About UrbanAIR
Cities worldwide face growing challenges from air pollution, urban heat islands, and climate change. These issues threaten public health and hinder economic growth and urban development. Traditional planning tools often fail to provide actionable, data-driven solutions for addressing these interconnected problems.
UrbanAIR is a Horizon Europe research initiative designed to bridge this gap. By integrating advanced digital twin technologies with artificial intelligence, UrbanAIR empowers municipalities and industries to make informed decisions. The project delivers tools and workflows that support climate adaptation, reduce hazard exposure, and improve urban sustainability.
Our Mission
UrbanAIR’s mission is to revolutionise urban planning by equipping cities with the tools and insights needed to create sustainable, healthier, and climate-resilient environments. Through collaboration and innovation, UrbanAIR seeks to foster long-term solutions that benefit both people and the planet.
1
Provide an Adaptable Framework for
Decision Support
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Develop tools for scenario simulations and decision-making under uncertainty.
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Co-create solutions with municipalities to ensure usability and relevance.
2
Connect Large-Scale and Local-Scale
Climate Models
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Bridge regional atmospheric data with urban-scale models for high-resolution insights.
3
Leverage AI for Faster, More Accurate Computations
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Use artificial intelligence to accelerate modeling, enhance resolution, and quantify uncertainties.
4
Simulate Human Behaviour in Response
to Urban Challenges
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Develop models to understand and predict human responses to urban heat and air quality changes.
5
Create a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Framework
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Provide tools for policymakers to evaluate urban planning scenarios comprehensively.
6
Validate Predictive Models Across Diverse
Urban Contexts
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Test and refine models in real-world settings, ensuring reliability and scalability.
UrbanAIR transforms urban planning into a proactive tool for building climate resilience. By delivering innovative, science-based solutions, the project enables cities to adapt to climate change, mitigate risks such as heat stress and air pollution, and create healthier, more sustainable urban environments.
This transformation is achieved through three key pathways:
Advancing Digital Twin Innovation
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Develops and validates advanced urban modelling components and workflows to enhance precision and usability.
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Quantifies uncertainties in scenario modelling to improve reliability and decision-making confidence.
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Establishes standards for integrating digital twin technologies into the Destination Earth framework, ensuring interoperability and scalability.
Strengthening Urban Resilience
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Designs and validates user-friendly tools in collaboration with municipalities to ensure practical application.
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Provides urban planners with data-driven insights to address air quality, heat stress, and climate adaptation.
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Enables proactive planning to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events and foster long-term resilience.
Accelerating Collaboration for Implementation
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Integrates sensor networks, real-time data, and digital services into its tools and workflows.
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Works with urban planners, architects, and engineers to scale solutions from design to implementation.
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Delivers actionable tools that combine cutting-edge innovation with practical solutions to drive sustainable urban development.
Learning Cities
Bristol, Rotterdam, and Paris focus on knowledge transfer and adoption of UrbanAIR’s methodologies. By implementing the tested tools and approaches, these cities showcase the broader applicability and scalability of the project’s outcomes.
This dual approach bridges innovation with implementation, ensuring that UrbanAIR’s solutions are not only practical and effective but adaptable to diverse urban settings across Europe.
Action Cities
Antwerp and Barcelona act as living laboratories where UrbanAIR’s tools and technologies are tested, refined, and validated in real-world conditions. These cities provide a critical foundation for demonstrating the practicality and effectiveness of UrbanAIR’s solutions.
