On November 5th, Jurgen Silence from Digital Flanders presented the URBREATH project at the Belgian booth during the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona.
After a short introduction to the project, Jurgen showcased the interim progress of the Leuven pilot case, led by Laura DenS, highlighting how Local Living Lab (LLL) methods foster the co-creation of climate-resilient Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). He also demonstrated how the URBREATH Toolbox supports the city of Leuven in designing, implementing, and evaluating these NBS interventions.
The presentation featured several customised components of the Local Digital Twin (LDT), including:
-
Immersive visualisations of NBS scenarios, created using a planner tool and presented through an interactive walkthrough video.
-
Visualisation of key datasets, such as underground cables and pipelines, to support NBS planning and avoid damage during implementation.
-
Integration of analytical models — the Biotope Area Factor, 3-30-300 Index, and Climate Adaptation Score Tool — enabling comparison of NBS scenarios and before/after simulations linked to KPIs.
The URBREATH pitch was part of an inspiring session featuring innovative presentations from Flemish companies and public organisations, showcasing how Flanders is driving urban innovation and climate resilience across Europe