URBANE brings together a multidisciplinary group of 41 partners from 12 different EU Member States, including 12 cities, industry leaders in logistics services, novel solution providers for shared, connected and automated operations and research experts to co-develop novel last mile delivery solutions combining green automated vehicles and shared space utilisation models. The project will support the transition path towards effective, resilient, safe and sustainable last mile transport, through four Lighthouse Living Labs (Helsinki, Bologna, Valladolid and Thessaloniki, that will demonstrate TRL7/8 efficient, replicable and socially acceptable innovative last mile delivery solutions (Wave 1 LLs), building on existing TRL>5 assets. Hands-on lesson learning at European level will be primarily facilitated by an Innovation Transferability Platform comprising Digital Twinning Tools, open models, smart contracts governed by blockchain technology and a data-driven Impact Assessment Radar that will enable the adaptation and replication of Wave 1 solutions in two Twinning LLs in Barcelona and Karlsruhe (Wave 2 LLs), demonstrating their own solutions within the course of the project. URBANE’s commitment to upscaling is further strengthened by the engagement of six early adopters (Follower Cities) in innovations’ adoption feasibility studies, thus stimulating the formulation of new LL communities across Europe. The approach employs social simulation tools to experiment with possible strategies. URBANE will provide evidence of the real introduction of the Physical Internet in urban deliveries for the first time.

RENOMIZE presents well-selected innovations in the processes and products for the full renovation trajectory from ideation, over delivery, maintenance and end-of life. Building on an impressive experience in the field, the following innovations have been put forward: • Decision support tools for optimisation of building site preparations, integration of balconies and overhangs, and for the integration and selection of HVAC and RES technology; • Optimisation of the process planning using advancements to spatiotemporal planning; • Development of an improved anchoring system and panel-panel connections, optimised for automized non-sequential mounting, de/re-mounting; • Self-positioning system and end-effectors thereon to support autonomous anchor and panel placement; • Phased optimisation of the factory automation for cost reduction and quality improvement. These innovations will lead to cost savings beyond the aimed 25% and considerable time savings. Elaborate testing for disruptive events is previewed in Switzerland and Spain, while 4 complementary demonstrations will be delivered in Estonia, Switzerland, France, and Belgium. Stakeholders are engaged from the onset of the project, and wider uptake is actively integrated in RENOMIZE’s concept through certification, technical assistance and various capacity building activities.

The overarching objective of the ReaLsMs is to develop and implement a perspective on the Smart City through critical humanities research and innovation in the context of the Digital Studies. The joint research fields of ReaLsMs will be the development of historical and philosophical underpinnings of the Data City and the implementation of the Smart City within local governance structures, including Dublin City Council and Plaine Commune (Paris North). Consisting of a network of three academic partners in the EU, Technological University of Dublin - School of Creative Arts, Computer Science and Architecture, (TU Dublin, IE), the Institut de Recherche et d’Innovation (IRI) at the Centre Pompidou (FR) and Durham University, the Centre for Humanities Innovation (DU, UK). The 2 non-academic partners located in the EU are Dublin City Council (DCC, IE) and Plaine Commune (FR). The Third Country academic partners is the Universidad de las Artes in Ecuador (UARTES, Ecuador). The purpose of developing this consortium as a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange is to share knowledge across disciplines in order to develop a transdisciplinary model for “real smart city,” which is defined as a Smart City that is based on a critical humanities perspective, where citizens are the proper data brokers, engaging through public fora for debate and new technologies that enable citizen participation. Through an international and cross-sectoral network, the aim is to across sectors, allowing academic researchers to work with civic government and data collection while non-academic partners can benefit from the insights of academic partners to create new forms of education that illuminate the “black box” of Smart City technology. The expected outcome of research are a new transdisciplinary episteme of the Smart and Data City that is rooted in Digital Studies and subsequently informed methods for handling data collected through Smart City infrastructure.

The main objective of the project is to strength the role of Higher engineering education in the innovation-based regional development. The traditional engineering curricula are focused on engineering science and do not provide sufficient design experiences and to students. Higher education institution should engage in closer cooperation with the industry to overcome such weaknesses. Higher education institution students should acquire more practical skills in engineering design and development of innovative products as well as rapid prototyping. Industry and higher education institution cooperation is beneficial for both sides, especially for SMEs that could use fewer resources for solution of non-urgent issues and even for development of new products. Often the cooperation is restricted to only one industry-driven project or real-life case. Involvement of regional authorities (regional government) makes possible the transition from “case to case” approach in the selection of industrial partners to a more structured and long-term cooperation between universities and industry facilitated by the regional authorities. The main project outcome will be created of sustainable partnership model among universities, communities and industry in the region. Sustainable partnership model among universities, regional authorities and industry in the region that increases quality of the higher education and strengths its role in the innovation-based regional development. A critical element of a successful partnership is acknowledgment that universities and communities have their unique strengths, weaknesses, and needs, and a reasonable mutual perception of such partnership. Such partnership model will contribute teaching activities for engineering students that combine theory and practice in a context of real engineering application challenges. Industry- and/or community- driven projects will go through all steps of the developed partnership model starting from adaption of the study methods till presentation of created product prototypes and assessment of study results. Students will experience the different stages of product development: conception, design, simulation, analysis, manufacture and testing, using rapid prototyping methods and tools. The project partners will create also the set of guidelines that facilitates implementation of sustainable partnership model among universities, regional authorities and industry in the region. This set includes the guidelines for implementation of skills relevant to engineering design and development of innovative products in the engineering curriculum and guidelines and examples for using rapid prototyping to acquire practical skills in product design engineering. The development of sustainable partnership model and supporting guidelines will be based on analysis of engineering skills for innovative product design based on regional needs. The main version of the sustainable partnership model and accompanied guidelines and will be created in English, and translated to the partner languages (Latvian, French and Greek) and adapted taking account national traditions, legislation, educational and business environment. The project will start in October of 2017 and will run for two years.