A ‘SimCity’ is being built to advance resilience planning

An international research project co-led by the University of Auckland has received funding through Horizon Europe, the EU’s largest research and innovation programme.

The Minority Report project, co-led by Dr Theuns Henning of Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland and Dr Tom Cochrane of the University of Canterbury, received funding to build a ‘SimCity’ for resilience planning and infrastructure adaptation.

The goal of the three-and-a-half-year project is to simulate how natural disasters such as floods, fires, or storms impact urban infrastructure, while supporting city planners and engineers in decision-making.

Disasters affect multiple systems, including stormwater, roads and buildings, causing cascading failures. The project aims to develop digital tools that provide a more visual and automated way to understand these cascading effects, focusing not just on the immediate damage but also on possible long-term adaptations.

One key feature of the project is using digital twin technology to model cities, including Wellington, in 3D. This allows planners to visually simulate disaster scenarios and their consequences, making complex data more accessible to decision-makers.

By simulating future events, such as more frequent and intense storms caused by climate change, the tools will help engineers design infrastructure for future conditions rather than relying solely on historical data.

Artificial intelligence will also play a significant role in the project. It will apply engineering rules across different infrastructure types, allowing predictive modelling and design to be scaled for entire cities. This helps identify the best response strategies to disasters, considering factors like budget constraints and resilience needs.

The ultimate goal is a people-centric approach where infrastructure serves the needs of communities during crises, says Henning.

“The hope is to transfer these tools to other cities, creating a framework for global resilience planning.

“It's one thing to know what could happen, but another to know what to do about it.”

The total funding of the project is approximately $NZ9.32 million with $2 million allocated for its New Zealand partners, which include University of Canterbury, Wellington City Council and Urban Intelligence Limited.

Horizon Europe supports groundbreaking projects that address global challenges such as climate change, health and digital technologies. By fostering collaboration between researchers, companies and institutions, the programme seeks to drive scientific progress and develop innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing issues.

The Minority Report project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Innovation Action programme under grant agreement no 101147385. Learn more about the project.