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Urban and Transportation Engineering Lab
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The lab takes an interdisciplinary approach to solving urban problems in the environment, transportation, and the economy.
AboutAbout the lab
Solving urban problems through the lens of economics
The Urban and Transportation Engineering Lab studies environmental problems such as climate change, global issues such as energy and the link between development and poverty, and urban problems such as soaring housing prices and traffic congestion.
Its subjects are the complex problems cities face, including aging and population decline, health and welfare, education, disasters, and the design of transportation systems.
Using a multifaceted, interdisciplinary approach that draws on urban engineering, transportation engineering, and economics, the lab tackles these problems through both theory and empirical work, and also makes realistic, effective policy recommendations.
The lab's mission is to improve citizens' lives through new infrastructure and technology and to make cities run better.
Key terms
- Inclusive Wealth Index
- An index that measures the prosperity of a society comprehensively by converting produced capital, human capital, and natural capital into monetary terms
- Well-being
- A good state of a person, including physical and mental health and satisfaction with life
- ESG
- Three perspectives: environmental, social, and corporate governance. A yardstick for evaluating investment and management
NewsLab news
The lab, together with a company, estimated the mortality risk of elderly people who lost air conditioning in the Kumamoto earthquake
Professor Shunsuke Managi published "The Economics of Well-Being" (Chuokeizai-sha), which he edited
Professor Shunsuke Managi and others published "A Textbook of Well-Being Management" (Chuokeizai-sha)
ResearchResearch themes
The lab conducts research toward solving global problems such as environmental issues like climate change, energy, and the link between development and poverty, as well as urban problems such as soaring housing prices and traffic congestion. It aims to improve citizens' lives and make cities run better through new infrastructure and technology.
*Illustrative imageMeasuring prosperity with the Inclusive Wealth Index
The Inclusive Wealth Index measures the prosperity of a society comprehensively from three perspectives: produced capital such as roads and machinery, human capital such as health and education, and natural capital including forests and mineral resources. Professor Managi headed the preparation of the United Nations' Inclusive Wealth Report and advocates its use by local governments, companies, and universities.
*Illustrative imageClimate, biodiversity, and cities
The first joint report by the IPCC and IPBES showed that biodiversity loss and climate change are both caused by human economic activity, strongly affect each other, and that addressing them together brings greater benefits. The report states that sustainable development requires linking appropriate energy, urban planning, transportation choices, the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence, and well-being initiatives.
*Illustrative imageCreating businesses from invisible value
Converting elements that could not previously be quantified, such as health, education, and nature, into economic value makes it possible not only to evaluate SDGs and ESG efforts quantitatively but also to find hints for new businesses. Companies and financial institutions are increasingly applying the Inclusive Wealth Index to evaluate and promote their efforts.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Urban and Transportation Engineering Lab consist of faculty, researchers, secretaries, PhD, master's, and undergraduate students, and collaborating researchers.As of 2026
- ProfessorShunsuke Managi
- Associate ProfessorYoshinao Oeda
- Associate ProfessorAlexander Ryuta Keeley
- Assistant ProfessorJun Xie
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Silhouette of Powai skyline Mumbai” Milind gg / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Measuring prosperity with the Inclusive Wealth Index: “Block tower on narrow base” Reseletti / CC0 (cropped)
- Climate, biodiversity, and cities: “Moray cleaner wrasse komodo” Nhobgood Nick Hobgood / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Creating businesses from invisible value: “Young seedling of tomato emerging from soil - India” Ksheera Piraati / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (国土政策・防災研究室): “Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park” 碧城 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (流域システム工学研究室): “River Vishwamitri eco Restoration 01” Santhemant / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (環境流体力学研究室): “Surface waves” Roger McLassus / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (地圏環境システム工学研究室): “Outcrop in Nagoe Kiridoshi Pass” Osumi Akari / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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