The Climate Resilient City Tool (CRCTool) aims to support collaborative climate adaptation planning and to promote multi-disciplinary dialogue on adaptation options to increase urban climate resilience. The tool contains a database of over 50 adaptation measures including descriptions, pictures of best practices and references for further reading.
The CRCTool is easy to use by both experts and non-experts in the field of urban planning and adaptation and can be used in a workshop setting with multiple stakeholders as well as behind a desk.
Tools functionalities allow the users to locate the measures on a map and explore and compare adaptation options for a project area. It provides information on the effectiveness of measures to reduce stormwater flooding, urban heat stress and drought. Additional information on construction and maintenance costs is also available. The CRCTool encourages the use of Nature Based Solutions; traditional grey measures are included to enable comparison.
The CRCTool has been developed as open source. A free not calibrated version of the CRCTool is freely available online. The tool configuration must be done by trained users and has medium complexity.
Deltares provides the replication service for other areas for low cost, estimated in 5-7 person-days. If local data is not available, the tool is set up with global and/or EU datasets. When incorporating local datasets, extra time is required for harmonizing datasets (2 days). Further time investments are running the hydrological model (2 days), preparing the online environment (2 days) and selecting/calibrating measures (1 day).
McEvoy S., F.H.M. van de Ven, R. Brolsma, J. H. Slinger, Evaluating a Planning Support System’s use and effects in urban adaptation: an exploratory case study from Berlin, Germany, Sustainability 2020
McEvoy S (2019) Planning support tools in urban adaptation practice. PhD thesis, TU Delft, https://doi.org/10.4233/uuid:48b7649c-5062-4c97-bba7-970fc92d7bbf
McEvoy S, FHM van de Ven, MW Blind, JH Slinger (2018) Planning support tools and their effects in participatory urban adaptation workshops, Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 207, 1 February 2018, Pages 319-333, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.10.041
Van de Ven FHM , RPH Snep, S Koole, RJ Brolsma, R van der Brugge, J Spijker, T Vergroesen (2016) Adaptation Planning Support Toolbox: Measurable performance information based tools for co-creation of resilient, ecosystem-based urban plans with urban designers, decision-makers and stakeholders, Environmental Science & Policy, Volume 66, 2016, Pages 427-436, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2016.06.010
Voskamp IM, Van de Ven FHM (2015) Planning support system for climate adaptation: Composing effective sets of blue-green measures to reduce urban vulnerability to extreme weather events. Building and Environment 83, p 159-167, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2014.07.018
The CRCTool can be used in combination with all tools and services that produce maps on climate hazards like the Community Flood Resilience Tool and Thermal Assessment Tool. The tool can also be used in combination with the Social Vulnerability tool.
During an extreme rainfall event, Jan watches in fear as water rises dangerously close to flooding his apartment. His experience highlights the urgent need for climate adaptation in Gdynia, inspiring the community to take action and build a more resilient future together.
