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UrbanAIR at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory: Extending horizons in Climate and Air Quality Research to Serve Cities
Across Europe, urban planners are facing a dual challenge: rising air pollution and increasing heat stress. To combat this, the UrbanAIR project is harnessing the power of a "Digital Twin of the Earth." By combining data from the European Space Agency - ESA and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts - ECMWF into the Destination Earth (DestinE) portfolio, UrbanAIR is creating a tool that turns complex science into a life-saving urban strategy. From Global Data
STFC team
Jan 82 min read
UrbanAIR Consortium meets in London to accelerate Digital Twins for Resilient Cities
The UrbanAIR consortium gathered in London to advance the development of its urban digital twin for air quality and heat resilience. Hosted by Imperial College London, partners from TU Delft, BSC, VITO, and KNMI refined core "User Journeys" and behavioral models. The assembly, led by Femke Vossepoel and Maarten van Reeuwijk, concluded with a visit to STFC Harwell Campus, anchoring the project’s digital prototypes in world-class atmospheric science.
Georgia Nikolakopoulou, Future Needs
Dec 19, 20253 min read
Joining the WeatherGenerator Dissemination Workshop to Strengthen the Digital Twin Ecosystem
Join the UrbanAIR project at the WeatherGenerator Dissemination Workshop in Oslo. Represented by Prof. Dr. Angela Meyer (BFH), we explore synergies between global foundation models and urban digital twins under the Horizon Europe Destination Earth initiative. Learn how our sister project collaboration with WeatherGenerator and TerraDT is advancing air quality and heat resilience for cities. Register now for the 2026 outlook.
Georgia Nikolakopoulou, Future Needs
Dec 18, 20252 min read
Meet the partner: BSC at the 2025 (Catalan) Congress on Air Quality
The New EU Directive, Public Health and Vulnerability, and What This Means for UrbanAIR in Barcelona Alvaro Criado (left), Cristina Cernerero (middle), Florence Gignac (right) at the Air Quality Congress in Sabadell On the 16th and 17th of October, Florence Gignac , Cristina Carnerero , Álvaro Criado , and Jan Mateu from Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS) , were actively involved in the 2025 Air Quality Congress at the Fira Sabadell. The Congress is a
Florence Gignac
Nov 17, 20254 min read
UrbanAIR Project Contributes to Climate Justice Discourse at 10th EMES International Conference
The UrbanAIR project was recently represented at the prestigious 10th EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise , where our project partner, Aulia Sukma from TU Delft , shared key insights into behavioural modelling for climate adaptation. The conference, known for convening experts focused on social enterprise and sustainability, provided an excellent platform to disseminate UrbanAir's innovative approaches. Presenting Cutting-Edge Research on Urban Heat
Georgia Nikolakopoulou, Future Needs
Nov 10, 20252 min read
Joint webinar by EU Projects Strengthening Europe’s Digital Twin of the Earth
UrbanAIR is one of the three projects launched in January and February 2025 under Horizon Europe (topic HORIZON-INFRA-2024-TECH-01-03 - New digital twins for Destination Earth ) to strengthen Destination Earth (DestinE), Europe’s initiative to build a high-precision, interactive digital twin of the Earth. Digital twins are computational models of real-world phenomena that can be used to simulate the past, model the present, and predict the future. Together with TerraDT and
Vasilis Bouronikos
Oct 14, 20252 min read
Meet the Partner: Future Needs – Leading Communication and Uptake in UrbanAIR
About Future Needs Future Needs is an interdisciplinary communication and social science research SME based in Cyprus. Its team combines expertise in science communication, inclusive digital service design, policy evaluation, business development, and project management. Future Needs specialises in shaping technologies to fit the needs of practitioners and end users. The team brings together emerging technology trends, creativity, youth entrepreneurship, and a start-up minds
Georgia Nikolakopoulou, Future Needs
Sep 2, 20253 min read
Meet the Partner: STFC Scientific Computing – Building the Digital Framework for UrbanAIR
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Scientific Computing is an international centre of excellence f or advanced computing expertise and digital research infrastructure. Its depth of expertise and knowledge across the full range of advanced computing technologies, combined with a global network of partners and internationally-renowned facilities, enables it to provide the vital skills and tools required for modern research and innovation. From high-performance co
Vasilis Bouronikos
Jul 24, 20253 min read
UrbanAIR at ICUC12: Designing the future of Urban Climate Planning
UrbanAIR took part in the 12th International Conference on Urban Climate (ICUC12) in Rotterdam. The event brought together leading voices in climate science, planning, and policy under the theme Heritage as an Urban Climate Challenge.
Georgia Nikolakopoulou, Future Needs
Jul 17, 20252 min read
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Collaborating across the value chain for urban sustainability
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Collaborating across the value chain for urban sustainability
Collaborating across the value chain for urban sustainability
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