On the 8th and 9th of October 2025, partners of the Cool Neighbourhoods project gathered in Saint-Omer, France, for a two-day partner meeting filled with collaboration, practical learning, and creative exchange. Hosted by the City of Saint-Omer and CAPSO, the meeting highlighted both the progress of the project’s pilot sites and the innovative tools being developed to support neighbourhood-level climate action.
Welcoming Partners to Saint-Omer
Partners arrived in Saint-Omer by train, with the impressive main station of Saint-Omer setting the scene for a productive and inspiring event. The historic city provided a fitting backdrop for discussions on how heritage towns can adapt to climate change while enhancing liveability.
The beautiful Train Station of Saint-Omer, France
Developing Training Materials for Climate Resilient Neighbourhoods
A highlight of the first day was a session led by Claire Koreman from the Province of Antwerp, who presented the ongoing work on training material development. These resources are being co-created to support municipalities, urban planners, and stakeholders in implementing Neighbourhood Heat Stress Action Plans (NHSAPs).
The training scheme will provide clear guidance on assessing risks, engaging citizens, and selecting cost-effective and sustainable measures — ensuring that knowledge is transferred effectively across the North-West Europe region.
Claire Koreman, The Province of Antwerp lead for Cool Neighbourhoods Claire presented an update on the Cool Neighbourhoods Jointly developed Training Scheme on Neighbourhood Heat Stress Action Plans (NHSAPs) — a practical learning framework that helps local authorities and practitioners take action on heat resilience.
The training includes four modules:
1️⃣ Understanding Heat Stress
2️⃣ Assessing Risks and Opportunities
3️⃣ Empowering Stakeholders and Citizens
4️⃣ Selecting and Monitoring Cooling Measures
This joint training will build local capacity across North-West Europe — ensuring that municipalities, planners, and communities can design neighbourhoods that stay cool, green, and liveable in a changing climate. Keep an eye on the website for final conclusion of this work or follow on the Cool Neighbourhoods LinkedIn site https://www.linkedin.com/company/cool-neighbourhoods
Exploring the Saint-Omer Pilot Sites by Bike
Partners also had the opportunity to experience first-hand the progression of the Saint-Omer pilot sites during an engaging bike tour. Seeing the transformations in progress reinforced the importance of grey-to-green interventions and highlighted how pilot projects can serve as practical testbeds for wider replication across Europe.
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Partners literally got on their bikes to the tour the Saint-Omer Pilot area. The Saint-Omer pilot area, located in a deprived neighbourhood at the heart of the city, is part of a broader urban renewal programme aimed at improving public spaces, particularly the requalification of the Quai des Salines.
This densely populated area, situated between two canals and characterised by its mineral-heavy structure, is vulnerable to heat stress and lacks sufficient greenery. The neighbourhood, which includes social and low-cost housing, is part of a safeguarded area for heritage value (PSMV), presenting both challenges and opportunities for integrating climate adaptation measures. As the pilot area of Saint-Omer and the other eight pilots transform from Grey to Green, follow this progress here.
Hands-On Challenge: Building a Climate Change Machine
In a creative and interactive session, partners received instructions for the development of a climate change machine. The idea was to create a machine that could change the climate. This challenge sparked innovation, teamwork, and plenty of laughter as partners worked together to simulate climate processes and adaptation measures.
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Cool Neighbourhoods partners receiving instructions to the task of building a climate change machine.
The exercise not only strengthened collaboration but also reminded everyone of the value of making complex climate issues tangible and accessible. The challenge was widely seen as one of the most inspiring moments of the meeting.
Moving Forward
The Saint-Omer partner meeting demonstrated once again the strength of transnational collaboration in tackling the pressing challenges of climate change. From technical training and pilot site visits to creative engagement activities, partners left Saint-Omer with renewed energy and concrete next steps for scaling impact across North-West Europe.
A special thank you goes to our hosts in Saint-Omer and CAPSO for their hospitality and organisation. Together, we are building cooler, greener, and more liveable neighbourhoods across Europe.