Smart cities and buildings start underfoot: The rise of motion-powered infrastructure
26 June, 2025
Cities and buildings are living, breathing organisms, full of movement, energy, and possibility. Every day, millions of footsteps echo through train stations, malls, public plazas, and buildings. Smart cities combine smart buildings, smart public spaces, and innovative infrastructure to create connected, sustainable environments. But what if those steps could do more than just carry us from A to B? That’s the promise of kinetic floors, an emerging smart-city technology that turns human movement into electricity.
*AI Generated image of a smart building with Kinetic Energy Floors
These specially designed floor panels, often installed in walkways, train stations, museums, event venues, or malls, convert pressure and motion into electrical energy. Each tile contains an electromechanical mechanism that slightly flexes underfoot. When someone walks, dances, or jumps, the vertical movement of their step is transformed into a rotating motion within the tile, which then drives a generator. This process captures and stores energy in a battery-like device, producing up to 35 watts of sustained output per module. Unlike traditional renewables like solar or wind, kinetic floors harvest energy already generated by daily life, no new behavior required, just keep moving.
Why should cities and buildings embrace kinetic floors?
Kinetic floors are more than just a cool innovation, they’re a key piece of the smart city puzzle. Here’s why forward-thinking cities and organizations are embracing them:
- Public engagement: Gamified features like live energy meters and interactive elements turn movement into a playful experience. They help people understand the value of renewable energy in a tangible, memorable way, boosting awareness and participation.
- Sustainability mindset: Kinetic floors demonstrate innovative ways to reuse human movement for energy, helping cities promote clean-tech awareness.
- Brand differentiation: For events, retailers, and public spaces, energy floors offer an attention-grabbing feature that aligns with environmental messaging.
- Supplemental energy: Kinetic floors can contribute power for interactive features, especially in busy areas with continuous foot traffic.
Where kinetic energy meets smart cities and smart buildings
Some of the world’s most forward-thinking cities are integrating kinetic floor technology into their broader sustainability efforts. But the innovation doesn’t stop at public spaces — smart buildings are also embracing kinetic floors as part of their commitment to clean energy and employee engagement.
For instance, Würth Italy installed an energy-generating floor at their Egna headquarters, turning daily foot traffic into a meaningful energy contribution. With around 400 visitors generating approximately 1,200 steps each day, this installation helps improve the building’s energy efficiency by reintegrating power generated during routine movements like walking to the cafeteria. Beyond energy, this initiative engages employees and demonstrates Würth’s dedication to innovation and sustainability.
Similarly, Green Pea Mall in Turin, the world’s first fully sustainable shopping centre, uses kinetic floors at all entrances to convert shoppers’ footsteps into electricity. The energy generated powers amenities such as smartphone charging stations in the food court. Additionally, the mall features an interactive experience booth powered by this sustainable technology, allowing visitors and children to play video games energized by their movement, creating an engaging, educational experience.
These examples highlight how kinetic technology is becoming an essential part of smart cities and buildings, not just generating supplemental energy, but also fostering engagement, awareness, and a culture of sustainability.
A new kind of energy infrastructure
Kinetic floors don’t require sweeping changes in behavior. People already walk, run, dance, and gather, this technology simply captures that motion to support a smarter, cleaner energy system. Whether installed in transit stations, school campuses, stadium entrances, or public squares, these systems create micro-power plants beneath our feet. The impact goes beyond electricity. Permanent installations of Energy Floors make sustainability visible, tangible, and participatory, an important shift in getting citizens involved in climate action.
Be part of the smart city and smart building movement
Smart cities and smart buildings aren’t just about technology, they’re about how technology makes life better, more sustainable, and more connected for everyone. Kinetic floors exemplify this by generating renewable electricity in a way that’s seamless, scalable, and deeply engaging. Whether you’re an urban planner, sustainability officer, architect, or venue manager, now is the time to think about how motion-powered technology can transform your space, and your mission. Contact us today to learn how a permanent Energy Floors installation can help future-proof your infrastructure, reduce your carbon footprint, and inspire every person who walks across it.
