As introduced in the previous workshop on digitalisation and industrial transformation (held in Famalicão in October 2024), technological shifts are creating new demands in urban areas for spaces dedicated to innovative activities (ranging from food production hubs and energy storage solutions to transport electrification and smart city initiatives), while at the same time rendering certain industrial uses obsolete.
This transition opens up opportunities for the productive regeneration of urban districts and supports the emergence of new typologies of productive spaces, adapted to remote working and other flexible modes. At the same time, these dynamics present significant challenges, including environmental impacts from increased energy and resource demand, greenhouse gas emissions, the risk of widening social divides due to unequal digital skills, and the urgent need for local administrations to adopt new technologies while investing in continuous reskilling.
To build on these learnings, the second workshop in Dąbrowa Górnicza in May 2025 focused on sharing good practices and examples to inspire In4Green partners in the final phase of their Integrated Action Plan, both in the formulation of actions and in other areas such as evaluation and monitoring or governance models.
Action: New Uses, Urban Renewal, and Workforce Development
The first question discussed with the partners is how cities across URBACT networks have experimented with innovative industrial uses, urban regeneration, and workforce development, offering practical examples of how digitisation can deliver economic, social, and environmental advantages.
- How does digitisation create new applications in the industry?
The digitalisation of industry has transformed land usage, services, and infrastructure, paving the path for new activities that promote circular and sustainable models. Urban authorities in Resourceful Cities, including Oslo, The Hague, and Famalicão, have established Urban Resource Centres (URCs) to encourage innovation, reuse, and social value. These centres promote circular consumption, repair, recycling, access to secondary raw materials, and collaborative efforts such as trash reduction and awareness-raising. As a result, digitalisation has brought about new industrial applications while also providing economic, environmental, and social benefits.
- How do obsolete industries represent an opportunity for urban regeneration?
The revitalisation of former industrial zones, within the 22@ Barcelona Master Plan, is a prime example of urban regeneration. This initiative transformed the area to attract knowledge-based industries through zoning changes and mixed-use development, leading to increased density and public benefits like land for subsidised housing and green areas. Within the BoostINNO network, Barcelona drafted an IAP aimed to create a coherent framework for action, revitalising the local economy, promoting quality employment, and engaging socio-economic stakeholders.
- What are the new skills needed?
Increasing workplace automation is creating a major challenge: a shortage of qualified digital talent. Cities from TechTown (like Barnsley and San Sebastián) are addressing this by providing training, makerspaces, and tailored support that link digital companies with local businesses. At the same time, closing the gender gap is essential, with initiatives such as La Rochelle’s Gendered Landscapes and Karvina’s WEED network promoting women’s participation in STEM, employment, and entrepreneurship. Together, these efforts are strengthened by social innovation, as seen in Torino’s BoostINNO network, which leverages city assets, builds social connections, and enhances skills through programs like the “Training Path to Internationalisation” and “Torino City of Learning,” creating a more inclusive and resilient digital economy.
Evaluation: Turning Actions into Impact
Following the implementation of innovative industrial uses, urban regeneration projects or workforce development initiatives, some of these URBACT cities focused on evaluating the results of these actions. The second element debated with the In4Green partners is how to measure impact might allow them to understand which strategies worked, refine their approaches, and ensure that digitalisation delivers tangible economic, social, and environmental benefits.
For example, in the Zero Carbon Cities network, Bistrița included in its Integrated Action Plan a methodology to measure emissions from the industrial sector and set reduction targets, linking evaluation directly to the environmental objectives of its industrial initiatives.
Within the BoostINNO network, Barcelona developed a framework to select indicators aligned with the goals of each action, ensuring that the progress of urban regeneration and innovation projects was assessed against both economic and social outcomes.
Similarly, San Sebastián monitored each action using specific indicators and target values, covering aspects such as training courses, company participation, and networking events. This approach provided a comprehensive view of outcomes and enabled data-driven decision-making to improve future initiatives.
Together, these examples demonstrate how evaluation completes the cycle of action: planning, implementing, measuring, and learning.
Governance: Implementation and Sustainable Futures
The final part of the workshop focused on implementation. If the path to digitisation and industrial innovation involves proactive actions for urban regeneration, skill development, and inclusion (underpinned by robust systems for measuring impact), all of this must be anchored in detailed implementation plans and participatory, flexible governance models to ensure sustainable urban development.
Again, some URBACT cities serve as a reference. In Bistrița, the IAPs demonstrated the value of comprehensive timelines and mobilising human resources for implementation by including a clear decision-making framework for project management and resource allocation, ensuring that initiatives moved from concept to action efficiently.
Equally important was the governance model underpinning the actions. Successful IAPs, as Longford within the MAPS network, have fostered collaboration between all relevant actors, encouraged bottom-up approaches, and ensured local communities had an active role in decision-making. The local authority has incorporated citizens’ perspectives through workshops and transparent communication, building trust in the regeneration process and clearly defining stakeholders responsible for each initiative. Mechelen applied a co-creation process involving multiple stakeholders from problem analysis to political approval, strengthening inclusion and decision-making at every stage.
In the case of Barcelona, through the 22@ Master Plan, the city implemented a public-private-social-community governance model that redefined Barcelona Activa’s role as more participatory. This approach recognised the local community fabric, established lead groups, created co-production spaces, and introduced new local services, highlighting how governance can support sustainable urban futures.
To close the session, the In4Green partners co-designed a “type action” for their Integrated Action Plans, turning lessons from practice into concrete steps. The collaborative work and inspirational examples showed that effective IAPs combine a clear vision with flexible execution, ensuring that cities could adapt to new actions while maintaining stakeholder engagement and strong governance structures.
