The Team - INDUSTRY PARTNERS

Envac AB is one of Sweden’s leading environmental technology companies and the global leader in the automated vacuum waste collection industry. Envac represents a business entity working with innovative and novel solutions for the collection of waste. Envac replaces traditional waste collection transport systems with a sustainable urban infrastructure based on vacuum pipe transport. This method can achieve a reduction of up to 90 % of all waste related heavy transports.

Envac’s mission is to contribute to a better urban environment by offering rational and sustainable automated waste collection systems and services, reducing and eliminating the negative consequences of traditional waste handling. It aims at including underground waste collection systems as an integral part of the city infrastructures.

Veolia group is the global leader in optimised resource management. With over 179,000 employees* worldwide, the Group designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries.
Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and to replenish them.

In 2014, the Veolia group supplied 96 million people with drinking water and 60 million people with wastewater service, produced 52 million megawatt hours of energy and converted 31 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris Euronext: VIE) recorded consolidated revenue of €24.4 billion* in 2014.

(*) 2014 pro-forma figures, including Dalkia International (100%) and excluding Dalkia France.

Nissan is a Japanese company with a long history. At the same time, we are a global company with great diversity. Nissan also boasts advanced technologies, a robust financial base, and a global business network, as well as top-quality talent with high morale in Japan and overseas. We will utilize these assets to further drive the evolution in the industry.

Fortum’s purpose is to create energy that improves life for present and future generations. Catering to the versatile needs of our customers, we generate, distribute and sell electricity and heat, and offer related expert services. Our operations focus on the Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia and Poland. In 2014, Fortum’s sales totalled EUR 4.75 billion and comparable operating profit was EUR 1.35 billion. We employ approximately 8,800 people. Fortum’s shares are traded on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Carrier Transport AB is a transportation and logistics company based in Sweden. It works mainly in distribution, with some specialised customer setups such as distribution of automotive spare parts, mail, newspaper and hanging clothes.

In 2013, Carrier Transport signed a long-term agreement with state-owned Jernhusen for the Cross Dock facility in the newly developed Stockholm Årsta Kombiterminal which Carrier is operating. Through the Stockholm Årsta Kombiterminal which Carrier is operating, and the Cross Dock facility, Carrier Transport aims to be develop an eco-friendly city distribution and logistics operation. Stockholm Årsta Kombiterminal is perfectly suited to such a scheme as it has a good rail connection, crane operation and is locate very close to Årsta and Stockholm City.

RheinEnergie is an infrastructure service provider for the Rhine region. It delivers energy (electricity, gas, heat, etc.) and drinking water to approx. 2.5 million people, industry, trade and commerce. It aims to supply both in a secure, fairly priced and environmentally compatible manner.

One of RheinEnergie’s core projects is district heating, which began in 1962 with a first combined heat and power plant (CHP). Nowadays, 2,060 GWh heat are generated from the CHP (including heat for industrial purposes), saving 280 kt CO2 each year when compared to separate production. The district heating grid is more than 280 km long and supplies 8,900 houses. Other energy efficient solutions used by Rhein Energie include geo and solar thermal energy, wood pellets and photovoltaic panels.

Skanska is one of the world's leading project development and construction groups, concentrated on
selected home markets in the Nordic region, other European countries and in the Americas. With a
focus on green construction, ethics, occupational health and safety, Skanska offers competitive
solutions – not least for the most complex assignments.

Skanska is one of the world's ten largest construction companies, employing 57,000 employees in
selected home markets in Europe (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia,
Hungary, the UK), the U.S. and Latin America.

Skanska's mission is to develop, build and maintain the physical environment for living, traveling and
working and the vision is to be a leader in our home markets, to be the customer's first choice in
construction and project development.

Stockholmshem is Swedens second biggest housing company, housing 50,000 Stockholm residents.  It is a public housing company owned by the City of Stockholm and part of Stockholm’s Stadshus AB.

Energy use is the most important environmental factor faced by the housing market. Heating is the single biggest source of CO2 emissions for Stockholmshem and also makes up a large proportion of the organisation’s operating expenses. During 2013, the company decreased their energy consumption for heat and hot water by 5 % compared to 2012. This forms part of a broader strategy to reduce energy consumption by 35% in the 2010-2017 period. Furthermore, since 2010 all electricity used in Stockholmshem’s buildings comes from water and wind power.

Insero E-Mobility possesses extensive knowledge of the global e-mobility market, which is transformed into analyses and strategies for customers. IEM also advises fleet owners on how to introduce electric vehicles. Through the leading Nordic e-mobility business cluster and several development and demonstration projects, the aim is to help the whole e-mobility industry grow.

In GrowSmarter, IEM will collaborate with several 3rd parties, of which the most important is the Network of Automotive Excellence (NoAE). NoAE is an international platform, which facilitates project collaborations between partners and organisations from all continents. The network is supported by a partnering board of industries, which consist of 29 companies and includes Audi, Ford, Renault, Porsche, Bombardier, Siemens, Airbus, Boeing and Bosch.

ampido was founded in 2012 by two former students Yasotharan Pakasathanan and Adalbert Rajca to solve parking problems at the University of Cologne.

This unique parking system offers dynamic pricing based on traffic volume and helps reduce traffic CO2 emissions through guaranteed on- and off-street parking and a direct intermodal connection to public transport. Owners of driveways, garages, or parking lots rent out their spaces on a flexible short-term (instant booking) or long-term basis and use their home electricity sockets for charging of e-vehicles.

Following a closed beta testing period in May 2013, the company was recognised by the German government as a solution for the issues of future cities ("Land der Ideen"), won the Vodafone Smart Solution Award and became decorated as official apple app store highlight on iTunes. Ampido is a partner in several international Smart City Projects and Innovation Programmes.

Cambio Cologne forms part of one of the biggest independent Car Sharing providers. The history of cambio starts with the environmental movement of the early nineties. In 1990 and 1992, environmentally committed people in the German cities of Aachen, Bremen and Cologne came together to create a new way of using cars, based on a philosophy of sharing.

Today, the Cambio Group is still exclusively owned by its customers and its staff members. It is now a professional service, with 45 percent of all cambio trips undertaken for corporate use. Currently, more than 1,550 companies and authorities are using cambio in 18 German cities and in 29 cities throughout Belgium.

The Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe (KVB) forms the backbone of public transport in Cologne. Eleven light rail lines and 50 bus lines offer interconnected travel options to nearly all destinations within Cologne and its immediate surroundings.

KVB is a real problem solver in terms of climate and environmental protection. If the company halved its services, an additional 37,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) would be emitted in Cologne each year. In 2013, a total of 276.6 million passengers used KVB services, a 25 % increase on 1995. Within GrowSmarter, KVB is responsible for the design and integration of a bike rental system with integration of Pedelecs and expansion of e-tickets for travel cards.

AGT International is a privately held multinational company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland that specializes in the Internet of Things (IoT), including IoT analytics and applications, cloud solutions and professional services. AGT’s solutions enable optimization of manufacturing operations, city management, traffic flow, hospital administration, school connectivity and the safety of senior citizens at home.

AGT’s analytics and software platforms enable our customers to improve efficiencies, reduce costs, increase transparency and introduce new business models. They include an open IoT analytics platform for IoT application developers; an IoT solution for cities, CityMIND; and an IoT solution for vital infrastructure management, ReadyMIND.

The „Deutsche Wohnungsgesellschaft mbH“ (DEWOG) manages a portfolio of 4,256 residential units located primarily in the Cologne area.It was founded in 1950 by the “Christliche Nothilfe Deutschland e.V.” (Christian Emergency Relief), which is an aid organisation founded by Prelate Dr. Aloys Stegerwald, which had taken on the task of helping the suffering of the first postwar years.

In the following years, the company was also active in building houses supervising the construction of retirement centres, nursing homes, hospitals and community centres. 

The company is also known for its pioneering housing estates. An example of this is the “Stegerwaldsiedlung”, which emerged at the beginning of the 1950s as the first closed-end urban action housing estate with 1,500 apartments.

Endesa is the leading electricity company in Spain, with a strong market position in the Mediterranean, and it is the first private electricity company in Latin America. Since the first quarter of 2009 Endesa has formed part of the Enel Group, the largest electric utility in Italy and the second largest in Europe by installed capacity.

Development of electric mobility forms a key part of the company’s sustainable growth strategy and its strategic plan commits to the full integration of electric vehicles and related infrastructure. In the GrowSmarter Project, Endesa plans to demonstrate the viability of electric public transport based on electric taxis and evaluated the planning of the city Energy Grid in case of a progressive substitution of bus by electric ones.

Cellnex Telecom is one of the leading independent infrastructure operators for wireless broadcasting telecommunication in Europe. It offers a site-leasing service for telecommunications operatorsand provides highly advanced audiovisual services to broadcasters. 

Cellnex Telecom develops solutions in the field of “smart city” projects to optimise citizens’ services via smart networks and ICT services. These facilitate the integrated management of a city through energy and operational efficiency. In this framework, Cellnex Telecom is deploying a network of intelligent communications that allows connection between objects and the development of a solid ecosystem for the Internet of Things in Spain.  Cellnex Telecom also designs, deploys and operates WiFI networks for public administrations. 

In the GrowSmarter project, Cellnex Telecom is providing tools for efficient management of smart ICT networks and heterogeneous data coming from the city.

Anteverti is an independent consulting firm that advises executives and organisations on adapting to new business and environments, innovating and using new technologies. The company specializes in the areas of open government and smart cities, a term which connects the fields of energy, urban planning, mobility, technology and environment.

Anteverti works with a flexible network of collaborators.  Anteverti develops many projects with public organisations and private companies in Spain and Latin America. Thanks to its knowledge and experience Anteverti is the congress curator working closely with Fira de Barcelona, advising the organisation of the Smart City Expo World Congress.

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center - Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS), established in 2005, serves as the National Supercomputing Facility in Spain. The Center hosts MareNostrum, and operates the most powerful supercomputer in Spain. The mission of the BSC-CNS is to research, develop and manage information technologies in order to facilitate scientific progress.

The BSC-CNS not only strives to become a first-class research center in supercomputing, but also in scientific fields that demand high performance computing resources such as Life and Earth Sciences. It has brought together a critical mass of top-notch researchers, high performance computing experts and cutting-edge supercomputing technologies to foster multidisciplinary scientific collaboration and innovation.

The Centre for Innovation in Transport (CENIT) is a research centre created in 2001 as a consortium between the Generalitat de Catalunya (Autonomous Government of Catalonia) and Barcelona Tech (UPC, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya). Its main aim is to generate knowledge on transportation and to transfer it to society. CENIT was the first research centre on transportation to be created in Spain and its team is made up of multidisciplinary researchers and a five-person supporting team.

CENIT has a multidisciplinary team with a wide expertise in systems modelling and methodological development based on the fundamentals of operations research and economic behavior.

Gas Natural Fenosa (GNF) is a leading multi-national in the gas and power sectors operating in 30 countries, with more than 20 million customers. It is the largest integrated Gas and Power Company in Spain and Latin America, leading the natural gas sales market in the Iberian Peninsula, and is the world's third largest liquid natural gas (LNG) operator, with a fleet of 10 methane carriers.

The Gas Natural Group has a good deal of experience in international projects, specialising in energy efficiency, mobility and smart cities. Gas Natural SDG and Gas Natural Servicios, the Energy Services Company of Gas Natural Fenosa Group, will be active in the GrowSmarter Project. Their role will be the management, definition, design and execution of the Smart Solution 1 (measure 1.1) and Smart Solution 4 (measure 4.2) in Barcelona and the participation in the Smart Solutions: 3 (measure 3.1), 6 (measure 6.2) and 11 (measure 11.6).

i2CAT is a non-profit technology centre which promotes R+D+i activities in the field of Information and Communication Technologies and the Future Internet. The centre uses an innovation model based on the more collaborative approach of internet culture, bringing together private companies, public administration, the academic world and end-users in an open innovation environment.

In this project, i2CAT participates with the Ubiquitous Internet Technology Unit (UITU), which researches Wireless Network Technologies and the Internet of Things. In Grow Smarter, i2CAT will be looking at the design of efficient sensor technologies that enhance freight distribution services whist allowing to sense and report environmental parameters of the city.

IREC is a research organisation which has committed to carry out, promote, spread, transfer and improve research activities in the energy and environment sectors of knowledge and of their applications. The Institute constitutes More specifically, it has lines of work in technologies related to micro‐grids, electric vehicles, energy storage, efficiency in buildings, bioenergy and biofuels and offshore wind energy. The center also has an electricity and power electronics area, and design and characterization of materials for energy.

IREC provides unique emulation and testing facilities to validate building energy performances and energy efficient technological solutions. Theses consist of the IREC micro-grid which helps prove electrical concepts and the semi-virtual energy integration laboratory (SEILAB), focussing on thermal concepts.

As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centres/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. 

Schneider Electric’s commitment to sustainable development is three-fold: achieving more while using less, spreading access and being a responsible player with regard to all stakeholders wherever the group operates. Schneider Electric is present in major sustainability indexes such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), and has been recognised by the Zayed Future Energy Prize or Ethisphere.

Urbis Up (Urbisup Consulting, S.L.) is a project management and engineering consultancy created in November 2012 in Alella, Barcelona (Spain). Urbis Up is focused on supporting local governments and private companies in order to develop innovative, smart and resilient solutions for a sustainable urban growth.

Urbis Up works for the development of cities bringing new solutions to their management and sustainability, identifying new and innovative projects and promoting innovation in the field of urban planning, infrastructure, mobility, energy, water management and environment. The support that Urbis Up provides covers project management, development of technical and best practices solutions and implementation.

Urbis Up has a wealth of experience in managing complex urban projects involving multiple stakeholders and disciplines. It is an active member of the Barcelona Board for Cooperative and Automated Driving and a participant in the UN-Habitat campaign ‘I’m a city-changer’.

IBM is a global leader in providing services and solutions for information management, analysis and strategy; and was instrumental in designing and implementing the toll road system in Stockholm.

The IBM approach to smarter cities is based on insights drawn from thousands of client engagements worldwide. With proven strength across the breadth of city operations, IBM is the essential partner for visionary leaders working to transform their cities. Combining world-class business, industry and technology expertise, IBM provides integrated solutions to drive the transformative change cities need, from strategy all the way to implementation. They bring unmatched insight from many industries to help visionary city leaders identify and activate fresh thinking, new approaches and critical partnerships.

NoAE is a free, open initiative for the automobile and supplier industry

NoAE is an inter company professional network with the objective to intensify

• strategic
• organisational and
• technological
• exchanges of ideas and experiences between the companies