Sharing Cities

Smarter energy uses for a greener future

Sharing Cities is a Horizon 2020 funded programme creating replicable Smart City demonstrators in London, Lisbon and Milan. The programme is using innovative and low emission technologies, and a digital-first approach to improve the provision, efficiency, and environmental impact of energy and transport systems in the Royal Borough of Greenwich- the London demonstrator area.

The role of DG Cities

DG Cities is supporting the Royal Borough of Greenwich as the London demonstrator within the programme, where a range of e-mobility, smart energy and housing retrofit initiatives are being introduced. 

The project includes the installation of a variety of smart devices into residents’ homes, alongside a programme of building retrofit in social housing. This has been coupled with the development of new applications, a data platform, and the installation of dark fibre providing enhanced digital connectivity to each home.

Why is this work important?

Use of smart devices and IoT in the home offers the potential to enable remote monitoring and optimisation of assets, improve housing services, and support residents in reducing energy consumption and costs. 

Sharing Cities piloted a new service, Greenwich Energy Hero, where smart home devices and a new app enabled residents to use energy more efficiently and reduce electricity consumption at times of peak by about 78%. 

The approach and work undertaken taken by DGC on deploying fibre to the premises as part of retrofit works, and on how best to ‘light’ up this fibre, will allow for the deployment of smart devices and IoT at scale, for residents and the Council to benefit for enhanced connectivity, and will enable the development of a new age of digital services such as those trialed in the Sharing Cities project.