Sustainable Urban & Participatory Planning Summer School
Description of Assignment
In the CSuM2026 Sustainable Urban & Participatory Planning Summer School we will showcase smart and sustainable solutions for last mile delivery and learn how to evaluate and compare them using modular multistakeholder multicriteria evaluation which considers impact assessment techniques and employs decision making methodologies.
The Evalog platform comprises a web-based application that facilitates the establishment and combination of objectives, performance criteria, indicators and relevant weights to reveal stakeholders’ preferences and enables the estimation of the performance of urban logistics measures and policies.
Evalog has been developed under European Research Initiatives and is applicable for designing and evaluating urban logistics solutions to help cities and stakeholders achieve efficient urban deliveries and sustainable cities.
The participation of stakeholders and the active engagement of the local community in decision making are becoming pivotal in planning for sustainable mobility. Conventional participatory approaches, such as focus groups and workshops, with the support of contemporary digital tools are integrated into the transport planning process to enhance transparency, inclusiveness and advocacy.
The current European transport policy framework emphasizes both the role of public participation in developing and implementing effective planning measures and the importance of upgrading last mile delivery solutions for the promotion of sustainable mobility. These priorities are synthesized in the context of the CSuM2026 Summer School by capitalizing on the experience and output from two recently completed Erasmus+ projects, i.e. Couriers Go Green! and DEMo4PPL.
To put the methodology into practice, CSuM2026 Summer School participants will complete a two-step assignment that is structured as follows:
Pre-School: Participants will be provided with bibliography on two sustainable solutions for last-mile delivery prior to the CSuM2026. Each participant will select a case study and acquire an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the implementation of the alternative solutions in the study area. The participant is expected to summarize findings in a 1-page long document. The document should be submitted to ngavanas@uth.gr in advance of the CSuM2026 Community-Scale Sustainability Summer School and no later than June 23, 2026.
During Summer School: Participants will attend two summer school lectures (on urban logistics and participatory planning respectively) and relevant CSUM2026 presentations indicated by the instructors. Then, participants will engage into a hands-on workshop and will analyze a specific case study, which will be presented by the instructors. Based on the consolidated presentation of advantages and disadvantages, as derived from the pre-school assignment, they will identify the most advantageous solution for the examined case. Through their participation in a role-playing game, collaborating in Focus Groups (policy makers, stakeholders or residents) they will select criteria and assign weights using Evalog. Each Focus Group will give a short presentation of findings followed by a discussion, which will mark the conclusion of the CSuM2026 Sustainable Urban & Participatory Planning Summer School (July 3, 2026).
Note: The submission of the individual’s 1-page report (pre-school) and team PowerPoint presentation (during summer school) are required for successful completion of the Summer School requirements and receipt of the CSuM2026 Summer School completion certificate.
Details of Pre-School Assignment
Case study
Assume that you represent a planner working on the development of a new strategy for the upgrade and sustainable transition of last-mile delivery in a city or a specific urban agglomeration (e.g. city center, suburb, adjoining town of a wider metropolitan area). You are assigned to review international literature of two alternative solutions, namely cargo bikes and freight on transit, and provide a preliminary assessment of their advantages and disadvantages for the city to be further evaluated by the local authorities, stakeholders and residents through participatory activities and specialized evaluation tools.
Process and deliverables
- Select your study area and identify its main spatial, socio-economic and transport attributes
- Review the examined alternative solutions to understand the related potential (advantages) and challenges (disadvantages) in general and for the specific study area. Use the provided bibliography on Cargo Bikes and Freight on Transit, and possibly own research.
- Summarize your findings in a 1-page document. The document should include:
- Your study area
- Your name
- List of 3+ advantages in relation to the contribution of each alternative solution to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of last-mile delivery in the study area
- List of 3+ disadvantages of each alternative solution in regards to the feasibility of the implementation and technological and legal limitations and user acceptance.
- Submit your 1-page document to Dr. Nikolaos Gavanas via e-mail at ngavanas@uth.gr by June 23, 2026.
Bibliography
