GCRI · Cities and Built Environment
Innovation and practical technology
Technology relevant to cities and built environment, critical infrastructure and society and human development: what it can do, the constraints it faces and its consequences for people and institutions.
Innovation and practical technology in four parts.
Evaluate before adopting.
- 01
Need
Which problem does the technology address, and for whom?
- 02
Evidence
What has been demonstrated, under what conditions, and what remains untested?
- 03
Constraints
Cost, skills, infrastructure, data and governance requirements.
- 04
Consequences
Effects on safety, rights, equity and the environment.
What could change urban practice, and what it still has to show.
| Technology | What it could change | What remains to be shown |
|---|---|---|
| Building footprint extraction from imagery | City-wide building inventories | Attribute accuracy, informal structures |
| Cool roofs and urban greening at scale | Lower heat exposure | Maintenance, water use, equity of placement |
| Urban digital twins | Planning and response scenarios | Data governance, cost |
| Low-cost air and heat sensors | Neighbourhood-level monitoring | Calibration and maintenance |
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