Editorial

As you might know the CITyFiED project is getting close to its end. After extensive refurbishment, we have finally entered the exciting monitoring period. Soon we will know if we reach our expected projected results, which can contribute to the smart cities of the near future. In order to have a viable comparison, before and after the refurbishment, we have to monitor and measure for at least one year. Therefore, even though we are starting to see some signs in what direction the results are going, we will have to keep you in suspense for a bit longer.

In Sweden, we had a very warm and dry summer, as well as in most of Europe and the northern hemisphere. In Sweden, we saw the consequences more clearly than ever before. Draughts causing a great constrain on farmers and food production, a yellow and brown landscape that is normally flourishing green during summer and bush fires that the Swedish fire fighters were unable to battle themselves without help from other European countries. We know that this extreme weather will be increasingly common as global warming continues. Therefore, what we do in CITyFiED feels truly meaningful and extra important. Finding ways to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from buildings and cities are essential for sustainability.

The end of CITyFiED is getting close, but the output and results from the project will remain long after the project ends. Both in the shape of direct reduction of emissions and in the shape of the CITyFiED methodology and the replication in the follower cities (and beyond).

Make sure to follow the project to its end in March when we are planning for final conferences and to present the project results.

You are all invited!

More information will come shortly.  

Markus Paulsson
City of Lund and Coordinator of CITyFiED demo sites