Mitigating Urban Heat Islands with Nature-Based Solutions: The PENATE Project in Action

The PENATE project seeks to assess the performance and effectiveness of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) as a critical tool for adapting urban environments to climate change, particularly with regard to microclimate regulation and urban heat island mitigation. Through this project, we aim to develop advanced, multi-scale, multi-criteria, and context-specific evaluation frameworks that will enable local authorities to assess and optimize the deployment of NbS. In addition to microclimate mitigation, these tools will provide actionable insights into the effectiveness of NbS in addressing stormwater management and enhancing the overall quality of life while ensuring ecological continuity.

The project is supported by a multidisciplinary consortium that brings together experts in microclimatology, hydrology, ecology, public policy, and law, alongside research organizations and operational entities. PENATE is built around several sites where NbS interventions are actively being monitored, offering valuable real-time data on their impact and performance. This data will be pivotal in advancing our understanding of how NbS can alleviate urban heat islands and contribute to sustainable, climate-resilient cities.

Key anticipated outcomes of the project include:

• Quantitative insights into NbS’ role in microclimate regulation, especially in mitigating heat islands. How different vegetation types and configurations influence thermal and hydrological processes will be explored, using a functional traits-based approach to connect plant characteristics with performance.
• Digital simulation tools that will model and predict the multifunctionality of NbS, offering local authorities the ability to assess their impact across different scales—ranging from local neighborhoods to larger urban regions.
• The development of decision-support tools that can directly inform urban planning processes, including regulatory and strategic frameworks like local urban development plans (PLUi), climate air energy plans (PCAET), and objectives such as Zero Net Artificialization (ZAN). These tools will help local authorities implement NbS with a focus on heat justice and urban sustainability, facilitating the integration of nature-based interventions into mainstream urban planning.