It is the capital city of the autonomous region of Castile and León and the Province of Valladolid. It occupies a strategic physical position in Northern Spain, reason why it has been a hub for industrial development since the 50's. Currently, it has a census of more than 319.000 inhabitants.
Continental Mediterranean climate is the typical climate of the North central area of Spain, as well as of Valladolid. Main features of this climate are extreme temperatures (because this area does not receive sea influence), but not as harsh as continental climates. During the Winter there are frequent frosty nights with clear sky. Summer is the driest season and temperatures are often over 30ºC. In general terms, rainfall level is low along the whole year, and it is similar to those in Mediterranean climate. Rainfall is approximately in a range between 400 and 600 mm per year. It is also interesting to remark that in Spring and Autumn, temperature variability is quite large.
Valladolid is already working towards the smart city concept. The Smart City VyP2 is an initiative led by the City Councils of Valladolid and Palencia which involve Public and Private Institutions, research and academic organisations and multiple stakeholders. The initiative is open to anyone how wants to collaborate in an initiative whose main objective is to give, drive, favour and promote the cities and the citizens of Valladolid and Palencia as main beneficiaries and promoters of innovative actions in different technological fields, including energy efficiency.