This article discusses how cities of the future will function more like natural ecosystems by becoming more self-sufficient in their energy, water, food, and materials production. It notes that for centuries cities have extracted and consumed natural resources without regard for impacts, but that leading cities are now focused on creating their own resource supplies and developing ecological functions. Recent innovations like green buildings that produce their own energy and water on-site have pushed this transition, and entire eco-districts are now being planned that optimize resource systems at a larger scale. The article argues that with these trends, cities may one day support a global population of 9 billion people in a sustainable way.

1. September 2013
How London’s Olympic legacy
is coming to life | Pages 8&9
this is
concrete
This is Concrete is supported by
MPA The Concrete Centre
Concrete is the most ethically and
responsibly sourced material.
92%*
of concrete is certified to BES 6001, the most demanding responsible sourcing standard.
Find out more at www.thisisconcrete.co.uk
*from the fifth Concrete Industry Sustainability Performance Report
TIC - 46.5 x 262mm:Layout 1 18/09/2012 09:26 Page 1
Gold
From
to
Green
INSIDE: Jeb Brugmann on the challenges facing cities of the futureJeb Brugmann on the challenges facing cities of the futureJeb Brugmann on the challenges facing cities of the future
Distributed within The Sunday Telegraph, produced and published by Lyonsdown who takes sole responsibility for the contents
Sustainable cities

2. 2 Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPHEcoReport · September 2013
Opening shots Jeb Brugmann
TWENTY years ago urban sustainability was considered an
unrealistic fad of local councils responding to green politics.
Today,sustainabilityisakeyvaluepropositionintheglobalurban
development sector. Its champions reside among the FTSE 100.
Thereasonisclear.Urbansustainabilitypracticesdemonstrably
improvetheperformanceofurbaninfrastructureandproperties,
oneofthelargestcategoriesofwealthonnationalbalancesheets.
Momentumbehindtheurbansustainabilityagendaisnowso
robust so as to merit another seemingly ‘unrealistic’ assertion:
in the not too distant future, cities will function like natural
ecosystems, producing large amounts of their own
energy, water, food, and perhaps even materials.
For centuries we have designed and viewed
cities to be colonies of extraction, processing
and consumption of nature’s resource wealth.
Theydisposedtheirwastes,largelyunaccountable
for the impacts. The pace of innovation has
been stunning.
Twentyyearsago,greencityleaderssuchas
Amsterdam,BarcelonaandBostonwere
disposing untreated sewage into
theircanalsandwaterfronts.In
thoseyears,urbansustainability
meantend-of-pipesolutionsto
treattheresiduesfromnature’s
extractedwealth.Then,inthe
late 1990s, the focus shifted.
Seeking greater economic
value from these resources,
wasteswerecycledandreused
within the urban region.
Energy waste supplied district
heatingandco-generationsystems.
Foodwasteenrichedlocalagricultural
soils. Waste water was cascaded from
households,toirrigation,toindustrial
uses. Demolition wastes from one city, say Hong Kong, were
used to construct new cities, such as along China’s eastern
seaboard. City management evolved from the management
of flows to the management and optimisation of the stocks of
extracted natural resources. That was just a start.
Today’sleadingcitiesarenowfocusedoncreatingandmanaging
their own resource supplies. Cities are developing what
scientistscallecologicalfunction,wherebytheyproduce
the resources they consume.
Thebreakthroughfromstockstosources
started with green building. Engineers
and design professionals competed
to create the world’s most optimsed
assets – passive buildings where the
occupants are the main source of heat;
buildings roofed and skinned with solar
panels; properties supplied by their own
rainwater collection systems and with no
storm water run-off.
The commercial results were equally profound.
Advanced green buildings had lower operating costs,
provided healthier living and work environments,
and had more amenities like water features and
gardens. The market responded, resoundingly.
Now the focus turns to whole ecodistricts, at which scale
energy, water, wastewater, and solid waste systems can be
more economically optimised together. From the once fringe
experimentofLondon’sBedZed,ecodistrictsarenowsprouting
across Europe and North America. They define the advancing
boundary between ‘unrealistic’ and commercially compelling
sustainability.InRotterdam,plansforitsoldStadshavendistrict
would see it producing 15 per cent more energy in buildings
than the district consumes, 50 per cent more food than local
residents consume, and 3 per cent more water than the district
itself consumes.
Soon we’ll be generating profits and securing premium
prices for ecodistrict properties. When that happens, we’ll
have discovered an unexpected purpose behind the global
rush to cities. We’ll be building a new form of ecosystem that
could conceivably support a pending population of nine billion
Earthlings.
InChina,adozenprojectsforentireecocitiesareonthebooks.
Unrealistic?
Jeb Brugmann is the author of Welcome to the Urban
Revolution: How Cities Are Changing the World
Why our cities of the
future will function like
natural ecosystems
See your future
in the Crystal
Interactive exhibition
Meeting and event space
Award winning waterfront café
1 Siemens Brothers Way, London, E16 1GB
thecrystal.org
www.facebook.com/thecrystalorg
@thecrystalorg
ecosystems, producing large amounts of their own
energy, water, food, and perhaps even materials.
For centuries we have designed and viewed
cities to be colonies of extraction, processing
and consumption of nature’s resource wealth.
Theydisposedtheirwastes,largelyunaccountable
for the impacts. The pace of innovation has
Twentyyearsago,greencityleaderssuchas
Amsterdam,BarcelonaandBostonwere
disposing untreated sewage into
theircanalsandwaterfronts.In
thoseyears,urbansustainability
meantend-of-pipesolutionsto
treattheresiduesfromnature’s
extractedwealth.Then,inthe
Seeking greater economic
value from these resources,
Energy waste supplied district
heatingandco-generationsystems.
Foodwasteenrichedlocalagricultural
soils. Waste water was cascaded from
households,toirrigation,toindustrial
uses. Demolition wastes from one city, say Hong Kong, were
used to construct new cities, such as along China’s eastern
seaboard. City management evolved from the management
of flows to the management and optimisation of the stocks of
extracted natural resources. That was just a start.
Today’sleadingcitiesarenowfocusedoncreatingandmanaging
their own resource supplies. Cities are developing what
scientistscallecologicalfunction,wherebytheyproduce
the resources they consume.
Thebreakthroughfromstockstosources
started with green building. Engineers
assets – passive buildings where the
occupants are the main source of heat;
buildings roofed and skinned with solar
panels; properties supplied by their own
rainwater collection systems and with no
storm water run-off.
The commercial results were equally profound.
Advanced green buildings had lower operating costs,
provided healthier living and work environments,
and had more amenities like water features and
natural ecosystems

3. 3Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH EcoReport · September 2013
PublisherBradleyScheffer...............................info@lyonsdown.co.uk
EditorDanielEvans.............................................dan@lyonsdown.co.uk
ProductionEditorAmyDickson..................amy@lyonsdown.co.uk
Reporter...............................................................................BonnieGardiner
ClientManagerAlexisTrinh.........................alexis@lyonsdown.co.uk
ProjectManagerChrisBarclay..............c.barclay@lyonsdown.co.uk
“CITIES are where things happen,” says
RichardMiller,theheadofsustainability
with the UK Technology Strategy Board
(TSB).
“Cities are becoming more and more
importanteconomically,environmentally
andsocially.Andascitiesgrowbiggeryou
get more pressures, and at the same time
you’ve got climate change, waste, and
resource shortages. In short, there are
loadsofchallengesforcitiesofthefuture.”
Indeed,inanincreasinglyurbanworld
whereit’spredictedthatthreequartersof
the population will live in cities by 2050,
sustainabilitycannolongerbeconsidered
a mere buzzword for policy makers and
businessleaders.Forthesakeofourfuture
cities, the concept of sustainability must
nowbecomepartofmainstreamthinking.
Business has a part to play
There are signs this is already occurring;
the proportion of managers who say
sustainabilityisakeytocompetitivesuccess
hasrisenfrom55percentin2010to67per
centlastyear,accordingtoresearchbythe
MIT Sloan Management Review and the
Boston Consulting Group.
For a city to be truly sustainable,
economies must thrive for the success of
businessandemployment,andthequality
of life must continually excel in order to
retain its popularity. But the solutions to
these must be environmentally friendly,
with the cost of ecological neglect taking
its toll on local flora and fauna.
“Howdoweenable9.5bnpeopletolive
wellwiththeresourcesofasingleplanet?
It’s that balance of people, planet and
profit,” says Miller.
“We see that as a huge commercial
opportunity,andahugechallengeround
how you change these things, as they all
interact.”
Green growth has been imperative to
citydevelopmentsinceasearlyasthelate
1960s. America saw the need for a shift
away from the “grow first, clean later”
approach when the Cuyahoga River in
Ohiowassopolluteditcaughtfire,spurring
the creation of the Environmental
Protection Agency.
TSBhaslaunchedaFutureCitiesgroup
in London, working as an independent
collaborationcentretohelpUKbusinesses
develop innovative urban solutions for
large scale problems and then
commercialisethemonaglobalscale. The
groupwillworkcloselywithGlasgowcity
council, who recently won £24m of
government funding for a future cities
demonstrator.
Commercial opportunity
Though a large challenge exists on the
demand side, with the roll out of smart
metersandretrofitprogrammesintended
toencouragemoresustainableliving,Miller
believesamajorcommercialopportunity
existsinhelpingpeopledothingstheway
they want.
“Somepeoplecomeperilouslycloseto
saying‘ifwehaddifferentconsumersthese
problems would go away’. We have to
acknowledgetherealitiesofpeople’slives,”
he says.
“Peopledonotsetouttowasteenergy,
because that costs money. They set out to
get what they want, in terms of profits or
lifestyle and things like that. So I think
that the opportunity for business lies in
helpingpeopletoachievewhattheywish
in a low impact way.”
A perfect example lies in transport,
with more people forced to commute by
car, due to a lack of infrastructure for
Formoreinformationcontactuson 02083494363
oremailinfo@lyonsdown.co.uk
With thanks to...
WE THINK
DIFFERENTLY
ABOUT
WATER
FIND OUT MORE
aecom.com/Where+We+Are/Europe/Water
By Bonnie Gardiner
Main: Richard
Miller, head of
sustainability at
UK Technology
Strategy Board
Sustainable
cities depend
on the balance
between
people, planet
and profit
walkingandcycling,whileinitiativessuch
assmartticketingandreliablelow-emission
buses and trains are expected to help aid
mobility and ease congestion.
Theefficiencyofroadsystemsalsohas
a major impact on other sectors like
healthcare,withasmuchas20percentof
UK road transportation associated with
the health system.
“Thatcanextendtothewellnessdebate,
because if people are healthier, then the
strain on the system is less, you’ve got
better social outcomes, better economic
outcomes, and better environmental
outcomes,” says Miller.
Business World
Don’t miss our brilliant new feature
Pages 12 & 13
Business WorldBusiness WorldBusiness WorldBusiness World

4. Driving toward a
zero-carbon future
INDUSTRY VIEW
S
ustainable transport is essential, not
just because it can help cities meet
their emissions targets, but because
in the long term, it will bring cost savings.
By 2030 five billion people in the
world are expected to live in high density
urban areas. Many of those cities are
committed to improving air quality,
reducing carbon emissions and want
to cut fuel costs. That makes cities the
most receptive market for hybrid buses.
BAESystemshasbeenpowering
hybridbusesacrosstheglobeformore
thanadecade.Thelatestgeneration
ofproductsfromitsHybriDrivebrand
benefitfrommanyyears’experience
andtechnicalcapabilitydeveloped.But
ithasalwaysbeenclearthathybridis
notthefinalanswerforurbanmobility.
Whilehybrid-poweredbuseshave
beenshowntoconsumelessfueland
releasefarfewerharmfulemissionsthan
astandardbus,theeventualaimhasto
beabsolutezerolocalemissionsfrom
thevehicle.Thishasthepotentialto
radicallyimprovethelivingconditions
forthegrowingpercentageoftheglobal
populationwholiveindenselypopulated
areas.Thechallengetocompanies
wishingtomakethisfuturevisionareality
istodevelopproductswithclearlydefined
andmanagedtechnicalenhancements,
whichenablethejourneytoprogress
incrementally. Makingquantumleapsin
thetransportindustryisrarelyasuccess.
Afterall,thisisabusinessrunonfine
commercialmargins.Technicalriskisnot
somethingthatfitseasilyinthismodel.
The key to success therefore is to
develop products that work well from day
one and offer real benefits to transport
operators. These products will generate
revenues that can be re-invested in
the next generation of products and
progress the state-of-the-art toward the
goal of all-electric city centre mobility.
Hybrid propulsion, in the city bus
sector, offers the benefits of reduced fuel
consumption and harmful greenhouse
gas emissions by up to 35 per cent.
www.hybridrive.com
ExpertInsight
4 Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPHEcoReport · September 2013
ZERO EMISSIONS ARE WHAT DRIVE US.
…AND SOON THEY’LL DRIVE
YOUR PASSENGERS.
The BAE Systems HybriDrive® series propulsion system is a
leading edge technology, with a record of proven performance
and excellence in service.
It’s the driving force behind the world’s largest fleets of low
carbon buses.
We’re now introducing the next stages of the HybriDrive
propulsion system story – new evolutions that bring further
energy savings along the road to a 100% zero emissions
HybriDrive solution.
Designed to deliver the zero emissions future of the bus – today.
www.hybridrive.com
Boris’s low-emission vision
Hybrid buses will be a key element
of the Mayor of London’s plans for
an ultra-low emissions zone.
The mayor has asked Transport for
London to draw up plans for a public
consultation for an ultra-low emission
zone to be introduced by 2020, which
would see only zero or low emission
vehicles driving in central London
during working hours. In a statement
in February, mayor Boris Johnson
said: “Creating the world’s first big
city ultra-low emission
zone has the potential
to be a game changing
moment in the quality
of life of our great capital.
“My vision is a central zone
where almost all the vehicles running
during working hours are either zero
or low emission. This would deliver
incredible benefits in air quality and
stimulate the delivery and mass
use of low emission technology.”
said: “Creating the world’s first big
of life of our great capital.
“My vision is a central zone
BAE leading the way – saving
money and improving air quality
Vehicles equipped with BAE Systems’
HybriDrive propulsion system
have travelled more than
600m miles, prevented
more than 520,000 tons
of CO2 emissions and
saved over 38m gallons
of diesel fuel to date.
HybriDrive propulsion system
have travelled more than
600m miles, prevented
more than 520,000 tons
of CO
saved over 38m gallons
Hybrid and electric public transport is key to a sustainable city

5. “To understand the importance
of resilience, you just need to look at
the stats coming out of the US from
the past five to seven years, in terms
of the amount of damage to urban
infrastructure that they’ve had to
withstand as a result of extreme
weather events.”
Need for collaboration
The economic impact of such events
is also likely to worsen over time,
with a growing number of people
urbanising, along with a greater
amountofinfrastructureinplace.As
such,initiativessuchasClimateWise
believe more incentive is needed
for the collaboration of policy
makers, scientists and private sector
investment.
“That’safundamentalpartofhow
resilienceandsustainabilityneedsto
betackledinanurbanenvironment,”
says Bartlett.
“The public purse has a huge gap
right now, so there is going to need
to be a real scaling up on investment
fromtheprivatesector,andleveraging
that investment in developing or
redevelopingareaswhichhavemuch
more sustainability and resilience
built into them.”
The same notion is being applied
by engineers of smart cities, where
all systems are considered and
interconnected – internally and
externally – in order to deal with a
crisis.
“Whenyousetupasmartbuilding,
you’re collecting a vast array of
information including detailed
meteringtooptimisewhatyou’reusing
from utilities, energy usage and so
on,” explains Katherine Farrington,
communications and security team
leadatengineeringconsultancyfirm
Norman Disney & Young.
“The ultimate goal would be
that this information feeds into
smart cities to optimise utilities and
planning for education, healthcare,
government,transport,economyand
the environment.”
Farrington cites an emergency
scenario as an example where
interconnected systems result in
greater efficiency.
“In a connected city if you had
anincidentinthebuilding,youcould
call 999 and be able to alert the
hospitalwithdetailsoftheperson
involved in the incident. With
interconnectedsystems,patient
informationcouldbeobtained
quicklyfromthepatient’slocal
surgery, to be available
in the ambulance and
at the hospital,” she explains. “The
hospital can then alert the transport
networktosetupallthetrafficlights
along the route to be green, to assist
theambulancetoreachthepatientand
hospital faster – that’s why we want
everything to be interconnected.”
Investment not enough
Private sector investment in roads is
animportantaidtoresilienceasrobust
or flexible building infrastructure
is not always enough. Issues
for business in the event of a
hurricaneorearthquakecan
include road closures and
haltedpublictransportlinks,
preventingemployeesgetting
towork,whilecasualties
aremoredifficultfor
health services to
tend to.
“If you rolled
solutions up like that,
everybody benefits from
investment into that
infrastructure becoming
resilient,” says Bartlett.
Utilities too are important in
natural disasters, to ensure people
are provided with drinking water
or heating, though tight regulations
meantheyaremoredifficulttocontrol.
“It matters to everyone using that
servicethattheystayupandrunning,
that the grid still runs through the
most extreme weather events,” adds
Bartlett.
The resilience aspect would also
have economic benefits for a city, as
itservesasanincentiveforcompanies
to move there, where risks are
managed and reduced, while more
areas are insurable – an attractive
option to businesses struggling with
high premiums.
Withthedemandforan80percent
reductionincarbonemissionsby2050,
buildingsnowneedtooptimisetheir
internal energy and utilities usage.
“The way the progression of
buildings and systems has always
been,allcommunicationsandcontrol
systemswereinstalledascompletely
separate systems that often used
different protocols, nothing would
talk to each other, and if they did it
was really complicated and slow,”
says Farrington.
“What we design now are fully
integrated buildings which have a
common infrastructure, common
backbonenetwork,commonnetwork
interface, providing sustainable,
economicandoperationalbenefits.”
Future of integration
With the introduction of an Energy
EfficientEthernet(EEE),new,smarter
programmes monitor and regulate
anything on an IP network, such as
putting an unused computer, email
servers or telephone to sleep.
Advanced lighting systems can
controllightrightdowntosomeone’s
location in the building; metering
and sub metering is employed to
measureuseofutilities,andbuilding
security is improving to prevent
internalcrises,asvirtualisationshifts
disparatesystemsontoonecentralised
energy efficient platform.
Combined heat and power (CHP)
plants are serving as a sophisticated
alternative to coal and gas-fired
power stations to provide local
heat, electricity and cooling. This
approach has been adopted by some
of the UK’s most notable buildings,
London’s Olympic venues, left, and
the surrounding complexes
and homes, some of which
have achieved a BREEAM
excellent rating.
C H P g e n e r a t e s
electricity while also
capturing usable heat
produced in this process.
Thiscontrastswithconventional
methodsofgeneratingpowerwhereup
totwothirdsoftotalenergyconsumed
iswasted.TheCHPprocessisalsofuel
neutral,meaningitcanbeappliedto
both renewable and fossil fuels.
Despite great progress, cities
are only at the beginning of their
sustainabilityjourneys,withcurrent
plans not enough compared to real,
tangible action.
The efforts by engineers and
policy makers to create intelligent
andresilientinfrastructurewillonly
berealisedwiththecollaborationand
investmentnecessary,sothatcitiescan
better endure emergency scenarios,
as well as help to prevent them.
5Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH EcoReport · September 2013
E
XPERTSareclaimingthatif
citiesdon’thavearesilient
integrated approach to
theiroverallinfrastructurethen
sustainability “is a dream that
will never be realised”.
“Sustainabilityandresilience
can be seen as two sides of the
same coin,” says Nicolette
Bartlett, senior programme
manager for the University of
Cambridge Programme for
Sustainability Leadership,
which runs platforms such as
ClimateWise, an international
insurancebodyforclimaterisk.
Built on resilience
By Bonnie
Gardiner Anexpertlookat
howourfuture
willbeconnected,
integratedand
trulysustainable
Bartlett: sustainability
and resilience are two
sides of the same coin
solutions up like that,
everybody benefits from
investment into that
infrastructure becoming
Utilities too are important in
the surrounding complexes
and homes, some of which
have achieved a BREEAM
excellent rating.
electricity while also
capturing usable heat
produced in this process.
Thiscontrastswithconventional
trulysustainabletrulysustainabletrulysustainable

6. ‘Key to sustainable cities
is embracing clean cloud’
AS smart cities grow, the amount of data
gathered, stored, and analysed is set to
explode–andhowweprocessthisdatawill
play a big role in the future of efficiency
and sustainability.
Whileproponentsofthecloudoftenrave
aboutitsenvironmentalbenefitscompared
with in-house data storage, businesses
shouldstillbevigilantwhendecidingwho
willhosttheirdata.ITdepartmentsshould
bechallengingtheircloudproviders’green
credentialsinordertosecureasustainable
future,accordingtoGreenpeace’sheadof
IT, Andrew Hatton, below.
The IT expert says that asking these
“bigquestions”willencouragecompanies
to go green and make data storage more
environmentally friendly.
“I think, historically, many
businesseshaveapproachedthecloud
from a cost-saving objective – and
that’sunderstandableinthecurrent
climate.
“But we want to see organisations
starting to ask big environmental
questions of cloud providers.”
The beginnings of green
accountability are there, he says, adding
thatthetechnologyisalreadymovinginthe
rightdirectionandtowardssustainability.
Greenpeace publishes reports to
assist companies in choosing sustainable
providers, and Hatton would like to see
morebusinessespromotinggreenprocesses
in future.But, unlike some initiatives,
environmentally-friendlyITcanalsoyield
financial results for firms in financially
uncertain times.
“Therearebigpotentialsavingsinterms
of both money and CO2 in running things
alonggreenerlines,runningthingsmore
efficientlyandusingsmartertechnologies
toreducetravelandrunsmarterlogistics
operations,” says Hatton.
“Forexample,byusingservicessuchas
videoconferencingwereducetravel,and
that has an impact in terms of the load on
the infrastructure and transport systems
of towns and cities.”
This means savings on energy
consumptionandpollution,andwith
staffabletoworkfromhomeonline,
Hattonpredictsthatinthefuturewe
may see “lighter” offices with fewer staff
having to travel on overcrowded trains.
ButforHatton,therealkeytothefutureof
sustainablecitiesisforgreentechnologies
to embrace a clean cloud.
He says: “It’s vital that the growth in
cloud is not at the expense of our climate,
andweavoidtheuseofcoaltopowerthese
data centres. Otherwise we are simply
swapping one problem for another.”
Wind farm is
second largest
in the world
LAST month the UK saw the
opening of the world’s second
largestoffshorewindfarm,off
the coast of Suffolk.
The £1.3bn Greater
Gabbard project, made up of
140 turbines, was jointly
developed by SSE renewables
and RWE npower renewables
and will be providing 14 per
cent of the UK’s offshore wind
power capacity, delivering
enough power to the grid for
415,000 homes.
Energy and Business
Minister Michael Fallon
hailed the project as further
evidence of the government’s
commitment to the fast-
expanding offshore wind
industry, claiming it had
already delivered substantial
economic benefits to the
region.
Insulation is
being left out
in the cold
INSULATIONprojectstoreduce
domesticcarbonemissionshave
been met with resistance due
to their invasive nature, says a
sustainability academic.
Peter Guthrie, director of
the Centre for Sustainable
DevelopmentattheUniversity
of Cambridge, says thermal
insulation is not popular with
residents, despite the high
returnoninvestmentsandshort
payback period.
“Therehasbeenahighlevel
ofresistancebecausepeople
don’twanttotheintrusionof
tradespeoplecomingtodothe
work,”explainsGuthrie.
Thermal insulation for
many either has to be
internal, which reduces the
size of the rooms, or external,
which affects the appearance
of the building,
“More work needs to be
done on the social attitudes
and the behavioural
approaches in terms of
retrofitting,” says Guthrie.
“Persuading people to take
these decisions is proving to
be much more intractable
than originally thought.”
By Matt Smith
ExpertInsight
Why Part L is still Plan A for us
INDUSTRY VIEW
P
art L has long been the focal point
for the UK housing industry. A
complex series of strict targets,
Part L offered a robust structure for
the construction industry to work
to as it sets its sights on achieving
the golden standard of having zero-
carbon new-build housing by 2016.
The new Part L regulations will call
for new build homes to be 6 per cent
more efficient. More significantly, it
shifts the focus on to improving building
materials and developing a fabric-first
approach to building design. This seems
to be a positive move towards what we
in the construction products sector have
always known – that the key to zero-
carbon housing is sympathetic building
design which maximises the inherent
properties of construction materials.
Moving the goalposts
Despitebeinginitiallyconsultedon
inJanuary2012,thegovernment’s
responsetothenextstageofchanges
toPartLhadlongbeendelayed.When
theupdatewasreceivedattheendof
July,thegoalpostshadmovedquite
considerably,leavingmanywondering
whetherPartLwastheguidinglightthey
hadpreviouslybelievedittobe.Some
industryfigureshavewarnedthatthe
watered-downtargetsandresultingdelay
inimplementationuntilApril2014could
threatenviabilityofthe2016goal,butfor
thosealreadyproactivelyworkingtowards
thisdeadline,willitmakeadifference?
Concretehaslongrewrittenthe
rulebookforsustainableconstruction
inthehousingsector,having
beenusedinsomeofthemost
groundbreakinggreenbuilding
developmentsthattheUKhasseen.
It’samaterialthathasalreadyproven
tobeabletoenhanceabuilding’s
sustainabilitycredentials.In2009we
workedwithDrJerryHarrallofSEArch
ArchitectstocreateUnityGardens–a
socialhousingdevelopmentofsix
affordable,concrete-builthomeswiththe
aimofgeneratingmoreenergythanthey
use.Thepropertiesnotonlymetthese
objectives,buttheyachievedthehighest
recordedstandardassessmentprocedure
(SAP)ratings,andwereconfirmedasbeing
themostenergy-efficienthomesintheUK
byanindependentenvironmentalaudit.
Oneofthereasonsforthissuccess
isbecausethebasicdesignreliedsolely
onnaturalresourcessuchassunlight.
South-facingglasswallsmaximisedthe
thermalmassefficiencyoftheconcrete
structures,making centralheating
unnecessary. CombinethiswithPV
panelsandwind-generatedelectricity,
and forthefouryears sincemoving
in,residentshaveenjoyedanear-
autonomousexistenceintermsoffuel.
Look beyond 2016
This resurgence in innovation means that
the industry is well placed to deliver upon
2016 targets, and the furore over changes
to Part L seems somewhat shortsighted.
What we as an industry need to
do is consider a future beyond 2016,
innovating with longevity in mind.
Of course, it’s good to have targets, but
with the gauntlet of an 80 per cent carbon
reduction by 2050 still ahead of us,
getting bogged down in the finer details
of Part L 2014 could be simply wasting
time when we should be joining together
to concentrate on the bigger picture.
Emma Hines is senior manager
of sustainable construction at
Lafarge Tarmac
sustainablecities@lafargetarmac.com
www.lafargetarmac.com
The industry is still on track for 2016 targets, says Emma Hines of Lafarge Tarmac
‘Avoid using coal to power data centres’
6 Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPHEcoReport · September 2013
The Unity Gardens project created the most energy efficient homes in the UK
“I think, historically, many
businesseshaveapproachedthecloud
from a cost-saving objective – and
that’sunderstandableinthecurrent
“But we want to see organisations
starting to ask big environmental
questions of cloud providers.”
The beginnings of green
the infrastructure and transport systemsthe infrastructure and transport systems
of towns and cities.”
This means savings on energy
consumptionandpollution,andwith
staffabletoworkfromhomeonline,
Hattonpredictsthatinthefuturewe
“I think, historically, many
businesseshaveapproachedthecloud
from a cost-saving objective – and
that’sunderstandableinthecurrent
“But we want to see organisations
starting to ask big environmental
questions of cloud providers.”
The beginnings of green
the infrastructure and transport systems
of towns and cities.”
This means savings on energy
consumptionandpollution,andwith
staffabletoworkfromhomeonline,
Hattonpredictsthatinthefuturewe
FindouthowyourITdepartmentcanhelpmakeyourbusinessmoreenvironmentally
friendlyatITTransformation2013,whereAndrewHattonwillbespeaking,atthe
BritishMuseumonNovember26.Visit www.it-transformation.co.uk

7. ExpertInsight
Solutions
for a more
efficient
tomorrow
Heat pumps are a
cost effective and safe
alternative to heating
INDUSTRY VIEW
W
ith cities becoming increasingly
densely populated and the associated
energy demand growing, the issue
of dwindling fossil fuel supplies is raising more
and more discussion about how homes and
commercial properties will be heated in the
future. However, an innovative and sustainable
solution is already available right before our eyes
– in the air around us and the ground below.
Heat pumps are a proven method of heating
in the UK and abroad. They extract heat from
the air or the ground to provide a total heating
and hot water solution for any property. With
vastly superior efficiencies compared with fossil
fuel systems and with no combustible gases,
they are safer and more cost-effective to run.
Reductioninemissions
Retrofitting heat pumps in our cities,
whether via boreholes for single or multiple
properties or by installing air source units
can also achieve substantial carbon emission
reductions. It’s simply a case of people
recognising the considerable benefits of
these systems and incorporating them within
current and future development plans.
One initiative that will boost this recognition
is the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The
commercial variant already rewards businesses
with payments for the heat their systems
generate, while the domestic RHI launches
in 2014. This is a defining moment in history
where an entire country is being incentivised
to fundamentally change the way they heat
their homes and businesses. With just a small
amount of capital and the benefit of ongoing
RHI payments, it is now possible to achieve
zero carbon energy
solutions at zero cost.
Powerinour
hands
Renewable energy
has the power to
remove the burden
of fuel concerns
from future
generations and
thwart the onset of
fuel poverty among
vulnerable social groups. Forward-thinking
individuals and businesses have that power
in their hands and now is the time to use it.
0808 145 2340
www.iceenergy.co.uk
ENVIRONMENTAL organisations are
opposingplansforairportexpansionsin
the UK, claiming that it is unsustainable
and unnecessary.
As the debate continues over how to
improve capacity at airports in London,
environmental organisation Friends of
theEarthsaysthattheconceptis“nothing
more than a political football”.
“Wedon’tthinkthatthebusinesscase
for expansion is being made robustly
enough,” says Jane Thomas, senior
campaigner for Friends of the Earth.
“Thisstuffisbeingkickedaroundlike
apoliticalfootball.Alotofthisispolitical
posturing,andthatcoststhecommunities
andtheenvironmentahugeamount,sowe
urgepoliticianstobeverymindfulofthat.”
Thestressinresponsetodecreasingair
travelforbusinessreasonsisnottakinginto
accountthedifferentwaysinwhichpeople
can conduct business, insists Thomas.
“At the moment we are still the
destination of choice. Business traffic is
falling, but it’s because people are using
video conferences; executives aren’t
needed to jet around the world. People
are doing business differently and this
new model hasn’t been factored in.”
Thomasalsonotesthatmanyregional
companies conduct their business in
Europe, where air travel is unnecessary
with services such as Eurostar and the
upcoming completion of HS2.
A n alternative
suggestion to free
up airport capacity
would be to scrap
short-haul flights
around the UK,
for which there are already adequate
alternatives.
“It’s ridiculous in Heathrow there are
flightstoManchester,LeedsandScotland,”
says Thomas.
“You’ve got runways that are used
for long-haul destinations that take on
short-haul flights and that’s why the
capacityatHeathrowis97percent;poor
usage of runway.”
London mayor Boris Johnson has
long rallied for a new hub
airport to be built in the
Thamesestuary,despite
similarproposalsbeing
rejectedsince1943
on economic and
environmental
grounds.
I n M ay, t he
Commons Transport
Committeesaidthatthe
“Boris Island” and other
estuaryairportproposalswouldbehugely
expensive,couldharmwildlifeandmean
the closure of Heathrow.
The committee and the majority of
airlines are in favour of building a third
runway at Heathrow, while some would
preferexpansionofGatwickorStansted.
Aviationisexpectedtoaccountforone
quarter of the UK’s total greenhouse gas
emissions by 2050.
The RSPB, WWF UK and Heathrow
campaign group HACAN submitted a
report to the government, in which CE
Delft found that once a city reaches a
certainlevelof“connectedness”,further
expansionisunlikelytosignificantlyaffect
the economy.
Thegovernment’sairportcommission,
headedbyLordDavies,hasbeensetupto
examine aviation capacity and the need
for expansion in greater detail, and will
produce its final recommendations in a
report to be published in 2015.
Shipping industry is steering on to a greener path
THE shipping industry is working
towards a greener future with new
environmentallyconsciousinvestments.
Despite the lack of a global emissions
deal,thegrowingcarbonfootprintofthe
industryhasledmanycompaniestoseek
a more sustainable business strategy.
The sector currently accounts for
around 3 per cent of global emissions,
and is expected to more than double its
output by 2050 if no action is taken.
The International Maritime
Organisation (IMO) has introduced
a series of efficiency measures to cut
emissions by 23 per cent by 2030, but
hasadmittedmoresolutionsarerequired.
Suggestionsforaglobalmarket-based
mechanism include a tax on bunker fuel
or an emissions trading scheme.
Rules have also been brought in to
restrict sulphur and nitrogen oxide
emissions.
Meanwhile,inAmsterdam,theShipto
Gridprojectwillallowrivercruisersand
inland cargo vessels to connect to green
energywiththehelpofalmost200newly
installed onshore power stations.
Activists
give red
light to
airport
growth
By Bonnie Gardiner
RHI payments, it is now possible to achieve
zero carbon energy
solutions at zero cost.
Powerinour
Renewable energy
has the power to
of fuel concerns
generations and
thwart the onset of
fuel poverty among
Heat pumps
are a safe
and cost-
effective
way to get
energy
7Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH EcoReport · September 2013
companies conduct their business in
Europe, where air travel is unnecessary
with services such as Eurostar and the
upcoming completion of HS2.
A n alternative
suggestion to free
up airport capacity
would be to scrap
short-haul flights
around the UK,
London mayor Boris Johnson has
long rallied for a new hub
airport to be built in the
Thamesestuary,despite
similarproposalsbeing
rejectedsince1943
on economic and
environmental
grounds.
I n M ay, t he
Commons Transport
Committeesaidthatthe
“Boris Island” and other
companies conduct their business in
Europe, where air travel is unnecessary
with services such as Eurostar and the
upcoming completion of HS2.
A n alternative
suggestion to free
around the UK,
London mayor Boris Johnson has
long rallied for a new hub
airport to be built in the
Thamesestuary,despite
similarproposalsbeing
rejectedsince1943
Commons Transport
Committeesaidthatthe
“Boris Island” and other
Johnson: keen to
build a new hub airport

8. ALMOSTtenyearsafterAthenshosted
theOlympicGames,thegloryofmedals,
adrenalineandstrikinginfrastructure
burnsonlyasadistantmemoryforthe
people of Greece. Almost all venues
lie abandoned, while the crumbling
stadium houses broken chairs and
a torn running track. As the Greek
economydeteriorates,theimportance
offorwardthinkinggoesundisputed.
FollowingBeijing’sinspiringmega-
event of 2008, all eyes fell on a patch
oflandineastLondon,whereourown
OlympicParkbegantotakeshape.But
asChina’svenuesslowlyfadedintothe
background – not well maintained
andusedmostlybytourists–theword
on the British streets was not simply
sportingglory,butofOlympiclegacy.
“We said from the very beginning
therewouldbenowhiteelephantson
thepark–andwe’vekeptourpromise,”
says Dennis Hone, chief executive
of the London Legacy Development
Corporation (LLDC).
“Wesaidwe’dtransformwasteland
in east London into one of Europe’s
largestparksfilledwithaward-winning
sports venues that people will love,
and we delivered,” he adds. “We
remain firmly on track to deliver a
meaningfulphysicalandsociallegacy
for Londoners.”
Just over a year since London
2012, I can see myself that the park’s
reconstruction is well underway
as I trek across various work sites.
Accompaniedbyvariousconstruction
workersandprojectmanagers,liaising
over colour samples and admiring
newly built bridges, I can see the
foundations being laid for 10 tennis
courts,amountainbikingcourseand
two hockey pitches.
“Different countries have done
differentparkswell,butBarcelonadid
quiteagoodjobwithregeneration,and
Sydney too,” says Jessica Gavaghan,
project manager for the Legacy
Corporation and my site chaperone
fortheday.“We’vetriedtobringitall
together,tohavealegacyforthevenues,
but also the park, and the village.”
The lesson from former host cities
left crippled from the effects of the
Olympicsensuredthatrightfromthe
start, LLDC would take heed of past
mistakes and work with a legacy at
the forefront of their plans.
“Thiswasalldesignedforthelegacy,
but we made it work for the Games –
anditworkedreallywell.So nowour
job is converting; there’s still a lot to
Bonnie Gardiner takes a
tour of the Games venues
to see how sustainability
is coming out on top
8 Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPHEcoReport · September 2013
A legacy that will la
long after Games
glory fades

9. Main: an artist’s
impression of
how a nearby
neighbourhood
might look, with
Olympic venues to
the right
Below:
construction takes
place on site
Bottom: A music
event makes use of
the Olympic Park
do but we have a really good place to
start from,” says Gavaghan.
Looking to the north, the work is
already complete, with the recently
opened Copper Box Arena playing
host to several events since July.
The green and pristine community
spacesees people comingfrom miles
aroundtoenjoywalkingandcycling,
orrelaxingintheUnityKitchenCafé,
whilechildrenlaughintheTumbling
Bayadventureplayground.Oneof29
playgroundstobeerectedinthepark,
TumblingBayisspeciallydesignedto
blend into its natural surroundings,
withatreetrunkplayground,sandpit,
ropes course and waterpark.
A perimeter wall restricts access
to construction spaces to the
south, displaying details of venue
refurbishment so people are up to
date on the park plans. A distant
hammering can be heard, and the
occasional worker in a hard hat and
high-visibilityvestappearswithtools,
but people seem unperturbed by the
on-going work.
“Ithinkpeopleunderstandthatit’sa
bigjobandit’snotgoingtobefinished
overnight.They’rejusthappytocome
and see what’s going on, how things
areprogressing,andhopefullythey’ll
continue to come,” adds Gavaghan.
Overall, around £300m will be
spent on transforming all 560 acres
of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park,
whileconstructionhasalreadycreated
morethanathousandjobs,including
60apprenticeships,with8,000more
permanentrolestobecreatedby2030.
Inafewmonthsnewresidentswill
moveintothe2,818homesonwhatwas
oncetheAthletes’Village,aswellasa
further7,000newhomesinfivenew
neighbourhoods,completewithnine
nurseries and three health centres.
The completed park will offer
sportingprogrammesforeverything
fromhighperformancecompetitions
tograssrootscompetitions,nodoubt
includingschoolsportingevents,with
three schools expected to be built
overtheparkinthecoming
years,includingtheopening
of Chobham Academy this
September.
As tumbleweed rolls
through the dilapidated
Athensstadium,thefutureof
alleightofLondon’sOlympic
venues was secured by May
2013,followingthesigningofa
dealwithiCITYforthePressand
BroadcastCentre.Justamonth
earliersawtheOlympicStadium
confirmedasthefuturehomefor
theRugbyWorldCup,followed
byPremiershipsideWestHamUnited
and UK Athletics.
This puts London further ahead
than any other host city in history in
delivering a lasting legacy from the
Games, while a schedule of summer
entertainmentandeventswillcontinue
9Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH EcoReport · September 2013
Most sustainable
cities are also most
desirable to live in
ITwasin2008that,forthefirsttimeinhistory,humankind
becameanurbanspecies.TheUNreportedthatbytheend
oftheyearamajorityoftheworld’s6.7bnpeoplewouldbe
city-dwellers. Moreover, the urbanisation trend that has
dominatedforseveralcenturiesiscontinuing,withanalysts
predicting that by 2050, 6.4bn out of a global population
of 9.2bn will live in cities.
Whetherthisisablessingoracursedependsonwhichcity
youlivein.Wellmanagedcitiesarecruciblesforinnovation
and engagement that provide citizens with richly varied
and rewarding lives. In addition, experts believe mega-
citiescouldholdtheanswertotheworld’senvironmental
challengesbyconcentratingpopulationefficientlyinareas
thatcanthenbesupportedbysurroundingagriculturalland
or perhaps even sky-scraper farms and rooftop gardens.
Poorlymanagedcitiesremainsomeofthebleakestplaces
ontheplanet,marredbypoverty,poorhealth,andcrime.It
isadichotomythatmakesthedevelopmentofsustainable
citiesoneofthemostimportantlongtermchallengesfaced
by political and business leaders the world over.
Every few months it seems a new list is published
highlighting the “world’s greenest cities” and while it
maybeimpossibletodeveloptrulycomprehensivecriteria
formeasuringthegreennessofametropolis,itisclearthat
manyoftheworld’sgreenestcitiesarealsotheworld’smost
liveableandattractivecities.WhetheritisNewYorkwithits
walkableneighbourhoodsandlowlevelsofcarownership,
LondonwithitshugegreenspacesandBorisBikes,below,
orVancouverwithits55percentrecyclingrateandreliance
oncleanhydroelectricity,thegreenestneighbourhoodsin
the world are also some of the most desirable.
This trend will continue as new clean technologies are
embraced. In cities, electric cars are already providing
a clean and cost effective means of tackling deadly air
pollution. Electric scooters delivering your pizza are now
a common sight in New York, while Taiwan is working on
plans to roll out 5,000 electric rubbish trucks.
Similarly, energy efficient upgrades and renewable
energy installations such as solar panels and district heat
networksmayrequireupfrontinvestment,butthepayback
is far quicker in densely populated neighbourhoods.
All these benefits are apparent in ambitious plans for
futuristic green cities such as the Masdar project in Abu
DhabiortheLivingPlanITValleysmartcitydevelopmentin
Portugal,whererenewables,publictransport,andbuilding
andtransportmanagementsystemsareintegratedtoslash
emissions and environmental impacts.
Planners now envisage cities where buildings
automatically deliver the right temperature, driverless
carsferrypeoplearoundwithzeroriskofaccidents,while
allthetimethecitydrawonnegligibleamountsofenergy.
Weneedsustainablecitiesandweneedtobuildthemfast.
Butthankfullythesesustainable
cities are just the kind of cities
people like to live in.
By James MurrayBy James Murray
‘By2050,6.4bnoutofaglobal
populationof9.2bnwillliveincities’
VIEW
untiltherestoftheparkopensitsdoors
to the community in spring 2014.
The Stratford environment is set
to prosper also, with each venue
functioning on green energy as well
asaregenerationofthesurrounding
natural habitats. With 252 acres of
open space and 6.5km of rivers and
canals,variouswildlifehavebegunto
reappearintheparksincetheGames,
and will continue to do so with an
expected 111 acres of biodiverse
habitats including reed beds,
grasslands, ponds and woodlands.
InternationalOlympicCommittee
presidentJacquesRoggesays:“London
hasraisedthebaronhowtodelivera
lastinglegacy.Ithascreatedalegacy
blueprint for future Games hosts.”
And, so far, the outlook is positive
for Rio 2016.
The Rio organising committee
is promising its own legacy
will be born from “passion and
transformation of a city and an
entire country, fuelled by the
renovation of the Olympic and
Paralympic spirit.”
But as we’ve seen in the
past, promises don’t always
equal a reality. Gavaghan of the
Legacy Corporation stresses that:
“As successful as London has been,
Rio needs to adapt to its own unique
situationsandthinkaboutwhatthey
needtoimproveintheircityandwhat
benefits they can get.”
ast
three schools expected to be built
overtheparkinthecoming
years,includingtheopening
of Chobham Academy this
As tumbleweed rolls
through the dilapidated
Athensstadium,thefutureof
alleightofLondon’sOlympic
venues was secured by May
presidentJacquesRoggesays:“London
hasraisedthebaronhowtodelivera
lastinglegacy.Ithascreatedalegacy
blueprint for future Games hosts.”
And, so far, the outlook is positive
for Rio 2016.
2013,followingthesigningofa
dealwithiCITYforthePressand
BroadcastCentre.Justamonth
confirmedasthefuturehomefor
theRugbyWorldCup,followed
byPremiershipsideWestHamUnited
The Rio organising committee
is promising its own legacy
will be born from “passion and
transformation of a city and an
entire country, fuelled by the
renovation of the Olympic and
Paralympic spirit.”
past, promises don’t always
equal a reality. Gavaghan of the
EXPERT
James Murray is the founding
editor of BusinessGreen.com
He tweets @James_BG

10. ExpertInsight
A
ccording to the UK Green
Building Council, by 2050, 75 per
cent of the world’s population
is expected to live in cities. The built
environment already accounts for up to
20 per cent of water use, 40 per cent of
energy consumption and approaching
50 per cent of natural resource use, as
well as two-thirds of C02 emissions.
So,withnewinfrastructure
andconstructioncomesahuge
responsibility–andanincredible
opportunity–tominimisethe
impactofthecitiesoftomorrow.
Butit’snotjustnewbuildsthatcan
makeadifference.In2050,
80percentofallbuildingsstanding
todaywillstillbeoccupied.
“Wehavetorampupoureffortsas
anindustrytodrivegreensolutionsif
wearegoingtomeetthegovernment’s
targetof80percentreductioninCO2
emissionsby2050,”saysSkanska’s
presidentandchiefexecutive,Mike
Putnam,whoisalsoco-chairofthe
government’sGreenConstructionBoard.
Todaymanydevelopersconcentrate
onbuildingonepropertyandmeeting
minimumenvironmental
requirements,butwe
needtothinkwider
thanthatduring
development,
Putnambelieves.He
supportsgreater
collaboration:
“Weneedtowork
withgovernment,
thesupplychain
andcompetitorsto
drivesustainable
construction.”
Heseescollaborations,
suchastheSkanska-
founded,industry-
wideSupplyChain
SustainabilitySchool
asthewayforward.
Initsfirstyear,theschoolattracted
2,400membersand1,300companies,
alleagertoboosttheirgreencredentials
andmeettheirclients’aspirationsto
future-prooftheirdevelopments.
TheJourneytoDeepGreen
Today’sconstructionisaboutreducing
theuseofcarbon,energyandwaterand
sourcingsustainablematerials.Some
mightbelievethatabuildingwith
zeronetenergyusage–nomore
energybills–isapipedream,but
constructionfirmshavealready
builtsuccessfulexamples.
“Ibelievethatconstruction
withnear-zeroimpactonthe
environmentisrealistic.Self-sufficient
buildingsthatgeneratetheirown
power–andarebuiltandmaintained
withnonetimpactontheenvironment
–arethefuture,”saysPutnam.
Constructionprojectsfocuson
reduction,reuseandrecycling–thesame
mantraweuseathome–becausethere
isachargeforthewastesenttolandfill.
Oninfrastructureprojects,suchas
wideningtheM25,theSkanskaBalfour
Beattyjointventurehasworkedwiththe
HighwaysAgencytodriveoutwaste.
Morethan2.2msqmetresofmaterials
excavatedwererecycled,withmorethan
97percentofwastedivertedfromlandfill.
Today’sbuildingscanbepowered
byrenewableenergy,including
geothermalsources,biomass,windand
solarpower.JustoutsideHelsingborg
inSweden,Skanska’slargestgreen
officedevelopmentsofar–Väla
Gård–isproducingatleastasmuch
energyasitconsumesforheating,
coolingandbuildingutilities.
Andit’snotjustoverseasthatprogress
isbeingmade.Therecentlycompleted
BrentCivicCentreinNorthLondon
issoontobenamedtheUK’sgreenest
publicbuilding.BrentCouncilhadhigh
aspirationsforitsnewhome.Working
withSkanska,itsnewpremisesare
settoachievea33percentreduction
incarbonemissionswithanA-rated
energyperformancecertificate.
Incitiesofthefuture,withtheright
technology,buildingscanchannel
moreenergybacktotheNational
Gridthantheydrawdown.
Thecaseforgreen
Therearegoodexamplesofhow
constructioncompanieshaveintroduced
sustainableideasandtechnology,
butthereremainsaperception
bysomethatbuilding‘green’
ismoreexpensive.
That’swhy,forcompanies
likeSkanska–anditscustomers
–itisimportanttofocusonthe
businesscaseforsustainablebuilding.
Lowerrunningcostsareclearly
attractiveforassetownersandtenants,
butinitialinvestmentcanbeabarrier.
Forconstructioncompanies,the
challengehereisasmuchoneof
educationastechnicalknow-how.
Particularlyongreenretrofitprojects,a
well-informedapproachcanmeanthere
isnocapitaloutlayforthebuyer.Payback
periods,feed-intariffsandgovernment
incentivesareallwaystoreduceorremove
thestingofamajorcapitalinvestment.
A£1.4minvestmentatSkanska’shead
officeinHertfordshirehascutenergy
costsby£145,000ayear,andreduced
carbonbyhalf.Theinvestmentis
expectedtopayforitselfwithinnineyears.
Peoplepower
Switchingtorenewablesources
ispointless,though,ifenergy
usageisstillhigh,soreducing
consumptionisequallyimportant.
Smartercitieswillbethosethat
considernotjusttheconstructionphase,
butalsohowwedesignandemploy
technology–andshifthumanbehaviour
–torunthosecitiesmoreefficiently.
Greeninfrastructureandbuildings
delivertheirfullpotentialonly
whenthepeoplewhousethemdo
socorrectly.Thenatureofgreen
technologymeansusershaveamajor
influenceontheireffectiveness.
Behaviouralchangehasbecomean
importantpartofdeliveringsmarter
buildings.AtthreeLondonhospitals–
StBartholomew’s,TheLondonChest
HospitalandTheRoyalLondon–
Skanska’sfacilitiesmanagementteam
auditsthewastebinseverysixweeks.
Bymakingsurehospitalstaffmembers
puttherightkindofwasteintotheright
bins,thehospitalshavereachedthepoint
wheretheynowsendzeronon-clinical
wastetolandfill.They’vealsocutthecost
of‘offensive’wastedisposal[low-level
clinicalwaste]by£250,000inthefirstyear.
So,smartercitiesneedsmarterpeople.
Twitter: @skanskaukplc
www.skanska.co.uk
10 Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPHEcoReport · September 2013
onbuildingonepropertyandmeeting
minimumenvironmental
requirements,butwe
needtothinkwider
thanthatduring
development,
Putnambelieves.He
supportsgreater
collaboration:
“Weneedtowork
withgovernment,
thesupplychain
andcompetitorsto
drivesustainable
construction.”
Heseescollaborations,
suchastheSkanska-
founded,industry-
wideSupplyChain
SustainabilitySchool
asthewayforward.
The business case
for building
smarter cities
By supporting the green agenda in
building and infrastructure projects, the
construction industry is helping the UK
understand the benefits of building cities
that are smarter and more sustainable
INDUSTRY VIEW
Leading by example
Pushingthegreenagendaiseasierif
youcanproveitworks.Putnamargues
thatcompaniesshouldsetthetone
bytakingtheleadongreenissues.
Backin2009,Skanskatookthebold
decisiontochangeits1,200-strong
carfleettolow-emissionvehicles.
Atthattimetherewereonlyasmall
numberofcarsonthemarketthat
metitsambitiousstandard.
TheaverageCO₂emissionsfora
newcartodayintheUKis133CO₂/
km.Skanska’scarfleetwasachieving
thistwoyearsago.Themovecut
Skanska’sfuelcostsby£1.1m.
Thecompanyhasalsoconverted
itsentirefleetofheavyplanttobe
poweredbybiodegradableoils,
aheadofanylegislativenecessity.
“Weliketotakealeadershipposition
andpushthisagendaforward,”says
Putnam.“We’retryingtofindinnovative
solutionsandpushtheboundaries.
It’simportanttodowhatyousay,but
alsotofocusoncollaborationandtake
awideapproachtobeinggreen.”
sourcingsustainablematerials.Some
mightbelievethatabuildingwith
energybills–isapipedream,but
environmentisrealistic.Self-sufficient
constructioncompanieshaveintroduced
sustainableideasandtechnology,
butthereremainsaperception
bysomethatbuilding‘green’
ismoreexpensive.
likeSkanska–anditscustomers
–itisimportanttofocusonthe
businesscaseforsustainablebuilding.
Below: Mike
Putnam,
Skanska
president and
chief executive

11. I
ndustry is beginning to recognise
the important contribution
of engineers who understand
precisely how a building’s external
surfaces can help moderate energy
use. The façade of a modern building
is fast becoming one of the most
expensive and important elements of
building construction; representing
up to 35 per cent of construction
costs. Façades are a creative
expression of the architect as well
the primary environmental modifier,
significantly influencing internal
conditions, energy use and comfort.
We all understand that insulation
is important to prevent heat loss from
a building, but this is not a general
rule that applies to all constructions.
Some buildings that have dominant
air conditioning energy use might not
necessarily benefit from very high levels
ofinsulationwhencoolexternalweather
conditions might actually help
depress warm internal temperatures.
In the future, building façades will
need to be far more adaptive so that
they work in the same way that the
consumer might remove a coat and
add sunglasses on a hot day. Clearly,
we have the ability to open and close
windows for ventilation purposes,
but varying levels of insulation and
window transparency will be required
to further optimise building energy use.
Speciallytrainedengineers
Façade engineering is a relatively new
science, embracing the need to design
and understand how building façades
contribute to energy in use so that
optimum forms of construction can be
achieved with certainty. This requires
specifically trained façade engineers.
The Society of Façade Engineering in
London defines the science as ‘the art
of resolving aesthetic, environmental
and structural issues to achieve the
enclosure of habitable space.’
The technical design and
execution of sustainable buildings
now requires properly skilled and
talented engineers as part of a holistic
design approach to inform this part
of a building’s construction in any
properly sustainable building.
Chris Macey is chief executive
of Wintech Façade Engineers
01902 307430
www.wintech-group.co.uk
S
ustainability is great for
government and industry to
aspire to, but the improved
economy and quality of life can’t
be fully enjoyed by residents who
don’t live past middle age.
The growing health issues of
British people is spurred greatly
from an over reliance on un-
healthy foods, causing sustain-
able living projects to spring up
in various communities.
Social ventures in Manchester
and Stoke are improving employ-
ment and access to healthier food
optionsbyteachingpeoplehowto
farm and sell local produce.
Manchester has benefited
from an incubator project for
new organic farmers called
Form Start, with new grow-
ers harvesting their first crops
in July; while further south the
Urbivore initiative gives school
children the chance to learn a
trade that would offer employ-
ment in agriculture and cater-
ing, while boosting the health
of local communities by selling
locally grown, affordable fruits
and vegetables, all of which can
help cure Stoke of its “sick city”
status.
The Sustainable Food Cit-
ies Network says good food is a
positive vehicle for dealing with
some of today’s most pressing
social, economic and environ-
mental problems, including diet-
related ill-health to food poverty
and waste, not to mention cli-
mate change and biodiversity
loss to social dislocation.
Car sharing scheme a hit in Amsterdam
Addedtothelistof
interestingDutch
developments,Dogberry
hearsthey’vecomeup
withanewwaytocontrol
transportissuesforthe
peopleofAmsterdam.
WeGoCarSharingisa
peer-to-peercarsharing
platformthatallows
peoplewithoutcarsto
rentthemfrompeoplein
theneighbourhoodviaa
speciallydesignedapp.
Thetechnology,which
trackswhoisdriving
whatvehicle,andhow
far,isdesignedtohelp
ownersandrenters
managereservations
andhandlepayments.
Theresulthelpscompanies
inneedofmobilitytosaveon
costs,andpresumablydecreases
crowdingonpublictransport,
whilepeoplearealsomore
inclinedtopurchasecarsif
theycanexploitthisschemeto
generatemorerevenue.
The density of cities is at the
heart of many sustainabil-
ity challenges such as conges-
tion, carbon emissions, and a
lack of suitable transport and
infrastructure.
But without the number
of active residents, the city
wouldn’tworknearlyaswell.
The more people that are
squeezed into an area, the
moreservicesthatareawillbe
able to sustain, with smaller
towns often not able to jus-
tify services such as night
buses, 24-hour shops and res-
taurants.YetinLondon,these
are typically within walking
distance.
Cities will only continue to
attract people, while those
additional residents become
customers, spurring more
business, competition, and a
greaterdriveforinnovation.
ResearchbyEY(formallyErnst&Young)has
liftedsomespiritsinthecleantechnology
sector,revealingthatglobally,theyhave
seengrowthof18percentthisyear.
Cleanenergycompaniesareresponding
toaglobalshiftinperspective,with
particularlystrongdemandforenhanced
energyefficiencyintheAsian-Pacific
region,whileChinaandtheUSleadthe
worldincleantechnologyfirms.
Thenumberofindividualfirmshasalso
beenseentoincreasegloballyasmore
businessfolkaresettocapitaliseontheshift.
Listedrenewableenergyfirmsincreased
14percent,withmarketcapitalisation
increasing8percent,andreported
revenuesrising23percent.
Meanwhile,sourcessuchaswindand
solarmightseemixedresultsasthedebates
rageonabouttheirtrueeffectiveness.
ByMattSmith,webadministrator
u Editor’s pick
WWF UK - Green Business
bit.ly/1bVHJZQ
Deloitte Sustainable Business
blogs.deloitte.com/greenbusiness
If you’re looking for insight and tips
on sustainable business, where
better to start than the World
Wildlife Fund’s UK blog? While the
Green Business section provides
a starting point, be sure to explore
the rest of the site for inspirational
ideas from beyond the business
world that could be adapted to use
within your policy.
From packaging to supply chains
and efficiency to corporate
responsibility, Deloitte’s
sustainable business blog’s
covers all areas of green company
policy, with insights from key
figures and intriguing figures from
its studies in a back catalogue
that spans several years.
Inspector
Dogberry
Manchester has benefited ment in agriculture and cater-
Inspector
Dogberry
Business Green Blog
businessgreen.com/blog
Business Green’s site explores
issues surrounding the
environmental enterprise
movement, from new
technologies to help your
business adapt to the
government’s impact on
environmental policy. You’re
sure to find plenty to get your
green creative juices flowing.
theycanexploitthisschemeto
generatemorerevenue.
that spans several years.
EnvAudit FREE
How environmentally friendly
is your business? EnvAudit asks
you a series of questions about
your environmental policy and
suggests ways to go greener.
greenMeter £3.80
If your work involves a lot of
travelling, greenMeter analyses
the efficiency of your driving
technique to keep your carbon
footprint as low as possible.
Andrew Winston
andrewwinston.com/blog
Sustainable business expert
Andrew Winston brings both
general discussion and case
studies to the table. As he
explores green business around
the world and examines the
success stories, you may just find
something that could inspire green
policy in your own business.
Edited by Bonnie Gardiner
ExpertInsight
INDUSTRY VIEW
The rise
of the
façade
engineer
There’s a new science
influencing the
sustainability of our
buildings
depress warm internal temperatures.
In the future, building façades will
add sunglasses on a hot day. Clearly,
we have the ability to open and close
Façades can be creative and practical
11Sustainable cities
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH EcoReport · September 2013
Car sharing scheme a hit in AmsterdamResearchbyEY(formallyErnst&Young)has
businessfolkaresettocapitaliseontheshift.
solarmightseemixedresultsasthedebates
Car sharing scheme a hit in Amsterdam
Addedtothelistof
interestingDutch
developments,Dogberry
hearsthey’vecomeup
withanewwaytocontrol
transportissuesforthe
peopleofAmsterdam.
WeGoCarSharingisa
peer-to-peercarsharing
platformthatallows
peoplewithoutcarsto
rentthemfrompeoplein
theneighbourhoodviaa
speciallydesignedapp.
Thetechnology,which
trackswhoisdriving
whatvehicle,andhow
far,isdesignedtohelp
ownersandrenters
managereservations
andhandlepayments.
ResearchbyEY(formallyErnst&Young)has
Car sharing scheme a hit in Amsterdam
Addedtothelistof
interestingDutch
developments,Dogberry
hearsthey’vecomeup
withanewwaytocontrol
transportissuesforthe
peopleofAmsterdam.
peer-to-peercarsharing
platformthatallows
peoplewithoutcarsto
rentthemfrompeoplein
speciallydesignedapp.
andhandlepayments.
ResearchbyEY(formallyErnst&Young)has
businessfolkaresettocapitaliseontheshift.

12. ExpertInsight
Sustainably
developing
city
infrastructure
Siemens is working to ensure
that global urbanisation can
support the environment and
provide a better quality of life
INDUSTRY VIEW
T
wo hundred years ago, just 3 per cent
of the world’s population lived in cities.
Today, the total has grown to more
than half, and the trend is accelerating. Every
week, the number of people living in urban
centres grows by around one million. Some
cities already have higher populations than
countries such as Austria, Israel, Chile or
Cambodia. Globally, the level of urbanisation is
projected to rise to almost 70 per cent in 2050.
Due to their increasing economic
importance, cities are the engines that
drive growth, offering opportunities for
development, employment, and prosperity.
Currently, an estimated 80 per cent of
global GDP is generated in cities. Yet the
negative effects of progress are also evident:
noise, limited space, informal settlements,
environmental pollution, and congested
traffic, to name just a few. Already today,
cities account for two thirds of global
energy demand and up to 70 per cent of
worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.
As urban populations continue to
grow, sustainable development of city
infrastructure is essential for wealthier
developed cities and for cities in emerging
and developing nations. Infrastructure is the
backbone of a city, ensuring the delivery of
goods and services that promote prosperity
and growth, contributing to quality of life
and the environment. Estimated annual
expenditure on urban infrastructure is
around €2tn worldwide. In emerging
economies, the infrastructure cannot be
built quickly enough to keep pace with
economic and urban development, while in
developed economies, many infrastructure
systems are ageing and in need of repair. In
many cases, they were not designed to cope
with the population and lifestyles they must
now support. In the global economy, cities
and businesses that fail to invest in their
infrastructure will lose out competitively.
Intelligentsolutions
However, infrastructure investments are
long-term decisions that will impact on
a city’s future development. Key decision
makers in cities, whether they are public
sector bodies, utilities, transport providers
and operators, or private enterprises, require
energy-efficient and intelligent infrastructures
solutions for buildings, transportation,
energy, and water supply to help them
achieve their sustainability goals. They are
not looking for isolated products, such as a
fleet of buses – but rather overall concepts,
such as how to improve traffic flow, reduce
congestion and emissions and in response
require integrated, intelligent solutions.
Early engagement with infrastructure
and technology providers – such as
Siemens – at the initial planning stages
is essential for getting the infrastructure
right. Energy consumption and CO2
emissions can already be drastically reduced
with today’s technologies. Buildings, for
example, account for roughly 40 per cent
of the world’s energy use. By intelligently
integrating their lighting, data, climate,
and security systems, this consumption
can be reduced by up to 40 per cent.
Siemens has a long record in automating
systems and has consistently advanced
technological progress in automation. Most
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH12 | EcoReport · September 2013
THENetherlandsispoweringaheadof
other nations, not only for its ongoing
successful clean mobility systems, but
more broadly with the Amsterdam
Innovation Motor, which is working to
increase the capacity for innovation in
the Amsterdam area, below.
One such project that is currently
fullspeedaheadistheAmsterdam
Smart City (ASC) initiative – a
unique partnership between
companies, governments,
research institutions and
Amsterdamitselfwiththeaimto
developlow-carbonintelligentcities.
Theplatformhasbeenunderwayfor
threeyears,growingtohavemorethan
90 partners, each active in different
energyandopenconnectivityprojects,
with a focus on sustainable economic
investments.
The collaboration of institutions
and infrastructures has formed the
Urban Living Labs, where businesses
and citizens can develop, test and
commercialisegreeninitiatives.Areas
alreadybenefitingfromtheASCinclude
sports parks, shopping, lighting, laws
and regulations, connectivity and
telecommuting.
Drawing inspiration from outside
nations,theAIMalsoencouragesOpen
Cities or open innovation methods,
looking to places with a different city
government and business climate.
Working in collaboration with
Barcelona, Berlin, Helsinki and Paris,
themes such as crowdsourcing, open
data, sensor networks and living
labs are explored to encourage
the transfer of innovative
knowledge.Butdespitethefocus
on technology, there is no
shortageofattentiongiventothe
people of Amsterdam, with an
obvious desire to mould young people
into the leaders of tomorrow.
The Amsterdam Human Capital
project focuses on the training,
recruitment and retention of talent in
the ICT and life sciences sectors.
The project recognises that talent is
a critical factor for economic growth,
and nurturing it will strengthen
international competitiveness and
improvesustainabilityinthelonghaul.
usiness
FIRSTestablishedin2006,Masdaris
a bottom-up completely sustainable
urbandevelopmentownedbytheAbu-
DhabiGovernmentinpartnershipwith
General Electric.
The commercially driven carbon-
neutralcityisbeingdesignedbyFoster
andPartnersintheAbuDhabidesert,
reliant only on clean technology and
renewableenergy,andissaidtobecome
home to 40, 000 people by 2025.
Thisprojectwillplayahugerolein
influencingsustainabilityaroundthe
globe, though the location is curious,
withAbuDhabi’slongstandingreliance
on oil, being home to 8 per cent of the
proven global crude oil reserves. The
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is
also one of the largest in the world.
So why commit billions of dollars
todevelopingMasdarandestablishing
Abu Dhabi as a global centre of
excellence in renewable energy and
pioneering clean technologies?
Simple,theysay.Forthegoodofthe
planet, and the future of Abu Dhabi.
One such project that is currently
fullspeedaheadistheAmsterdam
Smart City (ASC) initiative – a
unique partnership between
companies, governments,
research institutions and
Amsterdamitselfwiththeaimto
developlow-carbonintelligentcities.
themes such as crowdsourcing, open
data, sensor networks and living
labs are explored to encourage
the transfer of innovative
knowledge.Butdespitethefocus
on technology, there is no
shortageofattentiongiventothe
people of Amsterdam, with an
United Arab Emirates Netherlands
Artist’s impression of what zero-carbon Masdar City will look like from the air
NEWS...VIEWS...INSIGHTS...OPINION...REPORTS...NEWS...VIEWS...INSIGHTS...OPINION...REPORTS...NEWS...VIEWS
usinessusiness
NEWS...VIEWS...INSIGHTS...OPINION...REPORTS...NEWS...VIEWS...INSIGHTS...OPINION...REPORTS...NEWS...VIEWS
B
worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.
grow, sustainable development of city
infrastructure is essential for wealthier
developed cities and for cities in emerging
and developing nations. Infrastructure is the
backbone of a city, ensuring the delivery of
goods and services that promote prosperity
and growth, contributing to quality of life
and the environment. Estimated annual
expenditure on urban infrastructure is
around €2tn worldwide. In emerging
economies, the infrastructure cannot be
built quickly enough to keep pace with
From left:
The Crystal
building from
the outside.
Inside, visitors
can see the
world’s largest
exhibition on
sustainability
HowtheydoitinBrazil
bit.ly/LebplN
The city of Curitiba, in south-east Brazil, shows
why it’s a shining example of sustainability.
Videooftheweek
Sustainablecities

13. AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH EcoReport · September 2013 | 13
orld
SETTING the bar for
sustainability in terms of crisis
prevention, Spain recognises that
keeping cities safe is a critical
factor in its economic viability.
In the grim aftermath of a
Madrid terrorist bombing in
2004, the local authorities
created the city’s first Integrated
Security and Emergency Centre.
Withinit,securityand
emergencyspecialistsmonitor
variousformsofdatasuchas
videos,real-timefeedsandGPS
systems,allforthepurposeof
co-ordinatingtheresourcesand
effortsofthepolice,fire,highway,
hotlineandambulanceunits.
Theterroristattacktriggered
whathasbeenacknowledgedasa
swift,butunco-ordinatedmedical
reaction,whichwasdeemed
unsatisfactoryandinneedofa
shake-uptoensureafast,reliable
andintegratedresponseto
emergencies.
This single, unified view of
status and events has reduced
confusion and enabled far faster
and more effective decision
making. Managers are now better
able to deploy the right assets at
the outset, reducing response
time by 25 per cent.
Meanwhile, the new
dimension provided by the centre
means commanders are now able
to understand the complexity of
incidents which can affect an
entire region, and can better
allocate and deploy emergency
resources in a co-ordinated and
effective manner, taking into
account all of Madrid’s needs.
By turning to autonomic
sense-and-respond capabilities,
analytics, visualisation and
computational modelling,
Madrid’s public safety systems
have been made smarter, while
driving a fundamental shift from
simply responding to events to
anticipatingandpreventingthem.
ClosebehindMadrid,theUS
hasanumberofcitiesuppingtheir
gametotacklerisingcrimerates,
suchasMemphiswherethecity
policedepartmenthasimproved
responsetimebyinvestingin
softwareforpredictiveanalytics.
Crimerateshavereducedbymore
than30percent.
Chicago too has advanced its
citywide surveillance by working
with IBM to create an Operation
Virtual Shield, an advanced
intelligent security system.
SINGAPORE,oftenreferredtoas“the
little red dot” is making efforts to
changeitsmonikerto“thelittlegreen
dot” to maintain its competitive
sustainability initiatives.
With geographical constraints
forcing Singapore to move in the
directionofsustainabilityasearlyas
the 1970s, the city-state introduced
the world’s first manual urban road
pricing system, while in 1998 it was
the first to use automation.
At the 4th Sustainable Cities
Conference held in Singapore,
ProfessorSteffenLehmann,director
of the China-Australia Centre for
SustainableUrbanDevelopment,cited
four areas for Singapore to focus on,
including the problem of rising
consumption, with the aim of
minimising waste and changing
consumerhabits,alongwithbiomass,
through anaerobic digestion and
composting, to produce energy and
fertilizer instead of unreliable solar
and wind power.
Also recommended were more
ambitious targets for reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, with
current 11 per cent cuts deemed as
merely compliance level, and
retrofitting public housing blocks
rather than demolishing them.
SingaporewasrecentlyvotedAsia’s
greenestmetropolisinSiemen’sAsian
Green City Index, and is already
leadingthewayinwatermanagement,
district cooling, integrating
biodiversityandverticalgreeneryinto
the urban context.
Spain
Singapore
Aftermath of Madrid attack in 2004
orldorldorldorld
S...INSIGHTS...OPINION...REPORTS...NEWS...VIEWS...INSIGHTS...OPINION...REPORTS...NEWS...VIEWS...INSIGHTS...
orldorldorldorld
S...INSIGHTS...OPINION...REPORTS...NEWS...VIEWS...INSIGHTS...OPINION...REPORTS...NEWS...VIEWS...INSIGHTS...
W
of the company’s products, from building
automation systems to trains and power
distribution systems contain embedded
mini-computers that control the device.
They already contain the intelligence
required to automate processes and improve
efficiencies, but because of their ability to
collect and communicate data, they offer
opportunities for further optimisation with
the addition of IT in the upper layers.
Many of these intelligent technologies
save not only energy but money too, therefore
many of them pay for themselves. From the
perspective of a company such as Siemens,
this leads to an obvious conclusion: climate
protection is both good for our planet and
for business. For example, in
London, Siemens developed
the city’s congestion charging
system, traffic management
systems, the drive technologies
for the new hybrid buses, a satellite
system for London’s entire bus fleet
and a pilot e-charging project. The
result was 20 per cent less traffic, an
annual 150,000-tonne reduction in CO2
emissionsandasubstantialaccelerationof
traffic flows around the city by 37 per cent.
Citiesagainstcarbon
In fact, many major cities around the globe
are taking decisive action and setting goals
for climate protection. London aims to
slash its carbon emissions by 60 per
cent by 2025. By the same year,
Copenhagenplanstocutitscarbonemissions
to zero. Munich wants to produce enough
renewable power in its own plants to meet
the city’s household energy needs by 2014,
and the entire city’s energy needs by 2025.
In recognition of the economic
importance of cities and the fact that
technology holds the answer to many
urban challenges, Siemens established the
Infrastructure & Cities Sector. Drawing on
the breadth of the company’s portfolio and
expertise, Siemens can develop customised
solutions from one source. Its offerings
include integrated mobility solutions,
building and security technology, smart grids
as well as low- and medium-voltage products.
Central to the sector is the Crystal, a
Sustainable Cities initiative. Located
at Royal Victoria Docks in
East London, the
Crystal explores tomorrow’s cities today.
The iconic crystalline building is home
to the world’s largest exhibition focused
on urban sustainability and a world-class
centre for dialogue, discovery and learning
(please see page 14 for more details).
The future challenges of cities cannot
be solved without partnerships between
the public and private sectors. In addition
to carrying out R&D to develop new
technologies to address these challenges,
Siemens works with respected experts
to conduct studies on the performance
of cities, to enhance the opportunity
for learning and benchmarking.
Clearly, the world’s cities will continue
to define growth. However, ensuring that
this growth is sustainable will be one of the
great challenges of the coming decades.
020 7055 6472
www.siemens.co.uk
How IT and automation
can optimise infrastructure
● Buildingcontrolsthatadjustheatingand
lightingbasedonarangeofparameters
suchasoccupancyandlevelsofdaylight
toreduceenergyconsumptionbyupto
30percent. Autonomoussystemssuchas
ventilation,heating,airconditioning,lighting,
safetyandsecuritycanbeintegratedinto
onesystemformoreefficientoperation.
● Tollscanbeautomaticallyadjusted
tokeeptrafficmovingbasedonthe
volumeandspeedoftrafficasmeasured
andtransmittedbysensors.
●Intelligenttrafficmanagementsystems
integratedatafromnumeroussources
suchassignalcontrollersandsensors
measuringtrafficvolumeandspeed
tomanagetrafficmoreeffectivelyand
providereal-timetotravellerssothey
canchoosewhenandhowtotravel.
● Inasmartgrid,intelligentdevices
protectpowerlines,ensurepowerquality
andmeasurepowerconsumption.
Datageneratedbythesedevices
combinedwithITapplicationsallow
complexgridbalancing,includingload
management,forecastingandtrading.

14. EcoReportZone Smarter ways
of keeping
the heat in
What part can renewa-
bles play in the future
of our energy supplies?
Essentiallyrenewableshave
theabilitytofundamen-
tallychangethewaywe
liveandworkinawaythat
willtransformourworld
forever.Withpopulations
risingandenergydemands
withit,wehavetoexplore
newwaysinwhichtokeep
homesandbusinesses
heatedinthefuture.
Additionally,asweall
growmoreenvironmen-
tallyaware,identifyinga
methodofdoingthiswithout
causingfurtherdamage
totheenvironmentmakes
theconundrumeven
hardertosolve.Ordoesit?
Heatpumpswhich
extractstoredsolarenergy
fromthegroundorfromthe
airarounduscanprovide
heatingandhotwaterforany
property.Linkthesesystems,
which,bytheway,canbe
easilyinstalledinexistingas
wellasnewbuildingstosolar
panels,andyouhavesome
ofthepowerrequiredtorun
them.You’vealsotakena
hugesteptowardsbeinga
carbonneutralproperty.
Butitdoesn’tendthere.
Homeownersandbusi-
nessescannowaddtotheir
revenuestreamsthanksto
newgovernmentincentives
whicheffectivelypaypeople
forheatingtheirhomesand
reducingtheirrunningcosts.
Withmoredisposable
income,theeconomycan
onlybenefitbothlocally
andglobally.Healthiermore
comfortableworkingenvi-
ronmentsmeanemployees
canbecomemoreefficient.
Fewersickdaysequals
greaterproductivity.Balance
sheetsalsolookhealthier
freeingupincomeforfuture
expansionandgrowth.Sud-
denlythankstorenewables,
communitiesandbusi-
nesseslookbetterplaces,our
citiesarethrivingandour
environmentisprotected.
Sowhatpartcan
renewablesplayinthefuture
ofourenergysupplies?
Loweremissions,long-
term,sustainableenergy,a
healthierenvironmentand
securityofsupply.Simple.
Andrew Sheldon is
managing director of Ice
Energy Technologies
www.iceenergy.co.uk
I
n its first year, Siemens’ urban
development centre, the Crystal,
has evolved into a global hub for
urban sustainability, a well sought-
after venue for conferences and
meetings – and an East London
landmark. From August 30, the Crystal
will celebrate its first anniversary
hosting the Sustainable Cities Week.
The Crystal has fulfilled its mission
of serving as a global centre for
sustainable urban development. It has
hosted a range of impressive events
and international conferences with
high-level audiences. Among them was
the G8 Innovation Conference with
British Prime Minister David Cameron
and London Mayor Boris Johnson’s
Low Carbon Awards as well as the TED
conference series’ TEDx Newham event
and the International Federation for
Housing and Planning’s conference.
TheCrystalhasexceededeventhe
mostoptimisticexpectationswith
regardstovisitornumbers.International
opinionleaders,businessgroups,
universitystudentsandschoolchildren,
cityplanners,urbanexperts,local
residentsandtouristshaveturned
thecentre–withtheworld’slargest
exhibitiononthefutureofcities–into
asuccessstory.InAugust,Crystal
employeeswelcomedthe100,000th
visitortotheEastLondonlandmark.
AweekofhighlightsattheCrystalis
scheduledfromAugust30toSeptember
5.TheSiemensFestivalNightswillbring
thescreeningofoperaticmasterpieces
toEastLondon.FromFridaytoTuesday,
thepublicscreeningsofoperasfrom
the2013SalzburgFestivalwillenchant
audiencesoutsideandinsidetheCrystal.
TheDLD(DigitalLifeDesign)conference’s
roundtableonCityLivabilityandCulture
willunitethoughtleadersandtheheads
oficonicculturalinstitutionsonTuesday
foraneveningoflivelydiscussion.
TheinauguralC40andSiemens
CityClimateLeadershipAwardswillbe
presentedonWednesdaySeptember4
bySiemensInfrastructureandCities
Sectorchiefexecutive,DrRolandBusch.
DrBuschsays:“Siemensiswalking
thetalkandhasbuilttheCrystal,oneof
theworld’smostsustainablebuildings
whichalsohoststheworldlargest
exhibitiononurbansustainability.We
aredelightedtohosttheC40awards,as
Siemensisattheforefrontofsupporting
citiestoaddressclimatechange.”
OnThursdaySeptember5,theC40
andSiemensCityClimateLeadership
AwardsConferencewillroundoff
theSustainableCitiesWeek,focusing
onbest-practicesharingamongthe
citiesandkeyindustryguests.
020 7055 6472
www.thecrystal.org
Tothinkdifferentlyabout
water,youneedtothink
differentlyaboutcities.
Waterhasalwaysbeen
centraltourbanvitality:acity’s
identitymayhingeonariveror
coastline,andanon-demand
supplyandgooddrainageare
essential.However,thecracks
areshowing. Hosepipebans,
floodingandwatercourse
pollutionareallsignsofstress.
Now,withtheclimate
changingandthepopulation
growing,urbanspacesneed
tobetransformedintowater
managementmachines.Toact
ascatchmentsthatfilterand
resupplywater–andbecome
morebeautifulasaresult.
Thisprocessofwater
sensitiveurbandesign
reframeswatermanagement
asanopportunityforplanning
anddesign.Australiais20
yearsaheadofushere.Ithas
micro-wetlandsincommercial
courtyards,swalesalong
thecentralreservationsof
streetsandcity-widewater
recycling.Rainwateris
treatedasaresource,with
landscapedesignedtohold
andcleanserunoff.This
providesanewsupply,and
cutsdownstreamflooding
riskandwaterpollution.
IntheUK,AECOMis
pioneeringwatersensitive
urbandesigninamasterplan
fortheUniversityof
Cambridge.Tospread
further,strategicwater
managementisneeded.
Currentlyoneengineer
designsthedrainagescheme,
anotherconductsflood
risk,andanotherconsiders
supplyandwastewater.
Thetimehascome
forplanners,architects,
urbandesigners,landscape
architectsandengineersto
worktogetherinnewways,
withanurgentpriorityin
mind.Waterdeservestobe
thoughtaboutdifferently.
Celeste Morgan is director
of sustainability at AECOM
020 3009 2157
www.aecom.com
EcoReportZone
In focus: water management in cities
Landmark celebrates
first anniversary
with Sustainable
Cities Week
Shining
success for
the Crystal
“
Robert Swan,
polar explorer
The greatest
threat to our
planet is the belief
that someone
else will save it
14 Sustainable cities – Industry view
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPHEcoReport · September 2013
Urban wetlands strategy by AECOM for Melbourne Docklands
water management in cities
The Crystal has had 100,000 visitors in its first year
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

15. The debate
What makes a successful sustainable city?
Chris Macey
Chief executive
Wintech Façade Engineers
Sustainablecitiescanonlybeachieved
byconstructingtrulysustainable
buildings. Allbuildingsconsume
energyandhaveacarbonfootprint;
thesizeofthisbeingdependenton
theenergyexpendedinday-to-day
use. Thisislargelygovernedbyair
conditioningtooffsetheatproduced
bypeople,equipmentandsunshine
throughwindowsforcommercial
buildings–andoftenjustheating
andlightinginresidentialproperties.
Theenergyconsumedbyheating,
ventilationandlightingequipment
tomoderatetheinternalconditions
isdependentontheenergythat
theseservicesconsumeandalso
theflowofheatandlightacrossthe
building’sexternalsurfaces,referred
toasthefaçade,orenvelope.
Trulysustainablebuildingsrequire
balancebetweentheenergyused
bythebuildinganditsoccupants
(servicesengineering)andthe
energygainsandlossesacrossthe
envelopeundervaryingweather
conditions(façadeengineering).
Thescienceoffaçadeengineering
anditscontributiontoachievingtruly
sustainablecitiesisanewimperative
inthewholedesignprocess.
01902 307 430
www.wintech-group.co.uk
Jeremy Greenwood
Managing director – Readymix
Lafarge Tarmac
Sustainable cities should provide
healthy, efficient and economically
viable neighbourhoods where
people will benefit from a cleaner,
greener existence. While in the
current financial climate we are not
living that reality, an ever-growing
population means the need for
sustainable cities has become
even greater. However, for this to
be realised, the interpretation of
the term “sustainable” needs to
shift from its perception as a green
buzzword into a statement of how
the demands on a city’s resources
are catered for in the long term.
With a nationwide requirement
for more housing and better
infrastructure, the sustainability
of a city should reflect not only
how efficiently these elements are
provided but also the longevity of
the services they provide. Whole-
life cost needs to be considered
fully alongside implementation,
potential maintenance costs and
carbon consumption to ensure a
sustainable future is achieved.
sustainablecities@
lafargetarmac.com
www.lafargetarmac.com
Rob Gillespie
Service director
Hounslow Highways
Thetriplebottom-lineofsustainability
haslongbeendefinedasdevelopment
thatdeliverseconomic,environmental
andsocialbenefits.Whilealong-
termhighwayscontractmaynot
seemlikeatypicalsustainability
project,oncloserexamination,itis.
Inmid-2012,theLondonBorough
ofHounslowfinaliseda25-year
dealwithHounslowHighways–an
organisationmadeupofVINCI
Concessions,RingwayandBarclays
InfrastructureFund–andsecured
long-termfundingfortheborough’s
highwaysnetworkandupgrade
oftheroads,footpathsandstreet
lights.Withmorethan£100mbeing
spentontheborough’sstreetsinthe
nextfiveyears,theinfrastructure
willnotonlybereturnedtoahigh
quality,butwillalsobeefficiently
maintainedforyearstocome.
HounslowHighwaysworkswith
thecouncil’sregenerationteamsto
aligntheprojecttothemediumand
long-termdevelopmentaspirationsof
thecouncil.Asuccessful,sustainable
cityrequiresdevelopmentthatmeets
theneedsofthepresentwithout
compromisingtheabilityforfuture
generationstomeettheirownneeds.
enquiries@hounslowhighways.org
www.hounslowhighways.org
Lynne Ceeney
Global head of sustainability
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Likeamirage,thevisionofa
sustainablecityhoverstantalisingly
onthehorizonbuthauntingly
beyondreach.Manycommentators
focusonsmartcitiesusingbigdata
andintegratedtechnologies.Butthis
presentsmassivescalechallenges
–technologies,governance,goal
alignment,timetablesandfunding
models,letaloneinvestment.
Weneedamanageableprocess–
individualbuildingblockstotestthe
foundationsofpolicy,investment
andgovernance. Afocusonspecific
systems,includingenergy,transport,
water,andevencarbon,allows
ustotestdesignandtechnology.
Workingatthescaleofsmaller
townsorneighbourhoodscantest
integratedplanningandgovernance.
ParsonsBrinckerhoffisatthe
heartofthisprocess,deliveringsmart
systemsforenergyandtransport,and
othercriticalinfrastructureprojects.
Weareseeingthebenefitsoflocality
planning,integratedinvestment
andinfrastructuremodels.
Retrofittingourcitieswillnotbe
doneovernight.Buttherightbricks
andmortarshouldhelpusreachthe
sustainablecitiesonthehorizon.
020 7337 1700
services@pbworld.com
David Handley
Director, RES Advisory
Renewable Energy Systems
Inthepastyearwehaveseenapositive
changeintherenewableenergysector,
driveninpartbyacorporatesector
bettereducatedonthebenefitsof
renewableenergy.Thereisnoreason
whycitiescannotfollowasimilar,
smarttrajectory;itisjustamatterof
scaleandaccessingtherightexpertise.
Smartcitiesshouldbefollowing
theexamplesetbytheleading
corporateswhohavealready
completedextensiveenergy
efficiencyprogrammesandarenow
demandingthenextstep–utility-
scalerenewableenergygeneration
assets. Thesestepswouldreduce
thecommunity’scarbonemissions
andimprovesecurityoftheir
energysupply,andonandoff-site
renewableenergygenerationhedges
againstfossilfuelpricevolatility.
Imagineawebofrenewable
energysourcesthatcombines
technologiesintegratedwithin
thefabricofbuildingswithutility-
scaleprojects(mainlybasedout
oftown).Embracingrenewable
energyatscale–bothinand
surroundingsmartcities–canhave
aprofoundimpactonemissions,
energysecurityandcost.
01923299292
advisory@res-ltd.com
15Sustainable cities – Industry view
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM LYONSDOWN, DISTRIBUTED WITH THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH EcoReport · September 2013
If you are considering investing, either for a savings plan or for children
or grandchildren, it may be worth considering our high-return timber
investments. As market leaders within our sector, we offer contemporary
forestry investments and have a proven track record for growing, harvesting
and delivering investors their projected returns. Additionally, our products are
ethical and sustainable, giving environmentally conscious investors peace of
mind and the reassurance that their investments are growing in safe hands.
Important information: *The projections provided are for information purposes only and are based on our assessment of the amount of timber that can be grown and the market price, as explained in our brochure, following investment in Melina over 12 years (2013/2014). Actual returns will depend on the yield produced and
the market price at the time of harvest. Returns may be higher or lower than projected and there is no guarantee that you will receive back the full amount invested. Any returns may be subject to additional costs and liabilities such as tax, which have not been factored into our projections.
08000753010enquiries@ethicalforestry.com www.ethicalforestry.com
Order your free timber investment guide,
which includes our returns, terms and conditions and risks
associated with this investment described in full
Calls to 0800 numbers are free from a UK landline. Mobile and international call costs may vary.
*
£21,000 invested over 12 years is projected to return £74,734 with the
following payouts: Year 4 £4,050 Year 8 £11,234 Year 10 £14,734 Year 12 £44,716
High-return timber investments
• We have a proven track record
for growing, harvesting and
delivering investors their
projected returns
• We own all of our plantations
unencumbered