Skip navigation
Night view of high-rise building next to a urban green space with bright street lamps
Tool

SEI Urban Toolbox for Liveable Cities

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.

Active

Last updated on 26 June 2024

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.

Available tools

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
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]

Co-design and development

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.

Team

Rosie Witton
Rosie Witton

Research Fellow

SEI Oxford

Kate Williamson
Kate Williamson

Research Associate

SEI Oxford

Steve Cinderby

Senior Research Fellow

SEI York

Diane Archer

Senior Research Fellow

SEI Asia

Jana Busch

Communications Specialist

Communications

SEI York

Rachel Pateman

Researcher

SEI York

Romanus Opiyo
Romanus Opiyo

Programme Leader

SEI Africa

Cassilde Muhoza

Research Fellow

SEI Africa

Howard Cambridge

Research Support Group Manager

SEI York

Heidi Tuhkanen

Senior Expert (Green and Circular Economic Transformations Unit)

SEI Tallinn

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.

Design and development by Soapbox.