Cities are hotspots for climate change – for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to impacts of future extreme weather events such as heatwaves. Cities are particularly vulnerable to heat due to high population densities, complex and sensitive infrastructure and economic activities. Generally, daytime and nighttime heat stress is increased in cities due to three-dimensional radiation effects, reduced wind at pedestrian-level, and the urban heat island - yet depending on context (shading, surface materials) there are large differences at micro- and local-scale within cities. At the same time, cities are also hubs of creativity, innovation and transformation – hence driving climate adaptation. A key challenge in the process of transforming our current built environments into more resilient cities is the assessment and optimization of responsible and effective local measures for climate adaptation, which requires high-resolution, timely and reliable information on urban climate and climate change impacts, for example heat exposure must be assessed spatially and temporally at high-resolution and for different development scenarios. The talk will highlight recent research supporting the simulation and assessment of urban heat as part of the BMU-funded “I4C-Intelligence for Cities” project, from our ERC Synergy Grant “urbisphere” and our latest EU-funded “UrbanAIR” project to develop a Destiny Earth Digital Twin for urban regions. In all three projects, we address urban heat at different scales and by integrating different technologies resolving physical as well as social science aspects. We couple high-resolution weather- and climate models with urban surface models to simulate urban energy, water and airflow dynamics. This enables precise intra-urban forecasts, warnings and climate projections of heat at the neighborhood-level. New networks of distributed environmental and weather sensors in cities provide valuable real-time data on intra-urban variability and can be used for evaluating new models. Emulating complex physical simulations with artificial intelligence can considerably speed up computationally expensive simulations of scenarios and helps to integrate them in building-resolving digital twins or combine them with mobility data to assess and opitimise different climate, planning and development options across entire cities. Future heat impact, decision and support systems can help to make cities more resilient, sustainable and equitable – and thus preparing them to face the challenges of climate change and increasing heat waves. However, in developing and combining all these technologies, meteorological and physical processes must be combined with quantitative data on urban population, mobility and in order to obtain a sound basis for decision-making, which remains challenge for integrated urban climate services.

Gertraud Klemm outlines her critique of the patriarchy and potential ways to overcome it, placing special emphasis on issues of sustainability. Following a conversation with Oliver Parodi (KAT), the audience is invited to engage with the author regarding her analysis of the present day and her provocative theses.   Book Description: The showdown of the Anthropocene seems imminent: against a backdrop of climate crisis and war, a handful of power-drunk, unscrupulous politicians—in league with ruthless tech billionaires—threaten to drive the world to ruin. What do all these figures, wielding unprecedented global influence, have in common? Without exception, they are men. Ignoring this "white elephant" in the room renders all activism futile; for it is not humanity that has the Earth in a stranglehold, but the patriarchy. Overcoming it would mean tackling the most severe global problems head-on and in unison. Until recently, slavery, racism, colonialism, and imperialism seemed to have "no alternative," yet they were largely confronted and dismantled because they were exposed for what they were: injustices unworthy of the human species. Why shouldn't we succeed in doing the same with the patriarchy? More   About: Gertraud Klemm studied biology in Vienna and is a freelance author since 2006. She lives with her family in Lower Austria and writes novels, plays, speeches, guest commentaries, and essays. Her work has garnered numerous accolades, including the Anton Wildgans Prize, the Ernst Toller Prize, the Outstanding Artist Award, and the Audience Award at the Bachmann Prize. Novels: *Einzeller* (2023), *Hippocampus* (2019), *Aberland* (2015). Recent release: *Abschied vom Phallozän* [Farewell to the Phallocene], a polemic (Matthes & Seitz, 2025).   Please register: E-Mail to info@quartierzukunft.de

Date: September 16-17, 2026   The Network of Living Labs for Sustainability and TH Cologne invite you to the 2026 Living Lab Conference. This conference brings together scientists, practitioners, policymakers, municipalities, businesses, civil society, and cultural and creative professionals to shape the future of living lab research and practice. The focus will be on the impact, development, and learning processes of living labs in times of social, ecological, and technological upheaval.   Living Labs in Societal Tensions Living Labs in Times of Disruptive Change Living Labs in Everyday Practice Art, Culture, and Hybrid Spaces for Experimentation and Discourse Impact Analyses, Transfer Logics, Evaluation, and Standardization Science Communication and Societal Learning Processes Drivers, Obstacles, and Regulatory Frameworks   The conference sees itself as a "living lab workshop": interactive, experimental, and dialogue-oriented. In addition to expert presentations, collaborative and creative formats will be a key focus. Register

Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important in the research process – from secure data processing and the development of relevant expertise in research institutions to issues of digital sovereignty and trustworthy international cooperation.. During the public event, the latest findings from the Resilience check on "Cybersecurity in the research process" will be presented and discussed. The event is open to the public and will be streamed live at www.bundestag.de. Details on the programme and participation in the conference room will follow.