Beneath our feet: why soil deserves the spotlight

Soil is more than dirt—it’s the lifeblood of ecosystems, agriculture, and climate resilience. On this World Soil Day, we explore why protecting this vital resource is essential for a sustainable future. “Soil is home to more than one-quarter of our planet’s biodiversity. Yet, we know only 1% of this universe,” (FAO). Beneath our feet lies […]

How a circular approach to wind turbine blades can make green energy truly regenerative

Wind turbines are symbols of clean energy, yet the looming issue of blade waste threatens to undermine their green reputation. Can a circular approach make wind energy truly regenerative?  From waste to renewal Wind energy plays a vital role in the transition to a low-carbon future, supported by global treaties like the Paris Agreement. However, […]

Restoration for Resilience: Advancing Europe’s Ecosystem Recovery by 2050

Written by Jamie Coles Europe faces a critical environmental crisis: over 80% of its natural habitats are degraded, threatening wildlife, human well-being, economic stability, and the future of generations to come. Our societies and economies fundamentally rely on healthy ecosystems for services like clean air, water, food production, and climate regulation. The degradation of these […]

Future-proofing homecare for Europe’s ageing population

Written by David Chadima As Europe’s population continues to age, the need for innovative homecare solutions is becoming increasingly urgent. The ACE project is stepping up to meet this challenge, conducting a series of workshops in late 2023 to uncover key insights and drive meaningful change. These workshops revealed crucial factors influencing the adoption of […]

United for zero-emissions: Europe’s collaborative push in EV innovation

As Europe drives towards a zero-emission future, the automotive industry lies at the heart of this transition. With ambitious targets set by the European Commission, manufacturers, research institutes, and policymakers are working together to develop sustainable electric vehicles (EVs) that meet stringent CO² reduction standards. This article explores how collaboration is essential to overcoming challenges […]

Urban Health: How cities influence chronic disease risk

We’re identifying and measuring the association between urban environment features and Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the HORUS project. How does the urban environment influence our health? Many factors related to our urban surroundings have an impact on our lifestyle choices, and therefore on our health. Studies show that up to 89% of our health is […]

Bax positions itself at the forefront of challenge-driven urban innovation with DUT partnership

Bax recently confirmed its commitment to progressing Europe’s sustainable urban future with the launch of a four-year collaboration with the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Partnership. The DUT Partnership is an intergovernmental research and innovation programme supporting much-needed urban transformation processes across Europe. It aims to strengthen capacities and tools to make urban change happen and […]

European Network for Urban Sharing Launches: Introducing Digital Kiosks

The Digital Kiosks Network has officially launched, promising to transform the sharing and rental economy.  Led by Bax, the new European network facilitates the sustainable implementation of sharing stations by working with more than 30 public authorities, housing providers, sharing station providers, brand manufacturers, researchers and sharing economy practitioners. “The Digital Kiosks network aims to […]

Revitalising Barcelona’s industrial Besòs district through healthy urban planning

Barcelona City Council has awarded Bax the opportunity to create an urban redevelopment strategy for one of the city’s biggest industrial districts. The neighbourhood surrounding the industrial zone is one of Barcelona’s most deprived areas, with a life expectancy 12 years below more affluent parts of the city. Our strategy imagines an Innovation District that […]

Human-centric urban design and active mobility create liveable cities

Written by Jamie Coles Imagine a city. What do you see? Tower blocks, perhaps, cutting through the sky. Perhaps a grid of tarmac—streets choked with the droning of car traffic. But consider the spaces between these blocks—the parks that soak up rainwater to prevent floods, shaded paths that cool the air, mitigating urban heat islands. […]

Developing Spain’s first cobalt-free lithium battery for electric vehicles

In a major advancement for electric mobility, our partners in COBRA have developed Spain’s first large-format cobalt-free lithium-ion battery prototype for electric vehicles. This development marks a crucial stride towards producing batteries that are not only environmentally friendlier, but ready to compete in the global market. Why cobalt-free batteries? Cobalt makes batteries work with greater durability and […]

Healthy Cities team win research award at international Healthy City Design Congress

Bax’s Healthy Cities team were invited to present at the Healthy City Design International Congress, showcasing their work on healthy city planning for more than 500 urban practitioners. The team’s work on the Healthy Cities Generator was awarded Best Research Paper of the Congress. Celebrating human-centred urban design The 2023 Healthy City Design International Congress […]

Why Europe’s towns and cities need a long-term roadmap for automated public mobility

Chronic bus driver shortages across Europe are threatening to push mobility transition goals off the road. Recent leaps in automated mobility technology could lead the way to low-marginal cost, high-frequency demand-responsive solutions. But where does this automation fit in a city’s mobility strategy and practical planning? Over the past six years, consultants of Bax spin-off […]

How we deployed autonomous vehicles across Europe in 2022

2022 was the year that Bax spin-off Pendel’s autonomous mobility service hit the road and showed public authorities and site operators what autonomous vehicles can really do. On a sunny morning in May 2022, a bus drove its passengers from the car park of the Port of Barcelona’s headquarters to the doors of the offices.  It […]