Urban Sustainability Exchange (USE), accessible at use.metropolis.org, is an online platform focused on sharing knowledge and practical experiences related to sustainable city development. Established in 2014 as the Policy Transfer Platform and relaunched as USE in 2019, the initiative was spearheaded by the City of Berlin and is closely linked to Metropolis, a global network of major cities. The platform is managed by Berlin’s Senate Chancellery, specifically its Division for International Affairs.
USE serves as a curated database of international case studies, drawing on projects from around the world. It currently features nearly 400 case studies from 144 cities, covering a wide spectrum of issues such as public space revitalization, sustainable mobility, and urban agriculture. The content is editorially reviewed and regularly updated, with inputs from award-winning initiatives and institutional partners including EUROCITIES and UCLG Learning.
Besides the case studies, the site also connects nearly 500 citymakers—practitioners, administrators, academics—who can exchange expertise and form professional networks. Registration is free, facilitating open access to information and peer-to-peer communication.
Notable examples of initiatives on USE include Lisbon’s program to support traditional shops, Ljubljana’s urban beekeeping campaigns, and Quito’s neighborhood-based sustainability competitions. USE emphasizes the sharing of real, implemented solutions rather than theoretical models.
The platform’s scope is international but managed locally from Berlin, and it collaborates with an editorial team including academic advisors from Western Sydney University. Its open-access structure aims to support practical learning and direct engagement among city leaders and experts.