Air pollution and ambient pollution, carbon-related issues ranging from GHG emissions to carbon shortages in soil, the opportunities provided by NBS and the intricacies of urban ecosystems present an extremely complex set of interdependent problems and opportunities that have to be addressed as such – interactively, mutually and innovatively. Upsurge is considering all these aspects and is providing evidence-based targeted responses that will enable EU cities to transition into a more regenerative future. At its core, Upsurge is presenting the European Regenerative Urban Lighthouse, which will enable cities to unlock their regenerative potential and provide them with knowledge and guidance in regenerative transition. Supported by an innovative continuous self-check progress mechanism (Regenerative Index) and by the Clearing House as a knowledge nerve centre, Upsurge will motivate cities and other clients through its networking activities to engage and step aboard the regenerative transition under Lighthouse’s leadership. Upsurge is demonstrating technical excellence through a multimodal adaptable sensing system, through integrated and integrative digitalisation environment supported by IoT and AI, several real-life demonstrations and based on extrapolated criteria conducted simulative demonstrations showcasing the viability, feasibility and implementability of proposed technical solutions. The knowledge core of Upsurge will be introduced within the quintuple helix verification model bringing together all relevant factors affecting the implementation of NBS and thus regenerative change. Quintuple helix approach will truly enable the assessment and exploration of complementary beneficial effects provided by project solutions.

The EU-28 total waste generation in 2014 was 2598M tones, the highest since 2004, 33.5% of which was from the construction sector, being also one of the larger consumers of inorganic raw materials. Construction activities are mainly localized in urban areas where by 2050 about 86% of the developed world is expected to live. CINDERELLA project aims to develop a new Circular Economy Business Model (CEBM) for use of secondary raw materials (SRM) in urban areas, connecting different industries, the construction sector and municipal services, decision makers and the general public with the support of CinderOSS, a “One-Stop-Shop” service, articulated in (i) an on-line ICT platform for tracking and modelling the urban waste-to-product flows, on-line marketing and sharing knowledge and information along the value chain (ii) production and marketing of (SRM) based construction products and (iii) building with SRM based construction products supported by building information modelling (BIM). Different streams of waste will be exploited in the project, i.e. construction and demolition waste, industrial wastes, heavy fraction from municipal solid waste and sewage sludge, mostly of them currently landfilled and/or incinerated. Their suitability for use for building materials will be demonstrated through large scale demonstration activities in Slovenia, Croatia and Spain while the ICT platform will be demonstrated in Slovenia, Croatia, Spain, Poland, Italy and The Netherlands. The project will contribute to 20% reduction of environmental impacts along the value and supply chain, reducing virgin material exploitation and converting wastes to products. Sustainability of CEBM will be proven with the environmental, economic and social assessment through whole life (LCA, LCC and S-LCA). The pre-feasibility analysis of the proposed CEBM indicates an increase of recycling by 30% of CDW, 13% of industrial waste, 100% of heavy fraction and 25% of sewage sludge with a net profit of 18%.