From Simulation to Action: Lessons from Simulating Urban Climate Adaptation Measures Using PALM-4U in the UrbanGreenEye Project

The UrbanGreenEye project represents a transformative approach to enhance urban climate resilience through the integration of advanced modeling and remote sensing techniques. This study focuses on the application of the urban climate model PALM-4U to simulate and analyze urban microclimates across German cities to investigate climate adaptation strategies. As cities face escalating impacts of climate change, the need for high-resolution data to inform urban planning has grown considerably. PALM-4U enables detailed simulations of urban environments to capture the complex interaction between built structures, vegetation, and atmospheric processes. By incorporating satellite-derived indicators such as land surface temperature, urban green volume, and vegetation vitality, the model offers a robust framework for assessing thermal dynamics and identifying areas vulnerable to heat stress. Through the UrbanGreenEye project, PALM-4U has been employed to evaluate the effectiveness of various greening scenarios and infrastructure modifications in mitigating urban heat islands. These simulations not only visualize the potential impacts of adaptation measures but also provide quantitative evidence to support decision-making. Key lessons learned include the importance of localized data for model calibration, the role of green infrastructure in reducing thermal stress, and the challenges of scaling simulations to diverse urban contexts. The collaboration with German municipalities has demonstrated the practical utility of PALM-4U in real-world planning processes. This in turn bridges the gap between scientific research and policy implementation. This talk will highlight the project’s findings and show how PALM-4U can be used to translate simulation results into actionable strategies for climate adaptation. By sharing the lessons we’ve learned through the UrbanGreenEye project, we hope to encourage cities to utilize advanced modeling tools like PALM-4U. Together, we can build greener, cooler, and more resilient urban spaces that are better prepared to face the challenges of a changing climate.