Turning Belval Into A Smart City Living Lab Powered By 5G, AI And Edge Innovation
Belval is poised to become a model for next-generation smart cities, thanks to the launch of SmartSpires, a €3.1 million EU-backed initiative that merges densified 5G, edge computing and AI technologies into a unified urban infrastructure.
Source : siliconluxembourg.lu
Publication date : 06/04/2025
The project brings together a consortium—5SKYE, Gcore, the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), and Orange Luxembourg—to deploy at least three intelligent urban towers across the campus.
These “smart spires” will serve as multifunctional infrastructure nodes, equipped with ultra-fast 5G connectivity, edge computing for local data processing, IoT sensors, and various AI-powered modules. The aim? To power real-time, data-intensive services such as crowd analytics, smart mobility, and intelligent waste management—all within ultra-low-latency environments.
Integrating AI into current and future network technologies is a key focus area, and this project contributes several essential components, including local data processing and advanced 5G technologies. “It also provides an opportunity to test 5G Standalone and mmWave technologies, enabling the development of meaningful use cases with a significant impact at both the European level and for society. By anchoring the project in Belval, we’re transforming the district into a living lab where smart city solutions can be tested, refined, and replicated across Europe,” said Sébastien Faye, Head of LIST Distributed & Intelligent Connectivity Research Group.
The project is co-funded by the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and aims to transform the Belval innovation campus into a Smart City Living Lab—a full-scale testbed for AI-driven urban solutions that could be replicated across Europe.
Four key smart city applications are already in development, designed with both vertical and local stakeholders such as Fonds Belval, Agora, and local communes. Among the leading pilots:
- Mobility Intelligence: Leveraging 5G and edge analytics to optimise traffic flow and public transportation in real time
- Crowd Analytics & Safety: Using AI-driven video analytics and IoT to monitor public spaces and improve emergency response
- Smart Waste Management: Embedding IoT and local decision-making to automate and optimise waste collection
- Urban Sustainability: Exploring real-time environmental monitoring and energy-efficient service deployment
A Scalable Vision for European Cities
While the initial deployment is centred in Luxembourg, the project’s ambitions are continental.
With its strategic blend of public and private expertise, SmartSpires underscores Luxembourg’s ambition to lead in digital innovation and smart city deployment—combining technical prowess with real-world impact.
The towers are expected to begin rolling out in late 2025, with live use cases piloted throughout 2026. If successful, the former steel factory transformed into a university campus could well become the prototype of the smart, connected city of the future.
Jess Bauldry
