Route 1: Asprela Central Park, Energy Community, and Community Composting Island

On October 14, the first “Roteiro com ImPacto” took place, an initiative created under the Porto Climate Pact. Its goal is to bring citizens closer to the concrete actions being developed to build a more sustainable city that is resilient to climate change.

Filipe Araújo, Vice-President of the Porto City Council and head of the Innovation and Environment Department, opened the event, emphasizing the importance of active citizen involvement in the climate transition. He also highlighted the various ongoing initiatives in the city aimed at carbon neutrality and sustainable development, as well as the need for stakeholder engagement and commitment.

The first route, which started at Asprela Central Park, featured Architect José Lameiras, who presented how the park was carefully designed and discussed the nature-based solutions implemented there. He explained how the park retains water from heavy rainfall and nearby streams, promoting soil infiltration and aquifer recharge, thus benefiting the local population, including the university, the hospital, and the Portuguese Oncology Institute (IPO). As a community park, Asprela Central Park is a gathering place for sports and outdoor leisure activities, promoting a healthier and more active lifestyle for all visitors. During the visit, the social dynamics fostered by this space became very evident.

Architect José Lameiras also underscored the importance of continuing to design spaces that, in a controlled manner, allow for flooding and aquifer recharge, helping to prevent extreme situations that are expected to become increasingly frequent.

The second stop on the route took participants to the Agra do Amial Energy Community, where representatives from the Porto Energy Agency shared information about how the renewable energy community works. This energy community, which connects more than 180 families, already has an energy production capacity that at times exceeds consumption needs, so the surplus is stored in systems that reuse batteries from the automotive industry. The Agency also highlighted how this project helps combat energy poverty by empowering residents and reducing their energy consumption and bills.

At the final stop on the route, LIPOR presented the concept and workings of the Community Composting Island at Praça do Cávado. This space allows local residents to engage in community composting of organic waste, transforming it into resources for the community and promoting a circular economy. This project—resulting from a partnership between LIPOR and Porto Ambiente—is overseen by a Composting Master, who answers questions from the community, supervises the process, and ensures its proper functioning. It is one of several ways to implement the “Orgânico” (Organic) project in the city, through local treatment focused on an engaged and present community.