About the UNaLab Project
The UNaLab project is contributing to the development of smarter, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable urban communities through the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS), which are co-created with and for local stakeholders and citizens.
Our three front-runner cities - Eindhoven, Tampere and Genova - are through the establishment of Urban Living Lab (ULL) demonstration areas experimenting, demonstrating and evaluating a range of different nature-based solutions addressing climate- and water-related urban challenges. The front-runner cities actively collaborate and share their experiences with our seven follower cities - Stavanger, Prague, Castellón, Cannes, Başakşehir, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires – as well as our two observers - Guangzhou and the Brazilian Network of Smart Cities.
The project results will enable the development of a European NBS Reference Framework on benefits, cost-effectiveness, economic viability and replicability of nature-based solutions, which will guide cities across Europe and beyond in developing and implementing their own co-creative nature-based solutions.
What are Nature-based Solutions?
Nature-based solutions represent green, innovative solutions where nature is used to address a range of socio-environmental challenges while simultaneously providing a multitude of economic, environmental and social benefits to the community. Learn more here.
Follow Our Activities
Stay up to date with UNaLab's wide range of activities and follow the developments in our cities through our blog and news section.
Edible City Solutions
This autumn, UNaLab joined the social media campaign #EdibleCitySolutions where seven H2020 projects working on nature-based solutions came together to raise awareness of the positive ecological, social and economic impact of green urban food system innovation. The campaign offered an occasion to bring the community gardens implemented in Tampere into the spotlight – highlighting how they support social cohesion.
Tampere’s green wall: the northernmost of its kind
The City of Tampere has recently finished the first construction phase of the novel green wall that is located on an old wastewater treatment plant in the Viinikanlahti district. The green wall is the first of its kind to be constructed this far up north, and the city will study its performance in the harsh Finnish climate to enable the replication of this nature-based solution on other public and private buildings in the city.
UNaLab at the GreenEST Summit
UNaLab was invited to the GreenEST Summit - the largest Greentech event in the region - which was held in Tallinn, Estonia. In this event, Abdolrasoul Habibipour presented the UNaLab project as a successful example on the use of the urban living lab approach to develop nature-based solutions in European cities.
