"Cities have never been more important than today, nor has the need to accelerate their transition to a low-carbon future."
- Prof Steffen Lehmann
- Prof Steffen Lehmann
Urbanisation is one of the defining challenges of our times. Our understanding of the urban, whether in theory or in practice, has reached a turning point, with cities across the world facing new, complex and challenging conditions that require resilience and adaptation to the impacts of environmental and social change.
With nearly 70% of the world’s population likely to live in cities by 2030, the quality of life experienced by the urban population will determine our global future.
Call for Article Submission to Special Issue: 'Nature-based Solutions and their Relationship to Urban Resilience'
The Cluster for Sustainable Cities at the University of Portsmouth is an interdisciplinary research hub working at the interface of sustainable architecture, urban planning, social sciences, ICT and engineering. It contributes to the University’s priority research theme ‘Sustainability and the Environment’ working across traditional disciplinary boundaries.
The Cluster for Sustainable Cities is committed to excellence in urban design thinking and communication, creating inventive solutions to address the global challenges of urbanism in the 21st century. It seeks to stimulate and deliver the research expertise necessary to develop the new knowledge required in the practice of sustainable urban development for the necessary transformation and regeneration process.
Our applied research is concerned with the development of new strategies towards the integration of sustainable technologies into a societal, urban and behavioural context, and the innovative re-thinking of urban futures - in partnership with industry, communities and government.
The Cluster is affiliated with the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries and the Faculty of Technology at the University of Portsmouth, as well as to industry partners and government agencies. The quality of our research and activities is assured through an executive advisory board whose members are representatives of government, industry and academia.
The Cluster involves over 35 researchers from a wide range of disciplines in impactful, relevant and practical projects to deliver solution for better urbanisation, systems thinking for improved efficiencies, and the evidence base for future policy formulation and better decision making.
We have a clear pathway to impact: we conduct applied research on smart, resilient communities and integrated technologies that include citizen-centric solutions to meet the changing needs of urban areas and demographic shifts; providing a step change improvement in urban living and systems.
We collaborate with industry, government, public agencies, charities and communities to enable urban change and transformation that benefits the environment, promotes sustainable urban living and creates a carbon-neutral society.
The Cluster’s engagement with government, industry and local community is critical in further strengthening the University’s place as a leader in cities research in the UK, Europe and globally.
"In our mission to shape a better world we must shape better cities."
- Ban Ki-Moon, UN
The Cluster is structured in a programme of five broad research streams that are central to driving innovation, each coordinated by research stream leaders:
Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, School of Architecture
Co-Leader Research Programme 1:
‘Social and Cultural Sustainability’
Faculty of Technology
Co-Leader Research Programme 1:
‘Social and Cultural Sustainability’
Cluster Founding Director,
Professor for Sustainable Architecture
Faculty of Creative and
Cultural Industries
Leader Research Programme 2:
‘Low Carbon Neighbourhoods -
Future Living’
Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, School of Architecture
Leader Research Programme 3:
‘New Policy and Urban Governance’
Cluster Founding Director,
Professor for Sustainable Construction,
Associate Dean (Research),
Faculty of Technology
Leader Research Programme 4 ‘Sustainable Construction’.
Faculty of Science,
Department of Geography
Leader Research Programme 5
‘Urban Disaster Resilience’.
Prof Steffen Lehmann
Cluster Founding Director,
Professor for Sustainable Architecture,
Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries,
Leader Research Programme 2
‘Low Carbon Neighbourhoods - Future Living’
Prof Mark Gaterell
Cluster Founding Director,
Professor for Sustainable Construction,
Associate Dean (Research),
Faculty of Technology,
Leader Research Programme 4
‘Sustainable Construction’
Dr Ann Coats
Faculty of Technology,
Co-Leader Research Programme 1
‘Social and Cultural Sustainability’
Dr Silvio Caputo
Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries,
School of Architecture,
Co-Leader Research Programme 1
‘Social and Cultural Sustainability’
Dr Alessandro Melis
Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries,
School of Architecture,
Leader Research Programme 3
‘New Policy and Urban Governance’
Dr Robert Inkpen
Faculty of Science,
Department of Geography,
Leader Research Programme 5
‘Urban Disaster Resilience’
Mr Steve Jones
Senior Business and
Outreach Manager,
Faculty of Creative
and Cultural Industries
Dr David Hutchinson
Innovation and Impact Development Manager,
Faculty of Technology
Mr Tom Greenwood
Operations Manager,
University of Portsmouth
Ms Denise Callender
Faculty Promotions Manager,
Faculty of Creative
and Cultural Industries
Ms Claire Huckstepp
Senior Financial Officer,
Faculty of Creative
and Cultural Industries
Ms Plamena Gamzova
Communications and
Social Media Officer,
Faculty of Creative
and Cultural Industries
Ms Natalie Poole
Cluster Officer and
Cluster Ambassador,
Faculty of Creative
and Cultural Industries
Prof Victor M. Becerra
Portsmouth School
of Engineering
Dr Katharina Burger
Portsmouth Business School
Ms Marianna Gardener
Portsmouth School of Health
Sciences and Social Work
Mr Francis Graves
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Dr Fabiano Lemes de Oliveira
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Mr Walter Menteth
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Dr Andreea Molnar
Portsmouth School of
Creative Technologies
Mr Stephen Neale
Portsmouth School of
Civil Engineering & Surveying
Dr Athanasios Paraskelidis
Portsmouth School
of Computing
Mr Martin Pearce
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Dr Heather Rumble
Portsmouth School
of Geography
Dr Matthew James Tallis
Portsmouth School of
Biological Sciences
Dr Richard Teeuw
Portsmouth School of Earth
and Environmental Sciences
Dr Gianpiero Torrisi
Portsmouth School of
Economics and Finance
Dr Tim Whitehead
Portsmouth School of
Civil Engineering and Surveying
Dr John Williams
Portsmouth School of
Civil Engineering and Surveying
Monika Szopinska-Mularz
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Mr Roberto Braglia
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Mr Guido Robazza
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Prof Alan Collins
Portsmouth School
of Economics and Finance
Dr Wendy Powell
Portsmouth School of
Creative Technologies
Dr Isaac Boateng
Portsmouth School
of Civil Engineering
and Surveying
Dr Brett Martinson
Portsmouth School
of Civil Engineering
and Surveying
Dr Jiye Chen
Portsmouth School of
Civil Engineering and Surveying
Prof Joan Farrer
Faculty of Creative
and Cultural Industries
Dr Karen Fielder
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Prof David Brown
Faculty of Creative
and Cultural Industries
Dr Hom N Dhakal
School of Engineering
Faculty of Technology
Ms Catherine Teeling
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Prof Donald Houston
Faculty of Science,
Department of Geography
Dr Ayman Nassif
School of Civil Engineering
and Surveying,
Faculty of Technology
Dr Carlos Zepeda
Portsmouth School of Economics and Finance
(Development Studies)
Dr Tarek Teba
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Daniel Blott
Portsmouth School
of Architecture
Dr Julia Brown
Faculty of Science,
Department of Geography
Dr Tom Kauko
School of Civil Engineering
and Surveying,
Faculty of Technology
We have developed powerful collaborations with some institutions involved in shaping urban futures, including AECOM, the City of Portsmouth, Atkins, RICS and Routledge, amongst others.
With our research agenda we cover the grand challenges in urban research and enable our members to engage in research opportunities. These span from infrastructure (transport, water, energy, waste, food), across to the non-technical (social, behavioural, economic opportunities for urban interventions) and beyond into technical areas such as structures, safety, life-cycle and environmental systems.
Pictured right: Mrs Donna Jones, Leader of the Portsmouth City Council, with Prof Steffen Lehmann, Cluster Co-Director, March 2017, outlining their vision for a Sustainable Solent Region 2030.
H2020:
Nature-based solutions for inclusive urban regeneration
Prof Steffen Lehmann
Dr Alessandro Melis
Modular prefabricated house:
engineered timber construction systems (industry partnership)
Prof Steffen Lehmann
Roberto Braglia
Food-Water-Energy Nexus:
the inter-connectedness
of urban infrastructure
Prof Steffen Lehmann
Dr Alessandro Melis
Growing food in the compact city:
the benefits & limits of urban farming
Monika-Szopinska-Mularz
Prof Steffen Lehmann
Dr Silvio Caputo
Resilient cities in developing countries
Dr Richard Teeuw
The conceptual framework for the Urban Nexus in the Asia-Pacific region (UN-ESCAP)
Prof Steffen Lehmann
Global Challenges:
Low-impact construction in Africa (GCRF)
Dr Brett Martinson
Post-occupancy evaluation of energy performance in the UK
Prof Mark Gaterell
Sea-level rise in UK cities:
Coastal cities and urban resilience
Prof Steffen Lehmann
Walter Menteth
Francis Graves
Re-naturing cities in Brazil
(Newton Fund)
Dr Fabiano Lemes
Temporary event structures using a carbon-fibre kit (industry partnership)
Prof Steffen Lehmann
Roberto Braglia
Guido Robazza
Future living:
Low carbon neighbourhoods and smart cities
Prof. Steffen Lehmann
H2020:
Perceive - perception and evaluation of regional and cohesion policies in Europe
Dr Gianpiero Torrisi
Prof Alan Collins
The link between urban design
and health
Ms Marianna Gardener
Interventions in public space:
co-creating community places
Guido Robazza
Sustainable urban drainage systems:
water-sensitive urban development
Dr John Williams
Sense of place, cultural heritage and sustainable cities
Dr Ann Coats
Dr Tarek Teba
Healthy new towns:
Using creative technologies to enhance age-friendly living
Dr Richard Curry
Dr Wendy Powell
Prof Steffen Lehmann
Social inequality and migration
as drivers of urban and regional restructuring
Prof Donald Houston
Nature or Nuturing? An investigation into soil-less technology in urban agriculture communities
Dr Heather Rumble
Di Silvio Caputo
Portsea Heritage Project: Assess Portsea residents’ perceptions of their heritage and community engagement.
Dr Ann Coats
Di Silvio Caputo
The significant impact of our multidisciplinary research (in reach and significance)
is found in influencing practice and improving urban policies and is tangible in:
1. Lead on urban innovation
The University requires increased leadership capacity and acumen towards innovation and entrepreneurship. We are prioritising new ways of doing things, unleashing the innovative potential in our research and actively promoting innovation growth by providing start-up seed funding and providing innovators with the platform, data and support to develop commercially valuable research and services.
2. A willingness to collaborate
The multi-disciplinary solutions to city challenges, both internal and external, don’t reside solely with one discipline or group. The leading city regions engage their ecosystem as a valuable resource for a liveable city, working with entrepreneurs, universities, and their regional and global partners, to share, learn and jointly develop solutions. The Cluster will clearly demonstrate a willingness to collaborate with other stakeholders, industry and the community, engaging citizens in decision making and problem solving.
3. International outlook
The Cluster will increase international exposure and expand international linkages to enable global business connections, strengthening links between the Cluster, city and entrepreneurs.
4. Nurture the next generation of research leaders
The Cluster has established career pathways to encourage graduates to stay and engage in PhD studies. We aim to equip young academics with the relevant knowledge, ambition, skills and cultivate a culture of research and entrepreneurialism to develop new urban strategies.
University of Portsmouth
Eldon Building, Winston Churchill Avenue,
Portsmouth, P01 2DJ.
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 5742
Email: steffen.lehmann@port.ac.uk
Facebook: ClusterforSustainableCities
