On the 12th March 2026, as part of the joint mid-term event bringing together Cool Neighbourhoods (Interreg North-West Europe) and Cool Cities (Interreg North Sea Region), participants took part in a guided excursion through Middelburg.
With over 130 participants attending the event, the excursion provided a critical opportunity to move beyond presentations and into real-world implementation.
All Aboard - Sustainable Transport at the ready!!
Seeing Climate Adaptation in Practice
Led by the Middelburg team, including Lead Partner representatives, participants explored neighbourhood interventions designed to address urban heat stress, biodiversity, and liveability.
The excursion highlighted
• Integration of green infrastructure within
residential areas
• Use of water-sensitive design to improve resilience
• Creation of shaded, walkable public spaces
• Nature-based solutions embedded into everyday urban environments
This was not theoretical — it was tangible.
Green infrastructure demonstration by Cool Neighbourhoods partner Sioen Industries.
Why the Excursion Matters
For cities and municipalities across Europe, one of the biggest challenges is translating strategy into implementation.
The Middelburg excursion demonstrated:
✔️ How interventions function in real conditions
✔️ How design decisions impact microclimates
✔️ How residents interact with adapted spaces
✔️ How maintenance and governance play a role
Site visit / boardwalk / neighbourhood walk.
Transferable Value for European Cities
The approaches observed are directly transferable:
- Nature-based solutions that can be adapted to different climates
- Urban design strategies that can reduce heat stress at neighbourhood scale
- Practical examples of combining biodiversity with liveability
- Replicable models for integrating climate adaptation into planning
From Observation to Replication
The excursion reinforced a key message of Cool Neighbourhoods Lead Partner, Tiny Maenhout.
“Climate adaptation must be experienced to be understood”.
By walking through the neighbourhoods, partners were able to critically reflect on how similar interventions could be applied within their own cities.
A selection of pictures from the site visits and excursions around Middelburg.