While cities are essential to achieving Europe’s climate goals, turning urban areas into Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) is still a major challenge. PEDs aim to produce more renewable energy than they consume each year by combining energy-efficient buildings, local clean energy production, digital and smart systems, and citizen participation. However, most urban areas lack integrated tools, face limited coordination between sectors, and struggle to engage citizens in the co-development of flexible, scalable solutions. PEDvolution addresses these issues by developing a complete set of tools and methods that help urban areas plan, implement, and manage PEDs more effectively.
To achieve this, the project brings together 14 partners from 7 countries to co-create and test seven modular and interoperable solutions that can adapt to local needs and support PED development over time:
1. A PED Design and Planning Toolset based on digital energy models for district renovation strategies;
2. A PED Readiness Assessment to help PEDs evaluate their starting point and plan their next steps;
3. A Dynamic Decision Support Guideline that adjusts to changing technologies, markets, and user needs;
4. A PED Energy Manager to coordinate real-time, multi-sector energy operations;
5. A Data Exchange and Interoperability Platform to connect PEDs to external systems and energy marketplaces;
6. A Business Model Innovation Tool to support local value creation and financial sustainability;
7. A Social Innovation Tool to guide inclusive citizen engagement and co-creation.
These solutions will be tested and validated in three real-life PEDs: Wunsiedel (Germany), Kranj (Slovenia), and the Hard Community in Winterthur (Switzerland). These demonstrators will help shape the tools and demonstrate their use in practice. Towards the end of the project’s second year, a public Open Call will bring in new follower demonstrators (3-5 new PEDs) to replicate the solutions in different European contexts.
PEDvolution’s results will help cities reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and involve citizens and stakeholders in shaping their energy future. By combining technical, social, and economic innovation, the project creates a flexible, people-centred approach to PEDs that is ready to scale. Experts in social sciences support the design of inclusive engagement tools and decision-making processes tailored to community needs. By doing so, PEDvolution contributes directly to the EU Green Deal, the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, and the New European Bauhaus, helping urban areas across Europe become cleaner, smarter, and more resilient.
