In their efforts to deliver and replicate Smart City solutions, the EU’s nine Lighthouse projects formally signed a Cooperation Manifesto in Nottingham (UK) on March 23. Albert Engels from the city of Rotterdam signed the Cooperation Manifesto as coordinator of the RUGGEDISED project.

The Smart Cities and Communities lighthouse projects are funded by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, with the aim of bringing together cities, industry and citizens to demonstrate solutions and business models that can be scaled up and replicated, and that lead to measurable benefits in energy and resource efficiency, new markets and new jobs.

Brno in Southern Moravia is one of the follower cities.

There is more than 500 ha of unused properties in Brno. Over 200 ha are industrial brownfields, most of which are located near the city centre. These areas have the potential to create new revitalised districts. Brno is currently developing a revitalisation and innovation plan for the brownfields and is setting out the best strategy to complete the smart city districts. In the RUGGEDISED project we are focusing specifically on these two locations:

- “Špitálka” – is an industrial area 1 km away from the main train station in the historical centre of Brno. A building complex of factories has operated since 1930 and generates electric power by using natural gas. Špitálka is a part of a large industrial area formed by brownfields that surround the center of Brno.

- Trade Fairs Brno Company - offers more than 130,000 sq m of net exhibition area, ranking it among the world’s largest exhibition centres. This exhibition centre first opened in 1928 commemorating the first decennium of Czechoslovakian independence. Since the 27th of December Brno is the only shareholder of the Trade Fairs Brno Company. The area has the potential to create an environment where new technological innovations meet academia and the private sector. (Source: http://www.ruggedised.eu/cities/brno/ )

Read more about the project.