PHAETHON contributes to advancing interoperable urban digital twins through the MUNICIPAL project
Partners from four European countries join forces to shape the next generation of connected and sustainable urban ecosystems
The first in-person meeting of the European MUNICIPAL project took place in Murcia, Spain, bringing together representatives from the project consortium to officially launch the collaboration and define the first steps towards developing a new generation of interoperable urban digital twins. Coordinated by UBITECH, the project brings together seven partners from Cyprus, Greece, Denmark and Spain, working towards a common vision of smarter, more connected and sustainable cities.
Funded by the European Commission under the Digital Europe Programme through the LDT4SSC (Local Digital Twins for Smart and Sustainable Communities) initiative, MUNICIPAL aims to strengthen cooperation between European cities by enabling the exchange of data, services and technological solutions through secure and interoperable digital infrastructures.
The University of Cyprus serves as the project’s research and technology partner for energy systems, grid integration and analytics, contributing expertise in smart grids, renewable energy integration and energy communities. Through its collaboration with the University of Cyprus, PHAETHON supports these technical activities, while also contributing to the project’s communication and dissemination efforts, helping to advance innovative approaches for smarter, more sustainable and more connected urban environments.
During the kick-off meeting, hosted by the City Council of Murcia, partners discussed the project objectives, implementation approach and planned activities. The meeting also provided the opportunity to explore Murcia’s existing smart city ecosystem, including its digital twin, the MiMurcia platform and the Single Monitoring Centre (CEUS), as well as the city’s experience in integrating data from different municipal services.
A key objective of MUNICIPAL is to advance interoperable digital twin solutions that enable cities to securely exchange information and collaborate across urban ecosystems. By leveraging common standards and data-driven approaches, the project seeks to support improved decision-making and enhance public services in areas such as mobility, energy efficiency, urban planning, environmental management and resource optimisation.
As part of the project activities, the Municipality of Nicosia and the City Council of Murcia will collaborate on a dedicated use case focused on exchanging information and exploring new smart services that can support improved urban planning and more efficient management of public resources.
For PHAETHON, participation in MUNICIPAL represents an opportunity to contribute to European efforts towards digital transformation and the development of future-ready cities. Working alongside the University of Cyprus and leading European organisations, PHAETHON supports the development and dissemination of innovative solutions that strengthen data-driven decision-making, energy resilience and interoperable urban digital twins for smarter, more sustainable communities.
The MUNICIPAL project will run for 18 months and has a total budget of close to €2 million. Through this collaboration, the consortium will contribute to the wider European vision of connected local digital ecosystems that enable smarter and more sustainable communities.
