Sharing Cities Site Lisbon

Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal, has a smart city strategy that places its citizens and their needs at its core. Technology is just a means to an end. The city aims to become smart, sustainable, competitive, participatory, creative, innovative and citizen-centric. Lisbon has drafted an urban development strategy for the coming decades, and has committed to invest EUR 307 million in related projects (Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa 2020). The strategy’s main objectives are to attract more inhabitants by improving the quality of housing, and offering smart living services and smart ageing opportunities; to boost the economy and increase employment by investing in research and development, attracting more entrepreneurs and broadening access to higher education; and improving the quality of life in the city through measures for energy efficiency, mobility and social cohesion. Local regeneration and citizen participation are also priorities.

The demonstration area chosen for the SHARING CITIES project spreads over 10 km2 and has 100 000 inhabitants. This strategic location stretches from the riverfront to the centre of the city, and includes the main historic and tourist districts. The area poses several challenges, ranging from its particular orography to the historic nature of its buildings, and its ageing population.