Digital Twins: The City as a Simulation

How satellite data and “Digital Twins” are revolutionizing the way we design, live in, and protect our cities.

Imagine being able to predict the impact of a new tram line, a new urban park, or an extreme heat wave before they even occur. In the aerospace industry, this is the standard: every NASA or ESA mission is meticulously tested on a “Digital Twin,” a perfect virtual replica that allows us to predict critical issues and optimize performance in hostile environments. Today, this cutting-edge technology is taking to the streets to help us solve the most complex challenge of our century: making cities sustainable, resilient, and human-scale.

The Connection Between Space and Urban Life. In this event, we will explore the invisible yet vital bridge between Earth’s orbit and the urban fabric of Turin. We will analyze how the “Space Economy” is no longer just a matter of stellar exploration, but the invisible infrastructure of our daily lives. Thanks to data from Earth observation satellites, such as those from the European Copernicus program, city governments can now monitor urban heat islands, the health of urban vegetation, and the energy efficiency of neighborhoods in real time with unprecedented precision.

What we will learn during the Talk & Panel:

1. The Urban Digital Twin: How creating living digital models allows for testing autonomous mobility solutions and emissions reduction strategies without posing risks to citizens.

2. Resilience and Sustainability: Using simulation to predict hydrogeological risks and mitigate the impact of climate change at the single-block level.

Through a panel discussion, we will discover why treating the city as a complex system is key to the future.