Client: Cornellà del Llobregat city council
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Year: 2024-2025
The Cornellà Natura project, launched by the Cornellà de Llobregat City Council in 2016, aims to transform the city into a greener, healthier, and more climate-resilient environment. This urban transformation strategy focuses on renaturalizing public spaces, enhancing biodiversity, promoting sustainable mobility, and improving residents’ quality of life through the creation of new green areas, traffic calming, enhanced ecological corridors, and sustainable water management.
With over 18 public space interventions and a total investment exceeding 6 million euros, the project has reshaped many parts of the city. Now, with many of the planned actions implemented, the City Council has carried out a study to evaluate the real impact of Cornellà Natura on the city and its residents’ health.
Between October 2024 and May 2025, an in-depth impact assessment study was conducted to measure the effects of the Cornellà Natura project on the urban environment, well-being, and public health.
The study aimed not only to understand what has changed but also to provide useful data to guide future urban policies, plan with health and sustainability criteria, and raise public awareness of the benefits of a greener, people-centered city.
Study Methodology: Data, Mapping, and Urban Health
The study followed a rigorous, evidence-based methodology structured in three main phases:
1. Data and Indicator Identification
A comprehensive review of 444 data sources—both quantitative and qualitative—was carried out, involving local and regional institutions. From these, 312 key indicators were extracted and grouped into 16 areas of analysis, covering: Mobility, Green infrastructure, Energy and Environmental, physical, mental, and social health
2. Data Analysis and Visualization
The indicators were assessed both before and after the project’s implementation. The results were visualized through thematic maps and graphs, allowing for territorial comparison, identification of spatial patterns, and detection of strengths and areas for improvement.
3. Synthesis and Conclusions
Findings were compiled into thematic summary sheets and an overall city-level report, which presented the main impacts in a clear, structured way. These were used to formulate recommendations for guiding future urban and environmental planning.Additionally, the Healthy Cities Generator tool was used to estimate the project’s impact on public health and potential health cost savings. Based on scientific evidence, this tool links urban changes to 30 health indicators and evaluates how well the project responds to local health needs.
It is estimated that the environmental improvements generated an increase in life expectancy of 0.28 months per person, and a potential health cost saving of €368 per person per year.
Link to the full document: https://www.cornella.cat/ca/viure-a-cornella/cornella-natura/cornella-natura/el-projecte-cornella-natura
