INSTITUTE
RESEARCH
Institute Research
The Institute for Urban Excellence aims to distil and further capitalise on urban knowledge by initiating, developing and managing collaborative research activities related to urban development. Within the research pillar, the Institute explores and identifies research topics and programmes, develops novel research ideas, investigates urban development trends, and actively participates in collaborative and cross-border research projects with our network of partners.
In our research projects we focus on a wide range of fields related to urban development, such as climate mitigation and adaptation, urban resilience, public spaces, smart cities, urban culture and heritage, etc., to actively contribute to the urban research community. We always seek for new programmes and collaboration with other partners and organisations to expand our networks of academics and professionals.
Current Projects
PLUS Change
Horizon Europe Project
PLUS Change (Planning Land Use Strategies: Meeting biodiversity, climate and social objectives in a changing world) aims to create strategies and decision-making processes for land use, addressing issues related climate change, biodiversity, and human well-being. The project focuses on understanding the relationships between urban, regional, and peri-urban areas. The ultimate goal is to generate knowledge and drive transformative change towards a sustainable world.
PLUS Change
Horizon Europe Project
PLUS Change (Planning Land Use Strategies: Meeting biodiversity, climate and social objectives in a changing world) aims to create strategies and decision-making processes for land use, addressing issues related climate change, biodiversity, and human well-being. The project focuses on understanding the relationships between urban, regional, and peri-urban areas. The ultimate goal is to generate knowledge and drive transformative change towards a sustainable world.
REGEN
Horizon Europe Project
REGEN (REGENeration of neighborhoods towards a low-carbon, inclusive and affordable built environment) aims to pave innovative pathways for the decarbonisation of European neighbourhoods and cities, while tackling socioeconomic, climate and built environment challenges. The project, granted funding by the Horizon Europe programme, will engage citizens and influence behavioural change to develop urban regeneration interventions.
REGEN
Horizon Europe Project
REGEN (REGENeration of neighborhoods towards a low-carbon, inclusive and affordable built environment) aims to pave innovative pathways for the decarbonisation of European neighbourhoods and cities, while tackling socioeconomic, climate and built environment challenges. The project, granted funding by the Horizon Europe programme, will engage citizens and influence behavioural change to develop urban regeneration interventions.
SPADES
Horizon Europe Project
SPADES (Spatial Planning and DEsign with Soil) aims to develop, test and implement soil-inclusive spatial planning strategies to support the transition towards soil health in Europe. The project will work in 17 pilots, covering a broad range of land uses (urban, peri-urban and rural areas), time and spatial scales, and soil and planning challenges.
SPADES
Horizon Europe Project
SPADES (Spatial Planning and DEsign with Soil) aims to develop, test and implement soil-inclusive spatial planning strategies to support the transition towards soil health in Europe. The project will work in 17 pilots, covering a broad range of land uses (urban, peri-urban and rural areas), time and spatial scales, and soil and planning challenges.
URBAN RETROFIT
UK Research and Innovation
Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the project will investigate how cities can be planned and ‘retrofitted’ for net-zero living, as well as conduct research on place-based approaches to an environmentally sustainable future, providing evidence to support local and national decision making.
URBAN RETROFIT
UK Research and Innovation
Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the project will investigate how cities can be planned and ‘retrofitted’ for net-zero living, as well as conduct research on place-based approaches to an environmentally sustainable future, providing evidence to support local and national decision making.
URSOILL
Horizon Europe Project
Funded by Horizon Europe as part of the EU Mission ’A Soil Deal for Europe’, URSOILL focuses on developing innovative solutions for urban soil restoration through a network of five Living Labs located across Europe. It aims to co-create and test practical solutions that restore soil functions, enhance climate resilience, and improve the quality of life in cities.
URSOILL
Horizon Europe Project
Funded by Horizon Europe as part of the EU Mission ’A Soil Deal for Europe’, URSOILL focuses on developing innovative solutions for urban soil restoration through a network of five Living Labs located across Europe. It aims to co-create and test practical solutions that restore soil functions, enhance climate resilience, and improve the quality of life in cities.
SPURUP
Horizon Europe Project
Funded by Horizon Europe, the SpurUP project focuses on transforming peri-urban areas into hubs of climate-neutral innovation and social equity. The project aims to bridge the gap between fragmented governance and intense environmental pressures by supporting net-zero technologies, sustainable governance and inclusive strategies adapted to local needs.
SPURUP
Horizon Europe Project
The SpurUP project focuses on transforming peri-urban areas into hubs of climate-neutral innovation and social equity. The project aims to bridge the gap between fragmented governance and intense environmental pressures by supporting net-zero technologies, sustainable governance and inclusive strategies adapted to local needs.
Completed Projects
EU Horizon 2020 Project
JUSTNature was a nature-based solutions (NbS) project. Based on the principle of the right to ecological space, It brought about seven City Practice Labs (CiPeLs) to underline their ambition to achieve just transition toward low carbon cities.
EU Horizon Project
Democratising jUst Sustainability Transitions (DUST) project developed and operationalised novel participatory instruments for proactive and strategic citizen engagement in sustainability transitions at the regional scale. The project addressed a defining societal and democratic challenge for Europe, especially in structurally weak regions dependent on energy-intensive industries, which will be most affected by transitions towards a more sustainable future.
EU Horizon Project
Urban Planning and design ready for 2030 (UP2030) was a climate-neutral and smart cities project that aimed to provide “guidance” for cities to reach their climate-neutral goals. The project involved a total of 46 participants, including twelve countries from the European Union.
EU Horizon 2020 Project
VARCITIES was an ambitious project that put the citizens and the “human communities” at the centre of future cities’ vision. Seven Pilot Cities tested and implemented a series of innovative nature-based actions that support creativity, inclusivity, health, and happiness.
EU Horizon 2020 Project
+CityxChange (Positive City ExChange) is a smart city project that was granted funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme in the call for ‘Smart cities and communities.’ It brought the two aspiring Lighthouse Cities Trondheim (NO) and Limerick (IE) together with distinguished five Follower Cities to underline their ambition to achieve sustainable urban ecosystems that have zero emissions and establish a 100% renewable energy city-region by 2050.
EU Horizon 2020 Project
In order to achieve more sustainable and resilient societies, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are an important topic on the EU Research and Innovation policy agenda. The ThinkNature project was part of Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, and received funding under grant agreement No 730338. The objective of the ThinkNature project was the development of a multi-stakeholder communication platform that supports the understanding and the promotion of nature-based solutions in local, regional, EU and International level.
Institute Research News
Urban soils: a strategic infrastructure in urban planning
URSOILL Living Labs launch first local co-creation sessions
JUSTNature Final Event
SpurUP Kick-Off Meeting
iUE at the Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regions International Conference
SPADES 2nd General Assembly
Expanding our network: iUE joins the Adaptation Research Alliance
UP2030’s Final Event in Barcelona
Urban soils: a strategic infrastructure in urban planning
URSOILL Living Labs launch first local co-creation sessions
JUSTNature Final Event
SpurUP Kick-Off Meeting
iUE at the Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regions International Conference
SPADES 2nd General Assembly
Expanding our network: iUE joins the Adaptation Research Alliance