Title of Proposal: REGREENERATION: Citizen-oriented urban REgeneration model using GREENER solutions
(NBS). TransformATION of vulnerable areas into more inclusive, healthier and economically developed
neighbourhoods.
1
Excellence
The intense process of urbanisation in recent years makes necessary to rethink the way that cities have been planned to
respond to the social (increase of population, provision of services, health status, social exclusion, inequalities…),
economic (sustainable growth, creation of new jobs, innovation…) and environmental (climate change, pollution, water
scarcity…) challenges, and to avoid turning themselves into self-segregating inequality traps1. Urban regeneration will play
an important role, as an engine to transform cities into more sustainable and liveable places, capable of adapting not only
to present but to forthcoming challenges.
In the last few decades, a great number of urban
regeneration models that have been implemented in
European countries have focussed towards economic
sustainability2. Economic development of urban areas
was favoured and even if social and environmental
issues were also taken into consideration, these were
not the main drivers for the transformation. Besides,
most of such interventions prioritised grey solutions
based on hard urban infrastructure.
REGREENERATION project will drive change from the above mentioned economy focused urban regeneration models to
more sustainable models, where citizens’ wellbeing is placed at the heart of interventions. Environment and social
sustainability objectives along with economic development goals are to be the fundamental drivers of an improved citizenoriented urban regeneration model based on demonstrated and cost effective Nature Based Solutions (NBS) as tools to
achieve this goal. This provides an opportunity to redress the existing imbalance and start acting prospectively with the
future in mind. The project aims to support the change from the concept of “regeneration” to the concept of
“REGREENERATION”, understood as the process of regenerating urban areas by the use of NBS under an inclusive
approach that places citizens at its centre.
1.1
Objectives
Overall Objective: To develop and demonstrate, via communities of practice3, an innovative, sustainable, cost-effective
and replicable NBS driven regeneration model and its application to concrete strategies for cities (REGREENERATION City
Strategies). This evidence-based strategic model will support cities in delivering inclusive urban regeneration, addressing
the main challenges faced by European and world cities through the use of NBS, highlighting their benefits and co-benefits
in order to promote their large scale deployment and market uptake.
The main specific objectives to achieve this ambitious goal will be:
1- Planning framework: a) To define an overall framework to assess the key role of NBS in regeneration, identifying
barriers (regulatory, technical, economic, social,…) and gathering evidence to assess impact, costs, management and
maintenance cost along the NBS life-cycle, benefits and co-benefits, including the development of citizen-oriented (codevelopment and co-implementation) urban regeneration projects using NBS for each front-runner city. It will include
comparative assessment with more traditional, “grey” infrastructures. b) To incorporate to the framework a set of
innovative planning tools, such as green area factor for public spaces, and new vectors, such as social innovation and
health parameters, bringing them into the planning process and allowing measuring the baseline in relation to the social,
economic and environmental sustainability, according to the selected indicators. A Best Practices Observatory (BPO)
will be created for a systematic review, mapping and characterization of innovative solutions to keep this framework
updated.
1
OECD 2016. Making Cities Work for All. Data and Actions for Inclusive Urban Growth. OECD Publishing, Paris
Saccomani, S. 2016. Urban regeneration and crisis. EURA Conference, City lights Cities and citizens within/beyond/notwithstanding
the crisis, Torino, 16-18 June 2016
3
CHARLES D. et al. (coord.) (2007), City-Regions as Intelligent Territories : Inclusion, Competitiveness and Learning (CRITICAL) Final
Report, Newcastle, Newcastle University
2
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2- Demonstration cases: a) To establish the feasibility of implementing replicable NBS involving relevant multistakeholders in the front-runner cities, showing that urban regeneration interventions focused on using NBS can
transform vulnerable areas into more cohesive, inclusive, healthy, friendly, dynamic, comfortable and habitable
neighbourhoods. b) To carry out the demonstration projects under a Living-Lab co-design and co-creation approach in
each of the three complementary front-runner cities, representing a wide range of cities and urban areas and
socioeconomic characteristics in order to ensure the replicability of the developed model.
3- Monitoring and urban assessment: a) To monitor and assess the impact, including benefits and co-benefits of the
demonstration projects in the social, economic and environmental areas previously defined and ensure that the
implemented model improves them. Although monitoring will be done during the las 2 years of the project, the cities of
Miskolc, Málaga and Stockholm are committed to extend it at least three years beyond the end of the project). b) To
systematize and integrate into a data platform the collection of data using ICT tools to ensure long-term indicator
measurements, including, some indirect factors such as socioeconomic, demographic and seasonal parameters. This
data-platform will be linked to the already available city platform for each city to ensure its long- term sustainability.
4- Market and Business models: a) To define new business models, financing and governance mechanisms for
sustainable urban regeneration using NBS, including the actual solutions and the process of implementation at a
neighbourhood and citywide scale. These new models will also capture opportunities for the systemic integration of ecoinnovation (considering not only the implementation but also the maintenance of NBS) into the planning process,
overcoming existing barriers and positioning Europe as a leader in the global market of NBS. b) To assess the potential
of NBS to improve other business areas/opportunities (like tourism and city services or activities).
5- Strategy and up-scaling and replication: a) To support front-runner cities, follower cities in the consortium and other
cities worldwide in the design of their own RCS for up-scaling or replication based on the REGREENERATION model.
b) To provide specific methodologies and tools for up-scaling/replication, such as deep systemic analysis of potential
replicator cities, best strategy design, storytelling and lessons learnt.
6- Standardization: a) To foster replicability by including the REGREENERATION concept in already consolidated
standards to assess planning processes such as, BREAM-Communities, LEED-Neighbourhood Development, ISO/TC
268-Sustainable cities and communities, ISO 37101-Sustainable development in communities, etc., thus incorporating a
wider range of indicators such as health, social cohesion, sense of belonging, citizen´s wellbeing, etc. b) To foster
replicability integrate the REGREENERATION model into new system-oriented approaches to standardization being
currently developed by Cen-Cenelc for Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities (SSC&C)
7- Dissemination: a) To promote replication by making citizens aware (as users, investors, owners and tenants), city
managers and other stakeholders (companies, financing entities regional and national authorities, etc.) of the change as
possible, feasible and positive. b) To establish a World Wide Cities Network (WWCN), in cooperation with other SCC
projects, which will be permanently informed about the evolution of the demonstration projects and will help solving
questions arising in the strategic urban planning process. c) To develop and implement a communication and
dissemination plan for actions (press releases, virtual communities, newsletters, factsheets, guided tours, papers,
workshops, webminars, conferences etc.) to reach relevant stakeholders, including political and technical community, to
promote the project achievements at the local, regional, national, European and international scales. These
dissemination activities will be coordinated and complemented by the BPO and made public and accessible.
1.2 Relation to the work programme – SCC2-02-2017 (b) Nature-based solutions for inclusive urban
regeneration
SPECIFIC CHALLENGE
(..)cities and communities have to cope with challenges (…). These challenges have serious impacts on human health,
quality of life, well-being and security of citizens, particularly among less privileged social classes.
REGREENERATION will provide a sustainable urban regeneration model, where citizens’ wellbeing will be in the
centre and the environment, the economic development and social sustainability will be the drivers to construct a
citizen-oriented urban regeneration model, supported by the use of NBS. (see Objective 1)
The overall challenge is to provide a robust EU-wide evidence base and develop a European reference framework on
NBS for regional and local authorities (…) and other stakeholder about the benefits, co-benefits, cost-effectiveness and
economic viability of these solutions (..) to address inclusive urban regeneration on cities and thus promote their large
scale deployment and the creation of a global market.
NBS have demonstrated that they can help mitigate social, economic and environmental issues in urban areas, but
there is still a lack of knowledge in many fields regarding their effectiveness. The efficacy of NBS has already been
proven, but mostly in single, specific, non-comparable cases. The aim of the project is not just to demonstrate their
usefulness, but to compare different cases thus providing elements to understand the conditions behind a successful
implementation and the replicability in different contexts, both in terms of types of interventions and in terms of
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expected results. It is important to address the real impact in inclusive urban regeneration processes. Demonstrating
their benefits and co-benefits will help to overcome barriers such as mistrust or lack of knowledge among policy and
decision makers, which currently makes it difficult to integrate them into policy and decision-making structures. 9
partners cities and a Cities Network (WWCN) will collaborate with local communities, enterprises and knowledge
experts to co-develop, co-implement and monitor a REGREENERATION model, ensuring it can be adapted and
replicated in many cities in Europe and globally. (see Objectives 1, 2 & 3)
SCOPE
“Projects should adopt a 'front-runner' and 'follower' cities approach (..) to facilitate the rapid exploitation, replication
and up-scaling of the solutions (and) via large-scale demonstrations”
3 FR cities have been selected; representing 65% of European cities typologies to deploy large-scale demonstrators
and 6 follower cities, including a Chinese city will ensure the replication and transferability of solutions worldwide.
Together FR and follower cities represent more than 96% of all cities sin Europe. (see Objectives 2 & 5).
Deploy intervention in front-runner cities as “living laboratories” to address city challenges with co-design and codeveloped and co-implemented NBS to provide systemic impact.
Each of the FR cities has identified a vulnerable area to co-design and co-implement the model. These areas face a
number of common challenges such as the need to connect the built-up areas, with nature/greenery in an efficient way,
to improve citizen’s wellbeing and the economic potential of the areas. Also, each city present their own context,
characteristics and particular challenges that require adaptation of the different NBS to tackle the specific needs of
each of the cases, allowing for the development of new NBS products and/or services. (see Objective 2 )
Assist “follower cities” with advice, assistance, capacity building and expertise from the living lab deployed and
implemented in FR cities, to develop a sustainable urban plan (…)
Follower cities will participate in the definition of the planning framework as well as the urban assessment of solutions
deployed and monitored in FR cities in order to gather knowledge and also to fully contribute to the identification of
barriers and business models for replication. Based on this collaborative model, they will develop their own
Regeneration City Strategy based on the REGREENERATION model. (see Objective 5)
Engage FR cities in further networking and knowledge-sharing efforts with cities beyond those directly involved in the
project
Besides the direct collaboration with the partner cities, the project will establish a WWCN that will cover knowledgesharing worldwide. This network will be promoted mainly by three project partners and will include cities in Europe
(TEC & ICLEI), Asia (RMIT), Australia (RMIT), America (ICLEI & TEC) and Africa (ICLEI). (see Objective 7)
Set up a robust monitoring scheme for a period of at least 2 years (…), including the development of methodologies to
assess the efficacy performance and cost-effectiveness of the solutions, including benefits and co-benefits.
REGREENERATION will set up a monitoring tool for the continuous evaluation and impact assessment, including
benefits and co-benefits of the demonstration projects in the social, economic and environmental areas previously
defined and ensure that the implemented model improves them. Systematization in the collection of data using ICT
tools to ensure long-term indicator measurements. This tool will be in place for five years (the last 2 year of the project
and 3 years after completion). (see Objective 3)
Develop methodologies for replication and up-scaling of NBS for urban regeneration and the systemic integration in
urban planning (…), including replication of innovative investment strategies, governance and business models.
The REGREENERATION model will be flexible enough to support its replication in different contexts and will include a
deep systemic analysis of the potential replicator cities and a canvas methodology to develop the strategy. It will be
validated in 6 follower cities that will develop their own RCS based on the REGREENERATION model. The model will
also be integrated into existing certification systems, opening a new way for its replicability and will work closely with
system-oriented approached to standardization being currently developed for SSC&C (see Objectives 1, 4 & 6)
Identify potential regulatory, economic, social and technical barriers to NBS and propose ways to overcome them.
The REGREENERATION planning framework will identify and analyse existing barriers that hinder the implementation
of NBS, not only in relations to urban regeneration and will work closely with other national and international research
and innovation activities. (see Objective 1)
Establish long-term sustainable data platforms securing open, consistent data and performance measurements and
interoperability of data infrastructures.
The REGREENERATION model will develop a data collecting system supported by the smart city platforms of each
city. Systematization in the collection of data using ICT tools to ensure long-term indicator measurements, including
dynamics not directly related to the project but that can have a direct effect on the impacts to be measured, such as
socioeconomic and demographic factors and seasonal parameters. A Data Management Plan will be drafted to comply
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with Open Research Data in H2020 requirements. Also, the integration of REGREENERATION model into existing
certification systems will open new ways for its replicability and will work closely with system-oriented approached to
standardization.(see Objective 3 & 6)
1.3
Concept and methodology
a.
Concept
The REGREENERATION project aims to be a global reference in the incorporation of NBS, development and
implementation of processes for inclusive urban regeneration, allowing viable and cost-effective replication in other cities
around the world thanks to:
• Deep analysis of objective evidence of social,
economic and environmental benefits and co-benefits of
the integration of NBS in urban regeneration initiatives.
• The development of a model that allows the design of
City Strategies with NBS, thanks to their incorporation in
the planning processes of the cities, which has been
implemented and validated in different cities, making it
easier to incorporating in any other city around the
world.
• The representativeness of the selected cities for
implementation and replication, vulnerable areas and
their relation with greenery/nature, covering a wide
range of cases around Europe and the World
ANALYSIS - The NBS types that will be evaluated in the
project can be categorized considering three scales of interventions: building scale (i.e. green roofs and green facades..),
micro-scale (i.e green squares, urban farming..) and meso-scale (i.e. temporary flooding parks, green transport
infrastructure..). Each of these scales has particular suitable NBSs and benefits and co-benefits depending on the scale of
implementation and also the social fabric and the stakeholders involved.
When analyzing the integration of NBS in urban regeneration initiatives, some examples of the benefits to be considered
can be related to:
• A more sustainable City Strategy: Evidence-based supported inclusion of Green approaches for urban regeneration
and inclusion of participatory planning, governance and holistic green space management.
• Environmental improvement: Inclusion of climate mitigation and adaptation, cities resilience; water management;
environmental comfort, improved air/ambient and acoustic quality, enhancement/conservation of urban biodiversity and
other co-benefits.
• Social Integration: Improving public health and well-being, i.e. exposure needs to green areas by different population
categories, their perception of exposure to green spaces, physical and mental health implications of green improvement
of linkages between public health and planning in cities, to develop planning instruments to promote health and wellbeing
and the increase of social justice and social cohesion. Also improvement of accessibility and connectivity including
pedestrian and non-motorized modes of transport and the provision of better and livelier and therefore safer public spaces
as places for social gathering will enhance social interactions and sense of place and identity.
• Economic opportunities: Aside from the benefit of reducing the energetic demand, NBSs at different scales offer a
potential improvement of economic activities and capital gain in the area, as well as the opportunity to create new
economic activities, providing a more attractive environment and therefore more economically active. Research shows4
alliance with other stakeholders increases economic opportunities, and that an increasing number of businesses develop
and implement eco-innovations in co-operation with other firms, local authorities and other stakeholders.
Considering these benefits, during the project a multi-metric indicator system will be developed to assess the impact and
potential benefits and co-benefits of NBS. The main innovation is to combine quantitative and/or qualitative perspectives to
provide an index that will allow comparing different NBS and their suitability in urban regeneration, progressing from
previous research, for example OECD´s Measuring Sustainable Development, that integrates economic, environmental and
social frameworks.
4 The Future of Eco-Innovation: The Role of Business Models in Green Transformation, OECD Background Paper, OECD/European
Commission/Nordic Innovation Joint Workshop, Copenhagen, Denmark, January 2012
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REGREENERATION MODEL - The inclusive urban regeneration model that will be developed is aimed to be a practical
and flexible tool to support a wide range of cities around the world developing their inclusive urban regeneration city
strategies using NBS, which can be integrated in the planning process. This model will be supported by two main pillars:
Living–lab approach and evidence–based effectiveness. With the purpose of comparing the analysed NBS in different
cases in order to provide solid evidence to understand the conditions behind a successful implementation and the
replicability in different contexts, both in terms of types of interventions and in terms of expected results, the model will
follow a user-centred approach meaning that it will be developed in urban living labs in selected areas of front-runner cities.
A robust monitoring system based in the integration of sensors, databases, etc, will support the whole model, assessing the
improvement of the selected Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) over the time.
Key aspects that will be included will address:
• Co-creation to ensure all stakeholders participating will gain value from the process and ensuring engagement,
empowerment and systemic change in each dimension of society.
• Management and maintenance by design: Taylor-made solutions will be addressed to implement well-oriented
interventions in the cities. In this context the life-cycle of NBS will be considered including management and maintenance
variables. The maintenance by design approach considers designing NBS thinking about how to reduce their
maintenance and managements costs throughout their life in order to reduce their overall cost and impact, making them
more financially viable.
• Funding / financing: Availability of funding options for their development such as Natural Capital Financing Facility
(NCFF) or the local and regional financing mechanisms presents in different cases will be taken into account together with
the analysis and identification of financial mechanisms and instruments that could be used, such as public resources,
private resources, dedicated funds, bank loans, crowdfunding, etc., and the development of roadmaps for financial
instruments activation. Also, the increase in offer and demand for NBS will results in new products and services and
increase the leverage of public and private investments, thus creating economic opportunities for start-ups and small and
medium-sized enterprises to enter the market and produce new local green jobs which will require new business models.
• Urban vulnerability and challenges: Many identified challenges are common for most vulnerable areas of the cities, so
similar solutions can be defined to solve them; however others are specific to each place. Therefore, as well as the
development of new and innovative NBSs, it is necessary to considering readapting existing solutions in innovative ways.
• Standardization: Sustainability is a global concept that includes many initiatives and to be properly addressed requires
its integration in already exiting European and International standards to help decision making and the adoption of both
long and short-term perspective. Existing standards and labels previously mentioned in Objective 7 will be analysed and
completed in order to achieve common understanding, enabling integration at different scales, help to obtain funding and
ensure accessibility to all stakeholders and citizens.
• Integration with Urban Planning Instruments: The availability of a common framework will legitimate and foster the
integration of NBS as regulatory requirements for plans at different levels, including mandatory regulations about the
contents of local urban plans developed by national and regional authorities
IMPLEMENTATION - The selection of the FrontRunner (FR) cities and their vulnerable areas has
been made by taking into account not only their
similarities but also their complementarities. The
follower cities for replication have been selected with
the idea of representing most cases found in
Europe, and also incorporating the experience of a
Chinese city to ensure inclusion of approaches and
solutions in non-EU countries and future replication
worldwide.
The 3 FR cities have selected 3 neighbourhoods
that clearly represent three different typologies of
areas that go from city centre/inner city (Miskolc downtown in Miskolc) to a mixed-use residential (Perchel-Lagunillas in
Málaga) close to the city centre with compact and dense residential to a mainly residential area (Skärholmen in
Stockholm) in the outskirts of the city, close to open spaces. These three examples of areas within cities are included in FR
cities that represent many of the urban challenges that can be encountered in European cities, and have been selected
taking into account complementarities and synergies among them (small-medium eastern-European city, a medium
regional capital Mediterranean city and a capital city of Northern Europe).
MISKOLC downtown is a typical example of city centres that provide services and acts as a commercial focal point and a
transport node for the city, while at the same time present some abandoned areas as a result of a change in economic
activities. The area is located in a district in which there is a lack of green and blue areas and being the main transport node
of the city and its agglomeration, the district has challenges regarding natural conditions such as high level of air pollution
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(highest in the city) and traffic congestion, and low level of biodiversity. Due to presence of inner city housing developments
in the area, the socio-economic conditions are unequal with low cohesion level and lack of social community activities and
identity.
In order to address these challenges, the following interventions have been planned using NBS:
• Creation of new green areas incorporating NBS into the built environment, for multifunctional purposes: Green roofs,
green walls and pergolas to reduce water runoff, improve air quality and reduce urban heat island effect.
• Development of blue and green corridors to connect the downtown with the rest of the city and increase its
attractiveness: Some examples of the interventions are, the re-cultivation of Szinva Creek, creating open water surfaces
by opening the river bed and new green surfaces on the Creekside, permeable street covering and permeable green belts
in the inner streets and parking lots.
• Establishment of city farming areas and community gardens to promote the social cohesion and sense of belonging
with the neighbours and identity among the residents.
The interventions are aligned with the Integrated Urban Development Program 2014-2020, the Integrated City Development
Strategy and the undergoing Master Plan of Miskolc. Approximately 10 M€ is dedicated to Miskolc Down-town Green
City Development project in frame of Territorial and Settlement Development operational Program (TOP), which includes
project related developments.
The Perchel-Lagunillas neighborhood in MÁLAGA represents a typical historical and peripheral district close to the center
whose morphological characteristics should be preserved and which have a high level of physical degradation, with large
numbers of abandoned lots and little economic activity. Its urban morphology is predominantly residential use. The area is
located right next to the revitalized historic center of the city but lacks from economic activity shown in high rates of
unemployment (especially young people, more than 32%), and with a high percentage of elderly residents with low income,
high percentage of one-person households (47%, more than double than the average for Málaga), high level of vulnerability
and social exclusion, low levels of education, degradation of public spaces, green spaces and community equipment, lack
of infrastructure and old buildings with poor energy efficiency (more than 53% of the registered Building Technical
Inspection (ITE) have been inadequate).
NBS planned for this area are focused on two factors, the physical and social problems of the area, trying to improve the
economic activity and employment conditions that will promote the social cohesion in an area with high levels of
unemployment and vulnerability:
• Development of locally adapted NBS to increase the green areas in the neighbourhood: Some examples are the
incorporation of green pergolas, vertical gardens, green roofs or green retaining walls and dividing areas to stabilize
slopes with vegetation and to avoid soil erosion. An irrigation system will be incorporated due to the climatic conditions of
the city.
• Creation of associations to educate and incorporate vulnerable groups into the labour market: Training specific
vulnerable groups in the area (women, immigrants…) in the maintenance and management of NBS so as they can work
maintaining the greenery of the area.
• Creation of green and blue corridors through the use of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) to connect
the intervention area with the adjacent districts: A combination of an innovative paving, filtering material and green
infrastructure to create public spaces grounds with rain-water management (runoff water collection, purification and
reutilization/groundwater recharge) in order to design an ecosystem of the hydric-network and new integrated functions
(e.g. urban mobility, animal islands, spaces division, etc.).
The projects are in line with the Urban Agenda (2015-2050) and the Sustainable and Integrated Urban Strategy of Perchel
Lagunillas (2016-2021). This second plan has a budget of 12,5 M€ allocated for interventions in the area.
Skärholmen district is a suburban area located southwest of central STOCKHOLM. The district as many other city
suburban areas in Europe, was planned in the 60's and 70´s as a part of a public housing program characterized by the
modernist ideas of functional separation. It has a well-documented set of vulnerabilities, including high sickness rate
(shortest life expectancy in Stockholm), high proportion of economically vulnerable families and students outside national
programs at upper secondary school (only 36% of the inhabitants has post-secondary education compared to the city's
56.9%), high proportion of unemployed (5.9% compared with the city's 3.0%) especially among young people and adults,
large proportion of women with low education who are outside the labor market and that has a low annual income,
overcrowded apartments, few public service facilities, high proportion with immigration background, perception of insecurity
in outdoor environment, etc.
It is located very close to extensive nature and greenery and includes a nature reserve. Both green and forest areas are
poorly used and regarded as abandoned and insecure, the entrance to the nature reserve is underdeveloped, and there is
also a lack of greenery and multifunctional green solutions in the blocks and district where people live. There is an identified
need in the area for regeneration and densification of the housing stock that the inclusion of NBS can solve. NBS will focus
on creating multifunctional green initiatives that include all or some of the following components:
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• Co-design processes in dialogue with neighborhoods and local associations led by active facilitators. Focus on the
process itself as well as in the final result expects to bring stronger attachment and ownership for the local
population.
• Co-design of re-densification programs including new homes, a park and open storm water solutions. New buildings
are expected to reduce high ecological values whereas the build environment expects to ease the pedestrian connectivity
that could also help boost local economy and employment rates, including particularly vulnerable groups.
• Small cost-effective innovations for increased usage of nature with focus on accessibility.
• Co-development of locally adapted NBS to increase the multifunctional greenery in the blocks to increase nature
knowledge and usage of nature: one example urban farming. Educational points for increased nature knowledge,
placed in strategic points for inspiration and easy exposure to different ecosystem values to facilitate knowledge transfer
to varied groups.
Those interventions are aligned with the Stockholm Vision 2040 Plan, the Stockholm Environment Programme, the Focus
Skärholmen Program and the Local Development Program for Skärholmen and will be financed with different sources from
Stockholm City budget, including the “Climate Billion” (105 M€) for investments in climate measures and 31,5 M€ for a
greener Stockholm 2017-2019, which will be investing in nature based solutions, from private developers with projects in
the area though the active facilitator co-design programme.
The REGREENERATION FR cities are a very representative sample of European cities. EU cities can be classified in 65
city typologies. Miskolc represents the “Transition cities” (25% of the EU cities), Málaga represents the “Mediterranean
cities” (20% of the EU cities), and Stockholm represents the “Economic engine cities” (20% of the EU cities). Consequently,
these FR cities represent 65% of all cities in Europe. Follower cities (Bornova, Braga, Cardiff, Trento, Versailles Grand Parc
and Tianjin) have been identified as representative of a wide range of conditions in terms of geographical location, climate
change challenges, typologies and quantity of green infrastructures, availability of resources, institutional capacities and
include cities form all categories. In total the cities participating in REGREENERATION represent more 96% of all cities in
Europe, incorporating examples of the three main geopolitical realms of Europe: the better off (North) Western Europe, the
austerity-stricken Southern Europe and the post-socialist Eastern Europe.
They are complementary and present clear synergies among them and with front-runner cities. To complement European
coverage, the Chinese city of Tianjin represents fast growing cities, a trend for Asia, Africa and America.
Since they belong to different countries, they have different institutional structures, processes and regulations related to
urban planning, which will be taken into account during the project, thus further enhancing the transferability and
replicability of the solutions proposed.
Front Runners
Key Elements/problems to be adresses
Lack of green urban spaces in particular areas
Followers
Malaga Stockhom Miskolc
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Bornova Braga Cardiff Trento
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Green spaces/corridor as urban/social connectivity and permeability elements
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Unemoployment/loss of activity and low income neighbourhoods
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Brownfield regeneration
Perceived security
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Abundance of underused Green space, not perceived as an asset by local people
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Citizens closer to existing nature in the city
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New homes with high ecological values to improve access to nature for existing homes in the area
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Appreciation of Cultural/Natural Heritage
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Integration of nature into city
Stake-holders involvement, participation and co-creation
Health issues - Healthier Urban Areas
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Versailles
Tianjin
Grand Parc
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The consortium proposes a multidisciplinary and complementary team bringing together expertise and experience in
environment and NBS, urban regeneration and urban planning, economics, financing, social innovation, urban health and
governance covering the entire value chain of scientific, technical, technological and political skills necessary for the project
development. Additionally, the Living labs will involve stakeholders covering the whole value chain and associated sectors
in co-creation and co-validation.
Positioning of the project and links to other national and international research and innovation activities
The project is at demonstration stage and will be mainly based on assessing and validating NBS implemented in cities to
assess their benefit and co-benefit as key drivers to be integrated in integral regeneration and city planning instruments.
5
“Urban Sustainability: Similarities and Diversities of European Cities (ETC-ULS, EEA, 2017)
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REGREENERATION activities will mainly focus on scaling already available technologies to TRL8. Other linked R&I
activities that will benefit REGREENERATION though partner involvement are:
• GROWGREEN project (SCC2-02-2016) (TEC, ICLEI and 21 partners) will deliver systemic changes to the long-term
planning, development, operation and management of 7 cities through the use of NBS, in order to deliver quantified
improvements in climate and water resilience, social, environmental and economic performance
• NATURE4CITIES (SCC-03-2016), participation of TEC, G4C and NBK (Project Coordinator) in both project will ensure
complementarity for engaging urban stakeholders in a collective-learning process about new business, financial and
governance models for NBS implementation.
• CONNECTING (SCC-02-2016-2017).will share results on open innovation ecosystem approach bringing together city
governments, SMEs, academia and civic society in the use of NBS for urban resilience.
• SCC- 1 Lighthouse projects as SmartEnCity (TEC –coordinator–, MON and 35 partners) and REPLICATE (TEC partner,
36 partners) from the SCC-01-2015 call, and
• mySMARTLife (TEC and NBK partners) from the H2020-SCC-2016 call among other large scale demonstration cities’
projects
b.
Methodology
The project objective will be achieved following a nine work
packages (WP) program structured in three main phases
(planning, implementation and replication), plus a tenth WP
that includes “Project Management”.
The planning phase (WP1) will define the overall
framework of the REGREENERATION model that will
constitute the basis for the co-development and coimplementation of the demonstrations cases for the frontrunner cities. During the implementation phase, the
demonstration cases will be carried out in each FR city
(WP2-4), demonstrating that the selected solutions help to
address the main challenges and vulnerabilities detected in
each of the areas. In this phase a monitoring system will
also be developed and implemented (WP5) to ensure that the developed model will improve the previously defined social,
economic and environmental indicators and that those indicators will be measured in a systematized way over time. Once
the projects are running, new business models will be defined (WP7) to the positioning of the defined solutions (actors,
services, procedures and financing structures) in the global context of green solutions and projects. Taking into account the
results from the implementation phase, the replication phase will be focused on the definition of RCS (WP6). Front-runner
cities will define their strategy for the replication of the model in other areas, while follower cities will specify what is going to
be their City Strategy using NBS. The replication and up-scaling (WP8) around the world will be held thanks to the city
network built among the project consortium (Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America) and the dissemination strategy
followed (WP9) during the whole project and which will include the integration of the model into an already existing
certification label system, will also contribute to enlarge the city network and to position Europe at the forefront of this type
of solutions.
Sex and gender issues will be taken into account to ensure that gender aware regeneration will improve quality of life for all,
including women and men of different ages, ethnicity, care duties, and physical abilities. Activities will be included to
empower women, not only incorporating them as a stakeholder in the decision making process and facilitate access to new
business and the labour market. In addition, sex and gender issue will be taken into account in the preparation of the tools
to be used during the participatory process, ensuring appropriate methods and indicators are considered in the monitoring
schemes.
1.4 Ambition
Even though the existence of technically appropriate NBS, there are many barriers for their implementation related to
conventional urban planning tools and processes. In many cases, NBS have been implemented with an ecological, climate
change mitigation and adaptation goal in mind, but their full potential as key element for urban planning and regeneration
has not been fully achieved6. Nevertheless, there is a solid body of work on the study of indicators concerning the
6
Frantzeskaki, N., and N. Tilie. 2014. The dynamics of urban ecosystem governance in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Ambio 43 (4)
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effectiveness of NBS for climate change adaptation and mitigation and associated co-benefits7. Most NBS cannot be
thought just as replacements for conventional solutions, but require a new whole governance approach8. On the other
hand, current urban regeneration models tend to be valid for limited and specific geographical areas (city or national level),
since they share similarities in terms of socio-economic situation and regulatory framework9.
Grounded on the fact that despite of the growing evidence we are failing to realize the potential that NBS can have a critical
role in responding to social, economic and environmental challenges and contribute to deliver key planning and
regeneration policy goals, the ambition of REGREENERATION project is to gather evidence to support that systematic and
collaborative approaches. These approaches of co-creation and engagement of relevant stakeholders (different
departments and levels of administrations, private sector and society), can allow for integrated urban regeneration
strategies based on NBS with inclusive approach that places citizens at its centre. Also, this shift will pave the way to
include NBS within the regulatory framework of planning and regeneration policies, helping to widespread the adoption on
NBS and therefore increasing global market and economic opportunities.
One of the main innovations of REGREENERATION is a novel perspective of the regeneration processes, shifting a
focus of current economic development oriented urban regeneration to a model where citizens’ wellbeing, social
cohesion and sustainability is at its centre combining many characteristics that make it unique (incorporating social
innovation processes in the co-definition of the mode, integrating health as a factor for future urban planning strategies,
developing and proposing new business models and financial instruments to enable wider market uptake of NBS. On top of
this innovative perspective of the regeneration process, the project innovations refer to:
• The NBS themselves, including the use of novel techniques and/or improving the adaptations of already developed
NBS to specific urban regeneration challenges in selected cases; and their cost/effective and socially responsible
maintenance.
• The integration of NBS in regeneration processes and planning instruments, including a collaborative and actionthinking approach to ensure all stakeholders participating will gain value from the process and ensuring engagement,
empowerment, financial viability and systemic change in each dimension of society. This will be achieved in a wide range
of cities around the world thanks to the selection of cities and the selection of vulnerable areas made. This will help to
incorporate the results of the project in a systematic way not only among partner cities, but also other interested cities
including in the WWCN.
• The monitoring and standardisation, aimed at achieving common data, enabling integration at different scales, help to
obtain funding and ensure accessibility to all stakeholders and citizens.
2
2.1
Impact
Expected impacts
Creation of a European reference framework and the establishment of EU leadership in a new global market (offer and
demand) for NBS and increased international cooperation and global market opportunities.
The definition of a REGREENERATION Model will set up a common reference framework for European cities that will help
the dissemination of NBS for urban regeneration both as a voluntary commitment and as a regulatory requirement. The
developing of replicable methods (e.g. for assessment and monitoring) will encourage their adoption while the availability of
a common framework can legitimate and foster the integration of NBS as regulatory requirements for plans at different
levels, including mandatory regulations about the contents of local urban plans developed by national and regional
authorities. This will produce the demand for new products and services and increase the leverage of public and private
investments, creating economic opportunities. A widespread adoption of NBS for urban regeneration by cities worldwide
(WWCN and others), will establish a new global market, where EU can become leader thanks to its advantaged position in
terms of knowledge, expertise and application of innovative NBS.
Increase awareness and encourage the implementation of NBS through communities of practice and evidence-based upscaling examples and policies.
Kabisch, N., N. Frantzeskaki, S. Pauleit, S. Naumann, M. Davis, M. Artmann, D. Haase, S. Knapp, H. Korn, J. Stadler, K., Zaunberger
and A. Bonn. 2016. Nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation in urban areas: perspectives on indicators,
knowledge gaps, barriers, and opportunities for action. Ecology and Society 21(2):39.
8 Colding, J., and S. Barthel. 2013. The potential of “Urban Green Commons” in the resilience building of cities. Ecological Economics
86:156-166.
9 Couch, C.,; Sykes, O., Borstinghaus, W.(2011): Thirty years of urban regeneration in Britain, Germany and France: The importance of
context and path dependency, Progress in Planning 75 1-52.
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The carefully selected cities and the living-lab collaborative approach for implementation will provide an EU-wide evidencebased regarding the efficiency of adopting NBS for inclusive urban regeneration. Comparative assessment with respect to
environmental, economic and social costs of more traditional, “grey” infrastructures based solutions and multiple criteria
analysis for assessing the co-benefits of NBS will provide robust evidence and criteria. These tasks will be developed
considering exiting standards to provide a key framework to escalate results in a systematic way. Dissemination will ensure
an increased awareness, a better informed and thus more effective policy-making. Monitoring and assessment of the NBS
co-developed and co-implemented in front-runner cities will provide robust evidence to evaluate their suitability and costeffectiveness as well as well as the suitability of the city strategies to be up scaled and replicated in follower cities. The
solutions and the REGREENERATION approach will be promoted for global market uptake by new market and business
models.
Multi-stakeholder consultation and participation approach for co-design, co-development and co-implementation of
visionary urban planning;
The planning framework and the 3 implementation projects are being co-identified and will be co-designed, co-implemented
and co-managed by local stakeholder. Specific strategies will be developed through collaborative based social innovation to
empower individuals and communities and engage with citizens at all stages of the planning and regeneration process. The
participatory processes that will be set up through the engagement of local citizens and stakeholders will represent the
occasion for coordinating and managing together a wide range of initiatives that are already ongoing in each city, mainly in
the form of grass-root movements and bottom-up practices. The process of co-implementation and the measures put into
practice with the specific aim of directly involving the citizens in realizing, managing and taking care of the urban green
infrastructures will also promote the raise of other purposely-created movements and groups and enhance citizens’
ownerships of the solutions. These bottom-up practices also represent an efficient mean for disseminating ideas and results
from the project, since they allow reaching many active citizens all around the globe through communication networks that
are different and complementary with respect to those involving local government and public bodies
Increase International Cooperation and global market opportunities in non-Eu Countries, including EU-China platform.
The REGREENERATION framework will create a demand for using NBS for the regeneration of vulnerable areas and the
need for developing new City Strategies that will be planned and implemented across Europe and non-European countries
thanks to the new WWCN for the up-scaling and the replication of the model. Some of the countries included in the network
will be cities that have been working and exchanging good practices with the front-runner cities, others will come from the
networks of the partners (in Asia, America, Africa and Australia) and finally the participation of Tianjin as follower city will
help promoting the replication of the model in Asia. This will position Europe as leader in the global market of NBS.
Enhanced implementation of EU environmental policies (…) and of the Sustainable Development Goals
The REGREENERATION planning framework will be designed considering the benefits that are going to be measured
through indicators in the demonstration projects. Social indicators will be especially relevant (human health, social
cohesion, sense of belonging, citizens wellbeing, etc), but environmental and economic indicators will also be considered to
measure the real impacts of the projects in the selected areas and assisting EU policies. The monitoring tool to be
developed in the project will be aligned with the Monitoring Framework developed by UN-Habitat to support implementation
of SDG Goal 11 targets.10. The relation with all these policies and strategies at the European and global scale is an
opportunity for the REGREENERATION to develop synergies with other projects and actions, to collect financial resources
for the implementation and enhancement of the envisioned solutions after the completion of the project, and to further
disseminate results.
Create by 2020, through the implementation of NBS healthier, culturally diverse and greener regenerated European cities,
with better living conditions for all, more cohesive society.
The RCSs co-developed, co- implemented and replicated as a result of the project will be fully in line with the principles of
the New Urban Agenda. It will contribute to define a citizen-oriented urban regeneration using NBS that will incorporate
social innovation processes for social inclusion of vulnerable groups in the regenerated areas, helping to fight poverty and
inequalities due to age, gender, health parameters, etc, contributing to reduce inequalities within and among countries
(SDG 10). Also a key co-benefit of NBS in urban regeneration is the disaster risk reduction effect, which is is essential to
ending poverty and fostering sustainable development, specifically relevant to SDG 1.
10
http://unhabitat.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/SDG-Goal%2011%20Monitoring%20Framework%2025-02-16.pdf
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