In this paper we present a study on the use of remote sensing data combined to the 3D modeling of radiative transfer (RT) and energy balance in urban canopies in the aim to improve our knowledge on anthropogenic heat fluxes in several European cities (London, Basel, Heraklion, and Toulouse). The approach is based on the forcing by the use of LandSAT8 data of a coupled radiative transfer model DART (Direct Anisotropic Radiative Transfer) (www.cesbio.upstlse.fr/dart) with an energy balance module. LandSAT8 visible remote sensing data is used to better parametrize the albedo of the urban canopy and thermal remote sensing data is used to enhance the anthropogenic component in the coupled model. This work is conducted in the frame of the H2020 project URBANFLUXES, which aim is to improve the efficiency of remote-sensing data usage for the determination of the anthropogenic heat fluxes in urban canopies [5].