Why you should attend
This event will enable public and private sector organisations involved in urban and waterfront regeneration, retrofitting and development to identify and share the experience, best practice and knowledge crucial to addressing the financial, economic, social and environmental challenges facing their towns and cities.
A comprehensive, hands on programme of city and project case studies combined with expert led seminars will enable delegates to:- Explore and analyse innovative and new forms of project funding
- Learn how new low-carbon legislation will impact their projects and obligations
- Learn about current and emerging standards that enable sustainability and related criteria to be measured and compared
- Understand how specific cities are using innovative and new forms of funding and investment to tackle regeneration and development
- Learn how specific cities are retrofitting existing infrastructure and buildings to meet key social, economic, health and environmental challenges
- Investigate how new sustainable projects designed to revitalise cities are attracting investment, boosting competitiveness, creating employment, and generating wealth
- See and hear how waterfronts are playing a key role in stimulating sustainable urban regeneration and development
- Learn first hand about the benefits of taking an integrated approach to solving major urban challenges
Below we explain why you should attend from the point of view of specific disciplines:
SurveyorsRetrofitting specialists
Municipal and city authorities and regeneration agencies
Architects
Engineers
Urban planners
Energy efficiency specialists
Waste management specialists
Transport planners
Surveyors
This event is especially relevant to surveyors. According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), buildings consume a massive 40% of total energy globally, outstripping the transport and industrial sectors. The transition from a high carbon to a carbon neutral built environment is therefore a critical element in the fight against climate change.
RICS is committed to take action to respond to the challenges of climate change in the UK and plans to offer evidence of the value and potential of an emerging low carbon property market. With the help of its members working in all fields of the real estate sector, RICS says it will provide standards, guidance and information to enable qualified professionals to understand climate change and promote best practice and work towards improving and standardising sustainability measuring and reporting.
In September 2009 RICS issued an Information Paper on Sustainability and Commercial Property Valuation. The paper aims to heighten awareness and therefore valuers' working knowledge of sustainability in order to further advance awareness of its potential to impact on the valuation process. The paper outlines ways in which sustainability can be defined; how a building's green credentials may be assessed and how such characteristics might be reflected within a valuation - whether that be quantitatively or qualitatively.
What FCF offer you:
There will be a presentation and an associated seminar on the subject of the development of professional standards relating to the assessment of sustainable developments.
There will be plenty of opportunities to meet senior decision makers of potential customers for your services from the UK and continental Europe. There will also be senior representatives from Toronto.
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Retrofitting specialists
According to Anne Power, Commissioner of the UK Sustainable Development Commission: “Around 80% of the population live in urban areas. While new buildings add at most 1% a year to the existing stock, the other 99% of buildings are already built and produce 27% of all carbon emissions. At least 80% of the current housing stock will still be standing in 2050. Therefore tackling its energy efficiency is vital to our future.”
In March 2010 the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) unveiled the Warm Homes, Greener Homes strategy which outlines a timetable for government plans to retrofit 7 million existing homes by 2020. This equates to more than 13,000 retrofits per week, with further potential for 20 million+ existing homes in the UK. The Sustainable Development Commission estimates this to be worth £500 billion to the construction industry over the next 20-30 years.
According to the March 2009 Report: ‘The Energy Efficiency and Jobs report by Impetus Consulting Ltd, backed by the TUC, the Federation of Master Builders, Greenpeace and the then Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, 55,000 jobs could be created through a £5bn energy efficiency programme which would also help cut the carbon emissions from buildings.
What FCF offers you:
There will be several presentations and associated seminars on the subject of sustainable urban regeneration and retrofitting.
There will be presentations on the development of sustainable and lo-carbon urban transportation.
Two particularly important case studies and seminars will cover (1) the project by the London Borough of Southwark to implement an integrated and self-contained water and waste management system, which will conserve potable water, reprocess sewage waste to provide grey water, fertiliser, and biofuel stock for the generation of electricity; and (2) the Smart City Peterborough project which will implement a city wide ‘smart grid’ designed to monitor energy and water usage city-wide to enable the more efficient use of resources and allocation of investment.
There will be plenty of opportunities to meet senior decision makers of potential customers for your services from the UK and continental Europe. There will also be senior representatives from Toronto, including the CEO of Toronto Waterfront, John Campbell.
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Municipal and city authorities and regeneration agencies
With the current dismal state of public finances, and little hope of a return to pre-recession availability of money in the short term, Future City Forum offers municipal authorities and regeneration agencies the opportunity to find out first hand about sources of finance which are likely to be become increasingly important in the future, including Jessicas, Tax Increment Finance (TIFs) and Local Asset Backed Vehicles (LABVs) (see notes below).
What FCF offers you:
FCF will offer the opportunity to learn first hand about the experience of other cities’ sustainable urban regeneration projects and to follow this up in a series of seminars which will enable you to explore in detail the relevance of these case studies and their experience to your own city.
Importantly, there will be a dedicated investment stream on Day 1. Sponsored by Colliers International, this parallel series of presentations and case studies will be of direct interest to UK public and private sector organisations seeking detailed information on new types of urban regeneration funding vehicles including TIF (Tax Increment Finance), JESSICA (Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas programme) and LABV (Local Asset Backed Vehicle).
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced on 20 September that local authorities will be given the freedom to borrow against future tax increases to fund development using TIF, so offering a way of funding regeneration during the financial squeeze. To date councils have lacked the borrowing powers to get finance for schemes based on predicted increases in tax revenues ...
TIF
Tax Increment Finance (TIF) has been a key regeneration tool in the USA for almost half a century. With the current dismal state of public finances, and little hope of a return to pre-recession availability of money in the short term, could TIF provide the answer for infrastructure funding?
TIF projects, which are already advancing in Scotland, allow local authorities to borrow money for projects based on the future tax increases that a new development will bring. Now the deputy PM has signalled that this type of finance has official approval, TIF schemes are likely to become increasingly important in the regeneration finance mix.
Jessica
£9.4 billion has been allocated for the UK up to 2013 period. The Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas programme (Jessica) is a joint initiative between the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank and forms part of the EU's Regional Assistance programme.
Jessica provides financing for urban renewal and development projects, as well as for social housing provision, in EU member states. It is designed to enable regional development agencies to offer funds to public-private partnerships - and other urban development vehicles - that will be capable of repaying in the long-term.
LABV
Local Asset Backed Vehicles or LABVs are a form of public and private sector partnership that allow public sector bodies to use their assets (usually land and buildings) to attract long-term investment from the private sector in order to deliver socio-economic development and regeneration.
They are designed to encourage parties to pool resources, such as finance, planning powers, land and expertise, in order to deliver regeneration with an acceptable balance of risk and return for all those involved. LABVs are increasingly being looked at as a potential model to help local authorities meet their regeneration aspirations.
There will be a presentation and associated seminar on the subject of the current and future legal and regulatory issues impacting regeneration and development projects in the EU.
There will be a presentation and an associated seminar on the subject of the development of professional standards relating to the assessment of sustainable developments.
There will be plenty of opportunities to meet senior decision makers of potential customers for your services from the UK and continental Europe. There will also be senior representatives from Toronto, including John Campbell, the CEO of Toronto Waterfront.
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Architects
Sustainable design is a broad concept which aims to reduce the adverse effects of human activities on our world, particularly climate change.
Architecture is responsible for about 45% of the carbon emissions in the UK. According to the RIBA, architects are a large part of the problem of tackling climate change, and consequently a large part of the solution - sustainable architecture.
The RIBA, along with the vast majority of architects, recognises this and has taken appropriate strategic action to stimulate the production of sustainable architecture. The RIBA Sustainable Futures Group exists to relate sustainability to the profession and to inform members of the development of RIBA policy, educational and professional standards and practical services to promote sustainable design.
What FCF offers you:
Many of the case studies will have direct relevance to your profession, in particular the important role architecture and design has in sustainable urban regeneration, retrofitting and development.
You will be able to meet face to face with developers either already involved with, or who are contemplating energy efficient, low carbon developments.
Among the key issues that will be covered by the conference are:
• The important role architects will have to play in designing non-residential buildings which house urban-based water and waste management systems, and energy generation systems.
• The incorporation of energy efficient technologies into new urban residential and commercial buildings.
• The retrofitting of the existing built environment to bring it up to current and future low carbon and sustainability standards.
There will be a presentation and an associated seminar on the subject of the development of professional standards relating to the assessment of sustainable developments.
There will be many opportunities to meet senior decision makers of potential customers for your services from the UK and continental Europe. There will also be senior representatives from Toronto.
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Engineers
Civil Engineers are central to the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of infrastructure networks which underpin economic activity and protect human health and welfare. Major changes to the design, construction and use of these networks will be required to deliver large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and to ensure sufficient resilience to cope with foreseeable climate change impacts.
Engineering priorities include:
Mitigation: Civil Engineering must lead the way in developing new technologies and materials to reduce emissions over the whole life cycle of infrastructure systems. The focus should be on cost effective deployment of existing technologies, however ongoing research into new technologies and materials will also be required. Mitigation strategies should incorporate incentives for the short-term development and implementation of high-efficiency and low- or zero-greenhouse gas emitting technologies as well as cost-effective carbon capture and storage.
The Institution of Civil Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering have signed an agreement committing them to assist all governments through the development of a low-carbon infrastructure road map setting out key steps up to 2050. This will need to include:
• Energy generation: An up scaling of renewable and low carbon energy generation including nuclear, hydro, wind, tidal, geo-thermal and solar. Increased energy efficiency. Development of new technologies including carbon capture and storage.
• Transport: Encouraging non-structural solutions such as new public transportation systems; projects to reduce major chokepoints that cause transportation congestion; and improved intercity rail transportation.
• Low carbon design: Lower embedded energy in construction and large reduction in the whole life energy demand and emissions from infrastructure systems.
• Adaptation: Civil Engineers must develop and implement tools, policies and practices for risk assessment and adaptation of existing and new civil infrastructure to climate change.
• Developing guidance documents on engineering vulnerability assessment of civil infrastructure and best engineering practice for adaptation to address those vulnerabilities. This will include:
• Evaluation of physical vulnerability of civil infrastructure.
• Consideration of non-monetary or intangible impacts of climate change events, including indirect impacts e.g. agricultural practices, sea level rise etc.
• Consideration of non structural adaptation measures.
What FCF offers you:
Many of the case studies will have direct relevance to your profession, in particular the important role of engineering in sustainable urban regeneration, retrofitting and development.
You will be able to meet face to face with developers either already involved with, or who are contemplating energy efficient, low carbon developments.
Among the key issues that will be covered by the conference are:
• The important role engineers will have to play in designing, constructing and fitting out non-residential buildings which house urban-based water and waste management systems, and energy generation systems.
• The incorporation of energy efficient technologies into new urban residential and commercial buildings.
• The retrofitting of the existing built environment and infrastructure to bring it up to current and future low carbon and sustainability standards.
There will be a presentation and an associated seminar on the subject of the development of professional standards relating to the assessment of sustainable developments.
There will be many opportunities to meet senior decision makers of potential customers for your services from the UK and continental Europe. There will also be senior representatives from Waterfront Toronto, including the CEO John Campbell.
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Urban planners
Urban planning implications are reflected in buildings, street and community design for more environmentally sustainable cities. The urban science related to climate change and its implications for human settlement is in its early stages. Nonetheless, climate change is already becoming a concern of insurance and actuarial industries as they begin to assess risk to human settlement, construction and other risks associated with atmospheric conditions.
What does a post-carbon city mean? What are its concrete implications at an urban level? What are the consequences on urban planning priorities? What are the consequences on urban planning modalities? What are the interesting on-going experiences in this domain? All these questions will be discussed at Future City Forum + WaterfrontExpo 2010.
What FCF offers you:
Many of the case studies will have direct relevance to your profession, in particular the important role of integrated planning in sustainable urban regeneration, retrofitting and development.
You will be able to meet face to face with other urban planners and be able to share best practice and experience in the area of planning sustainable urban regeneration, retrofitting and new development.
Among the key issues that will be covered by the conference are:
• The increasingly important role planners have in the shift to a low carbon, economically and socially sustainable urban environment.
• The incorporation of energy efficient technologies into new urban residential and commercial buildings.
• The retrofitting of the existing built environment and infrastructure to bring it up to current and future low carbon standards.
There will be a presentation and an associated seminar on the subject of the development of professional standards relating to the assessment of sustainable developments.
There will be many opportunities to meet senior decision makers of potential customers for your services from the UK and continental Europe. There will also be senior representatives from Toronto.
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Energy efficiency specialists
The efficient use energy is perhaps the major challenge for the achievement of a greener world and it needs the active involvement of localities and cities to succeed.
In the US it’s estimated that buildings produce around half the greenhouse gases and consume half the energy in that country, while transportation systems contribute another 25% of both carbon dioxide production and energy consumption.
Within the European Union, architectural and urban practice is moving increasingly quickly towards energy efficiency and low environmental impact.
What FCF offers you:
Some of the key issues that will be discussed at Future City Forum include:
• What contribution can retrofitting make to urban energy efficiency?
• To what extent can the use of technology in the urban environment (e.g. more efficient transport systems) contribute to energy efficiency?
• To what extent can the planning and structure of the urban environment itself contribute to energy efficiency?
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Waste management specialists
One of the key issues facing many cities is how to deal with growing shortages of potable water and how to handle growing volumes of waste? In a bid to find a solution to these key issues, increasing attention is being given to the potential of integrated water, waste and energy systems which would process sewage so as to provide non-potable water for toilet flushing, irrigation, street cleansing and building water purposes to reduce the demand on the potable water supply in the urban environment and so achieve the highest levels of water efficiency.
What FCF offers you:
A presentation and seminar at Future City Forum will focus on the sustainable approach taken by the London Borough of Southwark (LBS) to the integration of utility infrastructure into the development. The presentation will cover the development background, scale and complexity of how LBS went about creating the concept of a Multi-Utility Services Company (MUSCo) to provide the utility infrastructure for the development and how they then selected a MUSCo partner. The associated seminar will enable delegates to explore the concept in detail and analyse how it may be relevant to the needs of their own town and cities.
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Transport planners
Transport issues are a major challenge within our society. We take almost unrestricted mobility for granted and rely on industry to be able to move goods rapidly and cheaply to meet our needs. These freedoms have led to problems of congestion and environmental impact that have become intolerable, particularly within urban areas. There is a need for knowledge practitioners to tackle these issues, not just in the techniques of managing traffic, but in the broader understanding of travel behaviour and in the aspirations of people and communities.
Transport is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, and commuter and business travel constitute nearly 40% of all miles driven by car. According to the UK Department for Transport (DfT) on 9 November 2009 (Delivering sustainable, low carbon, travel: An essential guide for Local Authorities) sustainable travel initiatives can play a key role in reducing carbon emissions for transport as well as contributing to a wide range of local priorities.
What FCF offers you:
FCF will feature a dedicated presentation and case studies on sustainable transportation in the urban environment.
There will also be a presentation and seminar within the new conference investment stream (details to be released shortly) covering funding and finance of a key urban transportation project, plus information relating to other cities experiences, including Toronto, Edinburgh, Dublin and London.
FCF will offer numerous opportunities to network with transport specialists from a number of cities.
