Our Cool Neighbourhoods partner meeting was held on 2 July 2025 in Luxembourg, the consortium took a major step forward in shaping the project’s joint e-training scheme for developing Neighbourhood Heat Stress Action Plans (NHSAPs).
This online training was a key output of Work Package 1 – Empowerment and Capacity Building – and has been co-created with valuable input from local authorities, climate experts, pilot partners, and trainers. The course brings together scientific insight, practical methods, and real-life examples to help neighbourhoods respond to urban heat stress and build long-term resilience.
🌱 What the Training Covers
Structured into four core modules, the e-training provides clear, interactive guidance:
1️⃣
Understanding Heat Stress
What is heat stress? Why does it matter? What strategies are available?
2️⃣ Compass
Heat Stress
How to assess vulnerabilities and opportunities in your neighbourhood using
data tools and local context.
3️⃣ Empowering
Stakeholders
Explore how to work in an integrated, inclusive way using stakeholder mapping,
empowerment strategies, and citizen science.
4️⃣ NHSAP
Learn to choose the right cooling measures, evaluate cost–benefit impacts,
identify funding options, and monitor progress using sensors and the Cool
Neighbourhoods Liveability Index.
🎯 Who is it for?
This course is designed for:
- Urban planners and designers
- Local and regional public authorities
- Environmental and resilience officers
- Housing providers and architects
- Civil society organisations working on climate adaptation
Whether you're a policy maker or practitioner, the training equips you with the latest thinking on how to adapt cities and neighbourhoods to rising temperatures—while improving liveability, health, and local capacity.
🔍 What’s Next?
The training was demonstrated during the Luxembourg partner meeting, with valuable feedback from across the consortium. The next steps in our rollout include:
- 🔧 Finalising content with partners (Summer–Autumn 2025)
- 🧪 Testing and validation by pilot and partners (Oct 2025 – Feb 2026)
- 📘 Final modules and teaching materials available by June 2026
- 🌍 Distribution via uptake partners and replication strategy through 2027
🙌 A Collaborative Effort
A special thank you to the Province of Antwerp, who are leading the development of the training programme, and to all partners who have shared insights and contributed to this important milestone.
Together, we’re building the tools and knowledge cities need to cool down, green up, and build resilience from the neighbourhood level upwards.
📢 Stay tuned to the Cool Neighbourhoods blog and follow us on LinkedIn for more updates as the training programme is finalised and launched in the coming months.
#CoolNeighbourhoods #UrbanCooling #ClimateResilience #NeighbourhoodDesign #InterregNWE #NatureBasedSolutions #ETraining #Liveability #HeatStress #CityLearning #CitizenScience