Urban Lab

The Urban Lab is the Space Impact Forum’s hub for sustainable cities, smart infrastructure, and resilient urban systems. By combining satellite data, geospatial analytics, and multi-stakeholder expertise, we develop solutions that enhance urban planning, optimise resource management, and improve quality of life in cities worldwide.

Mission

Urban Impact Labs address critical challenges in cities and built environments. By combining expertise from urban planning, smart technologies, policy, and sustainability sectors, Labs co-create solutions to improve mobility, infrastructure efficiency, livability, and climate resilience.

Key Challenges

Urban Mobility & Transport

Optimising public transport, reducing congestion, and promoting sustainable mobility solutions.

Smart Infrastructure & Energy

Integrating IoT, sensors, and renewable energy into buildings and city services for efficiency and resilience.

Climate Resilience & Adaptation

Designing cities that withstand climate impacts, extreme weather, and environmental stressors.

Resource Efficiency & Circularity

Reducing urban resource consumption, waste, and water usage while promoting circular city models.

Digital & Data Integration

Leveraging urban data, GIS, and analytics for planning, monitoring, and informed decision-making.

Policy & Governance Gaps

Establishing frameworks and regulations to support sustainable urban growth and equitable city planning.

Methodology

Scoping & Research
  • Map urban challenges and identify priority areas
  • Engage city authorities, stakeholders, and communities
  • Set measurable KPIs and risk assessments
Formation & Onboarding
  • Recruit multidisciplinary Working Group
  • Define roles, governance, and communication protocols
  • Provide methodology, ToC, LogFrame, and evaluation briefings
Co-Design Workshops
  • Facilitate systems mapping, scenario planning, and opportunity identification
  • Analyse barriers, enablers, and impacts
  • Draft prototypes and intervention pathways
Prototyping & Validation
  • Develop pilots, smart city models, and urban policy frameworks
  • Test feasibility, stakeholder acceptance, and impact potential
  • Refine solutions based on real-world trials
Publication & Dissemination
  • Produce reports, dashboards, toolkits, and policy briefs
  • Share insights via webinars, panels, and SIF channels
  • Engage policymakers, developers, and city managers for adoption
Implementation & Scaling
  • Establish partnerships, consortia, and collaborative programs
  • Identify funding pathways and pilot opportunities
  • Support scale-up and monitor long-term outcomes

Participants

City Authorities & Planners

Municipal governments and urban planning agencies providing policy and implementation insight.

Tech & Smart City Partners

Innovators delivering IoT, mobility, data analytics, and sustainable infrastructure solutions.

Researchers & Academics

Urban scientists, engineers, and social researchers contributing evidence-based insights.

Policy & Regulators

Ensure alignment with regulations, standards, and sustainability targets for cities.

Investors & NGOs

Support funding, scaling, and social outcomes across urban innovation initiatives.

Cross-Sector Collaborators

Organizations in transport, infrastructure, energy, and urban sustainability contributing expertise.

Expected Outcomes

Pilots & Proof-of-Concepts

Operational smart city initiatives, mobility programs, and pilot urban projects.

Policy & Regulatory Guidance

Evidence-based urban policy briefs, guidelines, and recommendations.

Urban Toolkits

Dashboards, standards, and planning toolkits for sustainable urban development.

Partnerships & Collaboration

Consortia, MoUs, and collaborative agreements to drive urban innovation.

Research & Insights

Publications, datasets, and case studies enabling evidence-based urban interventions.

Scale-Up Strategies

Roadmaps, funding proposals, and pilot plans for wider adoption in urban systems.

Take Action with Urban Impact Labs

Help shape the cities of tomorrow. Collaborate as a contributor, technical partner, data provider, sponsor, or observer to co-create solutions, pilot initiatives, and deliver measurable impact across mobility, infrastructure, resilience, and urban sustainability.

Join a Lab Today