It is well-known that the peri-urban areas of European cities struggle to manage challenges such as the negative environmental impact of industries, decentralized governance, limited resources for local environmental protection, and social vulnerabilities. And that is where the SPURUP program aims to make a difference.
Launched in January, the 40-month Horizon Europe project SPURUP aims to bridge technological innovations with the development of net-zero policy strategies and support the municipal area’s transition towards more sustainable smart cities. SPURUP will approach that objective in a comprehensive strategy combining multiple technical solutions, digital tools, engagement initiatives, and policy planning.
Instead of focusing on a single technical solution, SPURUP has planned a value chain including parabolic solar panels for maximizing the power generation, green fuel synthesis from captured carbon emissions, upgraded energy production and storage practices in local power grids, purification of municipal wastewater into water suitable for fuel production technologies, and recycling of the industrial waste to reclaim critical raw materials. These solutions are expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% and increase recycling in industrial processes and material reuse by 25%.
Building on this, SPURUP’s objectives will utilize a series of smart tools for data-driven decisions, monitoring systems, and AI-powered optimizations. These tools are specially made to promote stakeholders’ engagement, enhance the identification and monitoring of environmental hazards, provide access to financial assets, and promote resource-saving and circular economy practices, facilitating municipalities, industries, and local stakeholders to make more informed decisions.
But SPURUP objectives do not focus on the application of tools and solutions, but take into consideration the social impact, conducting mapping and assessment of stakeholders’ needs, carrying out policy analysis, and evaluating the socio-economic impact of its methodologies. SPURUP supports municipalities in building a greener future, providing practical guidance to create 6 new Local Green Deals partnerships between the public and private sectors and 5 policy recommendations for sustainable growth.
With a 34-partner team uniting academic, industrial, and municipal experts, SPURUP moves beyond traditional technical approaches to combine resources and build sustainable, resilient communities.
AUTHOR (S)
Christina Avtzi
National Technical University of Athens
Media Contacts
Ellie Shtereva · Project Manager @F6S · ellie@f6s.com
Maria Teixeira · Communication Manager @F6S · mariafm@f6s.com
About SpurUP: SpurUP is a Horizon Europe project (Project No. 101239566) dedicated to creating resilient, climate-neutral peri-urban regions. The consortium includes 34 partners across 11 countries, including universities, technology providers, local authorities, and NGOs.
EU Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.