Integrated NBS Urban Planning Methodology for Enhancing the Health and Well-Being of Citizens: The euPOLIS Approach
The euPOLIS aims to improve Public Health in cities by introducing nature-based solutions into urban planning practices.
That means that our experts are taking the best from nature’s ways to regulate and improve biodiversity by incorporating various BLUE (water) and GREEN (plant life) aspects of nature into urban open spaces where it can intensify people’s wellbeing in terms of climate, ecological and socio-economic conditions. Our methodology introduces several analytical procedures making the process more transparent and open to stronger IT support. One of the specialties is the planning of urban spaces populated with vegetation with a proven beneficial impact on cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic diseases. The philosophy is deeply grounded in the extensive and permanent citizens’ participation in urban-planning processes.
Unlike the "gray" infrastructural solutions that rely on finite, unrecyclable, and more often than not, harmful materials, the NBS includes restoring and conserving natural biodiversity in the endeavor to harness rising environmental issues in urban cores.
And while the traditional approach may appear quicker to solve many of the issues, it has to be maintained and restored, again causing more damage, waste, and vast interventions. NBS has to be kept up as well, but its maintenance is way less costly in money and finite natural resources, and it’s self-sustainable to the most extent. As a plus, it is proven that staying surrounded by natural elements improves our physical and mental health, thus magnifying all our capabilities.
We believe citizens are the ultimate experts on matters of the quality of their lives.
With participation being one of the crucial pillars of the euPOLIS philosophy, the Front-Runner cities are in a constant co-creative process that puts together a team of professionals with the genuine, grounded experience and needs of local citizens. That means collecting their insights, emotions, hopes, and even psycho-physical state (through wearing special biometrical devices) and including them in the designing processes of implementing the NBS. All these steps aim to help cities embrace the transition to bottom-up decision-making methods and empower citizens to participate in inventing their public environment.
Alongside nature’s solutions being reinaugurated into urban cores, the euPOLIS uses innovative technologies to support this process:
- The myFeel application - Existing and New Functions tailored to the euPOLIS project (Sentio Labs)
- The euPOLIS BioAssist application (BioAssist)
- The Urban Water simulation tools (NTUA - UWMH Lab)
- The network of permanent sensors (Plegma)
- The euPOLIS 4D Visualisation module (GSH)
- The euPOLIS Master Planning Methodology, the GDPM (EnPlus)
- Innovative Model of Cultural - Social Community Hub (Mikser)
Integrated NBS Urban Planning Methodology for Enhancing the Health and Well-Being of Citizens: The euPOLIS Approach
The euPOLIS aims to improve Public Health in cities by introducing nature-based solutions into urban planning practices.
That means that our experts are taking the best from nature’s ways to regulate and improve biodiversity by incorporating various BLUE (water) and GREEN (plant life) aspects of nature into urban open spaces where it can intensify people’s wellbeing in terms of climate, ecological and socio-economic conditions. Our methodology introduces several analytical procedures making the process more transparent and open to stronger IT support. One of the specialties is the planning of urban spaces populated with vegetation with a proven beneficial impact on cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic diseases. The philosophy is deeply grounded in the extensive and permanent citizens’ participation in urban-planning processes.
Unlike the "gray" infrastructural solutions that rely on finite, unrecyclable, and more often than not, harmful materials, the NBS includes restoring and conserving natural biodiversity in the endeavor to harness rising environmental issues in urban cores.
And while the traditional approach may appear quicker to solve many of the issues, it has to be maintained and restored, again causing more damage, waste, and vast interventions. NBS has to be kept up as well, but its maintenance is way less costly in money and finite natural resources, and it’s self-sustainable to the most extent. As a plus, it is proven that staying surrounded by natural elements improves our physical and mental health, thus magnifying all our capabilities.
We believe citizens are the ultimate experts on matters of the quality of their lives.
With participation being one of the crucial pillars of the euPOLIS philosophy, the Front-Runner cities are in a constant co-creative process that puts together a team of professionals with the genuine, grounded experience and needs of local citizens. That means collecting their insights, emotions, hopes, and even psycho-physical state (through wearing special biometrical devices) and including them in the designing processes of implementing the NBS. All these steps aim to help cities embrace the transition to bottom-up decision-making methods and empower citizens to participate in inventing their public environment.
Alongside nature’s solutions being reinaugurated into urban cores, the euPOLIS uses innovative technologies to support this process:
- The myFeel application - Existing and New Functions tailored to the euPOLIS project (Sentio Labs)
- The euPOLIS BioAssist application (BioAssist)
- The Urban Water simulation tools (NTUA - UWMH Lab)
- The network of permanent sensors (Plegma)
- The euPOLIS 4D Visualisation module (GSH)
- The euPOLIS Master Planning Methodology, the GDPM (EnPlus)
- Innovative Model of Cultural - Social Community Hub (Mikser)
euPOLIS Cities:
euPOLIS Cities:
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News
Urban Sensor Networks: Bridging Data and Action in euPOLIS Cities
euPOLIS has woven a real-time environmental monitoring tapestry across four European cities—Belgrade, Piraeus, Łódź, and Gladsaxe— thanks to the instructions, monitoring, and handled by our partner Plegma Labs, revealing how sensor data mirrors and illuminates each city’s unique ecological struggles. The findings, drawn from resilient…
Uniting for Resilient Cities: euPOLIS and OCEANIDS Drive Urban & Coastal Innovation
Our partners, CDP and Geosystems Hellas, have just returned from the dynamic plenary meeting of the OCEANIDS Project in the Azores—a gathering brimming with innovative ideas and a shared commitment to transforming coastal cities and ports for climate resilience and biodiversity regeneration. This event was…
Over 1,000 Trebinje Residents Unite in Major City Clean-Up for World Environment Day
Trebinje, June 5, 2025 – In a remarkable demonstration of community spirit and environmental commitment, more than 1,000 residents of Trebinje joined forces in a large-scale city beautification and clean-up campaign organized by the City of Trebinje in cooperation with the Public Institution “Ecology and…
The euPOLIS Guide
The Guide for Replication of Social-Cultural Urban Hubs by Mikser, developed for the euPOLIS project, serves as a comprehensive roadmap to foster sustainable urban development through inclusive, vibrant, and gender-sensitive public spaces. This guide is part of the broader euPOLIS initiative, which integrates nature-based solutions…
Capacity Building Training: Building Resilient Cities in Limassol
Join us on April 15th for an insightful and transformative online training session, “Building Resilient Cities: Participatory and Ecological Solutions for Urban Challenges.” Starting at 9:00 CEST, this event will bring together experts and practitioners to explore innovative approaches to urban challenges through participatory and…
euPOLIS Capacity Building Training in Trebinje: Empowering Citizens for Sustainable Urban Planning
On March 21, 2025, Trebinje hosted the euPOLIS Capacity Building Training at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IPC), bringing together over 30 participants, including citizens, city representatives, and experts. This event highlighted the importance of integrating nature-based solutions (NBS) into urban planning while addressing challenges…