At the recent DUT (Driving Urban Transitions) PED (Positive Energy District) Conference in Milan, the Smart Cities Marketplace played a key role in shaping the conversation around energy-positive urban development. The event brought together leading voices in sustainable urban transitions, with a strong focus on demonstrating the impact and scalability of PEDs across Europe.
The conference opened with a keynote by Han Vandevyvere from the Smart Cities Marketplace, titled “To PED or not to PED”, which traced the evolution of the PED concept and its growing relevance in mission-driven urban planning. The keynote set the stage for a day of deep dives into the benefits and challenges of PED implementation.
As a representative of the Smart Cities Marketplace, Han Vandevyvere co-hosted two breakout sessions alongside Roos Marinissen (Platform31), under the theme “Energy in Mission-Oriented Urban Planning.” These sessions were part of a broader morning program titled “Impact: Why are PEDs better?”, which explored evidence of PEDs outperforming conventional urban energy models.
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to “Making PEDs European Practice – Overcoming Remaining Challenges.” The Smart Cities Marketplace session facilitated a dynamic brainstorming exercise to generate recommendations for future PED development. Discussions spanned multiple intervention levels—micro, meso, and macro—and revisited persistent barriers, such as regulatory complexity and financing gaps.
The Smart Cities Marketplace continues to support cities and stakeholders in scaling up PEDs, aligning with the EU’s broader climate neutrality goals. The insights gathered in Milan will feed into ongoing efforts to mainstream PEDs as a cornerstone of sustainable urban transformation.