School of Bioclimatic Design for Adaptation and Mitigation (SBAM)

SBAM (the School of Bioclimatic Design for Adaptation and Mitigation) is an initiative created by ANCI Emilia-Romagna (the Regional Association of National Italian Municipalities) and AESS (the Agency for Energy and Sustainable Development). To respond to the need of local authorities to develop new skills concerning urban climate adaptation, the project invites public officers and technicians to a training course focused on resilience, also as part of Covenant of Mayors activities.

The idea is that a conscious design of public spaces using nature-based solutions (NbS) and sustainable urban development allows for widespread climate change adaptation actions that can significantly improve the comfort of urban areas: mitigating the heat island effect, avoiding local flooding, improving air quality, and stimulating social inclusion.

The Emilia-Romagna municipalities with more than 60,000 inhabitants could participate in an experimental program launched by the Ministry of the Environment that enabled the creation of SBAM, using an innovative approach based on collective funding.

The main topics of the training course are urban design and the regeneration of public spaces. Climate adaptation entails increased quality and social function by rethinking the use of greenery, stormwater management, using permeable materials, and integrating soft mobility infrastructures.

These topics are explored with an operational and participatory approach, based on the analysis of real case studies, ongoing pilot actions, as well as regional, national, or international best practices, site visits, and a series of workshop activities where to simulate an NbS design approach.

SBAM is also an outreach and training opportunity aimed at creating a network of competent professionals ready to implement adaptation strategies. For example, study visits in Rimini featured in-situ presentations by the municipality’s technicians who worked on the implementation of a specific intervention; this resulted in a technical interchange with participants that became a learning stimulus for the entire group.

SBAM has seen a lasting social network development among public servants, thanks to various meetings that naturally activated an exchange of experiences and best practices.

The numbers of the first edition (Autumn 2022):

• 50 participants in attendance
• 280 people connected online to webinars
• 14 speakers
• 5 lectures + group activities at the end of the lecture
• 2 study visits to Rimini and Medicina to visit implemented projects and NbS construction sites
• 3 days of intensive workshops
• 10 microclimatic analyses with the Envimet software (one per municipality)

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This best practice is issued from our publication “Sustainable Regions in Action 2023”. Find out more by clicking here to discover many more best practices from FEDARENE members as well as an overview of our activities.