Advancing Digital Twins for Positive Energy Districts: BIPED Meets in Vienna
On 21-22 October 2026, the BIPED project consortium gathered at the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Vienna for its General Assembly. The meeting brought together project partners to review progress, exchange knowledge and discuss the next steps towards climate-neutral cities. Discussions covered digital innovation, community engagement, real-world urban planning challenges, and plans for future exploitation and dissemination. As part of the meeting, an online workshop was held during which BIPED experts presented their results to external participants.
Day 1: Connecting digital innovation with real urban challenges
The first day focused on the development of the BIPED Local Digital Twin, which brings together data and models to help cities understand the connections between energy, mobility and the urban environment. Based on the Brabrand district in Aarhus, Denmark, the platform is designed to support evidence-based planning and help decision-makers explore the potential consequences of different interventions.
Progress was presented across a range of tools, including models for solar energy potential, building energy demand, district heating, traffic flows and emissions, green-space accessibility, and indoor and outdoor environmental conditions. Several models are already integrated into the digital environment, while others require further development, validation or integration. Improving data availability and connecting these capabilities into a coherent decision-support system remain important priorities.
End-user workshop: putting the digital twin into practice
An end-user workshop brought together participants from nine countries, representing municipalities, businesses, government agencies, research organisations and networks. Through two practical user stories, participants explored how BIPED's digital solutions could support decisions in their own cities.
The first scenario, The Broken Road, examined how a municipality could assess the wider consequences of road damage or a road closure. By combining information on infrastructure, climate risks, traffic and emissions, the digital twin could help compare possible responses and identify their effects on mobility and the environment.
The second scenario, Strategy to Reality, explored how climate ambitions could inform the planning of a new development in Brabrand. The demonstration connected questions about buildings, energy demand, renewable energy potential and infrastructure with the broader goal of creating a more sustainable neighbourhood.
Both scenarios illustrated the potential of digital tools to help cities consider trade-offs and make better-informed decisions. They also highlighted the importance of distinguishing between capabilities already available and applications that still require further development. Participants were invited to provide feedback on the relevance of these solutions for their own contexts.
Aarhus Living Lab
The meeting also highlighted the importance of combining quantitative data with local knowledge and stakeholder perspectives. In Aarhus, BIPED has been developing a community-based approach through a district Living Lab, creating opportunities for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, explore solutions and contribute to local energy planning. Guidance and practical resources have been developed to support stakeholder mapping, engagement and governance. Training and educational activities are another important part of this work. BIPED's training programme introduces the concepts of Positive Energy Districts and digital twins, helps users interpret model results, and provides a pathway towards more advanced technical understanding of the platform.
Day 2: Turning project results into lasting impact
The second day of the BIPED General Assembly in Vienna focused on how the project's results can continue to create value beyond the project itself. Discussions centred on exploitation, long-term sustainability and the practical steps needed to ensure that the digital tools, knowledge and guidance developed through BIPED can be used by cities, researchers and other stakeholders.
The exploitation strategy considers several complementary pathways: supporting communities and public engagement, enabling the reuse and interoperability of digital tools, informing policy and planning, contributing to scientific research, and exploring opportunities for commercialisation and further development. These approaches recognise that not every project result will follow the same route. Some may be shared through open access or open-source approaches, while others may require licensing, dedicated services, partnerships or additional investment.
The next steps include refining the value propositions for the project's main results, identifying specific organisations and user groups that could adopt them, clarifying ownership and usage conditions, and defining who will maintain, host or further develop the outputs after BIPED concludes. The aim is to move from identifying promising results towards establishing realistic pathways for their continued use and impact.
Sharing knowledge and reaching wider audiences
Looking ahead, the project plans to build on this reach through further scientific publications, an online course introducing Positive Energy Districts and the Brabrand pilot, webinars, infographics and video guides demonstrating the digital tools. Publications and other resources will also continue to be shared through platforms such as Zenodo and the EU Innovation Platform. Cooperation with NetZeroCities and other European initiatives offers another important opportunity to share experiences and connect BIPED's results with the wider community working towards climate-neutral cities. Such collaboration can help identify potential users, exchange practical lessons and explore how the project's approaches might be adapted to other urban contexts.
Conclusion
The General Assembly reinforced a central message: developing digital solutions is only one part of achieving lasting impact. Their value also depends on meaningful stakeholder engagement, effective communication, practical opportunities for reuse and clear plans for continued development. By connecting digital tools with local knowledge, sharing its findings and strengthening cooperation with European city networks, BIPED aims to help cities move from climate ambitions towards more sustainable, resilient and energy-efficient neighbourhoods.
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