SMILE. SMart green Innovative urban Logistics for Energy efficient mediterranean cities

Client: MED Programme
Dates: 2013-2015

The SMILE project focuses on the development and implementation of innovative strategies, plans and measures on energy efficient mobility solutions for smart MED cities utilizing available technologies and building upon previous experiences as well as on-going initiatives regarding technical, cost and other related issues that must be taken into account. SMILE is well aligned with the general objective of promoting innovative energy efficiency solutions for smart MED cities as it will define, plan, test, share and promote public policies, strategies and measures for intelligent urban freight transport solutions, improving public and private actors’ knowledge in the topic while imposing a direct energy saving impact to the cities.

The SMILE project activities are scattered on 5 different Mediterranean countries (France, Italy, Spain, Greece and Croatia) and specifically focused on 6 MED cities which are Montpellier, Bologna, Barcelona, Valencia, Piraeus and Rijeka. The structure of the SMILE consortium presents a very interesting mix of MED cities fitting the purposes of the MED programme i.e. the promotion of smart green innovative urban logistics for energy efficient Mediterranean cities. SMILE brings together 3 large-sized cities (Bologna and Valencia with around 1 million inhabitants and Barcelona which exceeds 4 million) and 3 medium-sized ones (Piraeus, Montpellier and Rijeka with around 200.000 inhabitants each). SMILE cities encompass a broad spectrum of issues, challenges, opportunities, market needs and infrastructure conditions while at the same time they share common goals for the development of cost effective and energy-efficient urban logistics activities. In addition to their distinct differences, specific common characteristics such as the existence of ‘complex’ historic city centers, and the fact that 4 of the cities (Piraeus, Barcelona, Valencia and Rijeka) are actually port-cities will be carefully considered.