Studies on urban metabolism focus on understanding ‘the urban’ through the supply, circulation and elimination of energy and resource flows on which the sustainability of cities and the everyday life practices of urban dwellers depend. This concept has influenced multiple strands of discipline-bounded work, each with a distinct understanding of what urban metabolism stands for. Within the research theme of sustainable cities, the objective of this short study is to foster interdisciplinary dialogue around urban metabolism. Rather than creating a shared understanding of urban metabolism, this study will focus on showing the potential for interdisciplinary studies of the sustainable city by revealing the diversity of approaches and perspectives around this key concept within UCL. Three activities will contribute to start this dialogue: 1) an inventory of existing resources on urban metabolism and urban material flows across UCL; 2) a series of recorded interviews with key researchers on urban metabolism at UCL; and 3) a literature review to examine how current research at UCL is influencing wider debates on urban metabolism. For more information or to be part of this initiative please contact Vanesa Castán Broto (v.castanbroto@ucl.ac.uk) or Adriana Allen (a.allen@ucl.ac.uk) at the Development and Planning Unit.