Testing PETUS: Expectations and Outcomes of the ‘Theory-Practice’ Dialogue on Urban Sustainability.

This paper presents the methodological approach applied within the FP5-funded ‘Practical Evaluation Tools for Urban Sustainability’ (PETUS) project to test the applicability of the developed ‘decision support system’ (DSS) with current working practices and varying local conditions in different European countries. The effectiveness criteria applied, the testing strategy, procedures and instruments are outlined. The author analyses the results of the collaboration with potential end-users of the DSS during the testing and discusses the contributions made by testing to the DSS development, to the debate on sustainability in urban policy and in the broader ‘theory-practice’ dialogue. The work shows a need for further mutual learning of theory and practice about urban change, political processes and partnerships to build on the path to sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]