Traditional urban green infrastructure design has often prioritised aesthetic criteria, highlighting a lack of systematic approaches to maximising ecosystem services. However, today's urban greening projects increasingly focus on the functional role of plants in mitigating critical environmental issues such as urban heat islands, air and soil contamination, flood risk and biodiversity loss.

The aim of this project is to develop a web platform for selecting and comparing plant species based on specific functional traits. The objective is to optimize performance across three macro-areas: urban landscapes, biodiversity and human health. This tool will provide planners, agronomists, and public administrations with a scientifically valid instrument for integrating Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) into territorial planning.

Funded by the Campania Region as part of the RIS3 2021–2027 programme, this research forms part of the Industrial PhD programme in 'Technologies for Resilient Living Environments' at the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. The project is being carried out in collaboration with Barretta Srl to ensure that scientific knowledge is transferred into practical urban planning tools.

The interdisciplinary methodology combines botany, ecology, computer science and technology transfer. The first phase involves analysing key functional traits relevant to urban resilience, including reducing pollutants and tolerating water or salt stress. Around 100 species will be catalogued by integrating bibliographic data with standardised field measurements in Naples and Caserta. The second phase will involve the development of a database and related tools to populate, organize, friendly present and analyse such data.

Ultimately, the project will significantly enhance digital environmental design skills, while strengthening collaboration between academia and industry for sustainable urban environments.