The InnoK Knowledge Management Institute participated in the two-day Opening Site Visit of the Athens Cooling Havens – Water-Powered Neighborhood Cooling and Engagement Stations project in Athens. The first day of the program focused specifically on the professional solutions developed by the implementing partners and their demonstration in real urban environments.

The venue of the event was the Serafeio Athletic & Community Complex, which in itself exemplifies Athens’ efforts to integrate community functions with urban resilience. The event was led by the Municipality of Athens, with professional support from the European Urban Initiative (EUI).

Strategic Frameworks and Project Overview

Following the official opening, the project coordinators presented the overall objectives of the Athens Cooling Havens initiative. It was clearly emphasized that protection against extreme heatwaves is not merely a technical issue, but a challenge of urban governance, social policy, and public health.

Short, focused presentations by the delivery partners highlighted the project’s consciously multidisciplinary approach, combining water management, Nature-Based Solutions, digital monitoring, and community engagement within a single integrated system.

Concrete Solutions: Water, Green Spaces, and Data

The morning professional sessions focused on innovative, site-specific solutions. Key elements included:

• Ilissia Park: systems based on wastewater recovery and rainwater management, redefining urban water use
• Nature-Based Solutions applied in multiple parks and public spaces, where the combination of vegetation, shading, and water surfaces leads to measurable improvements in the microclimate
• The presentation of the Open Data Public Lab and an IoT-based sensor network providing real-time data on heat exposure and water usage

These presentations were particularly relevant for InnoK, as they align closely with its approach of placing data-driven decision-making and knowledge sharing at the core of sustainable urban development.

Community Dimension: Learning and Engagement

One of the strongest messages of the program was that Cooling Havens are not isolated pieces of infrastructure, but living urban ecosystems. Community and educational elements presented by Impact Hub Athens—such as water schools, training programs, and artistic installations—highlighted that climate adaptation can only be effective in the long term if residents become active participants.

InnoK Perspective

The professional content of the first day reinforced InnoK’s role as a transfer partner: the task is not replication, but interpretation, adaptation, and further development. The experiences from Athens provide a valuable foundation for rethinking climate adaptation in Hungary in an integrated, community-oriented, and data-driven way.

The second day focused specifically on transfer partners, knowledge transfer processes, and next steps, which will be presented in a separate blog post.