Smart Cities research theme

Title: Designing a multi-objective AI-based framework for sustainable and equitable liveable neighbourhoods.

Abstract: This research focuses on developing an artificial intelligence (AI)–driven, multi-objective decision-making framework to support the design and evaluation of sustainable and liveable urban neighbourhoods. The project integrates machine learning, optimisation techniques, and data-driven analysis to balance environmental, social, and technological indicators such as accessibility, equity, and urban quality of life. The aim is to provide scalable and practical tools that assist planners and policymakers in creating smarter, fairer, and more sustainable urban environments.

Director of Studies: Dr Ahsan Kazmi
Supervisors: Dr Elisa Covato; Professor Zaheer Khan

To achieve climate neutrality, cities in the EU Mission on “Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities” must reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net zero by 2030. This includes emissions from buildings, transport, and land use changes within the city (scope 1). The new CLMS-Cities (Copernicus Responding to EU Cities Mission) project aims to enhance Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) with additional tools that support local climate change mitigation efforts by monitoring GHG emissions. Focusing on ten cities initially labelled in 2023, CLMS-Cities will offer scalable and consistent products, integrating data from various sources. The project has received about €2 million from the European Commission, including €373,000 for UWE Bristol. Key partners include local governments, research institutions, and private sector companies from countries such as United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, and Italy all working together to support the Mission’s ambitious objectives. CLMS-Cities project is in collaboration with UWE Bristol’s Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments. (EU Commission, 2025-2028)  

For further information, contact Professor Zaheer Khan.

This is a three-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project with WASE Limited, funded by Innovate UK. This collaboration aims to drive innovation and create positive commercial impacts. WASE specialises in converting wastewater and organic waste into energy, helping clients reduce energy costs and carbon emissions. The partnership will develop a machine learning platform to optimise WASE’s technology, allowing customers to treat wastewater on-site while generating energy. This project will enhance system performance, reduce downtime, and improve waste management. This project  is a collaboration between academics from the Smart Cities and Artificial Intelligence themes of CSRC and from UWE Bristol’s School of Engineering. (Innovate UK, 2025-2028)

For further information, contact Professor Zaheer Khan.

SASMAP-15mC (Systems Approach to Shared Mobility, Accessibility and Proximity for the 15-Minute City) is investigating how shared mobility can support more inclusive and sustainable urban living. Working with partners from UK, Austria and Sweden, the project combines social science, mobility analytics, household travel data and advanced modelling to understand how everyday travel needs are shaped by factors such as caring responsibilities, accessibility and quality of life. Through co-design activities and urban living labs, SASMAP-15mC is developing evidence-based strategies, modelling, simulation and visualisations, and policy recommendations to reduce private car dependence and support the transition towards people-centred 15-minute cities. The project is applied in Bristol, Graz and Helsingborg. SASMAP-15mC project is in collaboration with UWE Bristol’s Centre for Transport and Society. (EU Horizon DUT and UKRI, 2025-2028)

For further information, contact Professor Zaheer Khan.

DigiCaRe (Reimagining Digital Mobility Platforms: Co-designing Gender-Responsive and Care-Aware Mobility Solutions) seeks to make urban mobility more inclusive by addressing the often-overlooked travel needs of women and people with caring responsibilities. Through collaboration between UK and Turkish researchers, the project is exploring how digital mobility platforms can better account for concerns such as safety, accessibility, childcare and caregiving journeys. By co-designing new mobility solutions and developing a prototype digital platform, DigiCaRe aims to support more equitable, accessible and responsive urban transport systems for diverse communities. The project is applied in Istanbul. Digi-CaRe project is in collaboration with UWE Bristol’s Centre for Transport and Society. (British Council ISPF, 2026-2028)

For further information, contact Professor Zaheer Khan.

The GREENGAGE project is about engaging citizens - mobilising technology - delivering the green deal. The GREENGAGE project brings together technology providers (mobile apps, Copernicus remote sensing, web tools, blockchain, AI/ML, visualisation, wearable sensors, IoT, UX, software engineering), social science, environmental and urban planning experts from seventeen organisations across Europe to develop citizen observatories across four pilots (Bristol, Copenhagen, Noord Brabant and Turano-Gerace). It leverages citizens’ participation and quips them with innovative digital solutions that will transform citizens’ engagement and cities’ effectiveness in delivering European Green Deal objectives for carbon neutral cities and shaping their climate mitigation and adaptation policies. The project has received about €3.58 million from the European Commission, and UWE Bristol received £477,000 funding through UKRI under the Horizon Guarantee scheme. Key partners include local governments, research institutions, and private sector companies from countries such as United Kingdom, Austria, Spain, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, and Italy. GREENGAGE project is a collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments. (EU Horizon Europe, 2023-2025)

For further information, contact Professor Zaheer Khan.

CURE (Copernicus for Urban Resilience in Europe) project addressed the complex challenges of urban resilience by developing advanced environmental intelligence services for cities. The project integrated data from Copernicus Core Services, Earth observation satellites, in-situ measurements and urban models to generate high-resolution information on climate, air quality, land use, thermal comfort, health and ecosystem services. By providing city-scale environmental insights and decision-support tools, CURE enabled local authorities and stakeholders to better understand climate-related risks and support evidence-based planning for more resilient and sustainable urban environments. The project received about €2.69 million funding from the European Commission, including €335,000 for UWE Bristol. Key partners include research institutions and private sector companies from countries such as United Kingdom, Greece, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Czech Republic, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy. CURE project was in collaboration with UWE Bristol's Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments. (EU Commission, 2025-2028)  

For further information, contact Professor Zaheer Khan.

SMARTICIPATE (Smart services for calculated impact assessment in open governance) developed an innovative citizen participation platform that transformed public data into actionable intelligence for urban planning and governance. By combining open data, 3D city models and interactive visualisation tools, the project enabled citizens to understand the impacts of proposed developments and contribute more effectively to planning decisions. Through pilots in Hamburg, Rome, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (London), SMARTICIPATE demonstrated how digital technologies can strengthen collaboration between citizens, businesses and public authorities, leading to more transparent, inclusive and data-driven urban decision-making. The project received about €2.99 million funding from the European Commission, including €486,000 for UWE Bristol. Key partners include public authorities, research institutions and private sector companies from countries such as United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Italy. Smarticipate project was in collaboration with UWE Bristol’s Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments. (EU Horizon 2020, 2020-2023)  

For further information, contact Professor Zaheer Khan.

DECUMANUS (Development and Consolidation of Geospatial Sustainability Services for Adaptation To Environmental and Climate Change Urban Impacts) developed a suite of sustainable geospatial information services to support urban planning, environmental management and climate adaptation across Europe. Building on Copernicus Earth Observation data, the project created innovative decision-support downstream services covering urban climate, land monitoring, energy efficiency, citizen health and population impact. Demonstrated in cities including Antwerp, Milan, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (London), Madrid and Helsinki, these services enabled public authorities and urban planners to make more informed decisions on resource management, environmental quality and sustainable city development while contributing to the future evolution of Copernicus urban services. The project received about €2.40 million funding from the European Commission, including €282,400 for UWE Bristol. Key partners include city and regional public authorities, research institutions and private sector companies from countries such as United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Finland, Austria and Italy. DECUMANUS project was in collaboration with UWE Bristol’s Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments. (EU FP7, 2013-2016)  

For further information, contact Professor Zaheer Khan.

UrbanAPI (Interactive Analysis, Simulation and Visualisation Tools for Urban Agile Policy Implementation) developed an innovative suite of digital tools to support evidence-based urban planning and policy making. By combining urban simulation, mobility analysis, 3D visualisation and participatory decision-support technologies, the project enabled policy makers, planners and citizens to better understand and evaluate the potential impacts of urban development scenarios before implementation. Through pilot deployments in Vienna, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Ruse, urbanAPI demonstrated how agile, data-driven approaches can enhance transparency, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and improve the effectiveness of urban governance and decision-making. The project received about €2.40 million funding from the European Commission, including €282,400 for UWE Bristol. Key partners include city and regional public authorities, research institutions and private sector companies from countries such as United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Austria, Bulgaria and Italy. UrbanAPIproject was in collaboration with UWE Bristol’s Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments.  (EU FP7, 2011-2014)

For further information, contact Professor Zaheer Khan.