SAFERPLACES: Operational Flood Risk Intelligence at Global Scale
14/10/2026
As part of the STRENGTH project, the Municipality of Ravenna, in collaboration with GECOSISTEMA s.r.l., has implemented a dedicated, high-resolution instance of the SAFERPLACES platform.
Designed to address the escalating challenges posed by extreme weather events and changing climatic patterns, SAFERPLACES is a cutting-edge, cloud-based flood risk intelligence platform.
By combining artificial intelligence (AI), satellite earth observation, and advanced numerical modeling, the platform generates a comprehensive digital twin of the urban and coastal environment.
This enables technical departments and local authorities to simulate, analyze, and manage urban pluvial and coastal flood risks with unprecedented operational accuracy.
The deployment of the tailored platform delivered critical operational tools and actionable datasets to bolster territorial resilience in Ravenna:
1) High-Resolution Flood Hazard Mapping - Identification and pinpointing of the most vulnerable urban and peri-urban sectors susceptible to pluvial flooding, ponding, and runoff accumulation during intense rainfall events.
2) Mitigation Scenarios & Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) - Evaluation and simulation of risk-mitigation interventions, specifically focusing on the siting and dimensioning of potential water retention areas, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and Nature-Based Solutions (green roofs, permeable pavements, rain gardens, public green spaces), to reduce peak discharge and water volumes.
3) Decision Support for Resilient Urban Planning - Direct, data-driven support for municipal planners, civil protection teams, and policymakers in integrating climate adaptation strategies into local spatial planning and infrastructure maintenance frameworks.
The platform transforms raw environmental and elevation datasets into dynamic risk layers.
This enables the Municipality of Ravenna’s technical staff to run rapid simulations across varied return-period rainfall scenarios, quantify potential impacts on public infrastructure, assets, and residential areas, and compare 'before-and-after' scenarios to assess the real-world effectiveness of proposed mitigation works prior to construction.
Through the adoption of advanced digital solutions like SAFERPLACES, the STRENGTH project reinforces Ravenna’s capacity to transition from emergency management to proactive, preventative climate governance, establishing a replicable benchmark for coastal and low-lying Adriatic territories.
Explore the technology: https://saferplaces.co/
