CoolWalk Sofia: Outdoor Thermal Environment Experiment in Sofia
Bulgaria
Resilience, Community, TechnologyFO
Foundation KyoLink Bulgaria
Bulgaria
NonprofitKyoLink Bulgaria is a non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening academic, cultural, business, technological, and investment cooperation between Asia and Europe, with a strategic focus on Bulgaria and Japan. The Foundation connects ideas with implementation, research with industry, innovation with investment, and Europe with Asia—building long-term partnerships based on trust, shared values, and mutual growth. KyoLink Bulgaria focuses on some of today’s most important challenges, including climate resilience, sustainable urban development, digital transformation, intelligent technologies, innovation, and entrepreneurship. It brings together universities, municipalities, researchers, companies, investors, and technology partners to transform international knowledge and expertise into practical solutions with measurable local impact.
Project story
CoolWalk Sofia 2026: Building a Climate-Resilient City
Sofia is heating up—and KyoLink Bulgaria, Sofia Municipality, and The Collective Foundation are taking action.
CoolWalk Sofia 2026 was an innovative field experiment designed to reveal how urban design and green spaces shape our city's temperature and comfort. Two contrasting routes told the story: a leafy green corridor along the Perlovska River versus the concrete-dominated Vasil Levski Boulevard.
On August 19th, experts and volunteers fanned out with thermal imaging cameras, GPS trackers, and sensors to capture real-time data during peak heat (3 PM) and evening hours (8 PM). This dual timing revealed crucial insights into the Urban Heat Island effect and how different environments cool overnight.
The experiment went beyond temperature readings. Participants' physiological responses and comfort assessments provided human-centered data that pure measurements alone cannot capture.
By bridging Japanese climate adaptation expertise with Sofia's unique needs, this project demonstrates what's possible when science meets collaboration. Local government, nonprofits, experts, and citizens working together don't just collect data—they create pathways to tangible urban solutions that keep our city livable.
Photo Credit: Ivan Shishiev
Project updates
Team
CoolWalk Sofia: Outdoor Thermal Environment Experiment in Sofia
Bulgaria
Resilience, Community, TechnologyFO
Foundation KyoLink Bulgaria
Bulgaria
NonprofitKyoLink Bulgaria is a non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening academic, cultural, business, technological, and investment cooperation between Asia and Europe, with a strategic focus on Bulgaria and Japan. The Foundation connects ideas with implementation, research with industry, innovation with investment, and Europe with Asia—building long-term partnerships based on trust, shared values, and mutual growth. KyoLink Bulgaria focuses on some of today’s most important challenges, including climate resilience, sustainable urban development, digital transformation, intelligent technologies, innovation, and entrepreneurship. It brings together universities, municipalities, researchers, companies, investors, and technology partners to transform international knowledge and expertise into practical solutions with measurable local impact.
Project story
CoolWalk Sofia 2026: Building a Climate-Resilient City
Sofia is heating up—and KyoLink Bulgaria, Sofia Municipality, and The Collective Foundation are taking action.
CoolWalk Sofia 2026 was an innovative field experiment designed to reveal how urban design and green spaces shape our city's temperature and comfort. Two contrasting routes told the story: a leafy green corridor along the Perlovska River versus the concrete-dominated Vasil Levski Boulevard.
On August 19th, experts and volunteers fanned out with thermal imaging cameras, GPS trackers, and sensors to capture real-time data during peak heat (3 PM) and evening hours (8 PM). This dual timing revealed crucial insights into the Urban Heat Island effect and how different environments cool overnight.
The experiment went beyond temperature readings. Participants' physiological responses and comfort assessments provided human-centered data that pure measurements alone cannot capture.
By bridging Japanese climate adaptation expertise with Sofia's unique needs, this project demonstrates what's possible when science meets collaboration. Local government, nonprofits, experts, and citizens working together don't just collect data—they create pathways to tangible urban solutions that keep our city livable.
Photo Credit: Ivan Shishiev
Project updates
Team
Location
Bulgaria