Integrated NbS-based Urban Planning Methodology for Enhancing the Health and Well-being of Citizens: the euPOLIS Approach

Funding programme: 
H2020
Project ID: 
PR-H2020-24
Acronym: 
EuPOLIS
Description: 

EuPOLIS aims to: (a) replace the traditional perception in which engineering systems are built to protect the environment at significant costs. We aim to deploy natural systems to simultaneously enhance Public Health (PH) and Well-Being (WB), and create resilient urban ecosystems at lower Life-Cycle Costs; (b) propose a structured approach to activate the hidden possibilities and services of existing Natural and Engineered urban systems, integrate them and define their joint social, cultural and economic effects, as a main vehicle for Ecosystem Business Services and Investment; (c) regenerate and rehabilitate urban ecosystems, while in parallel addressing key challenges such as low environmental quality, fragmentation and low biodiversity in public spaces, water-stressed resources, undervalued use of space in deprived areas and therefore we improve urban livability; (d) improve urban resilience (operational, social and economic) through interventions designed using a set of proper urban planning matrices, which catalyse stakeholder participation, with a special attention to gender, age and disability perspectives within the process; (e) create inclusive and accessible urban spaces by systematically implementing gender mainstreaming strategies and novel participatory tools into all phases and processes of project development to ensure that the needs of diverse groups are considered. We aim to stimulate active communities’ participation throughout the process; (f) to improve citizens’ quality of life providing them with pleasant socializing open areas that stimulate social exchange and inclusivity; (g) monitor and validate the impact of all interventions to PH and WB of citizens. EuPOLIS solutions will be demonstrated in 4 European cities: Belgrade, Lodz, Piraeus and Gladsaxe. We have also included some follower cities (Bogota, Palermo, Limassol and Trebinje) in order to replicate and demonstrate the advantages of our innovations via mentoring and coaching.

Lead entity: 
NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS - NTUA
Lead Country: 
Greece
Partners: 
AMPHI INTERNATIONAL APS;VERTICAL FARM INSTITUTE;UNIWERSYTET WARSZAWSKI;BYSPEKTRUM IVS;GLADSAXE KOMMUNE;IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE;RISA SICHERHEITSANALYSEN GMBH;DIMOS PEIRAIA;FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING;GRAD TREBINJE;UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES FUNDACION;FENGXI NEW CITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION (GROUP) CO LTD XIXIAN NEW AREA SHAANXI PROVINCE;EMPRESA DE RENOVACION Y DESARROLLO URBANO DE BOGOTA;MIKSER UDRUZENJE;ENPLUS;LODZ-MIASTO NA PRAWACH POWIATU;BIOPOLUS INTEZET NONPROFIT ZRT.;COMUNE DI PALERMO;SENTIO LABS MONOPROSOPI IKE;RESILIENCE GUARD GMBH;EUROPEJSKIE REGIONALNE CENTRUM EKOHYDROLOGII POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUK;GEOSYSTEMS HELLAS IT KAI EFARMOGESGEOPLIROFORIAKON SYSTIMATON ANONIMIETAIREIA;GRAD BEOGRAD;DIMOS LEMESOS;CDP WORLDWIDE (EUROPE) GEMEINNUTZIGE GMBH;PLEGMA LABS TECHNOLOGIKES LYSEIS ANONYMOS ETAIRIA;BIOASSIST SA
Partners countries: 
Denmark, Austria, Poland, United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, China, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Cyprus
Start/end date: 
Tuesday, 1 September 2020 to Saturday, 31 August 2024
Time frame: 
2020 - 2024
NBS type: 
Type 3
Societal challenges: 
Health and Well-being & Air Quality
Approach: 
NA
Environment: 
Urban Ecosystems