UrbanAIR Kickoff Meeting in Delft Sets Path for Cleaner, Cooler Cities

The UrbanAIR project officially launched with a two-day kickoff meeting in Delft on 3–4 February 2025. Hosted by TU Delft, the meeting welcomed over 60 representatives from 18 partner organisations. The Horizon Europe-funded initiative helps European cities address growing challenges related to urban heat and air pollution by developing advanced digital twin solutions for climate resilience.

UrbanAIR brings together a diverse team of researchers, engineers, urban planners, behavioural scientists, and communication professionals. Their shared goal is to create a decision-support tool that combines real-time atmospheric data, simulations of human behaviour, and co-designed planning strategies.

Why UrbanAIR Matters

Urban heat and air pollution are rising threats to public health and the quality of life in cities. Across Europe, local authorities face increasing pressure to act. UrbanAIR offers a science-based, locally relevant approach to understanding and managing these risks.

At the heart of UrbanAIR’s innovation is digital twin technology—virtual models of urban environments that simulate both physical conditions and human responses. Unlike traditional models, digital twins combine real-time data with predictive scenarios, enabling city planners to test adaptation strategies, explore pollution trends, and make informed decisions.

How the Project Is Organised

UrbanAIR is built on several interconnected components, reflecting the project’s interdisciplinary scope. From the outset, partners coordinated efforts to ensure scientific rigour and practical relevance go hand in hand.

Conceptualisation and Stakeholder Engagement: Aligns the digital twin with local priorities to ensure the tool supports actual decision-making needs.
Regional and City-to-Neighbourhood Modelling: Simulates heat, wind, and pollution patterns at high resolution by combining climate models with local data.
Uncertainty Quantification: Applies statistical methods to assess confidence levels in model outputs, helping users understand where predictions are strongest or more tentative.
Behavioural Modelling: Examines how people react to environmental stress, including mobility during heatwaves and long-term decisions like home improvements.
Interface Development: Translates technical results into accessible formats, delivering outputs through an intuitive and interactive platform.
Demonstration and Validation: Tests the full system in five cities—Antwerp, Barcelona, Bristol, Paris, and Rotterdam—to shape and refine the tool in real-world settings.
Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation: Ensures project outcomes reach the right audiences, from city officials to researchers and the public, while supporting partners in sharing results and encouraging long-term impact.

Who's Involved

The UrbanAIR consortium brings together 18 organisations from across Europe, combining deep expertise in climate modelling, behavioural science, urban planning, atmospheric research, digital infrastructure and communication. These partners include TU Delft, VITO, NORCE, CERFACS, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), STFC (UK Research and Innovation), Future Needs, Resilient Cities Network, Imperial College London, METEO France, SMHI (Sweden), KNMI (Netherlands), Arup, Technical University Ilmenau, Leibniz University Hannover, Université Toulouse III, University of Freiburg, and Bern University of Applied Sciences.

The Role of Cities in Shaping the UrbanAIR Tool

UrbanAIR works closely with five European cities. Barcelona and Antwerp act as “action cities” where the tool will first be developed and applied. Paris, Bristol, and Rotterdam serve as “learning cities,” helping to adapt and refine the system.

Each city contributes valuable local data—such as street-level temperature readings, pollution sources, and mobility flows—enabling realistic testing and co-development in diverse settings, from dense historic centres to modern urban districts.

Stay Connected

The Delft meeting marked the beginning of a four-year collaboration. It allowed partners to align goals, plan activities, and establish a strong foundation for co-creation.

UrbanAIR runs from 2025 to 2029 and is funded under the Horizon Europe "New Digital Twins for Destination Earth" topic. The project supports EU priorities on climate adaptation, public health, and sustainable development.

Follow progress at urbanair-project.eu and connect with the team on LinkedIn and Bluesky.