40: Responsive Urbanism: Integrating Urban Digital Twins To Promote Urban Circularity

Responsive Urbanism promotes cities that adapt dynamically to social, economic, and environmental changes. The Circular Economy (CE) emerges as an alternative to linear models, demanding digital tools for real-time data collection, integration, and analysis. In this context, Digital Twins (DTs) offer virtual environments where urban resource flows can be mapped, simulated, and optimized holistically. This study is part of a larger research aimed at developing a DT protocol for urban circularity in knowledge territories. It investigates how DTs can foster urban circularity in support of responsive urbanism, drawing on a Systematic Literature Review and a Focus Groups Workshop. Findings reveal that, although DTs hold significant potential for enhancing urban governance, there is a lack of practical applications, guidelines, and data integration methods. To be effective, DTs should be coordinated across different government levels and sectors. Additionally, public participation, enabled by digital platforms, is essential to ensure inclusive and successful circularity strategies.