Cities are highly complex systems. As ever more cities seek to become more sustainable, more liveable and climate-neutral, they must deal head-on with challenges such as atmospheric pollution, traffic congestion, fuel poverty, high energy consumption, digital gaps and issues relating to economic growth and job creation.

STARDUST – fresh thinking and a holistic approach

Energy, mobility and information and communication technologies (ICT) are important areas for tackling these urban challenges, but they need a holistic approach – one that delivers cross-cutting solutions, one that embraces both technical and non-techical measures.

In STARDUST, intelligent solutions for energy, mobility and ICT have been integrated in cities together with innovative business models, which can serve as blueprints for replication in other towns and cities. The project team has connected and engaged with residents, turning the STARDUST cities into living labs where this community engagement has helped drive improvements in people’s way of life and also in their local economies.

The project has been fully aligned with the Clean Energy for All Europeans strategy and involved three lighthouse cities and three follower cities.