Cities across Europe are exploring how digital technologies can help them to become climate-neutral. ICLEI Member Cities - including Hamburg and Munich (Germany), Utrecht (the Netherlands), Tampere (Finland), and Barcelona (Spain) - are playing a key role in shaping how these tools are developed and used.

One technology gaining traction is the Local Digital Twin - a virtual 3D model of a city that uses real-time data to support better planning and decision-making. These tools can be crucial for developing Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), neighbourhoods that produce more energy than they consume. However, cities need clear standards to ensure these digital solutions work together seamlessly and deliver reliable results that help meet broader goals like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To support this, the TIPS4PED project, backed by the HS Booster initiative, is working to create a new European standard called a CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA). This fast-track process helps turn research into practical guidelines that cities can apply voluntarily. The CWA, expected in 2025, will help cities use digital tools like Local Digital Twins to plan and implement PEDs in ways that can be easily replicated across Europe.

Since late 2024, Monika Heyder, ICLEI Europe’s Senior Expert has led workshops with project partners and Member cities to explore how these standards should be designed.. These discussions draw on insights from major European initiatives such as NetZeroCities, NetworkNature, and TIPS4PED.

The work was recently showcased at the HS Booster Conference in Brussels, where it was recognised as a significant step in giving cities a stronger voice in shaping European standards.

It extends far beyond one project and thus represents a shift toward a more coherent European standardisation landscape, bridging the gap between research, innovation, and regulation. For ICLEI members, the initiative offers a valuable opportunity to influence the standards that will shape Europe’s future and to ensure that local realities and priorities are fully reflected.

Learn more here.