From Space To Place: Connecting Space Technology and Spatial Planning for a Resilient Future brought together around 120 people to forge new connections. Find out how it went
October 29, 2026
It’s been compared to a Space Technology – Spatial Planning speed dating night and our new-format event certainly resulted in lots of budding relationships!
From Space To Place was held at The Building Centre, in London, to launch the new partnership between Space4Climate and Digital Task Force for Planning. It is the latest in our events that connect our members with new end-user audiences.
We set out to bring together two sectors to recognise their joint potential for creating innovation and improving the resilience of our infrastructure and built environment.
We welcomed more than 120 delegates from more than 80 organisations, plus leading figures, with a format that encouraged a buzzing atmosphere of knowledge exchange and networking. Each of the 20 exhibitors offered hands-on interaction with their latest tools and data, and they had a three-minute spot on the mic to make their pitch, sparking a busy night of one-to-one conversations.
Clear messages from keynotes
Later, as the evening networking reception got underway, keynote speakers inspired and motivated the two connecting communities.
Beth Greenaway, Chair, Space4Climate and Head of EO Delivery, UK Space Agency, set the motivational tone, saying: “Space is very much part of our everyday world, we have 700-plus companies in the UK today using satellite Earth Observation data and in the recently-published UK Space Strategy the Government is investing £900m in the civil side of Earth Observation. You can rely on these data and services. Now really is the time for users to get involved – the value of Earth Observation is as much as your imagination can unlock.”
Prof Michael Batty, Chair of Digital Task Force for Planning and Chairman of the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA) at University College London, underscored the link between the research underpinning innovations in spatial planning, the challenges of climate change and the need to improve resilience to its impacts.
Mike Zehetmayr, Chair of the UK Carbon Markets Forum, highlighted the huge possibilities created by the coming together of both communities and that improving resilience is not possible without collaborations and investment that put space-based data to work. He said: “Natural assets underpin economic activity, yet their condition and contribution are not always visible in the information used by markets and investors. Forests, wetlands, soils, coastal systems and urban green infrastructure create enormous environmental, social and economic value, but historically we have struggled to measure that value consistently and credibly.
“Space data and remote sensing can help to change that.
“They can provide a stronger evidence base for assessing the condition and performance of natural assets, establishing credible baselines, monitoring change and demonstrating outcomes over time. This is essential if we want to build confidence in carbon and nature markets and mobilise serious, sustained investment.
“But data alone is not enough.
“For natural assets to attract capital, evidence must become decision-useful information. It must support the integrity of environmental claims, help us understand where value is being created or lost, and enable investors to assess both risk and opportunity. In other words, we need to connect what can be observed from space with what can be valued, financed and managed in a place.”
Resilience relies on collaboration
He concluded: “…the future of resilience will not be delivered by space technology alone, by planning alone, by government alone or by finance alone. It will be delivered through collaboration.
“And judging by the range of capabilities represented in this room tonight, there is every reason to be optimistic.”
From Space To Place was specifically formatted to bridge the gap between the supply of high-quality Earth Observation data, and low awareness of its availability and the take-up among planning professionals.
Dr Wei Yang, CEO of Digital Task Force for Planning, reflected on the overwhelming positive feedback from both sectors, saying: “I have long believed that some of the greatest opportunities for innovation come from bringing different sectors together, where one plus one can be greater than two.
‘Extraordinary capabilities’ of space tech
“Tackling the grand challenges of climate change and biodiversity decline, and finding practical solutions for more resilient places, are shared responsibilities. Both the space technology and spatial planning communities have a significant role to play. Space technology provides extraordinary capabilities to observe and understand our planet. Spatial planning translates that knowledge into decisions that shape our places. Together, these capabilities can enable more integrated, proactive and adaptive place-based decision-making, helping us build a more resilient future.”
Both Digital Task Force for Planning and Space4Climate are excited to build on the event.
Donna Lyndsay, Interim Climate Services Development Manager said: “By bringing some of the UK’s best climate science and Earth Observation analytics directly to the planning community we hope to reduce barriers to uptake and facilitate greater use of climate and environmental intelligence within strategic planning to help build those resilient communities, now and in the future.”
Wei added: “This is just the beginning. We look forward to building bridges between the two sectors and turning new ideas into practical collaborations. Ultimately, the real value of space technology is not simply what we can see from above, but what we can do differently on the ground.”
Find out about upcoming Space4Climate events.
