The city of Valencia keeps on working to develop a palette of innovative urban regeneration solutions for the Poblats Marítims district. Representatives of the private and public sector, civil society and college communities met in Las Naves utility during the second stage of the diagnosis of the city needs, while stressing the importance of improving the efficiency of public services.
During the meeting, 40 experts in energy, mobility, ICT and social domain sectors delved into the challenges that the city will face to improve the services offered to citizens. The conclusions achieved during the participative session must to be analyzed and studied in order to put them into practice within the MAtchUp action framework.
Equal ICT, mobility and urban development
Experts in the ICT field pointed out the importance of putting technology at the service of people, thus presenting information in a “proactive, integrated and ubiquitous” way. A special focus was given to healthcare-oriented ICT, as well as to those that can foster citizen participation, just as the Public Administration effort to reduce the digital gap towards total inclusion of society.
Participants in the field of mobility stressed the need to bet for sustainable transportation, particularly electric vehicles and a truly efficient public transportation model including a common system of fares and a new fleet. These factors, along with the boom of carpooling and bicycles would lower the number of private vehicles in the city.
Energy efficiency and renewable energy
In order for Valencia to continue its development as a smart and attractive city, representatives of social domains proposed a new way of restudying and rethinking the city. The Local Development Plan should be enforced while the phenomenon of gentrification is regulated having in mind the wellbeing of the people in every neighborhood.
Energy efficiency was one of the main topics the workshop. Achieving CO2-free mobility was quoted as an inspirational reference, together with the GHG-free districts certification and the fight to energy poverty. Regarding the promotion of renewable energies, experts highlighted the need to change the citizens’ role from “consumers to prosumers”, as well as the increase of start-ups in this field.
