Sustainability and urban resilience were major themes throughout the conference, aligning closely with the objectives of the URBREATH project. The event facilitated high-value exchanges with academic researchers from the Universities of Tampere and Helsinki, as well as representatives from EU-funded projects including Innature and x-CITE.

Key topics included

• The role of local living labs in fostering participatory urban planning
• Advanced NBS monitoring methodologies, leveraging calibrated IoT sensor networks
• Urban climate modelling with an emphasis on heat stress forecasting
• Metrics for assessing biodiversity, particularly regarding pollinator populations
• Traffic flow modelling based on open sensor data and interoperable digital platforms
• Integrating NBS into urban strategies addressing heat stress and flood risk
• The necessity of open standards and semantic interoperability for scaling digital urban solutions

During the conference, Jurgen and Seppo presented ongoing URBREATH work, with a special focus on NBS initiatives in Kajaani, located 470 km north of Tampere.

One of the most technically compelling demonstrations featured emission-free, autonomous aerial drones, designed for high-resolution urban scanning. These drone systems collected 3D point cloud data at an altitude of approximately 100 meters, facilitating the generation of detailed digital urban models. It was amazing to experience the results first-hand: using VR goggles, Jurgen and Seppo explored the digital city, zooming in, rotating, and even virtually “grabbing” sections of the scanned areas to dive deeper. A true moment where digital twin tech meets hands-on urban innovation.

A noteworthy insight concerned the contextual variability of urban heat islands (UHIs). In colder climates like Tampere, UHIs may confer net-positive effects by reducing building heating demand, improving thermal comfort in outdoor spaces, and mitigating cold-related health risks. A refreshing reminder that context matters when designing for climate resilience.

Overall, the IMAGINE the Citiverse 2025 conference provided an inspiring platform for exchanging ideas, sparking collaboration, and raising awareness about the impact of digital and nature-based innovations in urban environments. The URBREATH delegation returns energised and full of ideas for what’s next!