Scoping study

The scoping study was used to determine gaps and needs in current urban sustainability assessment tools, and develop the proposal for the main programme of research which would address key priorities identified.

During the study, 675 tools applicable to the assessment of sustainability in regard to urban developments were identified with 165 of these undergoing evaluations against a series of criteria identified as important for the integrated assessment of urban sustainability. Additionally, stakeholders, including urban decision makers and tool developers, were canvassed on the strengths and weaknesses of current assessment tools, and on future user requirements.

The results of the work confirmed that there is no tool currently capable of simultaneously covering all assessment criteria but demonstrated the need not for a new tool but a framework that integrates those that already exist. Consequently, the main programme seeks to development an Integrated Sustainability Assessment Toolkit (ISAT).

Main outputs:

• A bid document outlining the research to be undertaken in the main programme
• Report on environmental tools
• Report on socio-economic tools
• Reports on stakeholder workshops
• Journal paper