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 the biometrical wristbands, monitoring their activities and health status while on the designated testing location, but also transforming the location by bringing in nature-based solutions. This will, besides the effects on the physical health of the residents, affect the social cohesion on the spot and increase the sense of ownership of the place. As a reminder, euPOLIS aims to improve the public health and well-being of the residents, but also transform the decision-making process, giving more room to the citizens-experts to express their needs of the public spaces.

The implementation process is closely monitored by our experts, to be able to precisely recognize all local specifics, whether they are a challenge or an asset, and address them efficiently.

In the case of Gladsaxe, preparation actions to start purchasing the monitoring equipment are ongoing. The recruitment of participants for the personal testing with wearables was done during Autumn 2022, despite the barriers encountered such as low turnouts and difficulties in delivering devices due to low digital literacy levels among the residents. The NBS implementation process is ongoing with the detailed designs being finished now, and the approval of tender material by the housing association is expected to take place in March. 

The Polish City of Lodz is also getting ready for both the environment and the personal testing and preparation actions that have been undertaken by the municipality. When it comes to NBS implementation, Lodz architects will start working at the beginning of February with the detailed designs of the linear park. We expect the construction to kick off in the Autumn of 2023. 

When it comes to Belgrade, both the environmental and personal monitoring is under preparation and expected to be taken by the selected responsible worker at the municipality. Meanwhile, the first trees have been already planted in strategic micro-locations in the Zemunski Kej park, with 150 more to follow. The local team is also finalizing the eco-edu hub planned for this site and the implementation of the innovative water treatment facility with the vertical farm.

In the city of Piraeus, the main achievement is the start of the implementation of the monitoring equipment on the demo sites. Some sensors and probes were installed and they are already collecting data for the pre-construction database. Piraeus is also making progress regarding the NBS implementation, which we expect soon to be approved by the municipality. 

To conclude, our pilot cities and their local teams are deeply committed to following the euPOLIS philosophy, not only by implementing the technological solutions into the sites but also by exercising a high level of teamwork and co-creation, facing and delegating challenges among experts to come up with the mitigation measures through sharing the experience and through consensus.

Alfred Figueras Anton