Improvement of sustainable management of thermal natural resources in Colli Euganei protected area

Veneto Region and Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Italy

Map of North-Eastern of Italy, Veneto Region and Euganean Hills in which Thermal Euganean Basin is located

Map of North-Eastern of Italy, Veneto Region and Euganean Hills in which Thermal Euganean Basin is located


Main challenges and aim:

The aim was to innovate existing monitoring procedures of the thermal areas of the Euganean Thermal Basin and to manage the water management systems through a sustainable way by the contribution of policies, practices and other pilot actions. The main challenge was addressing all thermal water management systems at regional level into a local-based innovative approach that could improve thermal sector and on the other side collecting, into a strategic structure, all existing environmental resources and impacts of the Euganean Thermal Basin of Veneto Region, including also those from Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.

The content:

This pilot action had the mission to give a virtuous benchmark on thermal resource sustainable exploitation at transnational, regional and local levels through technological transference and its replication.

Main indicators:

  • Number of stakeholders involved at local and regional levels.
  • Development of new ICT tools.
  • Number of interested citizens to main actions.


What is new?

  • An adaptable & user-friendly WebApp for thermal water resource management.
  • Promotional ICT campaign through VR experience called “Our Thermae: from the Romans to nowadays”

Local results of the pilot action:

In the pilot action, all relevant local and regional stakeholders and sectoral experts have been involved in the innovating process, in fact many local meetings in Abano – Montegrotto Terme took place that served as starting and straight-to-the-point strategy to develop an adaptable & user-friendly WebApp. This latter gathers and manages the thermal water resource data (such as consumption data on wells) and environmental sustainability (biodiversity, geology and landscapes) by helping thermal managers and technicians to address and monitor water data. As to ensure knowledge transfer, PP11 and associated partners organized training course on WebApp usage and further improvements; in addition, PP11 and local stakeholders got local agreements on contents’ exchange and specific workflow, since the tool is demonstrative in the field. Furthermore, the pilot action has ensured thermal resource sensitization and promotional ICT campaign through VR experience called “Our Thermae: from the Romans to nowadays”, which has been implemented through a storyboard with relevant information from thermal historical and touristic point of view.

Contribution of a sustainable development:

Since the very beginning, the pilot results (WebApp usability and further engagement) have been taken into account by local stakeholders: G.U.B.I.O.C.E in accordance also with ARPAV Veneto Region, Terme Colli Marketing, Veneto region, Municipalities of Abano Terme, Montegrotto Terme, Battaglia Terme, Teolo, Monselice, Due Carrare, Baone, Galzignano Terme, Arquà Petrarca, Torreglia, SPA Hotels – Aqua, Hotel delle Nazioni, Ariston Molino, Bristol Buja, Plaza, Marco Polo, Preistoriche and Belsoggiorno. All these stakeholders have differently contributed to the thermal water management and its scaling-up. Indeed, PP11 has ensured further replicability and transferability to other territories, such as with Acqui Terme Municipality through the active support of LAMORO Agency. The scope is exchanging ICT tool and its thermal VR experience from which both territories can enrich with new contents, thus creating thermal contents’ bridge fruitful for historical promotion and sustainable tourism.

The transnational added value:

Both ICT tools are adaptable, user-friendly and potentially improvable. The pilot action has ensured local and regional sustainability through specific agreements with interested stakeholders and transferred knowledge and expertise to another partner region in Italy (Acqui Terme city and in Friuli Venezia Giulia region). 

Important lessons learned from the pilot action:

Thermal stakeholders can cooperate between each other with co-creation meetings and cooperative actions in the field of thermal water management and sustainable territorial exploitation. ICT can facilitate existing monitoring system of thermal natural resource, firstly in the tested, validated and adapted territories of the Euganean Hills.

SPA view in the Thermal Euganean Basin

SPA view in the Thermal Euganean Basin

More information about Pilot Action Colli Euganei Protedted Area:

Inforgaphic on Pilot Action Colli Euganei

Immersive reality: VR experience called “Our Thermae: from the Romans to nowadays”

Local Training on APP tool use (and technological transfer of VR for thermal resource)– for its further dissemination 

Immersive Training and Awareness reality “Le nostre terme: dai Romani ai nostri giorni / Our Thermae: from the Romans to nowadays”