Building climate resilience: MULTICLIMACT’s tools for climate-ready cities

Challenge

Human-induced climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges, with significant impacts on people, ecosystems, and infrastructure. According to the IPCC "Climate Change 2023" report, in addition to limiting global warming to 1.5°C, it is essential to implement effective and systemic adaptation strategies. In this context, the built environment, including buildings, infrastructure, urban spaces, and cultural heritage, is among the most exposed and vulnerable sectors, affected both by climate-related risks (e.g., heatwaves, floods, droughts) and natural hazards (such as earthquakes). 

The evolving climate and increasing frequency and severity of extreme events highlight the fragility of the built environment, which often fails to provide protection and instead amplifies vulnerabilities. The link between the physical vulnerability of structures and the socio-economic vulnerability of their users requires a paradigm shift: the built environment must be viewed as an integrated system connected to social, economic, and health dimensions. 

CDP report “Protecting People and the Planet” data confirms the scale of the problem: over 80% of cities report significant climate risks, with consequences at multiple levels — from single buildings to urban and territorial scales. These risks are often interconnected, worsened by fragile supply chains, social pressure, or regulatory gaps. Therefore, a multidisciplinary, multilevel action is required to integrate climate resilience into urban planning, building design, and adaptation strategies. 

MULTICLIMACT project directly addresses these challenges by proposing a replicable and scalable approach to assess and enhance the resilience of the built environment and communities. The project focuses on four pilot cases in Spain, Italy, Latvia, and the Netherlands, each representing different climatic, geographic, and socio-economic conditions. The objective is to develop demonstrable and transferable solutions that can improve preparedness, response, and recovery across buildings, infrastructure, and urban systems. A key component is the active involvement of local authorities and citizens through co-creation and social innovation processes. 

Approach

MULTICLIMACT offers an integrated framework to support public and private stakeholders in analysing and improving the resilience of the built environment and communities, through practical and scientifically validated tools. The project delivers a toolkit composed of 18 solutions, grouped into 6 design practices, 7 innovative materials, and 5 digital tools. These solutions are designed to be accessible, cost-effective, and easily deployable, covering multiple scales (building, district, city) and a wide range of hazards (climate-related and natural, including earthquakes and supply chain risks). 

One of the key tools is the Climate Resilience Maturity Assessment, developed by RINA. The Climate Resilience Maturity Assessment enables comprehensive assessments of the resilience maturity of assets, infrastructure, or urban systems by comparing current ("as-is") performance under climate pressures with future projected conditions ("to-be"). It integrates climate data, risk projections, physical vulnerabilities, and socio-economic factors to provide a structured overview of resilience priorities. 

This assessment is designed for various users: public authorities, infrastructure operators, urban planners, and service providers. It serves as a key decision-support tool to identify effective short- and long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies based on a systemic understanding of emerging climate risks. 

Conclusion

MULTICLIMACT delivers practical tools to support public authorities, urban planners, infrastructure managers, and local communities in strengthening climate resilience. The benefits are tangible, enabling stakeholders to assess and enhance the performance and adaptive capacity of buildings, critical infrastructure, and urban systems, with special attention to strategic buildings and cultural heritage. 

The solutions provided allow stakeholders to make data-driven decisions based on reliable climate scenarios, risk models, and performance indicators, improving resource allocation and investment planning, and reducing exposure to climate threats. 

A central role is played by the Climate Resilience Maturity Assessment, which offers a structured methodology to assess resilience maturity at urban and infrastructure levels. We are committed to actively supporting the adoption and effective use of this assessment by relevant stakeholders, contributing to enhanced decision-making capacity in climate adaptation, service continuity, and risk management. 

Project Consortium