Cities produce mountains of waste, but most don't really know where it all comes from or how to stop it at the source. Urban_Wins mapped exactly how materials flow through 24 European cities — what comes in, what gets used, what gets thrown away — like a detailed X-ray of a city's consumption habits. They then used that data to build strategic waste prevention plans and tested them in 8 cities across 6 countries. The result is a practical toolkit that helps city officials make smarter decisions about reducing waste, not just managing it after it piles up.
European cities face growing pressure to meet EU waste reduction targets, but most lack the data and planning tools to move beyond basic waste collection toward actual prevention. Municipal waste strategies are often reactive — dealing with waste after it's created — rather than proactively mapping material flows and intervening before waste is generated. Without understanding the full metabolism of a city, officials make decisions based on incomplete information.
The project produced a conceptual model architecture with defined data inputs, mathematical calculations, and variable connections for urban metabolism analysis. It delivered material flow indicator datasets from 24 cities, strategic waste prevention and management plans tested in 8 cities, and a total of 32 deliverables covering analytical tools, planning methods, and implementation guidance.
If you are a waste management company struggling to help client municipalities meet EU waste reduction targets — this project developed data-driven strategic planning tools tested across 8 European cities that map material flows and identify where waste can be prevented before it enters the system. The analytical tools were built on datasets from 24 cities across 6 countries.
If you are a smart city tech provider looking for validated urban metabolism models — this project built a conceptual model architecture with defined data inputs, mathematical calculations, and variable connections that can support decision-making for resource efficiency. The model was developed with input from 28 consortium partners across 7 countries.
If you are an environmental consultancy helping cities plan their waste strategies — this project created material flow indicator datasets and strategic planning methods validated in 8 pilot cities. The tools connect regulatory measures, educational initiatives, and sector-specific actions into coherent prevention plans.
The project data does not include specific implementation costs. The tools were developed and tested through a publicly funded research project coordinated by the Municipality of Cremona. Licensing and deployment costs would need to be discussed directly with the consortium.
The analytical tools were built on datasets and experiences from 24 EU cities across 6 European countries, and strategic plans were tested in 8 of those cities. This range suggests the methodology was designed to work across various urban contexts, though specific city size ranges are not detailed in the project data.
The project was a Research and Innovation Action coordinated by Comune di Cremona (Italy) with 28 partners. IP arrangements would follow standard EU Horizon 2020 rules. Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not publicly detailed.
The project was explicitly designed to contribute to EU resource efficiency and waste management objectives. The strategic plans encompass regulatory measures alongside educational initiatives and sector-specific actions, suggesting alignment with EU waste policy goals.
Based on available project data, the full project ran from June 2016 to May 2019 across all partner cities. The strategic plans were tested by 8 cities during this period, but specific deployment timelines for individual cities are not detailed in the available data.
The model architecture deliverable defines data requirements, input data specifications, and how different variables connect. This structured approach suggests integration potential, though specific technical compatibility details would need to be discussed with the development team.
The consortium of 28 partners across 7 countries (Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Sweden) is heavily weighted toward public and civil society actors — 15 of 28 are classified as "Other" (likely municipalities, NGOs, and associations), reflecting the project's city-government focus. With only 6 industry partners (21% ratio) and 5 SMEs, the commercial translation pipeline is relatively thin. The coordination by Comune di Cremona, a public body, reinforces that this was designed as a public-sector tool. Businesses looking to commercialize these outputs would likely need to partner with the research institutes (4 partners) or universities (3 partners) who built the technical components.
Comune di Cremona (Italy) — a municipal government body coordinating the project
Want to connect with the Urban_Wins team to explore licensing their waste prevention planning tools? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction and help you evaluate the fit for your business.
