types of energy and mobility-related local social innovation across ten front-runner cities and islands throughout Europe, looking specifically at the socio-economic and structural conditions that allowed citizen-driven solutions to take root: community renewable energy cooperatives, deep renovation schemes for buildings, participatory mobility planning, and other approaches that put residents at the centre of the transition rather than at the receiving end of it. The research, conducted between 2018 and 2021 by a transdisciplinary consortium, produced both scientific publications and a practical policy sandbox tool designed to help decision-makers forecast the likely effects of different policy measures in their own local contexts — making the findings transferable rather than locked to the specific cities studied.
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MAIN FINDINGS
SMARTEES has since 2018 been analysing social innovations in sustainable energy- and mobility transitions, producing many scientific articles and resources to help support further reseach and action in the field. Watch the video below gathering the main findings from the project and explore the SMARTEES ResearchGate page to see the project's scientific peer-reviewed publications.
Learn more about the SMARTEES main findings here and see the summaries here by topic, and by clicking on the images below: Theoretical Frameworks - Social Simulation of Social Innovation Scenarios - Social Innovations IRL - Choice Behaviour and Energy Usage - Equality and the Energy Union - Future Policy Scenarios.
NEWS
ABOUT THE PROJECT
SMARTEES – Social Innovation Modelling Approaches to Realizing Transition to Energy Efficiency and Sustainability – is a transdisciplinary research project which aims to support the energy transition and improve policy design by developing alternative and robust policy pathways that foster citizen inclusion and take local peculiarities into account.
To reach these objectives, SMARTEES examines five types of energy- and mobility-related local social innovation in ten front-runner cities and islands across Europe. The results stemming from this analysis will then feed into the development of a policy sandbox tool. Using a comprehensive modelling approach, this tool will help forecast the effects of policy measures and social innovation in similar local contexts, thereby supporting the improvement of policy design and decision-making. Through these means, the project will contribute to achieving a resilient, low-carbon and climate-friendly Energy Union that puts citizens at its core.
The SMARTEES project ended in October 2021.
SOCIAL INNOVATION CLUSTERS
An array of pilot projects linked to the energy transition towards a low-carbon society were successfully implemented locally across Europe in recent decades. Of these, the SMARTEES project has selected five types of social innovation as part of a multi-method analysis to study the socio-economic and structural drivers of each. These five case study clusters, more specifically, consider the domains of consumer-driven renewable energy production, energy efficiency in buildings, and low-carbon regional transport, with a particular focus on consumer empowerment. Each cluster draws on the experiences of two cases, which proved to be reference models for other cities and regions, and includes four follower cities or islands as part of an effort to upscale and replicate the innovations in different contexts.
The SMARTEES project highlights the transformative power of local social innovations in driving sustainable energy and mobility transitions across Europe, inspiring communities to adopt greener practices. By analyzing successful case studies, such as those in consumer-driven renewable energy, insights can be applied to diverse contexts, much like exploring casinos not on GamStop for alternative entertainment options. Innovative policy design, informed by the project's findings, empowers citizens to shape a low-carbon future. Flexible platforms and adaptive frameworks demonstrate how tailored approaches can address individual preferences, reflecting the broader importance of customized solutions in both digital services and sustainable governance. The project's sandbox tool enables policymakers to simulate the impact of social innovations, ensuring effective and inclusive strategies. Just as communities benefit from having diverse choices in governance and planning, adaptable service models offer a comparable example of meeting varied local preferences and individual needs. In the realm of sustainable transitions, the SMARTEES approach fosters equality and citizen engagement, akin to how an online casino zonder CRUKS caters to diverse user needs. By studying front-runner cities, the project paves the way for scalable solutions, much like a betrouwbaar casino zonder CRUKS ensures trust and reliability in its offerings. These efforts collectively contribute to a resilient, citizen-centered Energy Union.
REFERENCE CASES
The experiences of the following front-runner cities and islands serve as reference points for each of the five social innovation clusters analysed within the scope of the SMARTEES project.
