This article examines the role of design schools and professional training in strengthening responses to urban-climate challenges. It connects climate-responsive urban practice with urban-metabolism thinking and with the knowledge required to understand relationships among built form, environmental conditions and resource use.

The contribution focuses on education and professional capacity-building as important conditions for translating environmental research into spatial practice. It situates curricula, continuing education and professional competencies within the wider challenge of improving the climate performance of urban environments.

Within the Urban Metabolism Lab’s research trajectory, the article contributes to the translation of metabolic and environmental knowledge into planning and design practice. It also anticipates later work on climate-positive design, professional agency and decision-support methods.