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)
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)
euPOLIS Cities:
euPOLIS Cities:
News
euPOLIS in Trebinje
As part of the implementation of the project activities of the euPOLIS project, a lecture was held in the assembly hall of the city administration of Trebinje on the topic “Integral improvement of the environment for the needs of innovative economic development of the city…
Joint Call To European Cities To Act On Improving Health And Well-being
The euPOLIS and its sister projects, IN-HABIT, VARCITIES, and GoGreenRoutes, are committed to achieving a series of visionary solutions to promote health and well-being in urban environments, by establishing sustainable and inclusive models for increasing the health and well-being of citizens exposed to different climatic…
Green destinations – Trebinje Among the 100 Best World Destinations
The City of Trebinje, one of the euPOLIS Follower Cities, with the story of the Orjen Nature Park – a protected area in the service of improving the tourist offer and sustainable development was chosen among the top 100 world destinations, which was confirmed at…
euPOLIS in Piraeus: A New Smart Bench in Mikrolimano
The “smart” bench was procured and installed in Mikrolimano by the Department of Environment and Greenery of the Municipality of Piraeus, as part of the euPOLIS NBS implementation process. It is designed, produced, and installed by the Energy4Smart company. Photo: Courtesy of Energy4Smart The bench…
LIFE Urban Greening Plans Closing Conference
The project LIFE Urban Greening Plans is reaching its final stage. During the last two years, the project partners have been working very closely with other European institutions in order to streamline the inclusion of Green Infrastructure and Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in urban areas as…
The Implementation of the euPOLIS philosophy: The Technology And The Mindset
During the past two months, the euPOLIS local teams in each Front Runner City (Gladsaxe, Lodz, Belgrade, and Piraeus) have taken the first steps toward the implementation of the NBS technologies. This means closer than ever collaboration with the local citizens who will be wearing…
Tweets
News
euPOLIS in Trebinje
As part of the implementation of the project activities of the euPOLIS project, a lecture was held in the assembly hall of the city administration of Trebinje on the topic “Integral improvement of the environment for the needs of innovative economic development of the city…
Joint Call To European Cities To Act On Improving Health And Well-being
The euPOLIS and its sister projects, IN-HABIT, VARCITIES, and GoGreenRoutes, are committed to achieving a series of visionary solutions to promote health and well-being in urban environments, by establishing sustainable and inclusive models for increasing the health and well-being of citizens exposed to different climatic…
Green destinations – Trebinje Among the 100 Best World Destinations
The City of Trebinje, one of the euPOLIS Follower Cities, with the story of the Orjen Nature Park – a protected area in the service of improving the tourist offer and sustainable development was chosen among the top 100 world destinations, which was confirmed at…
euPOLIS in Piraeus: A New Smart Bench in Mikrolimano
The “smart” bench was procured and installed in Mikrolimano by the Department of Environment and Greenery of the Municipality of Piraeus, as part of the euPOLIS NBS implementation process. It is designed, produced, and installed by the Energy4Smart company. Photo: Courtesy of Energy4Smart The bench…
LIFE Urban Greening Plans Closing Conference
The project LIFE Urban Greening Plans is reaching its final stage. During the last two years, the project partners have been working very closely with other European institutions in order to streamline the inclusion of Green Infrastructure and Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in urban areas as…
The Implementation of the euPOLIS philosophy: The Technology And The Mindset
During the past two months, the euPOLIS local teams in each Front Runner City (Gladsaxe, Lodz, Belgrade, and Piraeus) have taken the first steps toward the implementation of the NBS technologies. This means closer than ever collaboration with the local citizens who will be wearing…