The SPARCS Final Conference, held on September 11-12 in Espoo, Finland, marked the culmination of a five-year journey towards sustainable urban innovation and climate neutrality. During this time, over 400 people have contributed to the project, it has generated over 25 scientific publications, organised over 1,000 events and implemented 43 interventions in demonstration districts in the SPARCS lighthouse and fellow cities. The final event brought together experts, city representatives, and stakeholders to reflect on these achievements, share insights, and chart the future of urban transformation.

After a welcoming address from Mervi Heinaro, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, Sports and Culture, City of Espoo, the SPARCS final conference opened by putting the SPARCS cities in the spotlight, with a session at which they shared their journeys from the past five years, as they worked towards positive energy districts (PED), energy transition and smart city development. This set the scene for two days in which the lessons learned by the SPARCS cities were put in sharp focus.

The role of PEDs in fostering climate-neutral and smart cities was a focal point at the conference. Discussions emphasised the importance of clear expectations, ongoing collaboration, and methodologies to sustain progress even beyond initial funding. Real data from PED demonstrations were also showcased, highlighting the SPARCS data management platform’s role in enhancing performance monitoring across various domains.

Conference sessions like “Impactful and climate-neutral innovations” and “From pilots to large-scale transformations” underscored the importance of collaboration and scaling successful models. Speakers highlighted the need for shared goals, deep collaboration among stakeholders, and practical steps to integrate citizens into urban projects. Markus Suomi, Marta Moreira, and Halldora Gudmundsdottir shared success stories from Lippulaiva, Maia, and Iceland, illustrating the journey from pilot projects to scalable, impactful urban solutions.

SPARCS’ PED Business Ecosystem and Stakeholder Engagement  Launch

A major highlight of the first day of the event was the launch of the SPARCS’ PED Business Ecosystem and Stakeholder Engagement online video course, developed in collaboration with ATELIER. This comprehensive learning resource aims to empower European cities and projects by sharing extensive knowledge on PEDs, focusing on business ecosystems and stakeholder engagement. The course was received as a valuable tool for city planners, urban developers, and sustainability enthusiasts committed to transformative change.

Sharing Experiences Across European Cities

In addition to highlighting the key results of SPARCS, the conference also featured presentations from related projects such as POCITYF, RESPONSE, NEUTRALPATH, ARV, ASCEND, and ATELIER, where representatives shared invaluable experiences with energy transition, PEDs, and climate neutrality in urban environments. These sessions provided a platform for cities to exchange knowledge and inspire each other with stories of driving sustainable change.

A Focus on AI, Climate Neutrality, and Citizen Engagement

During the second day of the conference, Scalable Cities experts  prepared an engaging lineup of workshops that tackled pivotal themes including artificial intelligence (AI) in urban transformation, climate neutrality, the New European Bauhaus (NEB) principles, and citizen engagement. At one session, Mengjie Han and Wolfgang Loibl led discussions on harnessing AI for smart cities, exploring its benefits, challenges, and implementation roadmaps.

Participants also delved into practical applications of NEB principles in urban planning, facilitated by Kelly Riedelsen and Dirk Ahlers. The importance of engaging citizens in these processes was underscored by Ritva Salminiitty and experts from Espoo and beyond, who shared innovative methods to reach and motivate residents.

Celebrating SPARCS’ Legacy

The conference concluded with a reflection on the SPARCS legacy, led by the project coordinator Mari Hukkalainen from VTT. Over the past five years, SPARCS has made significant strides in urban energy transformation, bringing climate neutrality goals in the seven cities closer to reality through scalable, smart systems and strong public-private collaboration.

The SPARCS Final Conference was not just a look back at what has been achieved, but a launchpad for continued collaboration and innovation in urban sustainability. With SPARCS cities leading the way, the journey towards a greener, more sustainable urban future is well underway.