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The SEI Urban Toolbox for Liveable Cities is a collection of different SEI tools, methods, approaches relevant for urban planning and development activities. The Urban Toolbox originates from SEI’s City Health and Well-being (CHeW) Initiative and aims to enable more inclusive urban planning practices.
Last updated on 26 June 2024
Rosie Witton / rosie.witton@sei.orgKate Williamson / kate.williamson@sei.org
In response to the challenges and opportunities posed by rapid urbanization, the SEI Urban Toolbox for Liveable Cities was developed as part of the City Health and Wellbeing (CHeW) Initiative. This comprehensive online resource is designed to support stakeholders in navigating the complexities of urban development, offering accessible, actionable tools aimed at fostering healthier, more sustainable urban environments.
The Urban Toolbox aggregates a wide array of SEI’s urban-focused tools, providing users with the necessary resources to assess and address the multifaceted aspects of city planning and development. By facilitating the integration of ecological considerations into urban infrastructure projects, the Urban Toolbox aids in the creation of cities that are not only more liveable but also equitable and resilient.
Although the Urban Toolbox has a global applicability, it has been particularly impactful in regions where rapid urban growth challenges sustainability and health, such as in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The CHeW team carried out consultations with city representatives in Thailand, Kenya and Bolivia, to co-design the Urban Toolbox and ensure the end product is both accessible and useful for people involved in urban planning and development.
Interconnected with other SEI tools and initiatives, the Urban Toolbox enhances its offerings through synergy, providing a richer, more diverse set of solutions for urban challenges. Access to the Urban Toolbox is straightforward and user-friendly, hosted on the collaborative weADAPT platform. Tool users can join an online community, read case studies, watch videos of the featured tools being used in practice. These resources not only offer detailed instructions on tool utilization but also present opportunities for engagement through community participation and knowledge sharing.
The SEI Urban Toolbox for Liveable Cities is designed with a broad spectrum of urban stakeholders in mind, recognizing the diverse needs and roles within urban development and planning. Its users range from local government officials and municipal planners to community organizers, civil society groups, and urban researchers. By catering to a wide audience, the Urban Toolbox ensures that its resources are not only accessible but also adaptable to different contexts and levels of expertise. Each featured tool includes case studies and guidance for usage, including whether any specialist knowledge is required for application.
From spatial analysis and environmental impact assessments to community engagement frameworks and policy evaluation models, the Urban Toolbox offers a comprehensive toolkit for urban practitioners. Each tool within the Toolbox comes with detailed guidance on its application, including case studies, instructional videos, and technical support resources, ensuring that users can effectively leverage these resources in their work.
Environmental quality and ecosystem services | Neighbourhood conditions | Residents’ well-being | Cross-cutting |
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B.GREEN Handbook [Green Infrastructure] |
Creative Drawing Approach [Creative Engagement] |
Wellbeing Surveys and Tools [Mental Health] |
EGESTABASE [Waste, Water and Sanitation] |
Citizen science and air pollution [Citizen Science] |
Digital Storytelling Tool [Creative Engagement] |
Empowerment in WASH Index Tool [Water and Sanitation] |
|
Co-create Citizen Science [Citizen Science] |
Musical Approaches [Creative Engagement] |
MapStakes [Engagement] |
|
LEAP (low emissions analysis platform) [Air Quality] |
Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) [Citizen Science] |
Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) [Engagement] |
|
PURE (Peri-Urban Resilient Ecosystems) [Scenario Planning] |
REVAMP (within Urban Circle) [Urban Waste] |
SDG Synergies [Engagement] |
|
WASH Flows Tool [Water and Sanitation] |
WEAP (water evaluation and planning) [Water and Sanitation] |
The SEI Urban Toolbox for Liveable Cities was officially launched in 2023, emerging from the insights and experiences gained through the City Health and Wellbeing (CHeW) Initiative.
Recognizing that for inclusive and sustainable cities, planning processes need to be participatory, the SEI team set out to consolidate and streamline access to a variety of urban planning tools. The primary goal behind the creation of the Urban Toolbox was to empower urban stakeholders by providing them with the knowledge, tools, and community support needed to tackle the complex issues associated with urban growth. By equipping users with a comprehensive suite of resources, the Urban Toolbox helps to enhance the capacity of cities to plan and implement development projects that prioritize health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
Through consultations with urban stakeholders, the Urban Toolbox has been co-designed to address the challenges they face in terms of accessing user-friendly resources with clear guidance for usage. The co-design process is described in the discussion brief: The SEI Urban Toolbox for Liveable Cities: co-designing an accessible urban resource.
By hosting the Urban Toolbox on weADAPT, urban stakeholders are able to share their insights and experiences from applying the different SEI tools with other urban stakeholders. This will provide more examples and case studies of how these tools can be applied and tailored to different contexts, and support learning on best practices for their implementation. Integration with weADAPT also supports networking and discussion between those using and contributing to the Urban Toolbox, supporting knowledge exchange and collaboration.
As the Urban Toolbox is a living resource, it can be continually reviewed and updated to add in new relevant tools as they are developed, with the weADAPT platform enabling new tool developers to provide the necessary information for inclusion in the Urban Toolbox.
SEI brief / The Urban Toolbox has been designed to address the challenges urban stakeholders face in accessing user-friendly resources with clear guidance for usage.
11 May 2023 / About Cities
Feature / Join SEI researchers in this new podcast series as they explore the pressing issues around how rapidly growing cities are affecting our well-being.
17 May 2023 / About Cities, Innovation, Participation, Pollution, Sustainable Development Goals, Transport and Wellbeing
Initiative / This initiative investigates how rapidly growing cities affect residents' wellbeing and how this interacts with the overall health of city systems.
2018 - 2023 / About Cities, Innovation, Participation, Pollution, Sustainable Development Goals, Transport and Wellbeing
As a “living” toolbox, the Urban Toolbox is continually evolving. It is designed to be adaptive, with the potential for new tools and case studies to be added to reflect the latest in urban development practice and research. Members of the Urban Toolbox network on the weADAPT platform are encouraged to contribute their experiences, fostering a collaborative environment where knowledge and best practices are freely exchanged. By joining this vibrant community, stakeholders can stay at the forefront of urban development innovations and actively participate in the co-creation of future resources.
Become a member of the SEI Urban Toolbox for Liveable Cities network on the weADAPT platform to be the first to know about new developments and to upload and promote your Urban Toolbox-related articles and case studies.
Initiative / This initiative investigates how rapidly growing cities affect residents' wellbeing and how this interacts with the overall health of city systems.
2018 - 2023 / About Cities, Innovation, Participation, Pollution, Sustainable Development Goals, Transport and Wellbeing
SEI brief / This policy brief details how Colombia's efforts to reduce deforestation can conflict with other environmental policies and goals, such as the 2030 Agenda.
2 December 2024 / About Climate policy, Forests, Public policy and Sustainable Development Goals
Perspective / SEI delegates share their key COP29 takeaways and next-stage expectations.
28 November 2024 / About Adaptation, Climate policy, Finance, Fossil fuels and Mitigation
Perspective / Katy Harris and Richard J.T. Klein argue that COP29 made modest gains, like the Baku Adaptation Road Map, but lacked the ambition needed for real progress.
28 November 2024 / About Adaptation, Climate policy, Disaster Risk, Finance and Participation
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