GrowSmarter aims to: • Improve the quality of life for European citizens by better mobility, housing and the quality of urban infrastructure while improving the citizens economy by lower energy costs and creating as much as 1500 new jobs (on the demonstration level). • Reduce the environmental impact by lower energy needs by 60 % and increased use of renewable energy thus reducing GHG emissions even more. • Create sustainable economic development by demonstrating and preparing a wider rollout of smart solutions. GrowSmarter will demonstrate at 3 lighthouse cities 12 smart, integrated solutions as a way of preparing for a wider market rollout. These solutions are integrated in specially chosen sites making demonstration easy to reach and take part of for the 5 follower cities and other European and international study groups. All the smart solutions are fit into the Lighthouse-cities strategic development plans and the follower cities replication plans. The solutions solve common urban challenges such as: • Renewal of existing buildings. GrowSmarter demonstrates the cost efficient renewal of 100.000 square meters of Nearly Zero or low energy districts reducing energy demand by 70-90%, • Integrated infrastructures for ICT, street lighting, smart grids district heating and smarter waste handling • Sustainable urban mobility for both passenger and gods integrated in smart grids, biofuels from household waste thus reducing local air quality emissions by 60%. The integration of Cities, strong group of industrial partners together and quality research organisations guarantee that the solutions will be both validated by independent research organisations and transformed into Smart Business Solutions by industry for the wider rollout to Europe. Growsmarter builds on integrated, close to the market solutions, to form business models for their wider deployment by the industrial partners. The project will help Europe GrowSmarter!

Within the EU, and particularly following the economic crisis; tourism will be, the ‘engine for economic growth’, particularly in the underperforming Mediterranean economies; where tourism has traditionally been a dominant economic sector. The world market of tourists continues to grow and Europe has unique selling points for further tourist growth from within and outside the EU (including China). The competitive market for tourism means that cities have to provide the high quality, sustainable environments desired by tourists, while providing local sustainable employment opportunities that overcome the seasonal and sometimes informal nature of tourist economies. Achieving sustainable mobility is a vital part of the growth equation for Europe’s tourist cities.DESTINATIONS will develop an innovative holistic approach to building sustainable urban mobility systems for both residents and tourists. The project impacts will make a positive contribution to demonstrating how this can achieve growth and therefore provide a benchmark for other EU tourist cities. DESTINATIONS will demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of innovative sustainable mobility solutions in 6 tourist cities with different characteristics but sharing common challenges. The solutions will address: • Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning for residents and visitors • Safe, attractive and accessible public spaces for all generations • Shared mobility and e-infrastructures towards zero emissions transport • Smart & clean urban freight logistics at tourist destinations • Mobility management & awareness for sustainable mobility • Attractive, clean, accessible and efficient public transport Achieving the objectives will increase the attractiveness of the city, both for tourists and for businesses in the sector and multiplier impacts in the economy for goods and services. All of these will contribute to better social cohesion (which attracts further investment). So sustainable mobility grows the economy.