On October 24, 2025, the conference “Urban Regeneration: Catania Sponge City – From Project Hypothesis to Possible Reality” was held at Sicilia Fiere, as part of Garden Day, the fair dedicated to gardening and floriculture. The initiative, promoted by ANCE Catania in collaboration with the Sicilian Region, the Municipalities of Catania and Misterbianco, Confcommercio, Mamu Eventi, Expo Mediterraneo, IFerr, and with the contribution of CSEI Catania and the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A) of the University of Catania, served as a platform for dialogue among institutions, designers, academics, and green professionals. The event encouraged participants to rethink the city as a living, resilient organism, capable of absorbing, retaining, and reusing natural resources, promoting a more sustainable, permeable, and inclusive Catania. The discussion emphasized the urgency of moving beyond the logic of simply repairing environmental damage, advocating instead for preventive and regenerative strategies.
Salvatore Messina, Vice President of ANCE Catania, opened and moderated the meeting, stressing the intention to move past the traditional image of the construction sector as mere “cement builders” and toward a more sustainable vision of the city. Among the main goals, he outlined the transformation of Catania into a “sponge city”, capable of absorbing, filtering, and reusing rainwater, thus creating a new balance between the environment and urban development. Messina also highlighted the role of urban parks as centers of inclusion and innovation, born from collaboration among institutions, citizens, and private actors. The overarching objective is to renew a pact with the environment, promoting the creation of “green spines” that occupy at least the same surface area as paved zones, fostering a more livable, economical, and environmentally conscious city. mIn this regard, engineer Augusto Ortoleva reiterated the need to combine urban growth with environmental protection through sustainable design.
This reflection was echoed by Professor Giuseppe Cirelli of the Di3A Department at the University of Catania, who, on behalf of Director Professor Mario D’Amico, remarked:
“Seventy-five percent of Europe’s population lives in urban areas, which requires a paradigm shift we must be resilient and operate with a green mindset.” Achieving this goal calls for planning approaches that combat soil sealing, such as Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS). “Good hydraulic engineering,” Cirelli added, “can also be achieved by adopting technical solutions that include natural elements, making urban spaces more livable and sustainable.”
In recent years, the European Union has intensified efforts on these issues, as the frequency and intensity of rainfall events have increased, while existing infrastructures can no longer manage the rising water volumes.
“In cities such as Valencia, Rotterdam, and many others,” explained Cirelli, “we are observing growing challenges due to extreme rainfall events and poor maintenance. We must begin to act: our main issue lies in excessive artificialization and the progressive sealing of soil. In the past twenty years, urbanized areas have increased by 20%. To address this, several countries are experimenting with depaving—removing impermeable surfaces and replacing them with green spaces.”
A concrete example is the GIFLUID project, which installed a green roof on the Di3A department building. This structure can absorb up to 40% of rainwater and lower surface temperatures, improving environmental quality and biodiversity.
“An equally important effect,” added Cirelli, “is the energy impact: during summer, we measured surface temperatures of up to 60 °C on the roof, while just 20 cm below the soil layer, temperatures dropped to 21–22 °C.”
Another particularly innovative example for the city is the “rain garden” to be created at Tondo Gioeni, in collaboration with the Municipality of Catania and IRIDRA of Florence, as Demosite 4.1 of the CARDIMED Project – Climate Adaptation and Resilience Demonstrated in the Mediterranean Region, funded by the Horizon 2020 program. This initiative represents not just a green infrastructure, but also a symbol of resilience and renewed harmony between the city, the environment, and its community. The project aims to strengthen Catania’s ecological and social resilience through integrated strategies of climate adaptation, natural capital enhancement, and sustainable rainwater management. The selected plants act as natural filters, capable of absorbing metals and other pollutants, while also mitigating urban flood risks and heat island effects.
The discussion also involved local administrations. Lara Riguccio, Director of the Environment, Ecology, and Public Green Spaces Department of the Municipality of Catania, reaffirmed the city’s openness to collaborate with universities and professionals to initiate a new phase of sustainable development, where green infrastructures gain true economic and social value. She cited the “Catania Green” project, based on nature-based solutions, designed to integrate urban and rural environments while enhancing hydrogeological protection.
Marco Corsaro, Mayor of Misterbianco, accompanied by Deputy Mayor Santo Tirendi, emphasized the need to invest in underground utilities and promote an integrated territorial management approach, noting the consequences of past inattention to hydraulic issues. He called for greater synergy between municipalities and universities to meet the technical challenges posed by climate change.
Lastly, Francesco Patanè, nurseryman and owner of Vivai Patanè Garden Center in Aci Catena, underlined the importance of selecting appropriate plant species not only native varieties, but also resilient, low-maintenance ones capable of improving air quality, purifying water, and supporting pollinators.
The conference concluded with a shared vision: to build a Catania that is both environmentally and socially permeable, where peripheral areas reconnect with the city center, and public spaces become open, vibrant, and inclusive. The event served as an important opportunity for dialogue and exchange of best practices among local administrations, professionals, and academia, with the common goal of advancing urban and environmental regeneration strategies for Catania’s future.
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Check out the photos from the event here
