Periodic Reporting for period 1 - URBANE (UPSCALING INNOVATIVE GREEN URBAN LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS THROUGH MULTI-ACTOR COLLABORATION AND PI-INSPIRED LAST MILE DELIVERIES)
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-02-29
URBANE aims to support the transition towards effective, resilient, safe and sustainable last mile delivery solutions. This will be driven by four Lighthouse Living Labs established in Helsinki, Bologna, Valladolid and Thessaloniki, that will demonstrate TRL8 efficient, replicable and socially acceptable innovative last mile delivery solutions [Wave 1 LLs], building on existing TRL>5 assets.
Hands-on learning at European level will be primarily facilitated by the URBANE Innovation Transferability Platform underpinned by Digital Twinning Tools, open models, smart contracts governed by blockchain technology and a data-driven Impact Assessment Radar. Together, these tools will enable the adaptation and replication of Wave 1 solutions in two Twinning LLs in Barcelona and Karlsruhe [Wave 2 LLs], demonstrating their own solutions within the course of the project.
URBANE’s commitment to upscaling is further strengthened by the engagement of six early adopters (Follower Cities) in innovations’ adoption feasibility studies, thus stimulating the formulation of new LL communities across Europe. The scale-up effort will be further leveraged through the City Platform that will promote the project innovations and results in cities across Europe.
The approach employs social simulation tools to experiment with possible strategies and business models, aiming at boosting end-user adoption and increase investors’ confidence.
Hands-on learning at European level will be primarily facilitated by the URBANE Innovation Transferability Platform underpinned by Digital Twinning Tools, open models, smart contracts governed by blockchain technology and a data-driven Impact Assessment Radar. Together, these tools will enable the adaptation and replication of Wave 1 solutions in two Twinning LLs in Barcelona and Karlsruhe [Wave 2 LLs], demonstrating their own solutions within the course of the project.
URBANE’s commitment to upscaling is further strengthened by the engagement of six early adopters (Follower Cities) in innovations’ adoption feasibility studies, thus stimulating the formulation of new LL communities across Europe. The scale-up effort will be further leveraged through the City Platform that will promote the project innovations and results in cities across Europe.
The approach employs social simulation tools to experiment with possible strategies and business models, aiming at boosting end-user adoption and increase investors’ confidence.
Motivated by the objective of achieving a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions, the project is developing the URBANE Transferability Platform. This platform will facilitate the replication and scaling up of smart, green last-mile delivery solutions, proven effective in the Living Labs, to other EU cities. During the first reporting period, the project partners have:
• Developed a framework for Physical Internet (PI) last-mile logistics, underpinned by data-sharing governance methods.
• Delivered the detailed definition of the Wave 1 LL use cases and associated interventions that are currently demonstrated in the city context.
• Delivered the transferability platform architecture and developed the first version of its main components (Blockchain-enabled Smart Contract Generator, Simulation Engine and Impact Assessment Radar) and a library of 11 models to support various what-if and optimisation scenarios.
• Organised 8 Social Simulation Workshops in Lighthouse LLs, engaging citizens and business stakeholders.
• Developed a KPIs list for the measurement of the interventions’ impact in the Living Labs.
• Initiated discussions about the transferability potential of Wave 1 LLs solutions in Wave 2&3 LLs through dedicated workshops.
• Kicked off the City Platform with 15 city members, aiming to support the outreach of the project results to cities outside the consortium.
• Was engaged in liaison actions with sister projects towards amplifying impact, aligning KPIs and promoting interoperability of tools.
• Developed the PI observatory, which will support the project exploitation activities and will be established as part of the URBANE legacy.
• Developed a framework for Physical Internet (PI) last-mile logistics, underpinned by data-sharing governance methods.
• Delivered the detailed definition of the Wave 1 LL use cases and associated interventions that are currently demonstrated in the city context.
• Delivered the transferability platform architecture and developed the first version of its main components (Blockchain-enabled Smart Contract Generator, Simulation Engine and Impact Assessment Radar) and a library of 11 models to support various what-if and optimisation scenarios.
• Organised 8 Social Simulation Workshops in Lighthouse LLs, engaging citizens and business stakeholders.
• Developed a KPIs list for the measurement of the interventions’ impact in the Living Labs.
• Initiated discussions about the transferability potential of Wave 1 LLs solutions in Wave 2&3 LLs through dedicated workshops.
• Kicked off the City Platform with 15 city members, aiming to support the outreach of the project results to cities outside the consortium.
• Was engaged in liaison actions with sister projects towards amplifying impact, aligning KPIs and promoting interoperability of tools.
• Developed the PI observatory, which will support the project exploitation activities and will be established as part of the URBANE legacy.
URBANE will drive innovation in shared, connected and low-emission logistics operations by focusing on 1. Sustainability - Zero Emission Logistics aiming at 20% reduction in CO2 emissions), 2. Enhancing collaborative logistics to streamline the supply chain, 3. Combining automation and shared logistics infrastructure to implement the Physical Internet in urban deliveries.
Indicative advancements of the project beyond the state of the art include innovative interventions at several levels:
1. Business, Operations, Governance:
- Co-development of innovative and open operational models in the Wave 1 LLs.
- Demonstrating PI-inspired interventions in Urban Logistics operations, implying the establishment of collaborative business models and Public-Private partnerships.
2 Digital infrastructure, automation & technology enablers
- Enhancing collaboration among the last mile logistics stakeholders through smart contracts supported by Blockchain technology and delivering a smart contract generator to facilitate easier setup of smart contracts in other city logistics communities.
- Delivering the Innovation Transferability platform, simulation tools and models for enhancing the replicability of innovations across EU.
- Impact Assessment Radar to support new measures planning.
3. Pysical infrastructure and innovative vehicles:
- Piloting several new services on the city's physical layer including Autonomous Delivery Vehicles (ADVs) assisted operations, Micro-hubs networks and light EDVs, electric vehicles with solar panels, Hub and Spoke delivery models, Intermodal solutions combining ADVs with rail-based parcel movement, Automated routing and open RFID solution for efficient parcel handling.
4. Social Innovation
- Empowering citizens active engagement by including local communities in co-designing innovative solutions in LLs with the use of surveys monitoring consumer behaviors, needs, and opinions.
Indicative advancements of the project beyond the state of the art include innovative interventions at several levels:
1. Business, Operations, Governance:
- Co-development of innovative and open operational models in the Wave 1 LLs.
- Demonstrating PI-inspired interventions in Urban Logistics operations, implying the establishment of collaborative business models and Public-Private partnerships.
2 Digital infrastructure, automation & technology enablers
- Enhancing collaboration among the last mile logistics stakeholders through smart contracts supported by Blockchain technology and delivering a smart contract generator to facilitate easier setup of smart contracts in other city logistics communities.
- Delivering the Innovation Transferability platform, simulation tools and models for enhancing the replicability of innovations across EU.
- Impact Assessment Radar to support new measures planning.
3. Pysical infrastructure and innovative vehicles:
- Piloting several new services on the city's physical layer including Autonomous Delivery Vehicles (ADVs) assisted operations, Micro-hubs networks and light EDVs, electric vehicles with solar panels, Hub and Spoke delivery models, Intermodal solutions combining ADVs with rail-based parcel movement, Automated routing and open RFID solution for efficient parcel handling.
4. Social Innovation
- Empowering citizens active engagement by including local communities in co-designing innovative solutions in LLs with the use of surveys monitoring consumer behaviors, needs, and opinions.