The IMPETUS Platform: your one-stop shop for climate solution

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Portraits of the three interviewees, Laura Armayones Carranza, Josep Pijuan Parra and Maria Zaragoza Llanes, who are the developers of the IMPETUS platform.

The climate crisis demands swift, innovative solutions, and the IMPETUS platform is stepping up to the challenge. Developed as part of the IMPETUS project, this platform is more than just a repository of climate adaptation solutions — it’s a dynamic hub designed to foster collaboration and innovation among key stakeholders. Equipped with an AI assistant and a growing marketplace of solutions, the platform aims to provide researchers, policymakers, businesses, and citizens with tailored tools and insights to help them adapt to regional climate challenges.

To gain deeper insights into the platform’s goals and features, we interviewed our scientific project coordinator, Josep Pijuan Parra, along with EURECAT team members Maria Zaragoza Llanes and Laura Armayones Carranza, who leading the exploitation of project’s results. They shared details about the platform’s creation and provided a glimpse into its future potential.

The goals of the IMPETUS platform

What is the IMPETUS Platform?

EURECAT: “The IMPETUS Platform is the showroom of the IMPETUS project results but also aims to be the reference point for any validated adaptation solution to be included in regional adaptation pathways. Thanks to the AI assistant it can answer and guide any user through the concepts and knowledge on climate adaptation and suggest solutions and tools available on the marketplace. The marketplace currently includes solutions from the IMPETUS project and will be expanded to include solutions from other initiatives, such as our sister projects. It aims to be a meeting point where stakeholders, depending on their profile, can find the available state-of-the-art solutions that meet their needs. In addition, the Platform offers two extra functionalities: a calendar where regional adaptation workshops can be advertised, and a dashboard to navigate within the IMPETUS Open Data Space which manages a variety of digital assets.”

 

Who can benefit from using the Platform and how exactly can it address their specific needs?

EUT: “Any kind of stakeholder can use the Platform, from researchers and technology providers to policy makers, investors, businesses and citizens. The users can filter the results to the ones that are of interest to them. Some information and functionalities like the AI assistant are only available for registered users.”

 

How does this Platform align with the overall objectives of the IMPETUS project?

EUT: “IMPETUS aims to boost co-creation among stakeholders to identify and prioritise solutions to be included in future adaptation pathways and innovation packages at regional level. The IMPETUS Platform is the showroom of these adaptation solutions and aims to be the umbrella for any validated solution from any initiative.”

Developing the IMPETUS Platform

Could you share some of the major challenges you encountered during the development phase? Were there any specific features or functionalities that proved particularly difficult to implement?

EUT: “Defining the taxonomies (categories) for adaptation concepts was a challenge, as no standardised ones exist. Building the knowledge base for the AI assistant was equally demanding due to the diverse data sources and the complexity of extracting information from various files and formats. Finally, integrating the Platform’s functionalities into the IMPETUS website was also a crucial, but challenging task.”

 

What are some unique or innovative technologies or methodologies used in building the platform?

EUT: “The use of a RAG model based on Generative AI is one of the biggest innovations built into in the platform. The ability to build our own knowledge base from project results and partners’ experience to feed a Large Language Model allows us to provide easy-to-understand and trustworthy answers to users’ questions.”

 

How did you engage with stakeholders during the development process to ensure the platform meets their needs?

EUT: “We organized several workshops within the IMPETUS consortium, taking advantage of the diverse expertise within the project partners. Additionally, we also collected feedback from regional stakeholders at some of our demo sites. These inputs were valuable, and we integrated them when developing the Platform.”

 

What steps did you take to ensure the platform is user-friendly and accessible to diverse audiences?

EUT: “We took an iterative, user-focused approach, developing each functionality step by step and refining it based on user feedback.  We also drew inspiration from well-established platforms, such as the Water Europe marketplace and the user interface of ChatGPT, for some of the functionalities. The platform will continue to be improved until the end of the project.”

Advice and lessons learned

What was the process you followed to co-design the digital solution for the consortium, and what advice would you give to others looking to develop a platform collaboratively?

EUT: “At Eurecat, our artificial intelligence unit has worked closely with our innovation consultancy team. They are used to working in the co-design of digital solutions, such as platforms. The consultancy team led this conceptualisation process that consisted of a benchmark analysis of platforms, meetings with the whole IMPETUS consortium on advancements to collect feedback, meetings of the working group (including other project partners such as ESCI, Eurecat and Thetis) and the creation of a concept note. Moreover, a feedback survey was also distributed to partners, and we also identified available sites that inspired us, such as Water Europe and NESOI. Thanks to the great team leading this co-creation process with skills on: user experience, communication and dissemination, web development and stakeholder engagement. The process ended with a list of key functionalities for the IMPETUS Platform and the technical team started its development. If someone would like to create a similar platform, our advice would be to engage a core group of people to draft an initial concept, then present and look for feedback from your stakeholders, create a Minimum Viable Product, and iterate as needed/possible.

The aim of the IMPETUS Platform is to become a pillar of climate adaptation innovation. It was designed to connect stakeholders with validated solutions and foster meaningful collaboration. Now live on our website, the Platform empowers users to explore climate change solutions tailored to their unique needs and interests. As it continues to grow and evolve, it provides an exciting opportunity for all users to contribute to and benefit from a dynamic, shared knowledge base. Upcoming updates will include links with our Regional Resilience Knowledge Boosters.

Stay informed on the latest developments and solutions by visiting the IMPETUS Platform, following the project’s LinkedIn and Twitter accounts, and checking our website for regular updates.

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High temperatures

Record-breaking summertime temperatures have been recorded in the Netherlands in recent years. With global temperatures rising, such extreme weather events will occur more often, and for longer periods. Prolonged high temperatures, with warm nights as well as hot days, can cause heat stress* and related health issues, particularly among city populations.

*Heat stress occurs when the human body cannot get rid of excess heat and can impact wellbeing through conditions such as heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps and rashes.

Map of Zeeland and Rotterdam in the Netherlands
Zeeland and Rotterdam in the Netherlands (© ESCI)
Heat stress map of Zierikzee in Zeeland
Heat stress map of Zierikzee in Zeeland (© N&S)

"We want to enable municipality decision makers who are working on spatial developments to identify heat stress 'hot spots' and cool areas, analyse the future effects of climate change, and model the effect of different heat stress-reducing measures. The tool must provide them with an easy starting point to integrate heat stress risks in their projects."

Martine Rottink, Nelen & Schuurmans

Issue

Despite the cooling effect of the sea in the region of Zeeland, the growing risk of heat stress has become a concern.

Elderly and other vulnerable people are more impacted by the effects of prolonged heat, which can cause headaches, dizziness, insomnia and other health issues – even death. Excess temperatures also affect general comfort and liveability of cities. Water quality can be reduced, both for drinking and swimming, and infrastructure can be affected. Buildings and concrete surfaces trap heat, potentially leading to damage, and release it during the night, keeping temperatures warm.

During heat waves, it is important that everyone has access to a cool and comfortable place. Appropriate spatial planning can help to decrease and deal with heat stress. Environmental factors like water bodies, trees, and shade have a major impact on stress caused by high temperatures. Therefore, planting trees, removing concrete surfaces, creating green roofs and cool spaces can improve our comfort and health. The IMPETUS Atlantic team is developing a digital tool to support regional decision making for city planning to address these needs.

Flood risk
Energy and waste water
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Flood risk

By 2050, sea-level within this region is predicted to rise by 15-40 cm, with more frequent extreme weather and more (severe) storms triggered by climate change. These changes will exacerbate the natural risk of flooding in the IMPETUS ‘Atlantic’ region, because it is surrounded by rivers and the sea, and is below sea level.

*Risk takes into account two aspects; the chance that an event will occur and the negative impact of such an event once it occurs. When there is a low chance that an event will occur, but its impacts are huge, the risk is still significant.

Zeeland dike
Zeeland dike
Elevation map of Rotterdam and Zeeland
Elevation map of the IMPETUS 'Atlantic' site (© N&S)
Flood risk map of Rotterdam and Zeeland
Flood risk map of the IMPETUS 'Atlantic' site (© N&S)
Elevation map of part of the Netherlands
Elevation map of part of the Netherlands (© N&S)

“In the Netherlands, an extensive system of dikes protects us against sea and river flooding. We have always put our faith in this defence and focused almost solely on flood prevention. However, pressure on our system will increase with climate change and rising sea levels. To adapt and maintain a safe living environment, we should develop other safety measures, like more robust spatial planning and contingency plans."

Martine Rottink, Nelen & Schuurmans

Issue

Rotterdam city, is located in Rijnmond – ‘mouth of the Rhine’. The Rhine river flows through this densely populated area and characterises the region. Protections such as sea dikes and storm surge barriers have been constructed to protect the region, but flooding still occurs.

People living in the city are accustomed to seeing smaller floods. The changing climate affects the interplay between rainfall, river levels and sea storms, increasing the flooding risk. Water levels could rise by a few metres, even in populated areas, with potentially massive impacts. 

Mitigation measures such as storm surge barriers reduce the chance that high water reaches the city, but to minimise the impact of floods when they do occur, adaptation strategies are also needed. A city that can adapt to be safe from floods must be carefully designed. How best to design such an adaptive city?

Critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and evacuation routes, must be accessible at all times. Planning how to best protect them, homes and lives is complex. Flood water behaves in a complex way and flood risks show strong spatial variations. The IMPETUS Atlantic team is developing a digital tool to support regional decision making for adaptive city planning. 

Energy and waste water
High temperatures
icon_factory

Energy and waste water

To become climate-neutral by 2050, climate mitigation* efforts are crucial in our strategy for how to deal with climate change. Reducing our energy consumption is a significant mitigation step. In the Netherlands, 15% of energy is consumed in the Rijnmond area around the port of Rotterdam, in large part by a major petrochemical industry cluster.

*Climate mitigation encompasses measures such as technologies, processes, or practices that reduce carbon emissions or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.

Map of Zeeland and Rotterdam in the Netherlands
Zeeland and Rotterdam in the Netherlands (© ESCI)
Zeeland dike
Zeeland dike

Issue

The Rotterdam port petrochemical industry cluster is Europe’s largest. It consumes 70% of the Rijnmond region’s energy. A large part of this energy is wasted (64%, 203 petajoules). More than half of that energy is lost with wastewater. In addition, most energy processes within these industries rely on fossil fuels, which has a significant impact on the climate.

Energy use must be minimised and fossil fuels should be replaced by renewable sources if climate change is to be mitigated. Electrification of processes opens up the possibility to use more renewable energy and can greatly impact decarbonisation. Recovering wasted heat would significantly reduce energy consumption and is a first step towards a more circular industry. 

Supporting industries in a transition towards climate-neutrality depends on identifying how best to reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing production or performance. The IMPETUS Atlantic team is creating a digital tool that supports decision making about pathways towards an effective energy transition for EU industry.

High temperatures
Flood risk