Smart sustainable cities – Exploring ICT solutions for reduced energy use in cities

•ICT solutions that can support cities to reach their climate targets are identified.•The framework builds on a combination of household functions and ICT solutions.•The potentials to use ICT to reach cities' climate targets are good.•The greatest potential are found in operation of transport and heating of buildings.•To realise the potential there is a need for strategic investments and planning.

This article explores the opportunities of using ICT as an enabling technology to reduce energy use in cities. An analytical framework is developed in which a typology of ICT opportunities is combined with a typology of household functions, i.e. all the activities that require energy. The energy used for household functions is calculated using a consumption-based lifecycle perspective. The analytical framework is intended to be of use to researchers, city and regional authorities and ICT companies interested in acquiring a better understanding of how ICT investments could contribute to reduce energy use in cities.