Bio-Centric Communities: Navigating Nature, Embracing Ecosystems, Championing Technology
B-CONNECT is driven by an urgent need to address environmental issues and equip Bistrița with suitable tools for greening the city. The project takes a hybrid approach, intertwining:
- People-places connections: facilitated by a real-time monitoring and response platform
- People-nature connections: addressing challenges like biodiversity loss and Green Infrastructure management through innovative approaches, such as mobile hydroponic towers and affordable nature-based solutions, for cleaner air and revitalised urban spaces.
- People-people connections: empowering actors and local communities including in peripheral areas of the city with tools, knowledge and infrastructures in an adaptive urban resilience framework
About
This innovative approach utilises biophilic-centred tactical urbanism, integrating cost-effective interventions, digital frameworks and community engagement to promote pro-eco behaviours.
A digital pillar provides a real-time environmental monitoring framework incorporating earth observation, sensors (air quality, urban climate, traffic), and crowdsourced data, along with citizen perceptions of urban climate, aggregated for immediate response.
A mobility pillar integrates community-driven solutions into adaptive models for LED panel operations supporting traffic rerouting and real-time city updates. This promotes environmentally friendly behaviours and the use of alternative, eco-friendly mobility solutions.
Community-centred facilities, known as Smart Mobility Hubs, support green mobility and contribute to the circular economy. A recently finalised bike network close to peripheral neighbourhoods is underutilised. The hubs aim to support alternative modes of transportation and contribute to soft mobility. Linked to this, Bistrița aims to become the first Romanian city to experiment with autonomous vehicles in a real urban environment.
The nature pillar introduces several novel approaches, including hydroponic towers in public spaces, providing a means to expand green infrastructure in densely built cities with limited available space.
Paired with efficient nature-based solutions (NBS) ranging from drought-tolerant landscaping — or xeriscaping —to community gardening initiatives, it creates a highly replicable context for resilient and liveable cities
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About this resource
The European Urban Initiative is an essential tool of the urban dimension of Cohesion Policy for the 2021-2027 programming period. The initiative established by the European Union supports cities of all sizes, to build their capacity and knowledge, to support innovation and develop transferable and scalable innovative solutions to urban challenges of EU relevance.
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