“Sustainability in Urban Planning” – twin-city meeting and conference
Sustainability in Urban Planning – Conference in Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda)
Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda), October 17, 2025.
The conference titled “Sustainable Urban Planning” took place on October 17, 2025, in Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda), within the framework of the SUSCOMNET project (Project ID: 101138675). The event examined the correlations between urban planning, environmental protection, community participation, and innovation. Its goal was for the participating cities and professional partners to jointly formulate directions and recommendations for sustainable urban development and the protection of biodiversity. At the conference, municipal leaders, researchers, educators, and representatives of civil organizations shared their experiences, while simultaneously pointing out the role of sister city networks as key players in the implementation of local "Green Deals."
Opening and urban strategic frameworks
The conference was opened by Attila Korodi, Mayor of Miercurea Ciuc, who presented the city's sustainable development strategy. He emphasized that the impact of sustainability is particularly measurable in smaller cities, where the social consequences are directly perceivable. He explained that following the renewal of infrastructure, the developmental focus of Miercurea Ciuc has shifted toward improving the quality of life, strengthening environmental awareness, and expanding community participation. The city follows the "consciously smart city" concept, meaning that digitalization and eco-conscious planning are not ends in themselves, but tools serving to simplify daily urban life and make it healthier. The mayor highlighted that sustainability is a social responsibility built on the balance of the economy, the community, and the natural environment.
Sustainable design principles and best practices
Sándor Albert, chief architect of Miercurea Ciuc, presented the historical and theoretical background of sustainable urban planning. His presentation led from the philosophical roots of urban design to modern digital modeling, highlighting the practical significance of the “3–30–300 rule”: every resident should be able to see at least three trees, the canopy cover of the settlement should reach 30%, and everyone should be within 300 meters of a green space. The example of Miercurea Ciuc proves that urban livability and the strengthening of biodiversity can be achieved in harmony with one another.
István Béres, Gyula város főépítésze a fenntartható városfejlesztés jogi és intézményi hátterét elemezte. Áttekintést adott a magyar építési szabályozás fejlődéséről, és bemutatta, miként formálta a jogi környezet a városképet és a fejlesztési döntéseket. Gyula példáján keresztül rámutatott, hogy a történeti városmag megőrzése a modern várospolitika szerves része, amely képes egyensúlyt teremteni a kulturális örökség védelme és a jövő kihívásai között. Üzenete szerint a fenntartható építészet nem kizárólag műszaki kérdés, hanem jogi és etikai felelősség is.
Csaba Molnár, representing Gyula Public Utility Nonprofit Ltd., presented practical solutions for sustainable urban management. He detailed the work carried out in the fields of waste management, green space maintenance, stormwater management, and energy efficiency investments. The application of solar panel systems, heat pump solutions, and recycled building materials serves as a prime example of how the principles of a circular economy can be implemented in everyday urban life, creating both environmental and economic benefits.
Closing the session, János Puskás, Councilor of the City of Zrenjanin, presented the results of the “Green Zrenjanin – Zelena Agenda 2025” program. He detailed the implemented investments—including drinking water treatment developments, the rehabilitation of the Bega River, the installation of an air pollution monitoring network, and large-scale tree-planting programs. He highlighted that eco-friendly developments are not merely technological modernizations, but also tools for community awareness-raising and local responsibility.
Water management, health, and circularity
Csaba Bogáti, CEO of Harvíz Rt., presented the sustainable water management model of Miercurea Ciuc. He demonstrated that the regional service network currently provides for over 150,000 people, while reducing environmental impact—particularly in the areas of wastewater treatment, sludge utilization, and energy efficiency—remains a primary goal. GIS and SCADA systems enable real-time monitoring of operations, and solar power plants cover a significant portion of the sites' energy requirements. The speaker emphasized that water is not merely a technical resource, but also an ecological and social one, requiring a long-term, responsible approach.
Tamás Baranyai, a certified medical biotechnologist, drew a parallel between the functioning of the human body and the sustainability of cities in his presentation titled “Sustainability in the Human Body – Built Body, Living Machine.” He pointed out that urban systems can only function in the long term if they are capable of self-regulation, regeneration, and adaptation. His message was that sustainability is not exclusively an environmental issue: it has existential and cultural dimensions as well.
Edit Hajnal, certified human resources consultant and project coordinator, analyzed the relationship between sustainability and mental well-being in her presentation titled “Healing Cities – Community as the Foundation of Mental Health and Sustainable Cities.” She highlighted that urban spaces also represent a psychological environment: proximity to nature, community spaces, and social relationships reduce stress and improve quality of life. She pointed out that one of the strongest sources of well-being is community connection, which is a fundamental prerequisite for sustainable urban development.
Dr. Otilia György, in her presentation titled “How can a city become circular?”, outlined the theory of urban circularity and the steps for its implementation. Instead of a linear, consumption-centered model, she proposed the application of the “9R” framework (e.g., rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle). She highlighted that municipalities are decisive actors in the circular transition, which can be implemented through planning, execution, and investment phases.
Enikő Sógor, Vice-Mayor of Miercurea Ciuc, presented the experiences of local prevention and education programs in her presentation titled “Healthy City, Sustainable Community.” The “Happy School” initiative supports the mental health of teachers, students, and parents, offering a model that can be followed. The vice-mayor emphasized that a sustainable city is not merely a collection of green investments, but a community where health, empathy, and solidarity are fundamental values.
Education, critical approach, and heritage
Dr. Szilvia Beke, Vice-Dean of Gál Ferenc University, in her presentation titled “Sustainable Urban Planning – Sustainable Education,” highlighted that higher education is part of the urban ecosystem, not only transferring knowledge but also conveying a value-based perspective. She demonstrated how institutional programs—such as the Pensioners' Academy and the University Café—can strengthen knowledge sharing between generations and community connection.
György Fodor, a secondary school teacher, emphasized the significance of cooperation between public education and civil organizations. He pointed out that teaching sustainability is not solely an institutional task, but a space for community learning, where project-based methods provide real social experience and strengthen ecological and social responsibility.
Dr. Tamás Szilágyi, Research Fellow (PTE), examined the smart city concept from a critical perspective in his presentation titled “Digital Urbanism and the Myth of Control.” He highlighted that the promise of data-driven optimization can easily create an illusion of control, while potentially establishing new forms of social monitoring. He emphasized that sustainable urban development must place human scale, freedom, and community decision-making at its core.
Péter Jelenfi, philosopher and cultural researcher, analyzed the role of urban identity and memory in his presentation titled “Heritage as a Resource.” He pointed out that cultural heritage is not a “burden” of the past, but a resource shaping the future. A city remains livable only if it is capable of preserving and reinterpreting its own history.
The closing presentation of the day was held by Prof. Dr. Zsolt Nemeskéri, titled “Board Games in the Service of Sustainable Urban Development.” He demonstrated how serious games and simulations can help in understanding the complex dilemmas of urban planning. Participants can jointly "test" the consequences of decisions, which strengthens dialogue, trust, and cooperation.
The conference in Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda) clearly demonstrated that sustainability is not exclusively a technical, economic, or urban policy issue, but a process of comprehensive social change. Participants and speakers emphasized that the city of the future can only be truly livable if nature, human communities, and technology operate in balance, and if decision-making takes quality of life, community well-being, and cultural continuity as its guiding principles.
Sister city collaborations play a key role in this: they build practical and conceptual "bridges" between communities. The partnership between Gyula, Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda), Covasna (Kovászna), Komárom, Wągrowiec, and Zrenjanin (Nagybecskerek) proves that a sustainable transition can be achieved through collective thinking, mutual learning, and the exchange of experiences—transcending national borders.
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