SMILE: Sintra Motion & Innovation for Low Emissions
About this good practice
The project aims to promote a low emission community by increasing energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. It intends to give citizens and local institutions an active role in mitigating of climate change. Another objective is to promote sustainability in Bairro da Tabaqueira by using renewable energy sources, sustainable mobility and Circular Economy based solutions.The project comprises four areas: Circular Economy, Energy and Buildings, Sustainable Urban Mobility and Community and Culture. The circular economy focuses on reusing rainwater, waste management and an automated watering system, a community garden, composting competition in the school and repairing initiatives. For energy it focuses on building a renewable energy community and addressing energy poverty. On sustainable mobility, it includes a safe parking for bicycles, transport on demand with the support of cycling without age and an electric bicycle network. To involve the community, public assemblies are held. Urban art initiatives also took place, engaging citizens and raising awareness to all pillars of the project. SMILE was implemented by the Municipality of Sintra, Aga Khan Foundation, IrRADIARE, Innovation Point, FCUL - Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Card4B, DST Group, Watt is and ID-Norway, main stakeholders of the project. The main beneficiaries of the practice were the citizens of Bairro da Tabaqueira.
Resources needed
The project is funded by EEA Grants in 633 320,77€ and the Total Amount is 878 928,95€. The project is funded by EEA grants in 70%.
Evidence of success
A dedicated building TabLab - allowed a real engagement. 2 contests on composting took place in the school,urban garden was made available; the sustainable mobility works with “cycling without age” and the renewable energy community was installed. The ´energy literacy programme with the support of the university allowed to provide data to houses in order to improve their consumption. SintraSMILE App was made available to recognize and reward sustainable behaviour.
Potential for learning or transfer
SMILE was implemented in a specific neighbourhood with the goal of developing a living lab in order to test solutions and transfer the ones that have the most positive impact for the people and the territory. This practice is transferable namely on the methodological approach of engagement with the community and also on the proposed solutions, namely: composting competition, transport on demand, Renewable Energy Community; Citizen science with literacy and focus on energy poverty and overall sustainable approaches promoted for example the swap market where goods can be exchanged for goods. All this with the reward recognition for sustainable practices to be exchanged for cultural events in the territory or discounts in shops.
The municipality of Sintra is already starting to transfer some results namely on composting and sustainable mobility to other areas in the city.
Further information
SMILE description of project
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