Urban BiomeTools for greener places
We build tools that help you understand and improve your local environment. See where nature is needed most. Map what's already there. Take action.
The problem
The built environment faces multiple environmental challenges at once. Heat islands, air pollution, flood risk, and lack of green space all affect the same neighbourhoods.
But environmental data is scattered across different agencies. It's hard for communities to see the full picture or know where action is most needed.
Urban Biome brings this data together. We build tools that turn complex environmental information into something anyone can understand and act on.
How we work
We build small, focused tools. Each one does one thing well. Together they form a toolkit you can use to understand and improve your environment.
Mostly free
Most tools are free to use. They use public data from government and satellites. Some professional tools for developers are paid, which helps fund the free tools for communities.
Starting local
We're based in Bristol. We're building tools that work here first, then expanding to other cities. This helps us learn what actually works.
Who it's for
Councils
Find where to focus tree planting and green space projects. See which areas face the most challenges. Track what you've done.
Developers
Check environmental conditions before you build. Find sites that need biodiversity improvements. Show the benefits of your project.
Community groups
Map what's in your neighbourhood. Find spots for new trees or gardens. Get the data you need for funding bids.
Residents
Plan changes to your garden or property. Check what's allowed under permitted development. Choose plants that suit your soil and climate.
Tools
A growing toolkit. Each tool does one thing well.
Find risk hotspots
See where environmental risks overlap. Find areas where flood, heat, and pollution thresholds are exceeded.
Use this toolShare plant observations
Map green infrastructure in your area. Add photos of street trees, planters and green walls. See what others have found.
Use this toolRedact documents
Remove personal information from PDFs before publishing. Runs in your browser. Your files never leave your device.
Use this toolPlan an outbuilding
Check if your garden building meets GPDO Class E permitted development rules. Enter your postcode, draw your building, get a preliminary assessment.
Use this toolPreview trees
See how different tree species look in augmented reality. Place trees at different stages of maturity. Android only.
Use this toolCalculate biodiversity gain
Calculate biodiversity net gain for development sites. Meet the 10% BNG requirement for planning applications.
Track tree health
Monitor planted trees over time. Report watering, health issues, and survival. Community-powered accountability.
Choose tree species
Find what grows well in your location. Filter by soil, space, drought tolerance, and climate projections.
Find planting sites
Screen sites for tree planting suitability. Check utilities, soil, space, and existing canopy gaps.
Measure tree canopy
Track canopy cover change over time. Ward-level breakdown with equity analysis.
Plan garden paths
Design paths with minimal environmental impact. Gradient calculations, drainage, permeable materials guidance.
Plan outdoor lighting
Place lights to minimize insect disturbance. Spacing, power, timing, and dark sky guidance.
Add a green roof
Check if your roof suits a green roof. Substrate depth, drainage, and plant selection for your building.
Add a green wall
Find which walls suit climbing plants or modular systems. Cladding compatibility and plant selection.
Plan garden drainage
Design sustainable drainage for your garden. Rain gardens, soakaways, permeable paving options.
Check land ownership
Find who owns land for greening projects. Surface Land Registry data to identify who to approach.
Track planning conditions
Monitor developer compliance with greening conditions. Public accountability for planning commitments.
Estimate greening costs
Calculate costs for planters, tree pits, green walls. Factor in traffic management, soil, and maintenance.
Where the data comes from
We use public data from satellites and government agencies. This shows the big picture across the whole city.
| Source | Type | Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Sentinel-5P | Satellite | Air quality (NO₂) |
| Sentinel-2 | Satellite | Vegetation index |
| Landsat 8 | Satellite | Surface temperature |
| Environment Agency | Government | Flood risk zones |
| DEFRA | Government | Noise pollution |
| OS National Geographic Database | Licensed | Base mapping |
| OS Features | Licensed | Building outlines, boundaries |
| OS Places | Licensed | Address data |
| FOR-species20K | Research | 3D tree point clouds |
| TDAG (Hirons & Sjöman) | Research | Species tolerances |
| Kew Gardens | Research | Climate resilient species |
| UK Tree Allometry (Fennell & Fay) | Research | Tree size data |
Community sightings fill in the detail. When you add a photo of a street tree or rain garden, you're helping build a more complete picture.
Team
We're based in Bristol. We bring together experience in technology, construction, and making cities greener.
Reuben Forster
Co-Founder, Technology & Data
Reuben builds tools that turn environmental data into maps. He has 15 years in construction and landscaping. He now writes code and works with public data.
Manon Dangelser
Co-Founder, Strategy & Communication
Manon shapes our strategy and direction. She has 10 years working on buildings and cities. She helps turn urban problems into practical solutions.
Contact
We're interested in partnerships with local authorities, developers and community groups.
- info@urbanbiome.co.uk
- Location
- Bristol, UK