holly caggiano

The PLACE lab (Planning for Climate Equity) is housed in the School of Community and Regional Planning at University of British Columbia. Our research explores equitable climate and energy transitions through a planning lens, primarily in North America.

research themes

decision making for just transitions

How do individuals, households, policymakers, communities, and coalitions make decisions that impact energy and climate? What processes facilitate equitable decision making?

community-led solutions

What aspects of energy transitions can improve collective livelihoods? What opportunities exist for alternative ownership and governance structures that prioritize equity and engagement?

solidarity and care

How do communities sustain each other in times of compounding crises? How does mutual aid and community care build infrastructure for autonomy and collective action? When and how might planners make room for informal, unofficial, radical, or anarchist aid provisioning?

current lab members

Madison Lore
PhD Candidate, SCARP

Prior to joining SCARP, Madison worked in nuclear physics, applied mathematics, and data science. Now, she seeks to meaningfully apply her technical experience to making urban systems more sustainable, understanding the interconnectedness of infrastructure, people, and the environment, and identifying how our urban designs have left certain groups without access to basic services. She aspires to bring data-driven analysis to policymakers built intrinsically from, and with consideration of, the community members affected.

Charlotte Taylor
MAP Student, SCARP

Charlotte (she/they) recently joined the lab as a research masters student at SCARP and is co-supervised with Dr. Alex Tavasoli (MECH, LoFi lab). Her work explores climate justice, environmental planning, and community-owned energy. She holds an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a thematic focus on climate change in media. Charlotte is committed to fostering transformative change and honouring the legacy of grassroots movements that have upheld climate justice activism.

Kylie Clark
MCRP Student, SCARP

Kylie Clark (she/her) is an aspiring planner of Métis-Irish heritage researching the intersection of climate resiliency and affordable housing with an equity-based lens. With an Honours BA (Architecture) from the University of Toronto and over 5 years’ professional experience working in Canada and Southeast Asia, Kylie brings an urban design-based perspective to her work. Kylie’s current research looks at re-wilding small urban spaces using Miyawaki method mini forests to improve urban green equity, build community and local environmental stewardship, and increase both climate and social resilience in priority neighbourhoods.

collaborators

how to get involved

Check back for future opportunities to work with the lab.

Get more information about applying for graduate programs at SCARP.