URBAN RETROFIT
Scaling up place-based adaptations to the built environment
through planning and development systems
Urban RetroFit
Shaping sustainable places through smarter planning and design
The built environment contributes 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions
To meet net zero targets, we need to retrofit our cities—not just buildings, but entire urban areas.
While government funding has jump-started building retrofits, there’s an urgent need to overhaul the wider built environment to cut energy use, lower emissions, and promote sustainable living.
That’s where Urban Retrofit comes in.
Our Mission
Challenge outdated planning models and break down barriers to transforming cities—helping them adapt and thrive on the path to net zero.
Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Urban Retrofit is led by the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence.
Latest News
Large-Scale Urban Retrofits: Cases from Amherst and Paris
Authors Kimberly Amplement and Lucie Laurian compare two examples of retrofitting large greyfield sites …







