Intelligent City Challenge (EU Project)

ICC – Local Partnerships for Greater Sustainability (EU Project)

Goal

Sustainable Development

Project start

September 2022

Status

Completed

Project launch

March 2025

Our vision for Bamberg

Government, businesses, and initiatives are working together to develop solutions that conserve resources and promote innovation. This makes Bamberg’s economy more sustainable and opens up new avenues for climate-friendly action. At the same time, the network of European partners is expanding, and the regional economy is growing stronger. This makes Bamberg more resilient to change—and everyone in Bamberg benefits from it.

Technology

The ICC project did not result in the development of any technology. Instead, it focused on building new networks within the city’s own ecosystem and enriching them with insights from 135 other European cities.

Project description

The Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC) is an initiative of the European Commission that supports European cities in the green and digital transformation of their local economies through local Green Deals. Green Deals are the EU’s strategy for becoming climate-neutral by 2050. The ICC helps European cities harness the potential of cutting-edge technologies while improving their economic competitiveness, social cohesion, and the quality of life for their citizens.

Here you find all solutions from the ICC-municipalities

As part of the project, three Local Green Deals (LGDs) were concluded in Bamberg:

Combating energy poverty in collaboration with volunteer energy advisors and the housing sector.
Improving educational offerings in the area of sustainable development in collaboration with the Bamberg City Adult Education Center (VHS) and the University of Bamberg. Specifically, this means: joint educational programs offered by the VHS, the University of Bamberg, and the City of Bamberg on sustainability topics, such as the Sustainability Discussion Workshop.
Promoting a culture of sharing and environmental protection through the carsharing association meiaudo. Specifically, this means that the policies regarding the use of carsharing services within the administration will be revised to make sustainable mobility easily accessible to employees.

Veranschaulichendes Bild zum Textabschnitt

„The collaboration with the Environmental Office and the university significantly enriches the Adult Education Center’s offerings in the area of education for sustainable development and facilitates an inclusive dialogue between academia and practice.“

Martha Kummer

VHS Bamberg Stadt

Project status

Through June 2023, the ICC Bamberg team develops strategies for strengthening local climate protection measures and participatory processes in the city.

Ideation

Through June 2023, the ICC Bamberg team develops strategies for strengthening local climate protection measures and participatory processes in the city.

Individual LGDs are planned until December 2023. The implementation schedule varies depending on the topic and partner organization.

Planning and tendering

Individual LGDs are planned until December 2023. The implementation schedule varies depending on the topic and partner organization.

In 2024, the LGDs are finalized, coordinated, and further developed in terms of content with private and public partners in Bamberg.

Implementation

In 2024, the LGDs are finalized, coordinated, and further developed in terms of content with private and public partners in Bamberg.

The specific test periods depend on the LGDs agreed upon in each case. As of June 2026, not all of them have been completed yet.

Testing

The specific test periods depend on the LGDs agreed upon in each case. As of June 2026, not all of them have been completed yet.

By the end of the official funding period in March 2025, the LGDs are drafted and signed. Some projects have already been completed, while others are still under negotiation.

Launch

By the end of the official funding period in March 2025, the LGDs are drafted and signed. Some projects have already been completed, while others are still under negotiation.