Page 55 - European Energy Innovation - Autumn 2016 publication

Autumn 2016 European Energy Innovation 55

SMART CITIES

By 2030, the United Nations
estimates that two out of
every three people will live
in cities hit by economic and
environmental crises that have been
ongoing since the end of the last
century. A digital environment should
leverage the ‘Smart City’ concept and
pave the way for new features, new
ways to manage, govern and live the
city of tomorrow.

In Bordeaux, the smart city concept world’s capital of wine doesn’t prevent
is part of the “Bordeaux digital it from being one of the most dynamic
city” programme implemented by and active urban laboratories in France.
the city’s mayor, whose ambitions are
aligned with sustainable cities and the Thanks to its reputation for research
“COP 21 agenda”. The city’s main and development, the quality of its
goal is to decrease consumption of education (more than 80,000 students)
resources, put the user at the heart of and a strong presence in innovative
implementation and allow a systemic sectors, Bordeaux became a reference
approach to the city. for industry, in aeronautics, lasers,
atomic research, wine, and emerging
To develop and have visibility across clusters such as video games or
Europe, the cities of the 21th century e-health.
must be attractive.
These results are the outcome of an
The Bordeaux metropolitan area approach combining a sustainable
(750,000 inhabitants) has undergone urban development project, social
great urban and economic inclusiveness, and a solid digital
transformation thanks to major agenda. They have been recognized
structuring projects. The virtuous circle by the national and international
was initiated by the first urban project community through numerous awards
in 1995, which laid the foundations and labels.
for upgrading the city to a European
metropolis. In 20 years, Bordeaux has To accompany and accelerate this
become the most attractive French city development the Bordeaux metropolis
to live and work in, according to several decided to systematically involve
recent studies*. True to its history, to
date Bordeaux is the largest urban
complex to have been recognized by
UNESCO, and the quality of life of the

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