Smart Cities Forum

Panel Discussion

How will the needs and wants for residential and commercial space change in line with the way people work? If workspaces are becoming more flexible, and working from home more prevalent, how will residential space be rethought? What will this mean for office space, particularly if larger companies adopt a hub and spoke office space approach? And what will this mean for government efforts to create smart buildings, communities and cities?

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Panel Discussion

The focus for building has been sustainability, but should it go further, with communities and governments embracing principles of regenerative architecture? This discussion will explain regenerative architecture, why it will become more important for net zero plans, and how it can link with nature even in extreme climates.

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Case Studies

15.00: Case Study 1: Reducing heat islands – greening to make cities more liveable

In addition to reducing particulate matter, urban greening will help cool heat islands in built-up areas and prevent flooding where heavy rain occurs. This discussion looks at how to put in place ‘desert friendly’ urban greening that recognises the local climate and provides tangible benefits to a city.

15.15: Case study 2: Urban greening: Benefits towards a low carbon future

15.30: Audience Q&A

Speech

Keynote Panel Discussion

A key pillar in the electrification of the energy transition is to reduce the number of petrol- and diesel-based vehicles used, and to encourage greater use of clean, mass transit. But most companies and people are invested still in their current approach. How do we accelerate change, increase clean personal transport, put in place reliable mass transit and crack the last mile when public transport is used?

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Presentation

In 1,222 days, Wiebe Wakker drove 100,450km through 34 countries from the Netherlands to New Zealand in his electric 'Blue Bandit', with the aim to educate, inspire and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future.

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Panel Discussion

Some aspects of micro-mobility can be quite divisive, but is it the answer to the last mile challenge? If the use of micro-mobility is to rise, what must municipalities and governments put in place for its smooth operation in spaces that will also include vehicles and people. This panel will discuss some of the options around the last mile challenge and how to increase micro-mobility use in a safe, sustainable way.

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Panel Discussion

What is the future for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs)? Will light vehicles become more popular, or has battery EV now got too much of a market hold? For hydrogen, is the future fleet vehicles such as taxis and buses, which need to be on the road for much of the time, and heavy vehicles? And if so, how does this change planning for infrastructure?

Presentation

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Presentation

This introduction to blockchain and distributed ledger technology will cover how it can be used in smart cities, and include three current leading use cases.

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Panel Discussion

Examples of cyber-attacks, including state-based, are increasing and as cities become interconnected and smart, the data they hold will become more attractive. How do cities protect themselves from sophisticated attacks and what data protection needs to be in place?

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Panel Discussion

Cities account for 66% of global energy demand and 70% of carbon emissions. Building and construction – when both pre-and post-handover are considered – account for 39% of carbon emissions. Of that, 28% is from energy used during a building’s operation and 11% are the emissions associated with the construction process. If cities are going to become carbon net zero in future, new ideas are required to reduce emissions. This panel will take a practical look at moving towards net zero carbon targets and set the scene for the morning’s discussions.

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Panel Discussion

As more focus turns to decarbonisation in the buildings sector, attention is turning to embodied carbon and how to reduce it. As highlighted in the previous session, 11% of carbon emissions in construction can be considered as embodied. What targets need to be in place and how should the industry approach measuring embodied carbon, because without tackling this issue, it will not meet new quotas.

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Panel Discussion

What sensor and monitoring technologies will make buildings more efficient in future, reducing their consumption and altering building management when problems are on the horizon? This panel will build on the technologies and materials that will become prevalent to meet future net zero targets, as well as the importance of running an energy audit model to increase efficiency, functionality and ongoing sustainability once a building has been handed over. 

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Panel Discussion

How is the energy services (Esco) market changing as more awareness and expectation is placed on efficiency in buildings? Governments are still committed to retrofitting buildings. So where are the market opportunities for Escos and retrofitting and where should companies focus for future revenues and growth?

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