Project

SpaceUp addresses the need for improved space use by introducing systemic social innovation through new ways of thinking, doing, and organising space. It applies sufficiency as a transformative principle to reduce the demand for energy, materials, land, and other resources while delivering well-being for all. By integrating ecological, spatial, economic, and societal dimensions, SpaceUp promotes socially legitimized structural change in the built environment.

SpaceUp addresses the growing pressure on Europe’s limited spatial resources. Despite housing shortages and climate challenges, many buildings and areas remain underused. The project understands sufficiency as a form of social innovation and develops new ways to use space more efficiently, more equitably, and more sustainably. Through mapping tools, regional pilot projects, and participatory processes, SpaceUp demonstrates how existing structures can be transformed into vibrant, inclusive neighbourhoods.

SpaceUp develops and tests sufficiency‑oriented measures to make underused spaces in European neighbourhoods more meaningful and sustainable in their use. The project focuses on five key objectives:

Pilot measures

• In six neighbourhoods (urban, peri‑urban, and rural) across three regions, SpaceUp implements, evaluates, and further refines concrete sufficiency measures.

Overcoming non‑technical barriers

• SpaceUp identifies regulatory, social, and economic barriers and develops solutions to make sufficiency‑based spatial strategies feasible in practice.

Quantifying resource reduction

• The project demonstrates how sufficiency measures can reduce the demand for energy, materials, land, and water and makes these effects measurable.

Providing a mapping tool

• A new digital tool supports municipalities in identifying underused spaces and making well‑informed decisions about spatial use.

Empowering actors

• Through participation, co‑creation, and knowledge exchange, SpaceUp strengthens the capacities of professionals, public administrations, and civil society to implement sufficiency as a social innovation

SpaceUp adopts a unique regional approach: Three partners, the European Metropolis of Lille (METROPOLE), the Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB), and the North-West Croatia Regional Energy Agency (REGEA NORTH), act as sufficiency orchestrators. They integrate decision-making in spatial planning, housing, mobility, and energy with the ability to mobilise municipalities, data and governance tools. Additionally, they will guide the implementation of sufficiency policy mixes and selected measures in urban, peri-urban, and rural neighbourhoods which experience economic change.

Supported by an interdisciplinary research consortium including Fraunhofer ISI, IEECP, ICLEI EURO, CSTB, and NTUA and overseen by an Expert Advisory Panel incl. planning and design experts, SpaceUp aligns with the New European Bauhaus initiative, intertwining aesthetics, sustainability, and inclusivity. Thus, the project contributes to EU goals, delivering reduced resource consumption, enhanced social cohesion, and responsible space use within planetary boundaries.

The project pursues five key objectives:

(1) transforming existing spaces through integrated policy mixes with a regional approach to support mainstreaming.;
(2) deriving evidence-based recommendations on how to overcome non-technical barriers;
(3) quantifying the potential for reducing resources through a mix of sufficiency policies;
(4) enabling more effective decision-making by using a multi-layered mapping tool with geospatial data and AI;
(5) enhancing the capacity built environment professionals to use space. 

All results from the project can be found on the website.

from 01.07.2026 until 30.06.2029

 The project is funded by the European Commission under the program HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-03.

The project management and coordination is handled by the Fraunhofer ISI. Other partners are:

• ICLEI EURO
• IEECP
• CSTB
• Lille Metropole
• NTUA
• Regea North
• AMB