Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Working in partnership both locally and globally, we are tackling each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through our research and knowledge exchange, education and student experience, and through our operations. Discover how our unique commitments align with and support Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities.
Research and impact
The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place unites academic expertise with policymakers and practitioners to advance sustainable and inclusive urban development. Its Sustainable and Resilient Cities theme promotes innovative approaches to city-building, while the Heritage research theme informs public policy, education, and sustainable tourism (11.3, 11.4, 11.b). In 2025, the University co-led Clean Air Night, in partnership with Liverpool City Council, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. By transforming live air quality data into AI-generated music, the project engaged thousands of citizens with the realities of urban air pollution (11.6, 11.7). The Heritage Institute, launched in late 2024, provides a hub for safeguarding and reimagining cultural heritage, supporting regeneration and sustainable tourism (11.4, 11.7). In July 2025, the University also joined the Liverpool Culture Network, embedding culture in city-wide planning (11.3, 11.4). Research also delivered the Neighbourhood Transformation Planning Tool with Safe Regeneration, enabling community groups to redevelop local assets such as parks and housing (11.3, 11.b). Analysis of 20-Minute Neighbourhoods in the Liverpool City Region further assessed equitable access to amenities and active travel (11.2, 11.3).
Education and student experience
Students at the University gain practical expertise in sustainable urban development and cultural heritage through coursework and applied engagement. Modules such as Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability in Architecture and Architecture and Urban Design explore sustainable construction practices and urban regeneration (11.3, 11.6). The Sustainable Urban Planning MA and Urban Design and Planning MCD equip students to tackle the social, economic, and environmental challenges facing modern cities (11.3). At postgraduate level, the Global Urbanism and Heritage MSc bridges rapid urbanisation in the Global South with heritage preservation (11.4, 11.b), while the Beatles: Music Industry and Heritage MA explores local cultural heritage’s impacts on tourism and identity (11.4). Students are also directly involved in shaping the city’s future: architecture undergraduates served on the jury panel and visited development sites for Liverpool’s new School of Architecture, collaborating closely with the studio team, university estates, and the local community in Granby and Toxteth regions, providing authentic, place-based learning connected to urban regeneration (11.3, 11.4). Through the Guild of Students, students volunteer in community projects such as urban food growing and heritage engagement at Ness Botanic Gardens, reinforcing a connection between academic learning and civic engagement (11.3, 11.4).
Sustainable campus and operations
As a civic university grounded in a global city, Liverpool embeds sustainability, inclusivity, and community access across its operations in support of SDG 11. Its heritage and cultural institutions, including the Victoria Gallery & Museum, offer free access to exhibitions, libraries, green spaces, and events that enrich civic life (11.3, 11.4). These public programmes attract around 20,000 attendees annually, while the Lunchtime Concert series in the Tung Auditorium provides world-class performances free of charge (11.4). The University further supports urban sustainability through Ness Botanic Gardens, a publicly accessible, 64-acre heritage landscape open to all under the estate’s founding trust. Ness provides educational, biodiversity, and wellbeing opportunities for thousands of visitors each year (11.3, 11.7). The University provides permanent free public access to all open and green spaces across its city-centre campus, including Abercromby Square, the Quadrangle and University Square, ensuring that our campus grounds remain welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to the wider community. In the built environment, all new construction and major refurbishments aim to meet BREEAM Excellent standards, guided by the Sustainable Built Environment Investment Framework, ensuring environmental principles are embedded from the ground up (11.6). Through sustainable travel initiatives like the Season Ticket Loan, Cycle to Work scheme, bike hire and maintenance services, and guided city cycling tours, staff and students are encouraged toward low-carbon transport modes (11.2). The annual Travel Survey provides valuable insights into travel behaviours and modal shifts, creating the evidence base for the University’s forthcoming Travel Plan, which will outline actions to reduce congestion, improve air quality, and lower emissions across the city (11.6).
Case studies
Tackling flood risk with communities in Merseyside
In 2024, researchers at the University of Liverpool launched the CONVERSE project to tackle the growing threat of flooding across Merseyside and Cheshire, an issue expected to intensify with climate change. Thousands of homes, businesses, and communities in the region have already been affected by floods, underlining the urgent need for scalable, innovative responses.
CONVERSE adopts a pioneering, community-led approach to flood risk management that directly supports (11.5) by reducing the number of people affected and the economic losses caused by disasters. The project promotes nature-based interventions such as woodland planting and “leaky dams,” adapting techniques proven elsewhere in the UK to local contexts.
A distinctive feature is its co-leadership model. For the first time under the Natural Environment Research Council’s Engaged Environmental Science programme, community members are working alongside Liverpool engineers and social scientists from the Heseltine Institute to co-design the research. This includes collaborative monitoring strategies that blend community knowledge with conventional science.
By embedding communities in governance and decision-making, CONVERSE also advances (11.b) by encouraging inclusive and participatory approaches to sustainable urbanisation. Key partners include Faiths4Change, Mersey Forest, the University of Leeds, and the Woodland Trust, exemplifying strong multi-sector collaboration.
As noted by Louise Heathwaite, Executive Chair of NERC, CONVERSE demonstrates how natural solutions can protect habitats while strengthening flood resilience. With transparent reporting and active engagement, the project provides a replicable framework for sustainable flood risk management that enhances the resilience of cities and communities across the Mersey region and beyond.
Improving Liverpool City Region bus services
In 2024, a groundbreaking collaboration between the University of Liverpool and Pusan National University in South Korea led to the development of an advanced "digital twin" for Liverpool City Region's bus transport system. The initiative, funded by the UKRI Innovate UK UK-South Korea Collaborative R&D programme, aimed to revolutionise bus services by leveraging cutting-edge data modelling and real-time analytics. The digital twin allowed researchers to simulate various scenarios, such as altering routes or fares, with the goal of enhancing service quality, reducing journey times, and increasing ridership. This project stemmed from a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Park Heong-Joon, focusing on fostering digital innovation and smart city strategies. Contributions from the University of Liverpool’s Geographic Data Science Lab and its Department of Geography & Planning underscored the potential of Big Data and scenario modelling to optimise transport networks. The collaboration brought together UK technology provider Podaris and South Korean partners, including Sundosoft Inc, Busan Techno Park, and Busan Metropolitan City, marking a significant step towards integrating advanced technology into public transport and enhancing urban mobility. The project also aligned closely with Mayor Rotheram’s vision of delivering faster, more reliable, and cost-effective transport for the Liverpool City Region.
Advancing sustainable construction practices
In partnership with the University of Liverpool, Changing Streams CIC has been addressing plastic pollution in the construction industry since 2019. The organisation focuses on reducing plastic waste and carbon emissions through sustainable building practices, aiming to combat the marine debris caused by plastic pollution. With at least 14 million tons of plastic entering the ocean annually, and the construction industry being the second-largest plastic user after packaging, there is significant environmental impact to address. Changing Streams CIC's initiatives include the Changing Streams Research Centre, directed by Dr. Gareth Abrahams, which conducts upstream research, such as case studies at Wirral Waters. Here, partners are exploring sustainable, plastic-free construction materials to reduce plastic use in major projects like Miller’s Quay. Downstream research, led by Professor Jonathan Sharples, investigates how microplastics affect carbon export in the ocean, focusing on studies in the South Atlantic and North Sea to understand the impact on plankton and carbon sequestration. Changing Streams CIC also bridges the gap between academic research and industry practice, offering education, research, and consultancy to promote sustainable construction practices and innovative solutions. This holistic approach aims to catalyse industry-wide change and support the transition to more responsible building practices across the UK.
Uncovering the wellbeing impact of Liverpool's Music Inclusion Programme
In 2024, psychologists from the University of Liverpool released a study highlighting the significant social and emotional benefits of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s "In Harmony Liverpool" programme, which celebrated its 15th anniversary. Launched in 2009, this initiative uses orchestral music to enhance life chances for children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, by fostering resilience, confidence, and social skills through music education and performance opportunities. The study, which involved interviews with 22 parents and carers, revealed that In Harmony Liverpool helps participants build resilience, self-confidence, and a sense of belonging, while improving their ability to manage stress. Serving 1,750 children and young people, the programme has impacted over 4,000 children since its inception, offering free music education and performance experiences. Many participants have gone on to perform in prestigious groups like the Resonate Youth Philharmonic and the National Youth Orchestra’s Inspire programme. This research emphasises the critical role of music education in supporting the social, emotional, and intellectual development of young people, particularly those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Dr. Donnellan and Liverpool Philharmonic’s CEO Michael Eakin both emphasised the profound impact of In Harmony in fostering social inclusion and personal growth, with continued efforts to document and explore its contributions to community development and wellbeing.
Transforming community asset development
The University of Liverpool, in partnership with Safe Regeneration, launched the Neighbourhood Transformation Planning Tool (NTPT), an innovative online resource designed to assist community groups in developing local assets. The launch event was attended by over 40 community partners and celebrated a new approach to supporting community-driven asset development. Funded by Research England through the University’s Public Policy Quality Related Scheme, the NTPT enhances social responsibility and inclusion by simplifying the process of transforming buildings and land into valuable community assets. These assets, such as parks, housing, and cultural spaces, serve local needs and improve quality of life, fostering a sense of belonging and community pride. The NTPT helps communities manage over 700 identified potential sites in the city region and thousands more nationally. The tool supports the development of spaces that generate sustainable income, reducing reliance on grants and donations. The tool’s co-production design incorporates community experiences to ensure accessibility and relevance, maximising its potential impact and the diverse range of community assets it will support.
Transforming Liverpool museums
The University of Liverpool's School of Architecture partnered with the renowned design firm Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios on a major £58 million redevelopment of the International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum. As part of the broader Waterfront Transformation Project, this initiative aims to rejuvenate the area between the Royal Albert Dock and Mann Island. Led by FCBStudios partner Kossy Nnachetta, the team also includes experts from the University’s School of Architecture, such as Professor Ola Uduku, Professor Ilze Wolff, and PhD candidate Kudzai Matsvai. Their combined expertise in gender, race, slavery, and colonialism is integral to creating inclusive, transformative spaces. The redevelopment will see significant improvements, including the enhancement of the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building as a new entrance to the International Slavery Museum and the upgrade of the Hartley Pavilion to provide better visitor facilities, such as a café, shop, and exhibition space. The goal is to create dynamic, welcoming environments that not only address contemporary issues but also elevate the museums' national collections. The project offers a unique opportunity to craft spaces that will express profound historical narratives and emotions, marking a bold, community-driven architectural transformation.