Welcome to the 8th Edition of the RESPONSE Newsletter!

As the year comes to a close, we’re pleased to share the latest updates from the H2020 RESPONSE project. This newsletter highlights the key milestones, events, and developments from the second semester of the year, showcasing the progress made toward creating Smart Cities and Communities across Europe.

In this edition, you’ll find updates on energy efficiency initiatives, demonstrations in our Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), and the work carried out by our partners. This is a chance to reflect on what we’ve achieved together and look ahead to the next steps for RESPONSE.

The RESPONSE Team wishes you Happy Holidays and all the best for 2025.

Let’s dive into the highlights! ⚡

PROJECT’S ACHIEVEMENTS

RESPONSE Turku PED’s heat pump wins 1st place in European Heat Pump Association awards

The heat pump solution developed and implemented in Turku Student Village PED area was awarded by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) in Brussels on 25 September 2024. It won 1st place in the category “Heat Pump City of the Year”, which recognizes heat pump projects implemented at the local level with the support of the city. The solution was co-developed by RESPONSE partners VTT, Oilon, Högfors GST, and Turku Energy.

The award-winning heat pump solution is a key element of Turku Student Village PED area and is located in Tyyssija building. The solution applies circular economy principles to district cooling and heating by using return heat from district cooling as its energy source. In effect, the heat pump is recovering waste heat from other buildings and repurposing it for energy production in Tyyssija. The thermal energy can then be distributed not only to Tyyssija, but also other buildings connected to the district heating and cooling networks. Additionally, as the solution can produce district heating and cooling simultaneously, its efficiency is also higher than that of a pump producing only heating or cooling.

RESPONSE partners Turku, Turku Energia, VTT, Oilon, Högfors GST, and TYS were delighted to receive the award from the European Heat Pump Association. The awarded solution is a result of collaboration between research and business, with the city of Turku and TYS as important enablers for innovation through RESPONSE project.

The Heat Pump Awards is an annual competition organized by the European Heat Pump Association. The Heat Pump City of the Year award recognizes innovative, local projects supported by cities. More information on European Heat Pump Awards and the winners of 2024

Figure 1 - RESPONSE partners Turku, Turku Energia, VTT, Oilon, Högfors GST, and TYS receiving the award from the European Heat Pump Association

Text: Helmi Andersson, City of Turku. Photo: Photographer Unknown

Solarisation of social housing in Fontaine d'Ouche (Dijon)

In the scope of RESPONSE, social landlords GDH and Orvitis are installing PV pergolas on the roofs of the Franche-Comté block (Figure 2 and 3) and Île-de-France (Figure 4) block. The launch of collective self-consumption operations by landlords is scheduled for early Spring 2025. The financial impact for tenants will be twofold:

• A reduction in rental charges for the supply of electricity in common areas, partially offset by the contribution to the investment requested by the landlord. This reduction will benefit all tenants in each of the 2 blocks.
• A reduction in individual electricity bills thanks to collective self-consumption, reserved for tenants who agree to take part in the operation.

The operation will be more advantageous for tenants who sign the agreement to join the self-consumption operation. The detailed financial impact for tenants is currently being calculated. However, the methods implemented guarantee a positive financial impact for tenants, even if they do not join the collective self-consumption scheme.

Figure 2 - Construction of the framework for the 1st pergola on the roof of the Franche-Comté block (Oct. 2024); Figure 3 - 1st PV pergola on the Franche-Comté block, fitted with photovoltaic panels (Nov. 2024); Figure 4 - Pergola being installed on the île-de-France block (Nov. 2024)

Text and photo: Lise Brusseaux, City of Dijon

Light Electric Vehicle chargers installed in Turku Student Village

Two Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) chargers were installed in Turku Student Village PED in September. With the LEV chargers, residents and passers-by can charge their electric bikes or other light electric vehicles. Charging is free, and the stations are equipped with the most common e-bike charging cables (Shimano, Yamaha, and Bosch) as well as a socket for personal chargers.

The LEV chargers are strategically placed along year-round cycling routes and enable fast charging—adding up to 20 km of range in just 30 minutes. With the ability to charge two bikes simultaneously, they offer a practical solution for both students and residents of the area.

The chargers were developed by the New Energy Research Group at Turku University of Applied Sciences as part of the RESPONSE project.

Figure 5 - Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) chargers in Turku Student Village PED

Text: Helmi Andersson, City of Turku . Photo: Arttu Ala-Jokimäki, TYS

LATEST NEWS

RESPONSE Presented at NTUA's Inspiring Researcher’s Night

The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) recently hosted its annual Researcher’s Night on 27 September at the university’s central campus. Organized by the Thermal Engineering Section of the School of Mechanical Engineering, the event, which featured a presentation of the RESPONSE project, brought together members of the scientific community, students, and the general public for an engaging half-day dedicated to science and innovation.

The program featured:

• Science Experiment Demonstrations: Hands-on experiments that brought scientific concepts to life.
• Interactive Workshops: Engaging sessions where participants experienced cutting-edge technological and scientific processes.
• Discussions and Speeches by Leading Scientists: Prominent experts shared their insights into the latest research trends in thermal engineering and other fields.
• Technological Innovations and Presentations: Attendees discovered breakthroughs and technologies shaping the future of engineering and science.

This event provided a unique opportunity for participants to learn, network, and immerse themselves in the world of science and innovation. It was a great success, showcasing the dynamic research happening at NTUA. For more information, contact ntuaren@central.ntua.gr.

Figure 6 - Children participating in the Researcher’s Night 2024 at NTUA

Text: SPI. Photo: Christina Hatzilau, NTUA

Presentation of the RESPONSE success story as part of the Horizon Europe Day, organised by the network of European stakeholders in Burgundy-Franche-Comté

On 17 December, the Network of European stakeholders in Burgundy-Franche-Comté Region organised a one-day event focusing on Horizon Europe program, aimed at all types of project leaders: researchers, industry professionals, local authorities, associations, etc., around major themes of regional interest. It was an opportunity to illustrate the many facets of the European program through presentations, discussions and feedback with the participation of Horizon Europe national contact points.

Hadrien Rouchette (RESPONSE Lighthouse City Manager, Dijon Métropole) and Carmen Munoz-Dormoy (Head of Regional Action, EDF) presented their experience with the Horizon Europe programme, giving the example of RESPONSE, one of the key Smart Cities and Communities project.

Figure 7 - Carmen Munoz-Dormoy (EDF) and Hadrien Rouchette (Dijon Métropole)

Text and photo: Hadrien Rouchette and Lise Brusseaux, City of Dijon

RESPONSE attended the Smart Cities Expo World Congress (SCEWC) in Barcelona

The RESPONSE team once more took part in the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), the premier global event for cities and urban innovation, which took place this year from 5-7 November 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. RESPONSE project had an active part in shaping discussions on sustainable urban development showing how to foster a European movement to adopt, replicate, and scale sustainable urban solutions, accelerating Positive Energy in Districts and Buildings.

One of the engaging sessions, “Back to the Future”, provided a deep dive into the evolution of smart cities and the ambitious goal of achieving 100 climate-neutral cities through the #ScalableCities initiative. Moderated by Veronika Cerna from the Scalable Cities Secretariat , the session brought together key figures and experts: Philippe Fournand (Blue-Sight Conseil), Hadrien Rouchette (Dijon Métropole), Anh Minh Vu (Dresden, NEUTRALPATH & MAtchUP Projects), Deeb Sidani (Porto Digital, ASCEND Project). On behalf of RESPONSE, Dijon LHC manager Hadrien Rouchette discussed how the project helped strengthen the Lighthouse and fellow cities´ local ecosystems and addressed challenges faced in implementing Dijon´s climate plan.

Figure 8 - RESPONSE participation in the “Back to the Future” session represented by Hadrien Rouchette (Dijon Métropole)

In addition to this session, RESPONSE played an active role in multiple discussions and workshops throughout the event. Monjur, the primary coordinator of RESPONSE project participated in the Agora session and panel discussion on “Building Better Cities in Europe through Positive Energy Districts”. The session was moderated by Veronika Cerna of the Scalable Cities Secretariat and the panel was featured by the coordinators of RESPONSE, POCITYF, ATELIER and MAKING-CITY projects. First, each panelist gave an animated speech about their project. This was followed by a question-and-answer session.

Monjur explained how RESPONSE is creating liveable cities, especially in the two lighthouse cities of Dijon and Turku, by addressing the energy trilemma - energy security, equity and environmental sustainability. He highlighted some of the technical solutions and key success factors for implementing Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), including strong collaboration and trust between public and private entities, the importance of technical skills, and innovative business models. Around 70 participants attended the Agora session.

Figure 9 - RESPONSE participation in the Agora session “Building Better Cities in Europe Through PEDs” represented by Monjur Murshed (EIFER)

We are incredibly grateful to all of the speakers, participants, and the broader community paving the way for smarter and greener cities. And a special thank you to the partners that were there helping to increase this community: Smart Cities Marketplace, Scalable Cities, ASCEND, ATELIER, MAKING CITY, NEUTRALPATH, POCITYF. ��✨

Text: SPI. Photos: RESPONSE Team

RESPONSE hosted Webinar: Powering Climate Neutrality with NEUTRALPATH

On 20 November, the RESPONSE and NEUTRALPATH projects hosted a webinar titled Powering Climate Neutrality: State of the Art on PV Installations within Self-Consumption Schemes. The event focused on the role of solar energy in collective self-consumption models implemented in Zaragoza, Turku, and Dijon. It addressed local photovoltaic (PV) energy production, innovative energy management systems, and strategies to scale these solutions for climate-neutral cities across Europe.

The agenda included an introduction to Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) and their relevance to climate goals. Specific presentations covered energy production in Zaragoza’s PCED, energy management in Turku’s PED, and the replication of Dijon’s PED in real-world conditions. A Q&A session followed, offering participants an opportunity to clarify concepts and discuss applications.

Speakers included Cecilia Sanz Montalvillo (CARTIF), Clara Lorente Martin (CIRCE), Hugo Huerta (Turku University of Applied Sciences), Hadrien Rouchette (Dijon Métropole), and Monjur Murshed (EIFER). The webinar provided practical insights into solar energy strategies for advancing climate neutrality and shared progress from these three cities.

Figure 10 - Screenshots from the webinar hosted by RESPONSE with NEUTRALPAH participation

Text and photos: SPI

RESPONSE at the Ecological and Digital Transition Festival

The fourth edition of the Ecological and Digital Transition Festival took place from 4 November to 8 December 2024. It featured 90 events in a variety of formats, which aimed to understand the challenges of the ecological and digital transition, and to help people discover the trainings and careers that contribute to it in Burgundy-Franche-Comté thanks to a tailor-made programme around these challenges: exhibitions, conferences, hackathons, and visits of companies or laboratories.

The festival is particularly aimed at “learners” (secondary school students, university students and apprentices), including people undergoing career change and job seekers, teachers and employees.

In this context, the Green City - Campus des Métiers organised a second edition of the career fair forum ‘” Your Job of Tomorrow, a sustainable, low-carbon city ‘’ in Dijon from 2 to 4 December.

During this forum, close to 1000 visitors are given a mission that will lead them to work together to identify and mobilise key skills for a project that contributes to decarbonisation.

EDF and Dijon Métropole presented the RESPONSE model and the city's civic services demonstrated the “Draw your Positive Energy District” board game developed as part of the project, to introduce students to the context of the city's decarbonisation.

Thanks to the example of RESPONSE in Dijon, the students learned not only about the objectives of the city's transition, but also about the career opportunities it offers. Encouraged by this introduction, they then discovered the jobs of the future in several workshops run by schools and companies.

Figure 11 - RESPONSE Team on the Ecological and Digital Transition Festival; Figure 12 - Participants of the Ecological and Digital Transition Festival

Text and photo: Hadrien Rouchette and Lise Brusseaux, City of Dijon

Finnish Lighthouse City Network gathered in Vantaa

The focus of November’s Lighthouse City network meeting was on replication and carbon neutrality in urban planning. The meeting was organised by the City of Vantaa and NEUTRALPATH project and gathered participants from Turku (RESPONSE), Tampere (STARDUST), Oulu (MAKINGCITY), Espoo (SPARCS) and Vantaa (NEUTRALPATH).

The first day of the meeting was dedicated to exchange on replication in Turku and Vantaa, and the ongoing work for energy transition in those cities that have already concluded their respective Lighthouse project. The second day of the meeting focused on energy planning and carbon footprints as integral components of urban planning. In addition, a workshop on the concept of “Nordic PEDs” was organised, focusing on what solutions “PED thinking” can provide to the energy transition in Nordic cities.

For instance, a key advantage of examining cities through a “PED lens” is that it allows us to analyse the full energy potential of the built environment. At the same time, scaling PEDs at city level can be challenging. Participants agreed, that scaling PEDs requires fostering and sustaining multistakeholder collaboration and new kinds of business and contractual models, which allow stakeholders to share benefits equitably.

Although some of the Lighthouse Projects have already been completed, there is still much to share and learn between the project cities. Indeed, the fact that the projects are at different stages provides an excellent opportunity to compare solutions and results.

The Finnish Lighthouse City network meets a few times a year to discuss ongoing work and relevant topics. November’s meeting was organised by the City of Vantaa and NEUTRALPATH project.

Figure 13 - Participants from Turku (RESPONSE), Tampere (STARDUST), Oulu (MAKINGCITY), Espoo (SPARCS) and Vantaa (NEUTRALPATH)

Text and photo: Helmi Andersson, City of Turku

COMING SOON

Video Production about the LHC Turku

We have started filming in the city of Turku to develop a video showcasing the progress of the project in the Lighthouse City. Our team captured key buildings and technologies that are integral to the Positive Energy District (PED) system being implemented in the area.

Turku stands out as a pioneer in creating energy-positive blocks and districts. The pilot area is the Student Village, where project solutions are applied to both new constructions and a selection of older buildings. The initiative focuses on improving energy self-sufficiency and efficiency while increasing the use of locally produced renewable energy.

A key aspect of these developments is a citizen-oriented approach, ensuring that residents in the area can actively participate in shaping the solutions applied in their district. This collaboration highlights Turku's role as a leader in sustainable urban transformation.

Figure 14 - Behind the scenes of the recording at the Student Village in Turku

Text and Photos: SPI

UPCOMING EVENTS

7th RESPONSE Webinar on Heat and Electric Storage Sustainable Solutions in Dijon and Turku

We are thrilled to invite you to the 7th RESPONSE Webinar on Heat and Electric Storage Sustainable Solutions in Dijon and Turku, happening on 23 January 2025, from 11:00 to 12:00 CET.

In this webinar, our guests will present the integrated solutions adopted by RESPONSE and its energy transition strategy, focused on proposing grid flexibility strategies and novel storage systems for optimising energy flows, maximising self-consumption, and reducing grid stress.

Event Highlights:

• Key Speakers: Djawad Hamache and Van Hoa Nguyen from EDF and William Edrich from Sunamp, moderated by SPI
• Date and Time: 23 January 2025, from 11:00 to 12:00 CET
• Registration: Register here

Agenda:

• Welcome to participants | Ana Fernandes (SPI) (2’)
• Introduction to Sustainable Energy Storage (IS3) in RESPONSE | Djawad Hamache (EDF) (13’)
• Electricity Storage Solutions Dijon | Djawad Hamache (EFD) and Van Hoa Nguyen (EDF) (20’)
• Heat Storage Solutions in Turku | William Edrich (Sunamp) (20’)
• Q&A | Ana Fernandes (SPI) (5’)

�� Secure your spot and stay updated with the latest advancements in sustainable energy storage!

RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS

A Comprehensive Approach to Nearly Zero Energy Buildings and Districts: Analysis of a Region Undergoing Energy Transition

CERTH/CPERI, as part of the RESPONSE project, has submitted the scientific paper "A Comprehensive Approach to Nearly Zero Energy Buildings and Districts: Analysis of a Region Undergoing Energy Transition" for publication.

The paper focuses on the transformation of Eordaia, Greece, into a positive energy district through retrofitting, renewable energy technologies, and district-level energy solutions. Advanced modeling tools such as RETSCREEN Expert and EnergyPlan were used to optimize technology selection based on technical and financial parameters.

The findings demonstrate significant reductions in CO2 emissions and energy consumption, with payback periods ranging from 8.7 to 9.6 years. This research highlights the benefits of district-level approaches over individual building retrofits, providing valuable insights for sustainable urban planning and contributing to the EU’s 2050 net-zero emissions targets.

Text and photos: SPI

You can find more information about
 the project on our website and social media:

www.h2020response.eu

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement nº 957751. The document represents the view of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility: it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). The European Commission and the Agency do not accept responsibility for the use that may be made of the information it contains.

©2022 RESPONSE PROJECT. All rights reserved.
If you no longer wish to receive these emails, simply click on the following link Unsubscribe.