LEBANON - The American University of Beirut (AUB) has secured €400,000 as part of a major €6 million grant from Horizon Europe, the European Union’s main research funding program.
The project, called DynaCITY, aims to improve urban planning using artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin technology. Digital twins are virtual models of cities that help planners test ideas and predict results before making real-world changes.
The initiative is led by Dr. Daniel Asmar, with co-investigators Dr. Mona Fawaz and Dr. Imad Elhajj from AUB’s Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. The project will run for three years starting May 1.
AUB will lead the technology development of the project. The team will create tools to help cities become more environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. The system will focus on three main components:
• XModel: A simulation tool to test future urban scenarios
• XDesign: A platform that allows planners and citizens to design spaces together
• XEngage: A tool to encourage public participation and feedback
The project will be tested in five cities: Heidelberg (Germany), Lund (Sweden), Menton (France), Funchal (Portugal), and Beirut (Lebanon). These pilot cities will use digital twin technology to reduce emissions, improve resilience, and redesign public spaces.
Horizon Europe has a total budget of €93.5 billion for the period 2021–2027. It supports research that addresses climate change, sustainable development, and innovation.
This is not AUB’s first success with Horizon funding. In 2022, Dr. Asmar and Dr. Elhajj were also partners in another EU-funded project, further strengthening AUB’s role in AI research and urban development in the region.
