euPOLIS aims to:

• replace the traditional perception in which engineering systems are built to protect the environment at significant costs. The project aims to deploy natural systems to simultaneously enhance public health (PH) and well-being (WB), and create resilient urban ecosystems at lower life-cycle costs;
• 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;
• 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 improve urban liveability;
• 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;
• 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. euPOLIS aims to stimulate active communities’ participation throughout the process;
• to improve citizens’ quality of life providing them with pleasant socialising open areas that stimulate social exchange and inclusivity;
• monitor and validate the impact of all interventions to PH and WB of citizens. euPOLIS’ solutions will be demonstrated in four European cities: Belgrade; Lodz; Piraeus; and Gladsaxe. Some follower cities have also been included (Bogota, Palermo, Limassol and Trebinje) to replicate and demonstrate the advantages of innovations via mentoring and coaching.

Some of the solutions developed and validated in pilot cities are based on principles of circularity. For example, using collected water from roofs for watering of parks and rainwater irrigated vertical farms in Belgrade (Serbia) or small-scale grey water treatment at the edu-eco centre to support local greenery and vertical urban farming in Piraeus (Greece). The project will be interesting for cities and regions that are looking for nature-based solutions to urban challenges, which can support their circularity objectives.

Programme:

• H2020-EU.3.5. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

Topic:

• SC5-14-2019 - Visionary and integrated solutions to improve well-being and health in cities

€ 11 358 637.39 (EU contribution: € 9 995 189.76)

Ethnicon Metsovion Polytechnion

Contact the project

• Uniwersytet Warszawski
• Faculty of Civil Engineering
• Amphi International Aps
• Europejskie Regionalne Centrum Ekohydrologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk
• Geosystems Hellas it kai Efarmogesgeopliroforiakon Systimaton Anonimietaireia
• Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine
• Biopolus Intezet Nonprofit Zrt.
• Risa Sicherheitsanalysen GmbH
• Resilience Guard GmbH
• CDP Worldwide (Europe) Gemeinnutzige GmbH
• Enplus, Bioassist SA
• Sentio Labs Monoprosopi IKE
• Byspektrum IVS
• Mikser Udruzenje
• Plegma Labs Technologikes Lyseis Anonymos Etairia
• Universidad De Los Andes Fundacion
• Grad Beograd
• Lodz-Miasto na Prawach Powiatu
• Dimos Peiraia
• Gladsaxe Kommune
• Comune di Palermo
• Dimos Lemesos
• Grad Trebinje
• Fengxi New City Development and Construction (Group) Co Ltd Xixian New Area Shaanxi Province
• Empresa de Renovacion y Desarrollo Urbano de Bogota
• Vertical Farm Institute GmbH