The URWAN project funded by the Interreg Euro-MED Programme, held its inaugural Training Session, Living Lab, and the 4th Project Meeting in Ptuj, Slovenia, from December 3-5, 2024, hosted by ZRS Bistra. The event aimed to promote collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing in sustainable urban regeneration, focusing on the role of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) in addressing urban and environmental sustainability challenges.
The Energy and Water Agency participated in the meeting as a partner involved in the project, contributing to the discussions on NbS solutions and supporting the exchange of expertise in sustainable urban planning. This collaboration fosters international cooperation and strengthens efforts to integrate NbS into urban development, addressing pressing environmental and urban challenges.
Participants engaged in specialised training sessions led by technical experts, learning to apply NbS for resilient, sustainable cities. The Living Lab provided a hands-on, interactive space for developing practical NbS solutions, with group workshops focusing on sustainable land management and climate resilience. Experts and stakeholders from municipal governments, technical fields, and partner organisations discussed strategies to overcome barriers to NbS implementation in urban areas.
A key objective of the Training Session was to build competencies in water reuse, water-resilient NbS, and greening urban spaces based on European Bauhaus principles. The session blended theoretical knowledge with practical experience, introducing attendees to the URWAN NbS catalogue and how these solutions can enhance urban infrastructure and resilience to climate change.
The 1st URWAN Living Lab instead facilitated transnational collaboration, allowing cities to share lessons learned in NbS implementation, especially in water reuse. The Living Labs will continue with a series of stages: identifying barriers (LL1), developing strategies to overcome them (LL2), and ensuring the long-term integration of NbS through validation and stewardship (LL3).
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