Heat map overlay on an aerial map of a city, showing concentrations of activity in bright yellow and orange along major roads and throughout the downtown core, with darker purple areas indicating lower activity.

Urban Analytics Symposium

October 29 to 30, 2026

This symposium, held at the University of Calgary's School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape in collaboration with the University of Auckland, New Zealand, brings together academics, professional experts and interest groups in urban development from Canada and New Zealand to exchange knowledge on current practices and discuss innovative ideas for compact, sustainable urban growth.

A series of presentations, workshops, and panel discussions using data analytics will question current assumptions and approaches, and will foster transdisciplinary collaboration, promote practical solutions, and advance understanding of how data-driven approaches can shape more sustainable and inclusive cities. The keynote presentation and each panel will address questions that frame the sustainability challenges facing cities.

Is compact

development more sustainable than low-density growth? What does the data say in terms of municipal finances, personal(individual) finances, greenhouse gas emissions, health outcomes, social connections and overall well-being?

What practices

of upzoning have been successful, and how, with a combination of other land use strategies, can it have a significant impact on sustainable growth?

Does current

land ownership outweigh the need for densification?

What would

it take for existing communities to accept additional housing developments in their neighbourhoods? What are the barriers and main arguments for opposition?

Who benefits

from land value changes impacted by upzoning? Do values go up or down, and how does that impact housing affordability?

How does

current low-density development compare to more compact development in the consumption of resources (energy, materials, agricultural land, water)?

Is it possible

to transform sprawling cities into compact, sustainable development? How to address the politics and other barriers for change?

Keynote and Panels

Thursday, October 29 to Friday, October 30 from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM

The keynote address and panels will focus on recent developments in spatial data collection, urban analytics, land-use modelling, and policy-simulation tools, providing a platform to discuss challenges such as urban sprawl, zoning regulations, affordability, social equity, and well-being. The format will be structured around a series of questions to guide the effort to build more compact, sustainable cities.

Community Event: Urban analytics for densification and tackling sprawl

Thursday, October 29 starting at 6:30 PM

Communities are the key actors and facilitators of sustainable change in established neighbourhoods. This community event will bring together academics, professionals, and community activists to discuss the challenges communities face in building affordable housing and creating positive change in established neighbourhoods.

_{In collaboration with More.Neighbours.Calgary}

Industry Night: Urban analytics for densification and tackling sprawl

Friday, October 30 starting at 4:30 PM

The symposium’s industry night will bring together researchers along with leaders and practitioners from the real estate, development, planning, and city-building sectors for a focused discussion on sustainable densification and affordable housing. Through a panel conversation, participants will explore the challenges and opportunities involved in creating more compact, inclusive, and resilient urban communities. The event will highlight current barriers to development in established urban areas and consider practical strategies for expanding housing options.

_{In collaboration with the Westman Centre, supported by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation}

SESSION TIMES (MST)	LOCATION	TOPICS	PRESENTERS/DISCUSSANTS
10:00 - 10:15 AM	701 Design Commons	Get together / Doors open
10:15 - 10:30 AM	701 Design Commons	Welcome / Opening	Dr. John Brown Dean \| School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape \| University of Calgary \| Canada
10:30 - 10:40 AM	701 Design Commons	Introduction to Keynote + Topic	Prof. Francisco Alaniz Uribe Associate Professor \| School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape \| University of Calgary \| Canada
10:40 - 11:20 AM	701 Design Commons	Keynote Speaker 1 "Where Would You Want to Live? Measuring What Makes Compact Cities Work for Their CItizens"	Dr. Milad Malekzadeh Lecturer in Sustainable Urban Development \| Tampere University Senior Researcher \| University of Helsinki \| Finland
11:20 - 11:35 AM	701 Design Commons	Q&A	Dr. Katarzyna Sila-Nowicka Associate Professor \| School of Environment, Faculty of Science, Environment \| University of Auckland \| New Zealand
11:35 AM - 12:05 PM	701 Design Commons	Coffee Break
12:05 - 1:15 PM	701 Design Commons	Panel 1, Q&A A discussion on growth analytics, design, and modelling: Spatial analytics and machine learning in planning and urban design	Dr. I-Ting Chuang Senior lecturer, Urban Design \| School of Architecture and Planning \| University of Auckland \| New Zealand Dr. Yanghe Liu Assistant Professor \| School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape \| University of Calgary \| Canada Rayner D’Souza & Andrea Buttazzoni Senior Planners \| Growth Analytics \| City of Calgary
1:15 - 2:15 PM	701 Design Commons	Lunch provided
2:15 - 3:25 PM	701 Design Commons	Panel 2, Q&A A human habitation multiscalar discussion: Human mobility, data science in architectural design, and energy landscapes	Dr. Katarzyna Sila-Nowicka Associate Professor \| School of Environment, Faculty of Science, Environment \| University of Auckland \| New Zealand Dr. Douglas Robb Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture \| School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape \| University of Calgary \| Canada Dr. Jinmo Rhee Assistant Professor, Architecture \| School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape \| University of Calgary \| Canada
3:25 PM		End of Morning Session
6:30 - 8:30 PM	UCalgary Main Campus \| Taylor Institute of Teaching and Learning \| TI 160	Community Event: Urban analytics for compact, sustainable development Register	In collaboration with More.Neighbours.Calgary Kathryn Davies & Nathan Hawryluk More.Neighbours.Calgary Dr. I-Ting Chuang Senior Lecturer \| School of Architecture and Planning University of Auckland \| New Zealand Dr. Milad Malekzadeh Lecturer in Sustainable Urban Development, Tampere University \| Senior Researcher, University of Helsinki \| Finland Prof. Francisco Alaniz Uribe Associate Professor \| School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape \| University of Calgary \| Canada

SESSION TIMES (MST)	LOCATION	TOPICS	PRESENTERS/DISCUSSANTS
10:00 - 10:15 AM	701 Design Commons	Get together / Doors open
10:15 - 10:30 AM	701 Design Commons	Welcome / Opening	Dr. Enrica Dall'Ara Associate Dean, Planning and Landscape Architecture \| School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape \| University of Calgary \| Canada
10:30 - 11:40 AM	701 Design Commons	Panel 3, Q&A Land, development, and value discussion: Real estate market trends, regulatory changes, and their impact on development and property ownership	Dr William K.S. Cheung Associate Professor of Property and Deputy Head of the Department of Property, Business School \| University of Auckland \| New Zealand Ann-Marie Lurie Chief Economist \| Economic Analysis \| Calgary Real Estate Board Mark Locki Master of Planning Student \| School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape \| University of Calgary \| Canada
11:40 AM - 12:10 PM	701 Design Commons	Coffee Break
12:10 - 1:20 PM	701 Design Commons	Panel 4, Q&A Design and life impacts discussion: Urban design trends and their impacts on health and mobility	Dr. Lee Beattie Associate Professor \| School of Architecture and Planning \| University of Auckland \| New Zealand Dr. Stefania Bertazzon Professor, Department of Geography, and Leader, Geography of Health and GIS Analysis Research Group \| O’Brien Institute for Public Health University of Calgary \| Canada Dr. Lina Kattan Professor, Canada Research Chair \| Schulich School of Engineering \| University of Calgary \| Canada
1:20 PM		End of sessions
4:30 - 6:30 PM	701 Design Commons	Industry Event: Urban analytics for compact, sustainable development Mixer at 4:30PM Start at 5:00PM Register	In collaboration with the Westman Centre for Real Estate Studies, supported by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation Dr William K.S. Cheung Associate Professor of Property and Deputy Head of the Department of Property \| Business School, University of Auckland, \| New Zealand Ann-Marie Lurie Chief Economist \| Calgary Real Estate Board Grace Lui VP, Asset Management \| Colliers \| former Senior Lecturer \| Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, Canada Prof. Francisco Alaniz Uribe Associate Professor \| School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape \| University of Calgary, Canada
6:30 PM	701 Design Commons	Refreshments

Urban Analytics Symposium