Urbanew El Piloto
Innovations and systemic solutions to accelerate decarbonization in urban environments.
URBANEW
The pilot program URBANEW pilot program consolidated its multi-nodal and multi-stakeholder approach to the decarbonization of the built environment. Building on the strategic frameworks and stakeholder mapping developed in the first year, the period 2024-2025 marked the move from planning to action. Seven pilot cities implemented tailored solutions - such as climate-neutral nodes in Madrid, energy communities in Zaragoza and new models of public-private collaboration in Barcelona - fostering shared learning.
Reports
Key milestones included the training of more than 220 professionals, the publication of reference resources such as the guidebook VERD guide and the Barcelona Decarbonization Guideas well as the organization of the URBANEW SUMMIT to promote replicability. Experimental governance tools - such as shared leadership and the OKR methodology - proved to be effective and have been adopted in the forthcoming project EMC³.
Communication campaigns and outreach activities engaged tens of thousands of citizens through multimedia content, social networks, local events and press coverage. Key lessons learned included the importance of local adaptation, building trust-especially in vulnerable communities-and simplifying regulatory frameworks. Despite minor adjustments in scope, the program met its objectives and demonstrated that systemic, citizen-centered renewal is both scalable and essential to achieving climate neutrality. URBANEW has laid a solid foundation for wider adoption in European cities.