Creating and Understanding Smart Innovation in Cities
This project aims to identify the key factors regarding Cleantech innovation creation and the understanding in how the innovation process for Cleantech works in an urban environment.
Background
The new Energy Efficiency Directive by the European Commission makes it a legal obligation for the member states to cut energy consumption by 20 percent by the year 2020. This is one among many initiatives that are putting higher demand on governments and the global population in order to decrease the use of energy. Since the majority of the global population lives in urban areas, cities are important actors in the global energy system and possess a high potential in the process of reducing the global use of energy. In order to reach the global energy goals and to not jeopardize the ability for future generations to meet their own needs, it is essential to develop new technologies and to innovate existing technologies.
Bearing this in mind, cities can be seen as innovation arenas and platforms for fostering innovation.
Outcomes
In the CUSIC project are, so far, two case studies used to understand how innovation can be generated in an urban environment; 100Hus Miljö in Stockholm, Sweden, and Wuxi Sino-Swedish EcoCity in China.