Ey up! At Sheffield's Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures our group of multidisciplinary researchers is passionate about the innovative ways our city is becoming greener, cooler, healthier and more resilient. Here, you can join us for a virtual "Hot Streets, Cool Ideas" tour around Sheffield to explore the hidden sustainability stories behind everyday places in the city centre. Whether you want to take a quick look around or dive deeper into the collection of resources we have gathered, we hope you enjoy discovering different cool ideas helping to shape the future of our city - and, of course, spreading the knowledge further!
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Explore our Interactive Map to find out about a variety of sustainable initiatives in Sheffield
Explore our Interactive Map to find out about a variety of sustainable initiatives in Sheffield
Have a look at our Collection of Resources to learn more about adaptation to climate change happening in Sheffield
Have a look at our Collection of Resources to learn more about adaptation to climate change happening in Sheffield
Air Monitoring
Air Monitoring
Devonshire Green hosts a DEFRA monitoring station measuring pollutants such as NO₂, ozone and particulate matter, as well as weather conditions. This data helps track pollution trends and evaluate measures like Clean Air Zone, introduced in the city centre to reduce harmful nitrogen dioxide pollution.
Sheffield historically suffered severe pollution from coal burning and steel production, but air quality improved after the Clean Air Act 1956, cleaner fuels and the decline of heavy industry. Today, traffic is a major source of NO₂, while PM₂.₅ comes from transport, wood burning, industry and atmospheric reactions.
Air pollution remains a major health and economic issue, contributing to around 500 premature deaths and £160 million in annual costs in Sheffield. Pollution and climate change share many sources, so measures such as cleaner transport, active travel, renewable energy and better energy efficiency can benefit both.
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Green Urban Areas
Green Urban Areas
Green urban areas can help to lower the air temperature. The trees do this by sucking up cool water from the soil using the energy they get from the sun, and letting some of it evaporate through their leaves. Evaporating water uses up a lot of energy, so much so that it lowers the air temperature near the tree. This process is called evapotranspiration, and can help make cities more comfortable during heatwaves.
Urban green spaces such as Devonshire Green can help reduce the effects of heat by providing shade and cooling, while making the city more resilient and pleasant.
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Vertical Extensions
Vertical Extensions
Vertical extensions on West Street showcase how cities like Sheffield can increase capacity by adding floors to existing buildings rather than expanding outward. This reduces urban sprawl, land use, infrastructure needs and the environmental impact of demolition and rebuilding.
Reusing existing structures can reduce embodied carbon while supporting denser development and encouraging shorter journeys by walking, cycling and public transport.
Additional height can contribute to the urban heat island effect by trapping heat at the street level, but features such as shading, reflective materials and ventilation can help.
Recent UK planning policy allows some buildings to be extended upwards by up to two storeys without a full planning application.
However, vertical extensions remain underused within the construction sector. Research at the University of Sheffield is helping to address this by investigating the structural capacity of existing buildings and the opportunities and challenges of applying this approach more widely across cities.
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The Diamond
The Diamond
The Diamond was designed with sustainability in mind, including two passive cooling systems.
The first relies on the atrium (the large space in the centre of the building) to let hot air rise and escape through vents in the roof, pulling fresh air into the building through the teaching rooms and study spaces. This is called the stack effect.
The second uses 'chilled beams'. These are beams that carry cool mains water. Mains water stays at roughly 15 °C or cooler year round in Sheffield, so these beams can be used to cool the air temperature.
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Learn more about sustainable cooling
Sustainable Drainage Systems
Sustainable Drainage Systems
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) mimic natural drainage processes to manage rainfall by slowing water flow, improving water quality and helping to reduce flood risk in urban areas.
Raised SuDS planters collect rainfall where it falls, reducing surface water runoff at its source.
Their storage capacity is more limited than larger SuDS features, such as the rain gardens located behind the planters.
Rain gardens are designed to retain, filter and manage runoff from surrounding hard surfaces more effectively.
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Hedgehog Friendly Campus
Hedgehog Friendly Campus
The University's Hedgehog Friendly Campus initiative shows that climate adaptation includes protection of biodiversity. Hedgehog populations have declined due to habitat loss and urban development, making them an important indicator of ecosystem health.
The University supports hedgehogs through litter picks, mammal surveys, awareness events, hedgehog houses, additional planting and protected shrub areas. These measures provide safer habitats and food sources while also helping absorb rainfall, reduce overheating and improve air quality.
Small-scale green interventions can play an important role alongside larger infrastructure projects, helping create healthier, more climate-resilient spaces where people and wildlife can coexist.
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Sustainable Food
Sustainable Food
Modern agriculture uses significant amounts of land and water, and relies heavily on energy-intensive fertilisers, produced via the Haber–Bosch process.
Globally, agriculture produces enough food to provide approximately 5,000–6,500 calories per person per day, yet a large proportion of crops are fed to livestock rather than consumed directly by humans.
The EAT-Lancet Commission highlights the link between planetary health and human health, showing that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains can improve health while reducing pressure on climate, biodiversity, land and water resources.
Global dependence on fossil fuels, fertilisers and transport makes food systems vulnerable to disruptions and price increases.
Research from the University of Sheffield has demonstrated the potential of urban food production. If gardens, allotments, and suitable green spaces were managed for food production, Sheffield could potentially produce enough fruit and vegetables to meet approximately 122% of the city's recommended demand.
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Grey to Green Scheme
Grey to Green Scheme
Grey to Green is a regeneration project that uses bioswales (a type of Sustainable Drainage System) to manage surface water while creating greener urban spaces.
Around 1 km of connected bioswales follow the natural slope of the site, with weirs slowing and controlling water flow.
The scheme has been delivered in phases and continues to expand due to its success.
Steel overspill points, inspired by Sheffield's steelmaking heritage, safely direct excess water to a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) during heavy rainfall to help prevent flooding.
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Harmony Works
Harmony Works
Harmony Works is a regeneration project showing how historic buildings and neglected spaces can be adapted and reused rather than demolished. It is transforming the Grade II listed Canada House into a new centre for music education and performance.
As part of the Castlegate regeneration, which over time became fragmented by road infrastructure and dominated by underused land, the project supports a shift towards a greener, more connected city centre through improved public spaces, walking and cycling routes, reduced car dominance and restoration of the River Sheaf.
Harmony Works will bring together young musicians, community groups and professional training, helping create a more vibrant city centre where heritage, culture and nature are integrated.
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River Sheaf Deculvert Project
River Sheaf Deculvert Project
The Castlegate river deculvert project is reopening a buried section of the River Sheaf within Castle Park.
Restoring the river to a natural channel improves water quality, creates habitats and slows water flow.
Slower flows help reduce downstream flood risk and support more natural river processes.
The river restoration was added after construction had begun, requiring additional engineering to integrate it into the wider regeneration project.
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Sustainable Transport
Sustainable Transport
Many UK city centres have so far been developed primarily around cars. But reducing traffic emissions is essential both for improving public health and for meeting climate targets.
Sheffield has expanded cycling infrastructure, including protected bike lanes and redesigned junctions, such as the new Dutch-style roundabout located at the intersection of West Bar and Tenter Street. This type of roundabouts encourages slower traffic speeds and makes active travel feel safer and more accessible, especially for people who might otherwise feel uncomfortable cycling in busy traffic.
The South Yorkshire Supertram network has passively lowered it's carbon emissions since it's inception, simply because it runs on electricity, and the UK grid has massively increased its proportion of renewable energy. Electric buses similarly reduce emissions, air pollution and noise while providing alternatives to private cars and keeping Sheffield accessible and connected.
Initiatives such as BetterPoints reward residents for walking, cycling and using public transport. It is an example of how climate adaptation also entails influencing everyday behaviour and making sustainable choices more attractive.
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Live information to see what proportion of the UK's electricity grid is currently renewable
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