#Data

Interested in hearing more about Smart Building Maintenance? Feel welcome to join the public defense of the PhD thesis “Crafting Intrapreneurial Stewardship – An institutional perspective on client-led innovation in smart building maintenance“ by Koos Johannes, PhD student in the department of Construction Management. The defense will take place on the 16th of January at 10:30 AM at the Waaier building at the campus of the University of Twente.

About the the PhD thesis
Available research suggests that construction clients, as building owner-occupier, are struggling to implement smart maintenance. This thesis assumes that these reported problems are due to a failure to fully understand the institutional complexities of smart maintenance commissioning in organizational networks. Hence, the aim of this thesis was to improve our understanding of these complexities and to develop theoretical and practical knowledge on the professionalization of construction clients in commissioning smart maintenance through stewardship. Stewardship theory portrays managers and employees as collectivists, pro-organizational and trustworthy, and can be used for designing collaborations based on intrinsic motivation and trust.

The defense will take place on the 16th of January at 10.30 AM at the Waaier building at the campus of the University of Twente.
A summary of the thesis can be read here.

If you want to receive a copy of the thesis, please send a message to: k.johannes@hva.nl
The presentation and defense will be in English; a Dutch summary is available.
Address: Hallenweg 25, 7522 NH, Enschede (see map for parking on the Campus; with public transport the Campus can be reached from train stations Hengelo or Enschede).

That was the main question we talked about September 14 at the FuW Forum in Zurich. Sharing learnings and exchanging ideas and experiences is of great value. To learn from each other, align and get inspired. That is why Amsterdam Smart City hosts a lot of international groups in our Smart City Lab and sometimes visits interesting international conferences to share our story.  

The FuW Forum in Zurich had a very interesting line-up with speakers from all over the world. It was an honour for me to give an inspirational key note on behalf of Amsterdam Smart City. The message I wanted to get across: "Don't overestimate technology. Smart technology offers great opportunities but to make it work we have to make a whole ecosystem work. And that means cooperate, listen to each other, help each other, fail, learn, adapt, try different perspectives.....All so called 'soft' skills that we need to combine with a world of bits and bytes. That is where the real challenge lies. To overcome these issues a world in transition needs an independent and neutral place, where changemakers can meet interact and start working together.” An exciting message to bring being at Google headquarters. But I was glad to hear that most speakers and participants saw smart technology as a means to an end instead of a goal in itself.  

Below some interesting quotes of other speakers: 
Prem Ramaswami – Google 
"We invented the technology of cars to move from A to B and now we spend most of the time standing still in the traffic – 42% of the cities are parking lots."

Ute Schneider - Technical University Wien 
"We only start moving, when it really hurts"

Silke C. - Fraunhofer Gesellschaft  
“At the moment, data is not fully exploited, the data is distributed everywhere and cannot be brought together, there is a lack of trust – that is why a European governance is now being built."

Salomé Mall - Smart City Lab Basel
"The real estate industry is not mobile, it needs innovation to bridge the next crisis."

Markus Schläpfer - ETH Zurich  
"If we measure and understand human flows, we can use this for transport, infrastructure and the use of modern technologies.”

And Audrey Tang, Taiwan's Digital Minister  
"With the first Ministry of Digital Affairs we encourage the digital collaborative democracy between government and people - we must trust each other going into future live.”

Is jouw bedrijf actief op het gebied van slimme en duurzame stedelijke ontwikkeling en wil je je activiteiten uitbreiden naar andere landen binnen de Europese Unie? Ga van 13 t/m 16 november 2022 mee naar de Smart City World Expo Congress (SCWEC) in Barcelona.

De jaarlijkse Smart City Expo in Barcelona is dé plek waar corporates, startups, steden en kennissinstellingen die werken aan van klimaatneutrale en slimme steden, elkaar ontmoeten. Dit jaar vindt tegelijkertijd weer het Tomorrow.Mobility congres over plaats. Deze twee zakenbeurzen zijn belangrijke plekken om te netwerken en zaken te doen met internationale steden, bedrijven en investeerders.
Nederlandse partijen, waaronder Amsterdam Smart City, organiseren dit jaar diverse activiteiten.
Ben je geïnteresseerd of van plan om te gaan? Dan zijn er twee goede opties:

1. Er is een handelsmissie van RVO en de 5 grote steden, speciaal voor startups en scale-ups met maatschappelijke uitdagingen in steden, die willen groeien in Europa. We bezoeken de beurs, er komt een businessforum met matchmaking, plus meer informele (inter)nationale bijeenkomsten, er is vooraf een climate impacttraining (om de impact van je innovatieve oplossing op duurzaamheid en klimaatneutraliteit kwantitatief te meten) en we maken de combi met het 100 Climate Neutral Cities programma van de EU. Voor meer informatie en aanmelden: https://english.rvo.nl/news/events/smart-city-expo-world-congress-scwec-2022
 
2. Past deze missie niet bij jou of bij de fase waarin je bedrijf zich bevindt, maar wil je wel naar de Smart City Expo? Dan is er genoeg te doen! Diverse Nederlandse partijen werken op dit moment aan een (inter)nationaal programma voor Nederlandse bedrijven. Ook hier moet je denken aan een bezoek aan diverse stands, tours door de stad Barcelona en deelname aan het businessforum met workshops voorafgaand aan de Expo. Aan dit programma wordt de komende tijd nog gewerkt. Zodra er nieuws bekend is, deel ik dat.
 
Ben je hierin geïnteresseerd of heb je vragen? Neem dan contact op met Nancy Zikken, trade developer smart & sustainable cities bij Amsterdam Trade & innovate, via n.zikken@amsterdam.nl. Ik vertel je graag meer en houd je op de hoogte!

Is your company operating in the field of smart and sustainable urban development and are you interested in the elaboration of your activities within the European Union? Join us from 13 to 16 November on our Climate neutral & Smart City mission during the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) in Barcelona.

The yearly event of SCEWC in Barcelona is the place where companies, entrepreneurs, startups, cities, and research institutions in the field of climate neutrality and smart cities meet. This year, another congress about urban mobility takes place simultaneously. These 2 business fairs are important places to network and do business with cities, companies, and investors. Before this mission takes place, there is the opportunity to follow an impact assessment training. The purpose of this training is to measure the impact of your innovative solution to sustainability and climate neutrality in a quantitative manner. This complements the European frameworks and methodologies for cities to report their contribution to climate neutrality.

Participation is possible for Dutch companies (startups, scale-up, small and medium enterprises (SMEs)) with export ambitions that aim to offer solutions for societal challenges in cities. The purpose of this mission is to support Dutch startups, scale-ups, and innovative SMEs with their growth in Europe.

For more information and registration: https://english.rvo.nl/news/events/smart-city-expo-world-congress-scwec-2022

The primary reason to renovate buildings is to improve indoor climate quality and reduce environmental impact. This can be extremely effective, as 75% of buildings' CO2 emissions are released during the use phase. However, using non-renewable materials during renovation can be entirely counter-productive.

Check out this article to learn about bio-based materials in the renovation, and the obstacles to bio-based innovation.

For the sixteenth edition of our Demo Days, we were finally able to meet offline again since the start of the pandemic. This meant: old-school post-its instead of filling online Miro boards. The Circular & Digital Demo Day was hosted at one of our partners’ locations, the Digital Society School at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. From reducing illegal drones in the city to reusing materials through a digital material database, in this article you’ll read all about circular & digital projects our partners are working on.

About our Demo Days

The Demo Days are one of the tools we use to stimulate innovation and encourage connection between our partners and community. The purpose of the Demo Days is to present the progress of various innovation projects, ask for help, share dilemmas and involve more partners to take these projects to the next level. More information about the Demo Days can be found here.

Demo Day: Circular & Digital

Reducing (illegal) drones in the city - Daan Groenink (municipality of Amsterdam)
In Amsterdam, and in many other places in the Netherlands, is not allowed to fly drones. But despite the regulations, many drones are still flown illegally over Amsterdam. Daan Groenink from the municipality of Amsterdam invited the participants to reflect on how the city of Amsterdam can reduce (illegal) drone usage with as little enforcement as possible. Many creative interventions were discussed, such as awareness campaigns, making beautiful drone images public, and renting out drones as an experience.

Subsidy scheme for circular chain cooperation - Suzanne van den Noort en Maartje Molenaar (province of Noord-Holland)
The province of North Holland wants to be 100% circular by 2050. To achieve this, an action agenda has been drawn up for 2021-2025 with strategic and operational goals. The province of North Holland initiated the ‘Circular Economy Subsidy Scheme’ to accelerate the circular transition. The province of North Holland already thought about how this subsidy scheme should work. In this session, the participants gave their feedback. One of the key take outs from the working session was: keep it simple. You want to know that the money is well spent and therefore the conditions of the subsidy scheme should be clear.

Digital material database – Mark van der Putten (municipality of Amsterdam)
The City of Amsterdam is developing a digital material database for the necessary exchange of information to enable the reuse of materials from projects. Projects can use this database to report their available materials or to reserve materials. In this way, a street can be paved with tiles from an old project. The municipality of Amsterdam asked for input from the Amsterdam Smart City network on what to keep in mind while developing a digital material database. During the session, the participants discussed topics such as data governance, data ownership and the advantages of a SAAS solution compared to a self-built database. The municipality of Amsterdam will continue to research how the material database could be used and what the stakeholders think of it during 6 pilot projects.

Want to join the next Demo Day?

Are you working on an innovative project that could use some input? Or are you preparing for an inspiring event that needs a spotlight? Our next Demo Day takes place on the 11th of October. If it fits within our themes (circular, mobility, energy and digital), sent a message to Sophie via sophie@amsterdamsmartcity.com or let us know in the comments. We are happy to talk with you to find out if it's a match!

Would you like to participate in the next Demo Day and share your thoughts on our partners’ innovative projects? As soon as the program for the next Demo Day is determined, we will share it on the platform and give you the opportunity to join as participant.

Curious to mobility & energy projects? Read more about it in the recap of Demo Day Mobility & Energy.

Photo: Myrthe Polman

Expertise Day - all the advice you need to Ai-ccelerate your startup is happening on the 1st of August.
Join Hyperion Lab for an in-person event to get access to all the experts you need to build and accelerate your startup! 🍃
The day will consist of many workshops and trainings to teach you Product Development, Growth Marketing, Sales & Business Development, Attracting Talent, and more! 📚🙌
We will end the day with drinks and networking so you can build connections with our partners, startups, and key players in the ecosystem 🥂🥳.
Register here 👉👉: https://events.hyperionlab.nl/expertiseday

Reused materials are an important element of circular construction. The more re-used components and recycled materials we use, the fewer virgin materials we need, and the lower our environmental impact. To do so effectively, the supply of reused components and recycled materials should influence the building’s design.

Learn more in the article below.

Volgende week dinsdag 21 juni vindt de eerste fysieke demodag sinds de pandemie plaats. De thema’s Circulariteit en Digitaal staan centraal, en het programma is inmiddels rond. Er staan weer mooie initiatieven en complexe vraagstukken op de planning.

Demodagen zijn onderdeel van ons innovatieproces en bedoeld om de voortgang van verschillende innovatieprojecten te stimuleren, hulpvragen op tafel te leggen, dilemma's te delen en anderen te betrekken bij projecten of uitdagingen. Meer informatie over wat de demodagen precies zijn en waarom je mee wilt doen, vind je hier.

Klinkt het programma interessant? Je bent meer dan welkom om aan te sluiten. Laat het ons weten in de comments of mail naar trisha@amsterdamsmartcity.com. De Demodag is van 14:00-16:45 met een borrel na afloop

Werksessies
Reduceren (illegale) drones in de stad – Daan Groenink (Gemeente Amsterdam)
De Gemeente Amsterdam detecteert steeds meer (illegale) drones in het luchtruim van Amsterdam. In samenwerking met de politie onderzoekt de gemeente hoe zij het aantal drones kunnen verminderen met zo min mogelijk handhaving. Hoe kan de Gemeente dit het best aanpakken?

Subsidieregeling ketensamenwerking - Suzanne van den Noort (Provincie Noord-Holland)
De provincie is bezig om een subsidieregeling op te stellen om te stimuleren dat meerdere bedrijven in de keten op regionale of bovenregionale schaal gaan samenwerken om circulaire projecten, diensten of processen te realiseren. Hiervoor is een verkenning gedaan om te komen tot een regeling die zo goed mogelijk aansluit op de vraag van bedrijven en dus subsidiëring mogelijk maakt van de activiteiten die de gewenste samenwerking stimuleert. In deze werksessie wil de provincie haar beeld en ideeën verrijken en toetsen om keuzes te kunnen maken hoe de subsidieregeling het beste vorm kan krijgen. Daarnaast speelt de vraag hoe de concept regeling voordat deze in werking treedt kan worden getoetst bij vertegenwoordigers van de doelgroep(en): primair bedrijven.

Digitale Materialenbank - Mark van der Putten (Gem Amsterdam)
In Amsterdam wordt gewerkt aan de implementatie van circulariteit bij ontwerp, inkoop en beheer van de openbare ruimte. Hergebruik is inmiddels verder gedifferentieerd tot ‘Hergebruik, tenzij …’ en wordt in eerste oriëntatie lokaal binnen de projectgrenzen toegepast. Indien er binnen een project geen ruimte is voor het hergebruik, zijn de vrijgekomen assets beschikbaar voor een ander project elders in de stad. Maar zo een uitwissingsproces loopt niet vanzelfsprekend. Aan de basis hiervan ligt uitwisseling van informatie. Hiervoor staat Amsterdam aan de start voor het ontwikkelen van de digitale materialenbank, waarin latende projecten en ontvangende project respectievelijk hun vrijkomende assets en te reserveren assets kenbaar maken

I am Sener Kaya from Turkey. I am a lecturer in Ankara/Turkey. Also I am a PhD student in sociology at Sakarya University. My thesis subject is "The Transformation Revealed by Smart City Applications in Urban Identity: Amsterdam Example".  Because of my thesis, I want to come to the Amsterdam and do interviews with experts who work on smart city. If you accept, I would like to work with you. I am also member of Amsterdam Smart City.
There is no study on smart cities in the field of sociology in Turkey yet. If I finish my thesis successfully, it will be the first study. I would be very happy if you support me in this matter.

My thesis's main question is '' What kind of change/transformation do smart city applications reveal in urban identity?''.

Today, many smart city applications are made by local governments. What kind of a transformation do these studies reveal in the economic, physical and socio-cultural identity of the city that it has carried from the past to the present? How do these studies carried out by local governments respond to the social problems of individuals living in the city?These are some of the sub-questions in my research. When I decided to study this topic I noticed that smart city studies generally are about physical or economic dimensions, especially in Turkey. But In studies in Turkey, this issue has almost never been addressed with its social dimensions. Therefore, I decided that this issue should be studied. Because all the elements that make up the identity of the city should be taken into account in order for the studies to be put forward by the local governments to be holistic. This is why I chose the city of Amsterdam as an example. While the work done in the city of Amsterdam was done from the top to down in the past, the work done today is done from the bottom to up and the people are at the center. I would like to come to Amsterdam and have interviews with people and institutions working on this subject. I am waiting for good news from all of you. I hope someone else accept to work with me.

At the end of its production process, waste or “output” produced by one company can be reborn into a valuable raw material or “input” for another.

This process is called “Industrial symbiosis”.

Learn more about it in the link below.

May 12, 6 pm, join us for the KICK-OFF SURPRISE PARTY, where we will reveal the hottest AI and HPC Innovations while enjoying cocktails made by a robot bartender. Shaken not stir. 🥂

What to expect?
- See with our eyes how technology brings your ideas into 3D universes.
- How AI is training itself to become smarter.
- How AI will transform the future of the fashion industry.
...But let’s not reveal too much 😏

Attend the event to say goodbye to our first showcasing startups and celebrate their success gained through the work with Hyperion Lab.
And meet the new startups to rock the stage of our showcase program.

😎 Drinks and food on us! You come with enthusiasm.

🚀 Sign up today!

Hyperion Lab is a community-driven project aiming to become the go-to place for AI and HPC innovations.
Our space hosts startup innovations from all around Europe, supporting them with hardware and expertise.
In addition, we host training and events related to the AI and HPC community.
Our mission at Hyperion Lab is to bring together the Dutch and International AI and HPC community within a large-scale smart city in Amsterdam South East. Join our community!

Wij zoeken een Webshop Manager – Online Marketeer - die ons merk kan laten groeien. Iemand met minimaal 2 à 4 jaar ervaring in beheer en optimalisatie van onze website en die breed bekend is met social media en e-commerce: google analyses uitvoert, de customer journey en seo op de website optimaliseert, e-mail flows inricht, portals aansluit en google & social media advertenties optimaliseert.

Ben jij een online marketeer met een flinke drive en vind jij duurzame mode een must? Wil je werken in een start-up omgeving met veel ambitie? Ben jij op zoek naar een nieuwe uitdaging? Dan ben jij de marketeer die wij zoeken. Lees snel verder!

Brightloops BV is een start-up gevestigd in Amsterdam gericht op duurzame mode en textiel. Wij werken met een jong & divers team en wij zijn koploper op het gebied van recycling & circulair textiel. Wij maken van lokale textiel reststromen van de consument nieuwe vezels, garens en prachtige breiproducten. Ofwel van een oude trui en gloednieuwe trui. Wij besparen per trui duizenden liters water en gebruiken geen verfstoffen, super duurzaam dus! Wij hebben ons eigen merk genaamd Loop.a life. De Loop.a life collectie is gemaakt van 100% gerecycled textiel.

Jouw rol  - ervaring
Als Webshop Manager en Online Marketeer zorg jij voor de groei van de webshop en e-commerce activiteiten van Loop.a life. Je bent verantwoordelijk voor het optimaal inrichten en online verkopen van onze collectie via de webshop, social media kanalen affiliate partners, fashion portalen. Je bent dagelijks bezig met het optimaliseren van de webshop voor sales acties of campagnes, customer journey en conversie van de website en het analyseren en rapporteren van webshop en social media. data. Je hebt kennis en ervaring met wordpress en shopify, woocommerce, mailchimp, google analytics.

We zoeken een enthousiaste persoonlijkheid die stevig in zijn/haar schoenen staat, snapt wat er nodig is om een merk te bouwen en ervaring heeft.

Wie zoeken wij?

• Je hebt HBO/WO werk- en denkniveau;
• Minimaal 2-4 jr relevante werkervaring binnen een online retail/ e-commerce omgeving;
• Je hebt een brede interesse in e-commerce en fashion en bent op de hoogte van de laatste trends/ontwikkelingen binnen het vakgebied;
• Je hebt een commerciële instelling en wilt altijd het beste resultaat behalen;
• Je bent flexibel, zelfstandig en georganiseerd;
• Je beheerst de Nederlandse (native) en Engelse taal uitstekend en kunt pakkende teksten schrijven;
• Je woont in omgeving Amsterdam of direct omgeving

What's in it for you?

• Een uitdagende functie voor langere tijd;
• Werken in een gedreven en enthousiast jong en divers team;
• Een marktconform salaris, met ruimte om vanuit eigen   resultaten te groeien;
• Het verschil maken door mee te werken aan een duurzame wereld;
• Afwisselende functie met ruimte voor persoonlijke ontwikkeling;

Ben jij klaar voor een nieuwe uitdaging, wil je helpen de wereld mooier te maken en wil je graag een inspirerende, duurzame en creatieve baan? Solliciteer dan voor 15 april – motivatiebrief + cv + referenties! Sollicitatierondes zullen plaats vinden op:

• Dinsdagochtend 19 april 09:00-11:00 uur
• Woensdagmiddag 20 april 12:00-14:00 uur

Voor meer informatie: ellen@brightloops.nl of bel Ineke: 06-20629522

Is your company looking for a framework to accelerate and manage its positive impact on people and the planet? Join the City of Amsterdam's Building Better Business meetups and programme to pursue a B Corp or Economy for the Common Good certification!

Building Better Business (BBB) has two different tracks: B Corp and Economy for the Common Good (ECG). You can join either track to transform your business into a change agent and build the foundation for certification – if you decide to take that step.

During our online meetups, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the BBB programme and find out which path to certification works best for your company!

Please note: the 1 April meetup focuses exclusively on the ECG certification model, so do join that edition if you would like to dig deeper. You can sign up via the same Eventbrite link

Campussen en kennishubs in de metropoolregio Amsterdam zijn rijk aan onderzoeksfaciliteiten, kennis, testruimtes en geavanceerde apparatuur. Uit de gesprekken met de gemeente Amsterdam en diverse campussen zoals het Amsterdam Science Park en het Amsterdam Life Sciences District komt de aanname naar voren dat veel aanwezige faciliteiten maar voor een klein deel benut worden. Dit terwijl faciliteiten vaak een flinke investering zijn geweest voor bedrijven en kennisinstellingen. Wij zien hier een grote kans voor de MRA. Optimale benutting van faciliteiten kan onnodige investeringen voorkomen, ruimte en grondstoffen besparen en mensen uit verschillende hoeken bij elkaar brengen.

Onder de noemer ‘Project Facility Sharing in de MRA’ hebben wij deze kans verkend. Deze verkenning bestaat uit afgenomen interviews en georganiseerde bijeenkomsten. Deze verkenning is uitgewerkt in het rapport: “Facility sharing: optimale benutting van (kennis) faciliteiten in de regio”

Voor meer informatie kun je mailen naar hello@campus.amsterdam 

ampus Amsterdam is het netwerk dat alle innovatiegebieden, campussen en kennislabs in de metropoolregio aan elkaar verbindt waardoor de kenniseconomie van de regio wordt versterkt.

In Amsterdam praten we steeds meer over het circulair maken van materiaalstromen. Maar om welke materialen en aantallen gaat het nu eigenlijk? Hoe bewegen ze door Amsterdam en welke impact hebben ze op het milieu?

Wethouder Marieke van Doorninck en Rene Koop, programmamanager CE bij Gemeente Amsterdam, delen de inzichten uit de Monitor Amsterdam Circulair. Een monitor – tot stand gekomen in samenwerking met CBS, geoFluxus en TNO – die laat zien hoe materiaalstromen zich door de regio Groot-Amsterdam bewegen. Van import en productie tot consumptie, recycling en verlies. Dankzij de Monitor Amsterdam Circulair weten we hoeveel materiaal er in onze stad rondgaat en wat daarvan de ecologische impact is. De inzichten die we daar uithalen stellen ons in staat om nog betere keuzes te maken in het belang van de circulaire economie.

Benieuwd hoe de monitor werkt? Waarom het een belangrijke asset is voor onze stad? En hoe jouw organisatie een bijdrage kan leveren? Meld je dan aan voor het online event op vrijdag 11 februari tussen 10.00 en 12.00 uur vanuit de studio in Circl.

Met o.a. de volgende sprekers: Marieke Van Doorninck (wethouder Ruimtelijke Ontwikkeling en Duurzaamheid), Rene Koop (programmamanager circulaire economie Gemeente Amsterdam), Arnout Sabbe (Data-expert Geofluxus en AMS Institute), Robert Koolen (directeur duurzaamheid Heijmans) en Nathan de Groot als dagvoorzitter.

The Circular City Challenge calls on innovators of the Circular Economy to find answers to the challenges of the transformation to a circular urban system.

To do so, @CircularBerlin, @CircularMunich, @materialkreislauf. und #circonnact  are going on a joint search for circular and innovative approaches to advance the Circular Economy in cities and to explore and implement promising solutions together.

Do you feel like this post was written for you? Are you working on an innovative solution that can support the transformation of cities to the Circular Economy?

Do you want to join a network full of innovators who share the same visions and interests? Do you want a real-lab where you can adapt your circular-enabled solutions as close to existing needs as possible?

Then we look forward to receiving your application for the Circular City Challenge!

By participating in the Circular City Challenge, you will advance both your own project and your local Circular Economy!

Through joining the challenge you will get  a unique chance to demonstrate the potential of your work directly to local stakeholders  within the Circular Economy. You will have the opportunity to interact with representatives of the cities to enable you to tailor your solution to the existing needs of the city.  On top of this, you will  benefit from the network of our established partners, which will contribute to and increase the reach and visibility of  your project.

For this,  your project should address at least one of the four key challenges of the Circular City Challenge: Resource Management, Digital Technologies, System Infrastructure and Consumption &  Awareness. We are looking for innovators who are motivated to help shape the local transition to a Circular Economy, be it local organisations, entrepreneurs or companies.

Did we pique your interest and now you want to be part of the Circular CIty Challenge? Then visit the Circular City Challenge website https://circular-city-challenge.com/ for more information on how to apply and to fill out the application form.

The application starts from 01.02. and runs through 31.03.22

Register for the online event | As cities worldwide attract more and more people, public space is coming increasingly under pressure. To create liveable cities now and in the future, we need to find ways to address the Sustainable Development Goals, climate change and other urban challenges. There are many ideas already out there, we want cities to share these ideas. In recent months, the Netherlands has called on its embassies, NBSOs and other representatives to use their networks to collect these ideas on the Closer Cities platform.

We have invited urban experts to an interactive online event to discuss:

Solving Urban Challenges Together: Best practices for liveable cities

Date: 14 February 2022
Time: 14.30-16.00 CET
Location: Online -Register here
Language: English

For practical reasons, the programme is prerecorded. During the webcast on 14 February, we have an interactive chat open so speakers can answer your questions.

Who can attend
This online event is highly interesting for policymakers of governments, employees of companies, representatives of civil society and intergovernmental organisations active in the field of city development and urban resilience.

What to expect
At this interactive online event, we hear from urban experts on vital cities, citizens' initiatives, inclusive innovation and the importance of sharing. We share with you the lessons learned by the Closer Cities platform. We give the floor to urban actors who will relate their experiences. We also dive into how projects can be shared and adapted to be implemented elsewhere in the world. During the event, prizes will be awarded to the best urban solutions.

We look forward to seeing you on 14 February. Let's #solveurbanchallenges together

On behalf of the Netherlands,

Netherlands Enterprise Agency
Closer Cities and partners

Register here

As cities worldwide attract more and more people, public space is coming increasingly under pressure. Climate change and rapid urbanisation are intensifying the problems faced by people living in urban areas. As governments around the world look to build back better, we want to help them by sharing great ideas online.

Watch our short campaign video.

Why: creating greater impact
As a small country, the Netherlands is committed to achieving the world’s sustainable development and climate goals by sharing ideas and working together to overcome challenges. By sharing our knowledge and expertise with our international partners, and learning from others, the Netherlands can create greater impact. That's why we have devised a series of symbolic actions. This symbolic action 'Connected Cities' seeks to help urban areas develop resilience by sharing solutions online.

What: sharing urban ideas and best practices
We are calling on urban innovators, inventors, creatives, makers, startups, scale ups, do-gooders and anyone else with a great idea to share it via the Closer Cities platform. Closer Cities is a non-profit initiative supported by the Easmus Initiative Vital Cities Citizens, the Institute for Housing and Development Studies and Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies and Leiden - Delft Erasmus Centre for BOLD Cities.

How: What you can do?
Each and every day, the most amazing and impactful developments are made in cities around the globe. But all too often they go unnoticed. This is a real pity, since many of these projects are worth sharing. We need to make great projects that the world should know about more visible. The idea or project needs to meet the following criteria:

• Is this idea shareable and repeatable? 
• Does it address the SDGs, climate change, wellbeing, diversity, youth, housing or education?
• Or does it just make the city a better place?

Projects at any stage of development will be accepted. Remember no Dutch involvement is required. It’s all about cities helping other cities to improve. At the same time, you become part of a bigger movement helping the transition towards creating liveable cities. Closer Cities will conduct scientific research into which factors drive successful sharing. By sharing ideas online, we can help solve global challenges together. If you know about ideas that help achieve the sustainable development goals, address climate change or just make the world a better place, then we want to hear about it on the Closer Cities website.

How can you submit a project
Simply follow the steps and fill in the form (takes approximately 30 minutes).

Step 1. Go to the Closer Cities website
Step 2. Click on Share a project
Step 3. Fill in the questionnaire (project form) and share!

Make sure you submit the ideas by the end of January! The best five ideas will be selected for a prize awarded during an online webinar on 14 February 2022.

Online webinar
Want to find out more about urban solutions? Join our interactive online event on Monday 14 February 14.30 - 16.00 CET on Solving Urban Challenges Together. During the event, you will hear from city innovators, urban experts, scientists, and urban innovators pitching their ideas. Register here.

→ For more information, visit:Join us to solve urban challenges together
→ Or read Closer Cities'FAQs
Let's #solveurbanchallenges together

If projects from your network join the campaign, let us know which ones they are! Or if you have any questions or suggestions? Contact the NL Branding team.

It’s all about the money: A Smart RESILIO Blue-Green Roof might sound a little pricey. But is money all what counts? Are these roofs affordable? In this third part of the RESILIO blue-green roofs movie sequence we explain to you the overall value and benefits for the society and how to approach these in a financial matter. Maybe we have to broaden our view on how we assign value to an object and use these outcomes as a solution for financing. Daniel van den Buuse, PhD and Hans de Moel tell us all.