Co-creating Visions and Roadmaps
R4E - Roadmaps for Energy
Vision & roadmaps for sustainable energy in smart cities
Roadmaps for Energy (R4E) is an EU funded project under the Horizon 2020 program that aims to develop a new type of energy strategy through visions and roadmaps for the 8 partner cities, in co-creation with relevant local stakeholders. The R4E project focuses on developing vision creation and roadmapping capacities within the municipalities to initiate joint activities to spur development and implementation of innovative energy solutions in cities. Thus the city partners in R4E learn the process, gain know-how on the full structure of roadmaps and will obtain the skills to work independently on future roadmaps. Since energy and smart cities are too broad to cover in one project, R4E focuses on three areas within the domain of sustainable energy that are closely linked to the municipalities main responsibilities: Smart Buildings, Smart Mobility and Smart Urban Spaces.
For the latest news, events and relevant information please visit the official website of the project:


The partners
In the R4E project 8 European cities are involved:
  • GEMEENTE EINDHOVEN (The Netherlands)
  • COMUNE DI FORLI (Italy)
  • ISTANBUL METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY (Turkey)
  • NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL (United Kingdom)
  • AYUNTAMIENTO DE MURCIA (Spain)
  • TALLINNA KESKKONNAAMET (Estonia)
  • COMUNE DI PALERMO (Italy)
  • AJUNTAMIENTO DE SANT CUGAT DEL VALLES (Spain)
For the knowledge creation in the project 2 universities are involved:
  • TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN (The Netherlands)
  • UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA UPC (Spain)
The role of TU/e LightHouse is to support and guide each partner city through the four-step approach.
The approach
In the Roadmaps for Energy (R4E) project the partners will work together to develop a new type of energy strategy, which they call their Energy Roadmap. The difference between the regular energy strategies and action plans and these Energy Roadmaps lies with the much earlier and more developed engagement of local stakeholders. These include not only the benefactors of the strategy, such as citizens, but also relevant research and industry partners that offer a much clearer picture of the future potential of the city regarding measures and technologies and the impossibilities regarding the situation of the city today. The creation of a shared vision, with city specific desired scenarios and dedicated roadmaps allows for embedding of the city specific context, taking into account the diversity in geographical, ecological, climatological, social and cultural diversity.

In the R4E project a four step process is applied. The FIRST step sets the ambitions for the project. The ambitions of the participating cities on sustainable energy and Smart Cities in general are set, as well as the partner cities' choice for 2 focus areas within Smart Energy Savings: 1.Smart Buildings, 2. Smart Mobility or 3. Smart Urban Spaces. The SECOND step is to develop desired scenarios for the cities for the selected focus areas. During the THIRD step the roadmap will be created, existing and future technologies and other developments will be identified, which enable the realization of the desired future scenarios. Opportunities and developments will be plotted on a time-line to provide insight in the required steps and milestones towards the favoured scenarios. The roadmaps will contain generic parts that are common for the partner cities, as well as specific parts that cater for the specific context of the cities. During the final and FOURTH step a project portfolio will be generated with new projects and initiatives to reach the ambitions, visions and roadmaps of the cities. This portfolio provides an overview of individual and joint projects and includes a cross-city learning plan and a financial plan.
Step One: Ambition setting
The aim of the first step is to set the ambitions for the project. For this purpose the ambitions of the participating cities on sustainable energy in general are defined/refined in a co-creation process, using existing policy documents as a basis for workshops with individual cities. Based on these ambitions a final selections is made for two selected focus areas for each city. For each of these focus areas specific city ambitions are defined. In a joint workshop with all cities, the ambitions are presented.

The results of the first step are described in:
AMBITION SETTING D1.1 Report - Specific ambitions of the R4E partner cities
Published December 15, 2015.
The report is available in PDF (A4 - suitable for double-sided printing):
  20151215 D1-1 Report R4E Ambition Setting.pdf

 
Step Two: Vision development
The aim of the second step is to develop desired future scenarios for the cities in the selected focus areas. To do this, first Future Telling interviews were held on sustainable energy in general, and on the themes of Smart Buildings, Smart Mobility and Smart Urban Spaces in particular. Based on the results, the cities decide together on the most important Drivers for Change to be included in their further vision development. Together with the Drivers for Change, the desired future scenarios for the focus areas are developed for each of the cities. They then jointly decide on the topics for the roadmap development the next step.

LightHouse researched the view on the future of sustainable energy in cities towards the year 2050. In the Future Telling research twenty-five experts from industry, knowledge institutes and governments were interviewed. The interview results are analysed on the Drivers for Change that impact the future of sustainable energy in the cities.

The cities selected 4 drivers for change for each focus area to develop their desired future scenario.

In each city scenario workshops were held, where together with local stakeholders the desired future scenarios are co-created and visualised for each of the focus areas. The results are A0 posters describing the desired future scenarios. In a joint workshop with all cities, the visions are presented and discussed to define the common and specific needs as input to the roadmapping step.
 
The results are described in:
FUTURE TELLING 2050 D2.1 Report - Drivers for Change
Published November 13, 2015.
The report is available in PDF (A3 - suitable for double-sided printing):
  20151113 D2-1 Report R4E Future Telling.pdf
The complete results of the vision development step are described in:
VISION DEVELOPMENT D2.2 Report - Desired future scenarios of the R4E partner cities
Published June 15, 2016.
The report is available in PDF (A3 - suitable for double-sided printing):
  20160615 D2-2 Report R4E Vision Development.pdf
Step Three: Roadmapping
The aim the third step is to develop roadmaps for the focus areas. In the roadmaps the options to realise the desired future scenarios of the cities are explored. A desk study is done to collect available information on technological options. Experts from industry, knowledge institutes and governments are invited to workshops to share their views on future possibilities. The leading universities - University Polytechnica de Catalunya (UPC) and TU/e Smart Mobility - invited their extensive networks with companies and knowledge institutes in the focus areas. Focus of the roadmaps is on sustainable technologies, sustainable behaviour and sustainable organisation. The roadmapping research resulted in a set of general roadmaps for Smart Buildings, Smart Mobility and Smart Urban Spaces.

The general roadmaps (in banner format) and reports are available as PDF. To make the vast amount of information in the roadmaps more accessible animated movies are made to present the roadmaps..

20170828 General Roadmap Smart Buildings LR.pdf

20170828 General Roadmap Smart Mobility LR.pdf

20170828 General Roadmap Smart Urban Spaces LR.pdf

The General Roadmaps are described in more detail. The reports are available in PDF (A3 - suitable for double-sided printing):

20170828 D4-2 Smart Mobility General Roadmap - LR.pdf
Published August 28, 2017.

20170828 D3-2 Smart Buildings General Roadmap LR.pdf
Published August 28, 2017.

20170828 D5-2 Smart Urban Spaces General Roadmap - LR.pdf
Published August 28, 2017.
The General Roadmaps are used in Roadmapping workshops in the partner cities. Through the network of the cities local companies and knowledge institutes were involved in the creation of city specific roadmaps.
 
A brief introduction to the R4E project:



Introductions to the three roadmaps:
(recommended to watch in full-screen mode)




Step Four: Project Portfolio
During the final phase, a project portfolio was generated with new projects and initiatives to reach the ambitions, visions and roadmaps of the cities. The portfolio provides an overview of individual as well as collective projects to implement sustainable energy policies and measures.

The R4E project finalised in February 2018.
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For more information on our approach to 'Co-creating Visions & Roadmaps', please download our brochure:
  TUe LightHouse - Vision & Roadmapping

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