SpurUP develops integrated governance frameworks, digital tools and net-zero industrial solutions to support the decarbonisation of peri-urban areas, promote circular economy practices and enhance urban resilience through multi-actor collaboration.
Context
Peri-urban areas, located at the rural–urban fringe (RUF), are characterized by rapid spatial change, fragmented land use, and complex governance structures. These areas are increasingly under pressure due to urban expansion and the concentration of industrial activities, which contribute significantly to GHG emissions, pollution, and resource depletion.
Decision-making is often fragmented across multiple administrative levels, resulting in inconsistent planning and limited capacity for climate action. At the same time, peri-urban areas host vulnerable communities disproportionately exposed to environmental risks such as heat waves, flooding, and air pollution. Despite these challenges, peri-urban zones hold strong potential to support climate neutrality, urban resilience, and sustainable development if equipped with integrated governance models, circular economy approaches, and net-zero industrial technologies.
Objectives
Pillar 1 – Decarbonisation and energy efficiency
- Reduce ghg emissions in peri-urban industries
- Enhance energy efficiency in industrial processes
- Increase deployment of strategic net-zero technologies
Pillar 2 – Circular economy and resource optimisation
- Establish industrial symbiosis hubs
- Promote recycling and material reuse, and material efficiency
Pillar 3 – Governance, stakeholder engagement and planning
- Facilitate green transition through Local Green Deals (LGDs)
- Strengthen capacities of local authorities and stakeholders
- Integrate peri-urban areas into current planning
- Strengthen governance, policy integration, and co-development
Activities
- Understanding environmental, social and governance challenges in selected peri-urban areas, with a specific focus on industrial activities and urban expansion.
- Establishing and operating Living Labs in peri-urban areas to bring together local authorities, industries, communities and other stakeholders.
- Engaging stakeholders through structured participatory processes to co-design solutions and define shared priorities.
- Developing and applying policy, governance and planning frameworks to support inclusive and coordinated decision-making in peri-urban contexts.
- Designing, testing and integrating innovative technologies and digital tools within Living Labs under real-life conditions.
- Assessing environmental and social impacts of the implemented solutions to support responsible and socially accepted transitions.
- Supporting replication and scaling of solutions and governance approaches in additional European regions.
Risorse
- Stakeholder Blueprint for Demo and Replication Sites
- Participatory Governance Frameworks Report
- Stakeholder Requirements Elicitation Report
- Technical Solutions Design and Integration Report
- Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) Framework
- Participatory Governance and Urban Planning Framework Report
- Living Labs Lifecycle Planning and Management Plan
- Real-Life Demonstrations Reports (Thessaloniki, Aalborg, Jesi)
- Best Practices and Lessons from Replication Sites Handbook
- SpurUP PUSH Handbook
Impatto
- Engage hundreds of stakeholders across Europe, including local authorities, industries, experts and local communities.
- Raise awareness on climate neutrality and sustainable practices in peri-urban areas, strengthen local capacities, and improve collaboration between public and private actors.
- In the long term, support more inclusive governance models and the replication of sustainable solutions in other European regions.
Partners
- NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS – NTUA (Greece, coordinator)
- PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS BUSINESS SOLUTIONS AE – PwC (Greece)
- CESIE ETS (Italy)
- ISOCARP – INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNERS – ISO (Netherlands)
- SOFTWARE IMAGINATION & VISION SRL – SIMAVI (Romania)
- UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL – UBRIS (United Kingdom)
- WEST OF ENGLAND MAYORAL COMBINED AUTHORITY – WECA (United Kingdom)
- F6S EU TECH INNOVATION NETWORK DAC – F6STECH (Ireland)
- PROMETECH BV – PRO (Netherlands)
- DITENCO – DIMARATOS TECHNICAL – DIT (Greece)
- MG SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING AB – MG (Sweden)
- IANUS TECHNOLOGIES LTD – IANUS (Cyprus)
- DIMOSIA EPICHEIRISI ILEKTRISMOU – PPC INNOVATION HUB – PPC (Greece)
- SUITE5 DATA INTELLIGENCE SOLUTIONS LIMITED – SUITE5 (Cyprus)
- TELESTO INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES – TEL (Greece)
- UNIQCUBE OÜ – UNIQ (Estonia)
- ATHENIAN BREWERY SA (Heineken Greece) – AB (Greece)
- REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND OF CENTRAL MACEDONIA – RDFCM (Greece)
- MUNICIPALITY OF THESSALONIKI – THES (Greece)
- Zagorka AD (Heineken Bulgaria) – HEIN (Bulgaria)
- Municipality of Stara Zagora – STZAG (Bulgaria)
- STARA ZAGORA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY – SZREDA (Bulgaria)
- PORT OF AALBORG RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT APS – POARD (Denmark)
- PORT OF AALBORG LOGISTICS A/S – POAL (Denmark)
- MUNICIPALITY OF AALBORG – AKK (Denmark)
- AALBORG UNIVERSITY, ENERGY – AAU (Denmark)
- ULTRAAQUA A/S – UA (Denmark)
- Tulcea County Council – TCC (Romania)
- ROMANIAN MUNICIPALITIES ASSOCIATION – AMR (Romania)
- AGENZIA PER L’ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO SOSTENIBILE ASSOCIAZIONE – A.E.S.S. (Italy)
- MUNICIPALITY OF JESI (Italy)
- CNH INDUSTRIAL ITALIA SPA – CNH (Italy)
- NOVELCORE D. TSAKALIDIS – G. DOMALIS OE – NVCR (Greece)
- FRONTIER INNOVATIONS – FRON (Greece)
