Positive Zero Transport Futures living lab aims to decarbonize transportation

The many challenges we face to achieve zero emissions with positive outcomes for accessible, healthy, and equitable cities can’t be addressed by technology alone. Policy, planning, and changes in behaviour are crucial elements in our path to a decarbonized sector.

Our cities need climate blueprints to formulate climate commitments, identify policy options to achieve deep greenhouse gas reductions, and successfully implement solutions.

In response, “Positive Zero Transport Futures: A living lab approach enabling transport innovations with zero emissions and positive social outcomes was awarded funding for three years by the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering through its Dean’s Strategic Fund.

head shots Marianne Hatzopoulou, Greg Evans, Jeffrey Brook
Leading the new Positive Zero initiative are (L-R) Professors Marianne Hatzopoulou, Greg Evans and Jeffrey Brook.

The Positive Zero initiative, co-led by Professors Marianne Hatzopoulou, Greg Evans, and Jeff Brook, will build on the strengths of research at UTTRI, TRAQ, SOCAAR, and CANUE, and go beyond. Another 17 professors from five different U of T faculties and three campuses will round out Positive Zero’s multidisciplinary team of experts participating in research investigations.

Project leaders envision that Positive Zero will facilitate interactions between transportation and the physical and social environments, as well as explore core aspects of transportation science. Its living lab approach for real-world testing of innovations in transportation, and its broad community of industry, government, non-profit, community groups, and academic partners, will together enhance knowledge exchange around solutions to accelerate the pace of transport decarbonization.

Positive Zero will also enable unique experiential learning opportunities to a new generation by establishing a collaborative, transdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder research program, and facilitating internships within partner organizations.