Cities of the future
Roofs become “climate oases” and energy centres with the European DUT aRTes project
From vertical farming to drone logistics: an international consortium is transforming the rooftops of European cities into active resources against climate change and heat islands.
Sustainable urban regeneration involves enhancing the ‘fifth façade’ of cities: green roofs. With this objective in mind, the international DUT aRTes project was created, a consortium that brings together universities, research centres and industrial partners from Italy, Spain, France, Portugal and Cyprus. The initiative aims to transform currently underutilised surfaces into active infrastructure for energy transition, biodiversity protection and the development of new urban functions through safe and resilient planning models.
Within this ecosystem of innovation, we have made available our expertise in the development of decision support systems (DSS) and geospatial technologies and in the integration of GIS and Artificial Intelligence systems for the creation of a collaborative tool dedicated to roof renovation design. Through the development of Digital Twins, these virtual 3D replicas allow the entire life cycle of the intervention to be managed: from technical simulations of structural loads, wind impact and related risks, to real-time monitoring of space occupancy and automated management of authorisations and alarms in the event of critical issues.
Strategic objectives and socio-technical monitoring
The DUT aRTes project has set itself ambitious goals to respond to the challenges posed by the climate and social crisis in urban areas:
- Resilience and Environment: The adoption of green roofs and reflective roofing aims to reduce the temperature in buildings by at least 2 degrees Celsius, mitigating “heat islands”. The integration of photovoltaic systems aims to encourage the creation of local energy communities.
- Impact Analysis and Well-being: In addition to environmental data, the project is developing an innovative social KPI tool: a tool that collects ethical and social data designed to scientifically measure the social impact and well-being of citizens who will use the new common spaces on green roofs.
- Logistics and New Functions: DUT aRTes investigates the use of roofs for vertical farming and advanced logistics (Advanced Air Mobility), cataloguing buildings suitable for hosting drone landing platforms through spatial analysis.
DUT aRTes’ holistic approach, which combines rigorous technical monitoring with sensitivity to social dynamics, aims to define scalable planning standards for European cities. The ultimate goal is to transform roofs from simple covering elements into multifunctional spaces where technology directly supports the safety, sustainability and quality of life of the community.
