SMART GRID TO SMART CITIZENS: Empowering People for the Zero-Carbon Transition

The programme is rooted in Îlot Fertile, Paris’ first zero-carbon neighbourhood and one of the flagship urban innovation projects of the City

of Paris. Developed through the prestigious Réinventer Paris competition, Îlot Fertile is recognised as a pioneering demonstration site combining low- carbon construction, renewable energy production, biodiversity, smart resource management and real-time environmental monitoring.

Building on the district’s smart energy systems — including photovoltaic production, energy sharing, grey-water heat recovery, smart consumption management and automated monitoring — the programme addresses a key challenge: how can residents, workers and local stakeholders become active participants rather than passive users of low-carbon infrastructure?

Through co-design workshops, data visualisation, training activities and real- life experimentation, Smart Grid to Smart Citizens helps users understand their energy consumption, monitor their environmental footprint and contribute to collective carbon reduction goals.

By bridging the gap between smart infrastructure and everyday practices, the programme develops replicable approaches to energy literacy, energy citizenship and community-led climate action, contributing to more resilient, climate-neutral and citizen-driven neighbourhoods aligned with the European Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus.