TNO uses Urban Strategy to map the effects of urban planning in Amsterdam

Emission-free in 2025

The municipality of Amsterdam aims to be emission-free in 2025. The city is facing challenges around making the air clean, expanding the city and roads with associated road works. The expansion of environmental zones, the application of smart logistics and further stimulation of cycling are possible measures that can be applied specific to any area. In addition, the strong growth of the city is exerting further pressure on the use of space and the accessibility of the city. The municipality wants to become the green frontrunner of the Netherlands and Europe, and is using innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship to take this joint step.

Decision support for urban challenges

The city of Amsterdam uses Urban Strategy to find solutions to the complex challenge of tackling CO2 emissions, air quality, noise and traffic nuisance caused by road works, and to keep the growing city liveable.
Urban Strategy, an interactive instrument for spatial planning, shows the current situation in the city on a map. It quickly and interactively shows what happens when you introduce a scenario. For example, it can be seen in advance what impact the growth of a city district can have on accessibility and what noise pollution it can cause. And what effects can be expected from various variants of environmental zones on air quality and CO2 emissions. When planning large-scale road works, such as the Zuidas (South Axis), Urban Strategy also helps to determine the extent to which the measures chosen (such as shuttle buses and a Park and Ride) contribute to accessibility. This allows well-considered choices to be made.

Identifying the effects of measures

If a measure is actually implemented, Urban Strategy also identifies its effects by monitoring data. The scenarios are calculated and compared on the basis of the various KPIs (e.g. air quality, noise, traffic nuisance). This teaches which measure has which effect. Modelled and actual effects can be compared.

Amsterdam and TNO have made the first Urban Strategy application to examine urban issues. Watch the film clip below.