Urban ElemenTREE aims to enhance urban greening by standardising tree-related environmental practices. Utilising Urban Living Labs in five diverse cities, it will develop a digital platform to optimise urban planning with comprehensive tree metrics.

Planting more trees in urban areas is a promising intervention for environmental improvement and for providing ecosystem services. However, it faces many limitations related to the scarcity of space, high costs, and the often challenging conditions reducing the longevity of trees. Moreover, inconsiderate tree planting might produce unwanted effects. Therefore, urban decision makers, planners, and other stakeholders are in need of tools supporting evidence-based urban greening strategies. Urban ElemenTREE aims to advance more sustainable tree planting in cities, for more regenerative urban neighbourhoods, by formulating a systematic, integrated, evidence-based approach for the smart development of the urban tree canopy.

University of Antwerp/Design Sciences Hub is partner in this European Funded project (Driving Urban Transitions) https://urban-elementree.eu/
Together with local partners VMM and Lantis the Antwerp case study focuses on the hotspots for air quality, noise and heat stress in the ringroad area.