Bologna, December 16, 2024 – On Thursday, December 12, the Open Innovation Day of the Bologna Living Lab took place, showcasing the sustainable and collaborative logistics solution developed within the URBANE project.
The event, held at the microhub on Via Calori, 17, was opened by Valentina Orioli, the Bologna City Councilor for Mobility, and moderated by Paola Cossu, CEO of FIT Consulting, URBANE’s Innovation Manager, and a member of the ALICE Board of Directors.
During the first part of the event, the project and its contribution to European decarbonization policies were presented. This was followed by testimonials from each participant in the pilot project, who explained their roles and shared their experiences. In the second part, logistics operators demonstrated the functioning of the lockers and the package deposit and retrieval process at the hub. Finally, participants were invited to contribute their perspectives on the trialed solution.
The interest shown by transport operators turned the event into an opportunity to initiate a dialogue about potential future collaborations.
The initiative highlighted how the Bologna Living Lab represents an innovative solution for improving last-mile logistics, making it more collaborative, efficient, and sustainable. Furthermore, microhubs can help stimulate demand for the regeneration of natural commercial areas, fostering citizen engagement.
URBANE, funded by the Horizon Europe program, pilots scalable and replicable technological solutions aimed at reducing CO2 emissions by 20% and urban delivery vehicles by 30%, adopting a collaborative approach inspired by the Physical Internet and innovative last-mile delivery methods.
The Lighthouse Living Lab in Bologna aims to redesign urban logistics through an innovative system based on automated and multi-operator microhubs for goods distribution. Currently, three strategically located lockers are installed near the main roads encircling the historic center: Via Calori, Porta San Mamolo, and Via Berlinguer. These hubs enable the transfer of goods from traditional vans to electric tricycles, which deliver packages within the city’s restricted traffic zone (ZTL).
Through this pilot activity, the Bologna City Council is implementing measures from the Sustainable Urban Logistics Plan (PULS) and advancing Proximity Logistics Spaces, promoting public space sharing with an innovative collaborative logistics action that contributes to urban regeneration.
The pilot involves Fondazione ITL, the Living Lab coordinator; the Bologna City Council, responsible for planning, designing, and implementing urban mobility and logistics services; GEL Proximity, a logistics orchestrator providing omnichannel technology for locker management; and transport operators Due Torri S.p.A. and TYP. Additional suppliers include Salerno Trasporti S.p.A., specializing in last-mile logistics; Ricoh and WIB, which provided the locker infrastructure and software, respectively.
The pilot is being carried out in close collaboration with other European cities involved in the URBANE project (Helsinki, Thessaloniki, and Valladolid). It is also supported by the Metropolitan City of Bologna through the MOVE21 project. Barcelona (Spain) and Karlsruhe (Germany) participate as Twinning Living Labs, adapting the Lighthouse Living Lab solutions to their contexts. Aarhus (Denmark), Antwerp (Belgium), La Rochelle (France), Mechelen (Belgium), Prague (Czech Republic), and Ravenna (Italy) are Follower Cities conducting feasibility studies based on the results and lessons learned from other cities.
The Living Lab contributes to transforming Bologna’s logistics system, aligning with the goals of the 2030 Agenda and the European Mission “Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030.”
As highlighted during the event, by optimizing delivery operations and reducing their environmental impact, URBANE offers several advantages for both logistics operators and citizens.
First, the use of electric vehicles eliminates emissions from last-mile deliveries, currently the most environmentally damaging segment. Microhubs also reduce urban congestion, as vehicles performing first-mile deliveries can deposit packages in lockers without time constraints, avoiding peak traffic hours.
Second, separating first- and last-mile deliveries among multiple operators and vehicles lightens drivers’ workloads and optimizes time. Consolidation within proximity areas enhances delivery efficiency through integrated operations among transporters.
Third, advanced technologies, such as blockchain, enable transparent and secure data sharing, minimizing conflicts between operators. Lastly, tricycles can navigate city center streets more easily and park more conveniently than vans, making the historic center more livable for residents.
For further details on the URBANE project and upcoming events, contact Alice Benini, Project Manager at ITL.