The main objective of the ECO_RET : Ecological Retrofitting Tool for the Urbanisation of Existing Suburban Areas project is to develop recommendations for transforming existing suburban developments into urban environments through the implementation of environmentally sustainable solutions. This process aims to urbanise suburban neighbourhoods so that they become independent urban units capable of meeting residents' daily needs while simultaneously combining a high quality of life with environmental responsibility and energy efficiency. Achieving this balance constitutes the primary goal of the proposed transformation.

The project seeks to identify solutions for improving the quality of life in existing suburban areas by developing analytical and implementation-oriented tools. It is based on a pilot analytical study conducted in the city of Gdańsk and its suburban zone.

The planned research activities include the development of a multi-criteria assessment tool that will:

-          assess the potential of individual districts to acquire urban characteristics, enabling their classification according to the degree of urbanity and associated environmental costs;

-          identify priority areas for interventions supporting the urbanisation of existing suburban developments.

As a result, the ECO_RET tool will support the process of transforming existing suburbs into more urban, sustainable, and self-sufficient districts by identifying the characteristics that contribute to urbanity while simultaneously assessing the environmental costs associated with these areas.

The project's main objectives are therefore to:

  1.  develop a diagnostic tool that identifies problems and supports the selection of solutions aimed at improving the quality of life of suburban residents while reducing the environmental costs associated with suburban development;
  2.  create a multi-criteria assessment system for evaluating the level of urbanisation and the quality of spatial development in districts, using Gdańsk and its suburban area as a case study, while taking into account their ecological impacts;
  3.  classify districts according to the quality of their urban structure and identify areas requiring regeneration, corrective actions, and further development;
  4. conduct a comprehensive analysis of the spatial, economic, and environmental conditions of suburban areas in order to identify their challenges, development potential, and opportunities for improving residents' quality of life;
  5. propose solutions supporting the enhancement of the urban character of existing suburban areas through interventions implemented at both the local and supra-local levels;
  6.  examine the potential for implementing energy compensation mechanisms, eco-village-based solutions, and measures strengthening the role of local district centres;
  7.   develop guidelines for applying the ECO_RET tool in other cities and districts, ensuring its scalability and adaptability to a wide range of urban contexts.
  8. Furthermore, the project aims to address an important research gap concerning the functioning and spatial structure of existing suburban areas in the context of improving residents' quality of life. The project will also disseminate its findings through international scientific publications and presentations at academic conferences, enabling the results to be critically discussed by experts and contributing to the advancement of the research team's scientific achievements.