Ecotechnology for the smart cities

This alliance between Tecnalia, one of Europe's main R+D centres, and the Metrópoli Foundation, a prestigious international centre for innovation in the sphere of cities, aims to help our cities improve, and contribute towards stimulating the activity of companies specialising in the Urban Solutions sector.

"The growing prominence of cities on the international scene is one of the most important phenomena at this start of the 21st century. Never has the world been so urban. The cities are the new players in the global economy. City design and management is a crucial aspect in the life quality of citizens, in social cohesion, in magnetism as well as in the retaining and attracting of talent," asserts Alfonso Vegara, the President of the Metrópoli Foundation+.

In a world concerned about sustainability we cannot forget that 80% of CO2 emissions are produced by cities. The key to the sustainability of our Planet and to driving forward a greener, more sustainable economy lies in the design of cities of the future," adds Fernando Espiga, head of Tecnalia's sustainable development division.

The city-state of Singapore is right now one of the world's most advanced territories, characterised by a firm commitment to the Knowledge-based Economy, innovation and the attracting of talent; all this is yielding high indices of economic development and strategic positioning, which is taken as a benchmark by many territories worldwide.

Bilbao – Euskal Hiria (Bilbao – Basque City) has in recent years become one of the most recognised international benchmarks in the matter of urban renewal, and is committing itself with the future in mind in favour of a firm positioning towards the Knowledge-based Economy.

There is a shared sphere of interest surrounding the economic sector of Urban Solutions where Urban Intelligence and EcoTecnology meet; it is one of the current vectors of development of Singapore and is taking shape as an interesting driving force for the future strategy of Bilbao. This space of opportunities has resulted in the Cities Knowledge Platform led by Tecnalia and the Metrópoli Foundation, and which sets out to align industry related to this field with new business opportunities. This platform takes its inspiration from, among other benchmarks, the successful experience of Singapore, and is incorporating the knowledge and support of expert organisations from that Asian country.

Provided by Elhuyar Fundazioa