New DestinE service lets urban planners simulate flooding and traffic impacts
CityNexus, a service on the DestinE Platform, lets users test how urban changes affect quality of life in four cities. Now, a new iteration is coming – and with it, more possibilities. Users can explore these new features in an interactive webinar on 2 December.
CityNexus interface displaying simulation scenarios of carbon dioxide emissions in Copenhagen, Denmark
Introduced in May 2025, CityNexus is a DestinE service that lets users simulate how urban policies – such as limiting road speeds or creating low-emission zones – shape air quality and mobility. There are four cities to explore (Copenhagen, Aarhus, Bologna and Sevilla), with Copenhagen offering the widest range of variables. This is because CityNexus developers worked closely with local councils there to build the prototype service.
“Our engagement strategy started with the Local Council of Amager Vest, Copenhagen. We followed a co-creation model from the start” explains Alessandra Feliciotti, Head of Projects at MindEarth, one of the companies behind CityNexus.
The Local Council of Amager Vest wanted to test how they could transform part of a motorway that cuts through Ørestad, a fast-growing neighbourhood. The motorway carries fast-moving traffic between central Copenhagen and the airport, creating noise and safety concerns, as well as having an impact on local air quality. CityNexus was created to meet this need and serve as an early use case, demonstrating the DestinE’s potential for urban planning.
“Metrics and simulations have been validated against real-world evidence” adds Feliciotti.
CityNexus is now evolving, and a second, more comprehensive iteration is coming to the DestinE PlatformSelf-standing DestinE system component, interfacing with the More soon. CityNexus PRO will introduce flood-disruption modelling to the service, alongside the variables already in use.
CityNexus PRO will introduce flood-disruption modelling
This means users will be able to simulate heavier or longer rainfall, rising sea levels and higher river discharge, and see how the resulting flooding interacts with traffic patterns and air quality. They will also be able to test the impact of planned road closures or flood defences during the event, and assess how these choices influence congestion and exposure.
“How will a particular flood affect travel times in my neighbourhood?” and “Which areas become harder to reach if a main road is closed during a flash flood event?” are just some of the many questions the service can help answer. PRO will keep the same interface as CityNexus and let users imagine brand new scenarios and run simulations with the four cities already onboarded. These capabilities will be demonstrated live during the 2 December webinar.
“We are excited to introduce CityNexus PRO to the community and look forward to seeing users explore these new variables” says Feliciotti.
MindEarth and Solenix are holding an interactive webinar on 2 December, where participants will see CityNexus PRO in action and learn how it integrates Earth observation, mobility, hydrology, and weather data to simulate urban dynamics. The session will demonstrate how cities can visualise “what-if” scenarios, assess environmental and mobility impacts, and co-create data-driven strategies for sustainable urban transformation.
The session will also include a Q&A and open discussion on how cities can get involved.
MindEarth and Solenix will also use the webinar to collect expressions of interest from cities that may want to be onboarded in the service.Whether you’re a city official, urban planner, researcher, or innovation expert, you’ll see how CityNexus PRO can help your city plan smarter, greener, and more resilient futures. Register now to see the new features in action and learn how CityNexus PRO could support your city’s planning work.