Soma (Turkey) has a population of about 90,000 people and can be found in the Manisa province, Western Turkey. The town has grown around the lignite mining industry and the lignite-fired thermal power plant in the city. The Soma demo site district comprises 7,037 m2 of conditioned area. Buildings were mainly heated by coal-based heating systems, where old-fashioned stoves heat the dwellings. The buildings were built in 1982 and the retrofitting took place between 2014 and 2018

Two different retrofitting strategies were implemented:

The city of Amsterdam has over 850,000 residents from 180 different countries, who own more than 600,000 bicycles. The wider Amsterdam Metropolitan Area has close to 2.5 million inhabitants. The city has a strong commitment to encourage green research, development and investment in sustainable initiatives. As a result, the area is enjoying a rapid uptake of electric transportation and a growing number of companies are developing sustainable products that influence global business. Amsterdam is exceptionally well connected, both physically and digitally.

Aarhus is the second biggest city in Denmark with 300 000 inhabitants. With the aim to become carbon neutral by 2030, the city moves forward with its climate and smart city strategy with a number of sustainable actions and projects, amongst which is READY.

Växjö municipality, together with its inhabitants, businesses, organisations and university, are all working towards a better environment and a smaller carbon footprint. The city has high ambitions to make itself sustainable, energy-efficient, fossil fuel-free and with a large proportion of wooden buildings.

The city of Innsbruck in Austria (120 000 inhabitants) defined its 2025 Energy Plan back in 2009. In this context, and as part of the SINFONIA project, the city has selected its eastern district to demonstrate the large-scale implementation of energy-efficient measures, with the objective of achieving on average 40 % to 50 % primary energy savings in the demo sites, and to increase by at least 30 % the share of renewables in the district’s energy mix.

Since 2005, the Italian city of Bolzano (100 000 inhabitants) has developed an ambitious investment plan for large-scale urban refurbishment in collaboration with both public and private stakeholders. The work undertaken in the SINFONIA project is part of this plan, and aims to achieve 40 % to 50 % primary energy savings in the demo sites, and to increase the share of renewables in the district of Bolzano SW (south-west) by 20 %.

Sweden’s capital city, Stockholm, has been working on climate change mitigation and adaptation since the 1990s. The city is a real frontrunner with well implemented climate action plans and pioneering policies to ensure it meets its ambitious environmental targets. The carbon dioxide emissions have been cut by 25 % per citizen since 1990.

Situated on the banks of the River Rhine, Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany and home to key players in business and industry. The city is committed to the EU’s goal of achieving a 20 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 20 % increase in the share of renewable energy and a 20 % increase in energy efficiency by 2020 based on 1990 levels. It aims to reduce CO2 even further, with a 50 % reduction by 2030.

Voted European Capital of Innovation 2014, Barcelona is a vast metropolitan hub with a long tradition of industry and entrepreneurship. Barcelona City Council encourages strategic initiatives aimed at generating international collaboration, and promoting a global and forward-looking vision to businesses and public bodies, as well as scientific and technological centres.

Eindhoven is the centre of the Brainport Region, one of today’s three top economic engines of the Netherlands, delivering about 14 % of the national gross domestic product (GDP). Two districts - Strijp-S and Eckhart Vaartbroek - will be transformed into sustainable living environments as part of TRIANGULUM.