Our work | WA Foundation

Research

Field audits, data collection, land-use and emissions analysis, and reviews of what has worked elsewhere.

Output: open-access studies and datasets.

Policy advocacy

We translate findings into model policies, codes and bylaws, and engage the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, state urban departments and urban local bodies.

Output: policy briefs, draft regulations, consultation responses.

Capacity building

Workshops, training and toolkits for city officials, planners, architects and students.

Output: trained practitioners and practical toolkits.

Partnerships

Joint work with academic institutions, NGOs, community groups and international organisations.

Output: co-authored research and demonstration projects.

Why parking

Parking is a climate lever hiding in plain sight

It decides how people travel. Cheap and plentiful parking is one of the strongest reasons people choose to drive.
It wastes fuel and time. Searching for a space adds traffic and emissions that can be measured.
It is built into every building. Parking minimums lock concrete and steel, and their carbon, into new construction.

It takes land from everything else. Space for cars is space not used for homes, trees or public transport.
It is underserved. Few Indian organisations treat parking as a climate and land-use question.
It is a door, not a wall. Parking leads naturally into mobility, land use and climate resilience.

Strategic roadmap

Each phase builds on the credibility of the last

Phase one is our current focus. The timing of later phases is indicative and moves with funding and results.

Years 1–2 · Now

Parking and land

Pune ward-level audit
Open data and policy brief
First training course for officials

Years 2–3

Mobility

Public and shared transport
Walking and cycling
EV charging in cities

Years 3–4

Urban land use

Zoning and building codes
Land value and reuse
Model state policy

Years 4–5

Climate resilience

Heat and flooding
Emissions accounting
City climate plans

Built on research · policy advocacy · capacity building · partnerships

SDG alignment

How our work maps to the global goals

We use the UN Sustainable Development Goals as our frame, with SDG 11 and SDG 13 at the centre.

SDG 11 Core focus

Sustainable cities and communities

11.2
Sustainable transport systems
Parking and mobility policy that makes public and shared transport the easier choice
11.3
Inclusive, sustainable urban planning
Land-use evidence and model regulations for city planners
11.6
Environmental impact of cities
Measuring emissions and air-quality effects of parking and traffic
11.7
Public and green spaces
Reclaiming parking land for public use

SDG 13 Core focus

Climate action

13.2
Climate measures in policy
Building climate costs into parking and building codes
13.3
Education and capacity
Training urban officials and practitioners

SDG 12

Responsible consumption and production

12.2
Efficient use of natural resources
Treating urban land as a finite resource to be used well

SDG 9

Industry, innovation and infrastructure

9.1
Sustainable infrastructure
Better design standards for parking and mobility infrastructure

SDG 17

Partnerships for the goals

17.17
Partnerships
Working with governments, academia, NGOs and practitioners

In five years

What success looks like

Policy adopted

At least one city or state has adopted a parking or land-use reform based on our evidence.

Evidence base

Our audits cover several Indian cities, and our open data is used by researchers and planners.

Practitioners trained

City officials, planners and architects in Maharashtra and beyond have completed our programmes.

Scope widened

Our work has grown from parking into mobility, urban land use and climate resilience.

Trusted voice

Ministries, city governments and the media come to us for independent analysis.

Sustainable funding

A diversified funding base and multi-year programme grants.

We research, we advise, we teach, and we partner