Since the start of the preparation phase began in January 2025, EBC Annex 97 / Cities TCP Task 5 “Sustainable Cooling in Cities” has steadily gained momentum. A key event during this period was the two-day workshop held in Vienna, Austria on 10^th and 11^th of April 2025. Experts from a variety of countries gathered to discuss the structure of the upcoming work and agree on the main priorities for the following months.

One central focus of the meeting was coordinating the State of the Art Report. This document will provide a shared basis for the project by summarizing existing knowledge on urban cooling. During the meeting participants agreed on a common structure. The final report is expected to be completed by the end of September. If you would like to contribute to the State of the Art Report, please get in touch with the operating agent team. Their contact details can be found at the end of this article.

At the workshop, the subtask leaders also presented the current status of their workplans, outlining the structure and the thematic focus of each activity within their subtask:

• Subtask A focuses on establishing a shared knowledge base, including key concepts, performance indicators, and boundary conditions relevant to urban cooling.
• Subtask B addresses modelling and measurement methods, with an emphasis on applicability across scales and urban contexts.
• Subtask C reviews and analyses existing and emerging cooling strategies, aiming to identify effective and transferable approaches.
• Subtask D concentrates on the analysis of policies and frameworks, with the goal of developing guidance for decision-making at local and national levels.

In addition to discussing and shaping the upcoming work several national research projects were presented during the workshop, illustrating the wide range of approaches currently being explored in the field of sustainable urban cooling. Among others, these included studies on indoor – outdoor energy interactions, AI-based analyses of urban morphology, the development of smart materials for passive cooling and health impacts of extreme heat.

To support ongoing exchange, a LinkedIn group dedicated to Annex 97/Task 5 “Sustainable Cooling in Cities” has been launched. This space will serve as the main platform for sharing interim results, relevant events, and useful publications. It also offers an opportunity for informal networking and collaboration across countries and disciplines.

Join the LinkedIn group here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/10088501/

With regular online meetings underway and the next preparation meeting scheduled for September 23^rd in Montreal, Annex 97/Task 5 “Sustainable Cooling in Cities” is moving forward with a strong international team and a shared commitment to advancing knowledge and practice in sustainable urban cooling.

For further information please contact Peter Holzer or Philipp Stern .