Trial / Demo
IES has joined a major new Horizon Europe project, BLUEPRINT (Building Living Urban Ecosystems through Participatory Renovation and Innovation Tools), which aims to transform how European cities design and deliver climate neutral, inclusive and resilient urban regeneration. The 42 month initiative officially began on 1 October 2025 and brings together 23 partners from 10 countries to combine advanced Digital Twin technology with citizen centred participatory design.
Delivering Multi Scale Digital Twin Innovation
As a core technical partner, IES will lead key developments within Work Package 7, delivering the multi scale Digital Twins and net zero planning tools that sit at the heart of the BLUEPRINT digital ecosystem. Drawing on decades of expertise in building performance simulation, IES is developing:
These components feed directly into BLUEPRINT’s AR/VR modeler and AI powered participatory toolkit, enabling citizens, planners and local authorities to visualise renovation strategies, assess their impacts and co create solutions.
An integrated approach to inclusive, technology enabled urban transformation
Funded under HORIZON CL5 2024 D4 02 05, BLUEPRINT addresses one of Europe’s most urgent challenges: how to accelerate large scale, climate resilient building renovation while ensuring inclusive and socially just outcomes. The project’s New European Bauhaus (NEB)-grounded framework integrates:
• Multi scale Digital Twins
• AI powered decision support
• Virtual and Augmented Reality tools
• Co design and citizen engagement platforms
• Low tech tools for accessible and inclusive participation
This holistic ecosystem empowers stakeholders—citizens, municipalities, SMEs and community groups—to simulate real world impacts, explore future scenarios and co shape renovation pathways.
Demonstrating impact across five European pilot cities
The BLUEPRINT solutions will be tested and validated across diverse real-life pilots in:
• Athens (GR)
• Issy les Moulineaux (FR)
• Balla (IE)
• Budapest District XVIII (HU)
• Benetutti, Sardinia (IT)
Each site addresses challenges ranging from energy efficient renovation and public space revitalisation to microclimate resilience, sustainable mobility and user centred digital governance. Lessons from these demonstrations will inform wider guidelines, training and replication strategies across Europe.
A strong European consortium
Coordinated by the University of Patras, Greece, and bringing together universities, technology providers, municipalities, Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and social innovation actors, BLUEPRINT represents a highly interdisciplinary collaboration across urban planning, social sciences, ICT, AI, sustainability and policy.
Looking ahead
Over its 42 month duration, BLUEPRINT will deliver a validated digital ecosystem, participatory platform, multi scale Digital Twin tools, training programmes and policy recommendations. By bridging technological innovation with inclusive engagement, the project contributes directly to the European Green Deal, the Renovation Wave Strategy, and the Built4People Partnership.
IES is proud to help deliver the simulation, analytics and data integration foundations that underpin BLUEPRINT, supporting cities across Europe to plan and implement renovation strategies that are climate neutral, resilient and socially inclusive.
Despoina Christantoni, Project Manager at IES, commented: “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with such a diverse group of European partners on BLUEPRINT. The project represents an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of Digital Twin technology and ensure citizens are meaningfully engaged in shaping the future of their built environment. At IES, we’re proud to contribute our expertise to help cities plan renovation strategies that are both climate responsive and socially inclusive.”
This project is funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101235708. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA.
