EBDP Applicability Matrix.

Evidence-based design and planning (EBDP) was brought to the fore by a seminal study by Roger Ulrich (Mullins et al. 2015) and is considered a tool to improve the performance of design solutions. The aim of the EBDP Applicability Matrix (Annex 1) is to assess whether it is feasible to apply the EBDP approach in urban design and planning projects. Feasibility is here defined in a broad way including constraints in relation to data availability and quality, tools and competences but also support from formal policy documents and stakeholders, e.g. project initiators from the public and private sector.The EBDP Applicability Matrix can be used to assess the applicability prior to the start of the project. For example, the municipality can use it to assess bids for an urban study or development plan. In these cases, filling in the matrix is a requirement for the teams bidding for the project, which allows for a comparative EBDP analysis of the bids. The matrix can alsobe used within the project team to systematically assess the possibility of using an EBDP approach, even when this is not required, and identify potential challenges of various kinds from data challenges to lacking policy support.The EBDP Applicability Matrix is composed of rows that represent the EBDP questions that can be answered by applying an EBDP approach and columns that represent the constraints (or enablers) to support the EBDP approach.