Author: Rait Parve

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EcoTech Hackathon: Making Urban Water Smart

Join us for a groundbreaking hackathon focused on tackling one of today’s most pressing urban challenges: the sustainable management of stormwater runoff. Climate change is exacerbating flooding and water quality issues in urban areas, affecting both city infrastructure and receiving water bodies. Blue-green stormwater infrastructure, including Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), can help mitigate the problems. We need your ideas to innovate smart sensing technologies that enhance the performance, maintenance, and monitoring of NBS!

What We’ll Work On:

  • Novel sensing: Develop advanced sensors for monitoring of NBS performance indicators, such as infiltration rates, hydraulic loading ratios, erosion, water quality and retention or detention performance. Think machine vision, image processing and drone surveys.
  • Data Collection, Integration and Analysis: Create a system for processing and analyzing sensor data to inform maintenance and operational decisions. Integrate data from weather patterns, urban infrastructure, water quality and quantity sensors, and satellite imagery.
  • Predictive Modeling: Build machine learning models to predict the impact of contaminated stormwater on receiving water bodies. Analyze historical data to forecast future trends and identify high-risk areas.
  • Sustainable Infrastructure: Innovate in integrating NBS with existing urban infrastructure for holistic water management solutions using geospatial data and urban planning models. Think green roofs, rain gardens, permeable pavements, and constructed wetlands.
  • Community Engagement and Education: Develop tools and resources to raise awareness about the benefits of NBS and engage citizens in performance monitoring. Empower communities with information to drive behavior change and support grassroots efforts.
  • Partnership and Collaboration: Create a platform for collaboration between government agencies, environmental organizations, research institutions, and local communities. Sharing data, resources, and expertise can accelerate the development and implementation of NBS.

Who Should Attend?

  • Developers, data scientists, designers, and engineers of all kinds
  • Environmental scientists and urban planners
  • Anyone passionate about protecting our ecosystems and creating future-proof cities

You can join the hackathon as an individual or a team, with or without an idea. We will facilitate a Pitching and Matchmaking Pre-event on September 19th, during which you can learn more about the others and their ideas and choose the team you would like to work with.

Why Participate?

  • Collaborate with like-minded individuals and experts
  • Contribute to innovative solutions for a critical urban challenge
  • Gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies
  • Make a tangible impact on our water bodies!
  • Get an amazing hackathon experience, brought to you by Garage48 and TalTech UWS

🏆The prize fund for best ideas is 5000€!🏆

Register Now and be part of the solution to preserve our future!

Registration and further information: https://garage48.org/events/ecotechhackathon

The Hackathon is organised in the framework of the LIFE LATESTadapt project (https://lifelatestadapt.viimsivald.ee/) and is funded by the LIFE programme of the European Union | Organised by: @ TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology and Garage48

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„Guide on using the native plant communities at NBSs for urban flood resilience“ published

In LIFE LATESTadapt Project, the guide has been published, addressing the establishment of rain garden vegetation using native plant species. The guide focuses on local specifics in Estonia and Latvia in terms of climate and soil conditions and selection of local native species in 2 countries. It provides general overview to help select the vegetation for a rain garden and to plan its establishment and maintenance in the region. The guide also includes a list of plant species that could potentially thrive in rain gardens under climatic conditions of Estonia and Latvia. The guide serves as an initial output of the Project, as several experiments with various plant species and plant communities are being conducted in a test bed continuously during the Project implementation. Therefore, the selection of recommended plant species will expand, and the actual performance of the listed species in real rain garden conditions will become clearer in the next years.

Find out more – https://lifelatestadapt.viimsivald.ee/materials/

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Informative event for Viimsi local stakeholders

On 13 April, a community event was held in Viimsi municipality to introduce the local residents to the smart rainwater harvesting solution to be implemented as part of the LIFE LATESTadapt project. The project is planned to be implemented in Haabneeme and the community event was an opportunity to present the innovative solution to the local residents. The event took place in the framework of the Viimsi Vision Day, which attracted a large number of residents from different areas of Viimsi municipality, who were given the opportunity to learn about the LIFE LATESTadapt project and the novel and innovative solutions related to the project. During the community event, various educational materials were distributed to the visitors and different environmentally sustainable solutions were discussed.

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Call for Participants to City Planning & Innovation Hackathon LifeHack Valmiera!

The City Planning & Innovation Hackathon, LifeHack Valmiera, will take place from May 13th to May 17th, 2024. It focuses on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for climate adaptation enhanced by innovative sensor technologies. This hybrid event includes four dynamic days of online collaboration and an onsite finale in Valmiera. Teams presenting the most innovative, effective, and impactful solutions will compete for a total prize fund of 5000 EUR.

LifeHack Valmiera invites diverse thinkers and doers, including students, technology experts, and professionals from environmental science, urban planning, engineering, information technology, and architecture. We seek teams and individuals ready to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings to make significant environmental improvements in Valmiera.

Participants are invited to take on one of six challenges designed to enhance urban resilience and ecological sustainability in Valmiera, focusing on innovative approaches to address flood resilience, urban heat islands, and water quality improvements, among other issues. 

At the LifeHack Valmiera Hackathon, participants will have the opportunity to engage with experts from Valmiera City, Riga Technical University, Jelgava University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Tallinn University of Technology, Tartu University, Estonian University of Life Sciences and other industry professionals. These experts will provide ongoing support and guidance, ensuring all participants have the necessary data and insights to develop effective solutions. 

Before the LifeHack Valmiera Hackathon, there will be an online info and team formation session on May 8th.  Registration deadline is May 12th, 2024.

More info and registration on the LifeHack Valmiera hackathon website: https://lifehackvalmiera.hacktribe.co

We look forward to seeing you at LifeHack Valmiera – where your innovative solutions can make a real difference!

The hackathon is held within and sponsored by the LIFE programme 2021-2027 project LIFE LatEstAdapt “Developing and demonstrating a portfolio of nature-based and smart solutions for improving urban climate resilience in Latvia and Estonia”, which is co-funded by the European Union, State Regional Development Agency of the Republic of Latvia and the Ministry of Climate of the Republic of Estonia. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, CINEA or financiers, respectively. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

 

Contact info:

Jurijs Kondratenko, Riga Technical University, Jurijs.Kondratenko@rtu.lv 

Karlis Skuja, Riga Technical University, karlis.skuja_1@rtu.lv

 
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Riga Technical University has produced a document describing novel monitoring technologies and approaches, and highlighting prevailing knowledge gaps and further research needs.

The project partner (Riga Technical University) has produced a document mapping novel monitoring technologies and approaches, highlighting prevailing knowledge gaps and further research needs. The document has been prepared in the framework of the project activity 2.4 “Identification and testing of novel measurement methods for monitoring the effectiveness of natural solutions”, which aims to collect existing best practices for monitoring the effectiveness of natural solutions and propose novel solutions to improve current standardised monitoring protocols and existing best practices.

LIFE LATESTadapt project wise nature-based solutions (NBS) will be developed and tested at 8 demonstration sites that will protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems in local governments of Estonia (Viimsi, Haapsalu, Rakvere, Võru, Narva) and Latvia (Riga, Valmiera, Cesis).

Interested in what the document says? Visit: https://lifelatestadapt.viimsivald.ee/materials/

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First 1,5 year of Project – Setting the course

We extend our heartfelt New Year wishes to our LIFE LATESTadapt Project team members, co-operation partners, and local communities! The beginning of year also provides an opportunity to reflect on the milestones we’ve achieved together so far.

The Project has been implemented since September 2022, and its first 1,5 years has been a journey of making preparatory steps for showcasing the power of nature-based and smart solutions to enhance urban climate resilience in Estonia and Latvia. Each Project Partner has played valuable role in conducting the preparatory and analytical tasks, summarised below.

In the field of Project management and communication, Project Partner teams were composed, Project visual identity elements were developed, website and Facebook page were created, joint Steering Group and Stakeholder Advisory Board held its first meeting, etc.

With regard to new nature-based solutions (NBS), Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) and Riga Technical University (RTU ) composed, in co-operation with the partner municipalities, the technical descriptions for 8 demo sites – Viimsi, Haapsalu, Narva, Võru, Rakvere, Riga, Valmiera and Cesis. In parallel, Nordic Botanical conducted the literature review of the plant species suitable for native rain gardens, selected the species and tested the functioning of selected communities, designed and tested planting/seeding techniques. RTU gathered existing novel monitoring technologies and approaches about the effectiveness of nature-based solutions (and pointed out the knowledge gaps and research needs. Also, RTU prepared methodology and indicators for monitoring of the Project actions, as well as a monitoring plan describing the activities to be performed and their regularity.

In the topic of urban climate resilient planning, Baltic Environmental Forum Latvia (BEF Latvia) is leading the work for mapping of the green infrastructure in Riga, Cesis and Valmiera, by developing the methodology framework for mapping and planning, compiling a joint data hub, basemap and ecosystem service maps. Also, the key thematic Project event of 2023 co-organized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia (MoEPRD) and BEF Latvia – International Workshop on planning and operationalising urban green infrastructure and ecosystem service concepts – was held on 13-14.06.23 in Riga. 

For raising awareness on adaptation to climate change effects, Baltic Environmental Forum Estonia (BEF Estonia) in cooperation with the partner municipalities mapped the local stakeholders and composed the action plan for their involvement. Thereafter, 6 stakeholder workshops were organised by local governments – in Haapsalu, Valmiera, Cesis, Riga, Võru, Narva – in which the proposed demo sites were presented to local inhabitants and organisations, and feedback was received from participants. 

Based on this groundwork, in 2024 a large number of next tasks and events will be launched, among others, the preparation of construction project design for demo sites, training sessions on cost-efficiency, planning and management of NBS, including the development of Urban Greening Plans, student hackathons to generate new innovative ideas for NBS, and many more.

We look forward to continuing our collaborative journey in 2024, building on the successes of the past and exploring new avenues of innovation and sustainability!

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Informative event for Narva town local stakeholders

A community meeting was held in Narva with the residents of Kudruküla region on December 5 2023. The purpose of the meeting was to inform people living in close proximity to the LIFE LatEst adapt pilot site about the project, and to invite local people to think along and discuss about the local environmental problems.

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Season’s greetings from LIFE LATESTadapt project team!

We wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2024!