The new phenomenon of the Smart Cities is spreading worldwide as a synonym of an innovative and new sustainable model of city. By focusing on the smart meaning and components of the smart city project we will identify the environmental advantage compared to a traditional design and produce a contribution to the assessment of the smart projects. The expected advantages and disadvantages are interpreted by the smartness and sustainability dual key. Considering that impact assessment is an essential tool for the purpose to ensure giving in consideration environmental and broader sustainability concerns in decision-making, we acknowledge the importance to reflect on the state of assessment practice during smart city age. We analyze crosswise smart projects and their assessment underlining institutional implementation issues, problems associated with practice, including participation, quality and effectiveness. The paper examines the Italian case with any matters the Mediterranean area in relationship to the possibility of exporting best practices and the contribution. The transition from the concept of ‘smart cities’ to that of ‘smart territory’ represents an element of territorial and institutional development recognizing the role of industrial innovation.
