The tool, developed within the Climate Ready Barcelona project, integrates open data, artificial intelligence and simulation models to assess the impact of climate change on the city.
Information sessions with entities and institutions
During March, several presentations of the Climate Vulnerability Map developed in the Climate Ready Barcelona project were held. The sessions targeted social, environmental and neighborhood organizations, research groups, and various departments of the Barcelona City Council. The aim of these meetings was to showcase the map’s features to help understand the risks and effects of climate change in specific areas of the city. Another objective was to explore how the tool can be used to develop strategies and projects to mitigate the impact of climate change and improve support for the most vulnerable groups.
The Climate Vulnerability Index: a tool for urban planning
The tool uses real open data and artificial intelligence to simulate, among other things, the heating and cooling demand of all residential buildings in the city, creating a specific thermal model for each building type and household. It also identifies and maps climate shelters, shaded areas, energy consumption levels, and household income. Additionally, it helps forecast certain weather conditions to improve the detection of citizen needs and optimize both community and institutional action.
As Aniol Esquerra, project coordinator at Ecoserveis Cultura Energètica, explains:
“The map is an interactive and educational interface that visually represents the geographic distribution of the Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) in the municipality of Barcelona. This index, created specifically for this project, is based on the integration and analysis of different indicators that allow the assessment and comparison of energy and climate vulnerability across different areas of the city.”
This enables the development of medium-term strategies for building interventions and protection of residents in the most affected parts of the city.
Diagnostic for municipal climate resilience
The Climate Vulnerability Map will provide various departments of the Barcelona City Council with a highly detailed diagnosis of areas vulnerable to climate change, the negative effects of heatwaves, and winter energy poverty. This diagnosis will serve as a foundation for building energy renovation plans and the city’s Climate Plan.
The model developed in Barcelona aims to be scalable and replicable in other urban contexts.
Climate Ready Barcelona is funded by ICLEI with support from Google.org and involves the participation of Ecoserveis Cultura Energètica, ABD, BitGenoma, CIMNE, and the Barcelona City Council.
