Rebuilding Ukrainian cities

 In the context of the sustainable rebuilding of Ukrainian cities, Integrated Urban Planning (IUP) is described as the "lifeblood" of reconstruction, providing a comprehensive framework to address various urban challenges simultaneously. The sources present IUP as a strategic catalyst for implementing vital policies—such as the energy transition, sustainable mobility, and the circular economy—while guiding future investment decisions.

Foundations and Frameworks for Reconstruction

The toolkit, which resulted from a one-year pilot project involving 11 Ukrainian and 34 EU/EEA cities, emphasizes the approach of "building back better". This approach is aligned with several key international and European frameworks:

• The New Urban Agenda (NUA): Focuses on well-planned urbanization, promoting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities.
• The New Leipzig Charter 2020: Establishes five key principles of good urban governance: common good orientation, integrated approach, participation and co-creation, multi-level governance, and a place-based approach.
• New European Bauhaus (NEB): A movement connecting the European Green Deal to projects that are sustainable, inclusive, and aesthetically appealing. Notably, the NEB Compass is integrated into Ukraine’s DREAM platform, which monitors the country’s reconstruction efforts.

Key Enablers of Integrated Urban Planning

Drawing on good practices from European cities, the sources highlight several critical components for successful IUP:

1. Good Governance and Strategic Vision Effective IUP requires a shared vision constructed through the articulation of technical expertise and inclusive participatory processes. Strategic visions must be connected to other planning instruments, such as master plans, to ensure transparent and accountable governance.

• Munich's STEP 2040 provides a model by integrating open space design, mobility, and climate adaptation into a single digitalized plan.
• The "Quintuple Helix" Model (seen in Guimaraes 2030) involves the public sector, universities, non-profits, citizens, and media to ensure urban transformation is driven by the community.

2. Spatial Management and Compact Growth The sources emphasize a holistic approach to land use, prioritizing green and blue infrastructure (parks and water bodies) to enhance ecological resilience and quality of life.

• Utrecht’s "Barcode" standard acts as a guideline to ensure that for every 10,000 houses built, there is sufficient space for amenities like schools, healthcare, and green spaces.
• Polycentricity and the "10-minute city" concept (used in Utrecht and Oslo) focus development around urban hubs to promote compact growth and reduce car dependence.

3. Metropolitan Cooperation Sustainable rebuilding must transcend administrative borders, as cities are interconnected ecosystems. The sources point to Lviv as a pioneer in this area, having approved the first agglomeration development strategy in Ukraine in December 2023. Other examples include Riga’s Action Plan, which reconciles the interests of the city, state, and surrounding municipalities to coordinate EU funding.

4. Data and Digitalization Digital tools are essential for breaking down administrative silos and making science-driven decisions.

• Digital Twins: Tallinn and Espoo utilize 3D digital models to simulate urban planning scenarios, monitor progress toward carbon neutrality, and integrate municipal data.
• Open Data: Digitalization empowers residents and helps cities optimize resource allocation and implement climate-friendly strategies more effectively.

IUP in the Larger Context of Rebuilding

For Ukrainian cities, the sources suggest that the current crisis provides an opportunity to "leapfrog" to more sustainable methods by leveraging available European technologies and expertise. By integrating sustainability principles—such as decentralizing energy production, enhancing disaster risk reduction, and adopting circular construction methods—into the early stages of planning, Ukrainian municipalities can build cities that are more resilient to future climate hazards and security risks.

In the larger context of the sustainable rebuilding of Ukrainian cities, clean energy and energy efficiency are positioned as foundational pillars for recovery. The sources highlight that energy is central to the European Green Deal and is a crucial factor in Ukraine’s journey toward EU accession and alignment with the Paris Agreement.

The Ukrainian Context and Opportunities

Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine continues energy sector reforms, including the phasing out of fossil fuels and the stimulation of decentralized renewable production. A significant opportunity exists for Ukrainian cities to "leapfrog" to more sustainable methods by leveraging European technologies and expertise during reconstruction. Notably, under the 2021 Law of Ukraine ‘On Energy Efficiency,’ all municipalities are required to adopt local energy plans.

Strategic Governance and Planning

The sources emphasize that effective energy transition requires Integrated Energy Planning, which addresses the interconnectedness of transportation, infrastructure, and housing.

• Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs): These provide the structured framework for local governments to coordinate resource allocation and foster community engagement.
• Spatial Energy Planning: Cities like Dortmund demonstrate how aligning energy goals with land-use policies can drive greenhouse gas (GHG) neutrality.
• SWOT Analysis: Florence utilizes SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to assess net-zero targets, helping to map internal factors like existing infrastructure against external factors like EU funding,.

Technological Innovation and Decentralization

Rebuilding sustainably involves shifting from large-scale centralized systems to decentralized place-based production. Key innovations mentioned include:

• Renewable Energy Communities: These foster community ownership. An existing Ukrainian example is Solar Town in Slavutych, a cooperative project that installed photovoltaic systems on municipal rooftops.
• Building Efficiency: Innovations include replacing traditional lighting with LED systems (as seen in Arezzo and Florence) and enforcing strict efficiency standards (Efficiency Standard 40) for all new residential and non-residential buildings.
• Heat and Waste Integration: Cities like Wroclaw are exploring large-scale thermal energy production from municipal sewage, while Bydgoszcz utilizes sludge-to-energy biogas plants to cogenerate heat and electricity.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Digital tools are essential for monitoring progress and optimizing energy use:

• Energy Databases: Bydgoszcz introduced an automated database to manage 300 public buildings, reducing heat consumption by 50% through paperless monitoring and consumption analysis.
• Solar Potential Maps: Wroclaw utilizes an interactive map to help residents and businesses calculate the solar energy potential of their rooftops.
• Climate Simulators: Dortmund’s Climate Barometer allows the city to simulate scenarios and monitor the impact of transitioning to lower-emission options.

Incentives and Innovative Funding

The sources state that successful implementation of energy plans requires both traditional and innovative financial schemes.

• Innovative Financing: This includes Green Bonds, Energy Performance Contracting (ESCOs), crowdfunding, and soft loans.
• Local Incentives: Wroclaw offers a five-year real estate tax exemption for buildings equipped with photovoltaics, heat pumps, or collectors, which has already granted exemptions totaling €6 million.
• EU Support: The European City Facility (EUCF) is highlighted as a specific resource to assist Ukrainian municipalities in developing investment concepts for their climate and energy action plans.

In the larger context of the sustainable rebuilding of Ukrainian cities, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is defined as a systematic approach to identifying, assessing, and reducing the risks associated with disasters. The sources position DRR as a critical component of spatial planning, particularly as urban areas grow more complex and face increasing threats from both climate hazards and security risks.

The Ukrainian Context: Cascading Impacts and Resilience

For Ukraine, a comprehensive approach to DRR is essential due to the "cascading impacts" of disasters that combine security risks with environmental and health crises. A primary example provided is the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, which had far-reaching consequences for human health, animal welfare, and the natural environment. Rebuilding sustainably requires cities to move beyond immediate crisis response toward long-term preparation and the anticipation of future multifaceted risks.

Governance and Global Frameworks

Successful DRR is guided by international standards and institutional integration:

• The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction: This global roadmap emphasizes reducing disaster losses and protecting vulnerable populations. It is explicitly linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030): This UN-led partnership provides cities with a roadmap and tools like the Disaster Resilience Scorecard (available in Ukrainian) to assess their resilience and monitor progress toward DRR strategies.
• Dedicated Resilience Departments: Milan serves as a model with its Urban Resilience Department, which is embedded within the Green and Environment Department. This unit coordinates across sectors like water, waste, and energy to integrate climate data analysis into all municipal planning.

Innovation and Technological Solutions

The sources highlight several "best practices" from European cities that Ukrainian municipalities can leverage for reconstruction:

1. Data-Driven Risk Assessment

• Zagreb’s Earthquake Database: Following seismic activity, Zagreb created a comprehensive database of 320,000 buildings on the ArcGIS platform. Each building has approximately 200 attributes (e.g., construction material, age, roof shape), providing an economic and technical basis for safe renovation and rapid recovery.
• Multi-Hazard Assessments in Ukraine: Organizations like IMPACT Initiatives are already conducting assessments in cities such as Chernihiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Kryvyi Rih to inform disaster preparedness planning.

2. Nature-Based and Integrated Infrastructure

• Prague’s Dual Flood Control: Prague utilizes a combination of "grey" infrastructure (walls and mobile barriers) and "green" nature-based solutions (restoration of wetlands and reservoirs) to enhance natural drainage.
• Gdansk’s Three-Level Rainwater Management: To combat flash floods, Gdansk employs a tiered approach: property-level green solutions (rain gardens), urban-level reservoirs, and a crisis management level for emergency pumping.

3. Specialized Monitoring and Maintenance

• Budapest Waterworks: The city uses highly automated ICT modules and SCADA systems to monitor critical parameters like water safety and chlorine levels, allowing for remote management of emergencies like flooding.
• "No Dig" Technology in Oslo: For repairing wastewater and stormwater pipelines, Oslo uses trenchless technology, which minimizes surface disturbance, reduces emissions from heavy machinery, and is highly adaptable to constrained urban environments.

Fire Prevention and Preparedness

Cities like Athens demonstrate organizational readiness through plans like "IOLAOS" for forest fire prevention. This system uses a five-rank danger scale to trigger specific departmental actions, ranging from daily risk-map checks to 24-hour patrols and the strategic positioning of water transport vehicles.

In the context of the sustainable rebuilding of Ukrainian cities, the circular economy is presented as a paradigm shift from traditional "linear" production to a "closed-loop" method that manages resources without waste. The sources frame this as an essential component of global sustainable development and a primary goal for Ukrainian recovery.

The Ukrainian Challenge and "Leapfrog" Opportunity

Ukraine currently faces significant hurdles, including a 90% landfill rate for municipal waste, a lack of recycling infrastructure, and low public awareness of environmental impacts. Furthermore, the full-scale invasion has created a massive new challenge: managing the debris from destroyed buildings. However, the sources suggest this crisis offers an opportunity for Ukrainian cities to "leapfrog" directly to advanced sustainable methods by leveraging European technologies and expertise during reconstruction.

Circular (Re-)Construction and Waste Management

In the building sector, circularity involves considering resource use at every stage of a building’s life—from design to eventual demolition. Several "best practices" are highlighted:

• Dismantling vs. Demolishing: The city of Haarlem uses a "LEGO block" method, disassembling buildings in segments to salvage materials like doors, window frames, and kitchen fittings for reuse in other projects.
• Repurposing Debris: In Lublin, construction and demolition waste—even from destroyed buildings—is sorted and ground into materials for road construction or insulation. Similarly, Helsinki repurposes excavated soil locally, significantly reducing transportation costs and CO2 emissions.
• Asbestos Removal: Since asbestos is common in older construction, the sources highlight Lublin’s systematic asbestos removal program as a model for safely handling hazardous construction materials during rebuilding.
• Waste-to-Energy: While the city of Bialystok uses a waste-to-energy incineration plant for heat and electricity, the sources note that European financial institutions are increasingly moving away from incineration in favor of higher waste hierarchy alternatives.

Governance, Procurement, and Economic Incentives

Sustainable rebuilding requires a regulatory framework that encourages circularity through financial and administrative enablers:

• Green Public Procurement (GPP): Cities like Helsinki and Haarlem integrate circular criteria into their tenders, such as requiring the use of cement-free concrete or awarding "quality points" to bidders who reuse building components.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): This scheme, used in Ljubljana, makes producers financially and operationally responsible for the waste generated by their products, encouraging them to design waste-free items.
• Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT): To encourage waste prevention, Ljubljana charges residents based on the actual amount of waste produced, which has led to a threefold reduction in residual waste since 2004.

Data and Digitalization

Digital tools are identified as critical enablers for accelerating circularity:

• 6D Digital Twins: The city of Espoo utilizes a 6D information model that integrates 3D design with time, cost, and a specific carbon footprint dimension to optimize area development projects.
• Digital Marketplaces: Finland’s Materiaalitori serves as a professional marketplace for the exchange of waste and production by-products, facilitating the circular flow of materials.

In the larger context of rebuilding Ukrainian cities, Sustainable Urban Mobility (SUM) is presented as a crucial sector for improving air quality, reducing traffic congestion, and ensuring the efficient use of public space. For Ukraine, where transport accounts for 90-95% of air-polluting emissions and a high rate of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities (40% of all traffic collisions), reconstruction offers a vital opportunity to transition toward safer and more inclusive transit systems.

The Framework: Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP)

The primary instrument for this transition is the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP), which moves away from traditional, siloed planning for motorized transport. Key principles of a SUMP include:

• Functional Urban Area Focus: Planning extends beyond city administrative borders to cover the entire commuting area.
• Integration and Multi-modality: All modes of transport—public transport, active mobility (walking and cycling), and shared mobility—are addressed in an integrated manner.
• Participatory Approach: Plans are developed through active engagement with residents, institutions, and vulnerable groups to reflect real needs and co-create solutions.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Continuous performance assessment ensures high quality and allows for the adjustment of strategies.

Strategic Governance and Intermunicipal Cooperation

Rebuilding sustainably requires high-level coordination and intermunicipal cooperation, as seen in European metropolitan models:

• Metropolitan Governance: Authorities in cities like Nantes Metropole and Bologna manage mobility across dozens of municipalities to ensure coherent development and affordable services.
• Interdisciplinary Teams: Successful mobility units, such as the one in Madrid, comprise diverse specialists including engineers, architects, and environmentalists who collaborate across municipal departments like greenery and urban planning.
• Scientific Oversight: Bologna utilizes an independent scientific committee of experts to add authority and guidance to the planning process.

Innovation in Street Design and Active Mobility

The sources emphasize a shift in priority, often illustrated by the Mobility Pyramid, which ranks walking as the highest priority, followed by cycling, public transport, and shared rides, with private cars and planes at the bottom.

• Street Standards: Vilnius utilizes a set of 12 design principles that treat streets as public spaces where life takes place. These include prioritizing trees, narrowing roadways to calm traffic, and creating safer crossings.
• Active Mobility Infrastructure: Rebuilding involves expanding high-speed bicycle lanes, pedestrianizing districts, and prioritizing public transport at traffic lights.
• 10/15-Minute City: This concept focuses on polycentricity, ensuring that residents can access essential services within a short walk or bike ride, thereby reducing the need for car trips.

Data and Digitalization

Information and communications technology acts as a "critical enabler" for efficient urban mobility.

• Open Data and Platforms: Cities are encouraged to use open-source tools like OpenStreetMap and General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) to create real-time transit applications.
• Smart Apps: Hamburg’s "hvv switch" and Madrid’s "Mobility 360" allow users to find the most sustainable routes, check bus occupancy levels, and manage multimodal ticketing on a single platform.
• Optimized Logistics: Digital tools also improve "last-mile" delivery by managing loading bays for cleaner vehicles like cargo bikes.