ADMINISTRATION DE L'EQUIPEMENT ET DES DEPLACEMENTS

Their core work

AED is the Brussels Capital Region's public administration responsible for urban infrastructure, mobility, and transport planning. In H2020 projects, they served as a real-world urban testbed and policy partner, contributing regulatory knowledge, city logistics data, and operational insight into Brussels' transport network. Their participation brought the perspective of a city authority managing actual streets, traffic flows, and delivery logistics — bridging the gap between research outputs and municipal implementation.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

AED's H2020 participation spans a narrow window (2015-2016 project starts), making long-term evolution difficult to assess. Their earliest project (CITYLAB, 2015) focused on traditional city logistics, while 2016 brought both zero-emission delivery (BuyZET) and IoT-driven smart city infrastructure (bIoTope). This suggests a shift from conventional transport planning toward digitally-enabled and environmentally-driven urban mobility.

AED moved from conventional urban freight management toward IoT-connected smart mobility and green procurement, suggesting future interest in data-driven, zero-emission urban transport systems.

How they like to work

AED participates exclusively as a partner — never as coordinator — which is typical for a public authority contributing urban testbed access and policy expertise rather than leading research. With 53 unique partners across just 3 projects, they operate within large, diverse consortia (averaging ~18 partners per project). This makes them accessible and experienced at working within complex multi-partner setups, but they are not a project driver.

Despite only 3 projects, AED has connected with 53 unique partners across 14 countries, reflecting participation in large pan-European consortia. Their network spans broadly across Western and Northern Europe, anchored in Brussels.

What sets them apart

As Brussels' own transport and infrastructure administration, AED offers something most research partners cannot: direct access to a major European capital's urban mobility system for real-world testing and pilot deployment. They bring regulatory authority, municipal data, and the ability to translate research results into city-level policy. For any consortium needing a credible urban living lab in a politically significant EU city, AED is a strong fit.

Highlights from their portfolio

• bIoTope
  Largest funding (EUR 94,195) and broadest scope — combining IoT, smart mobility, and smart buildings in an open innovation ecosystem.
• BuyZET
  Directly relevant to EU Green Deal goals: procurement of zero-emission urban delivery solutions, combining AED's public buyer role with transport expertise.