Dundalk meets with Partner City Belfast

On May 10, 2024, our partners Louth County Council (LCC) and Pilot expert IES, met with Belfast to present VARCITIES’ pilot in Dundalk.

IES opened the discussion by outlining IES’s role in supporting Dundalk’s municipality, particularly for sensors deployment and the development of Dundalk’s digital twin in VARCITIES’s Health & Well-Being Platform. LCC presented Dundalk pilot in details, and VARCITIES’ approach has supported the municipality’s effort to transform public spaces in Dundalk. A. Thornbury from the City Innovation team at Belfast City Council provided an overview of Belfast’s innovation projects, emphasizing sustainability initiatives like the waterfront promenade framework and the Maritime Mile sustainability audit.

Data collection and engagement strategies were further discussed, notably the challenges of technology adoption and the integration of data collection into innovative applications. The conversation also touched on the broader impacts of COVID-19 on urban projects and tourism, with both municipalities noting the pandemic’s skewed data and economic difficulties. This set the stage for broader discussions on innovative initiatives and their related investment costs: VARCITIES will use a Social Return on Investment Methodology to assess the benefits of its interventions in each pilot. Belfast shared their expertise with methodologies used to assess economic and social impacts in similar projects

The meeting concluded with discussions on sustainable transportation, data innovation, and the potential impact of Brexit on data sharing and funding opportunities.

Collaboration between municipalities and public organisations from different member states underscores VARCITIES’ commitment to innovation and sustainability.