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“A Smart city is a challenge far beyond technology”: thoughts from the ISOCARP Institute Special Session

“A Smart City is a challenge beyond technology”: Thoughts from the ISOCARP Institute Special Session 

December 28, 2020

On Wednesday 9 December, we Smart City enthusiasts gathered together virtually to discuss the opportunities and challenges of cities becoming smarter. Hosted by the ISOCARP Institute, this online Special Session was part of the ongoing 56th ISOCARP World Planning Congress “Post-Oil City. Planning for Urban Green Deals”, spanning from 8 November 2020 to 4 February 2021.

The session was spearheaded by our Keynote speaker Luca Mora, Associate Professor of Urban Innovation at the Business School of Edinburgh Napier University, with his keynote ‘Assembling Sustainable Smart City Transitions”. Pointing out the disparity between the abundance of technological applications and the lack of research on how to build platforms for integrating those technologies for making cities smarter, he set the tone for the discussion on the importance of a ‘collaborative environment’. An open and engaging environment that strengthens the capacity of individuals and organizations to implement the technologies and to work together and participate, innovate and improve. Mora mentions the importance of “play” in the process: competitions, hackathons and citizen workshops are a great way to innovate and experiment in a more relaxed setting.

In addition to the many examples of successful real-life collaborative success stories Mora presented, we also heard the experiences from two EU Horizon 2020-funded projects supported by the Institute. The presentations focused on the context-specific strategies chosen for the implementation of Smart City solutions in these two projects.

The first project, +CityxChange, was presented by Project Manager Dirk Ahlers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. +CityxChange is focusing on enabling community-supported energy transition actions. Being a collective project of 7 cities around Europe, Ahlers discussed striking the balance between well-established frameworks but also certain flexibility, which allows taking different cultural and natural conditions into account.

The other EU Horizon 2020 -project, VARCITIES, was presented by Associate Professor Denia Kolokotsa, Technical University of Crete. One of the main goals of the project is the development of a Healthy Cities Helix, a collaborative tool for developing models for increasing the health and well-being of vulnerable citizens with nature-based solutions. These models are especially focused on the symbiosis of urban green and smart technologies.

The presentations were followed by a joint post-it -session, where we discussed the different opportunities and challenges of the implementation, participation and governance involved in initiating new digital and smart solutions. In conclusion, all participants agreed on the importance of flexibility and tailor-made solutions; no matter how fantastic your framework might be, one size does not fit all.

A Smart City is no longer only a question of a technological premise. The technology already exists, but in order to make solutions truly community-based, the gap between technology and the general public needs to be bridged by building platforms of integrated smart city solutions in a sustainable and collaborative manner. After all, a Smart City is a challenge beyond technology.

Speakers and presentations

Keynote Speaker

Luca Mora – Professor of Urban Innovation, Business School of Edinburgh Napier University

Topic: Assembling sustainable smart city transition

Denia Kolokotsa – Professor (Associate) of Technical University of Crete

Topic: VARCITIES 

Dirk Ahlers – Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Topic: +CityxChange

 Pietro Elisei – President-elect ISOCARP

Programme 

  • ISOCARP Institute introduction | 10 min.
  • Keynote speaker presentation | 20 min.
  • Q&A with audience | 10 min.
  • ISOCARP Institute projects presentation| 15 min.
  • Online Post-it Workshop | 20 min.
  • Closing | 5 min.
 
Moderators
  • Didier Vancutsem – Director of ISOCARP Institute
  • Federico Aili – ISOCARP Institute
 
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or proposals for upcoming sessions.
201207_ISOCARP Institute Session-02

ISOCARP Congress – Institute Special Session “Digital Infrastructure for Smart Services and Public Value”

ISOCARP Congress – Special Session “Digital Infrastructure for Smart Urban Services and Public Value”

One of the main activities of ISOCARP is the organisation of the annual World Planning Congress which focuses on a planning theme of foremost international interest. Attended by some 500-750 delegates, ISOCARP World Planning Congresses are small enough for a personal interchange of ideas on a given theme, yet big enough to encompass a broad professional and international range. The Congresses are open to ISOCARP Members, but our Society warmly welcomes non-members (individuals, parties or organisations). The Congress provides a platform for establishing professional as well as personal contacts with colleagues from all around the world.

The 56th ISOCARP World Planning Congress “Post-Oil City. Planning for Urban Green Deals” is held virtually from 8 November 2020 to 4 February 2021. ISOCARP Institute is proud to host the Special Session “Digital Infrastructure for Smart Urban Services and Public Value ” on 9 December 2020, 1.30 pm CET.

The session will reflect on how cities can support the ecological transition by providing more sustainable urban services (i.e. energy, health, mobility, etc.) and improving the quality of life of citizens. This session is relevant especially for those cities which are introducing smart and green pilot projects in their local contexts, and seek for collaboration with local communities and actors to achieve a successful implementation. Direct experiences from the EU projects where ISOCARP Institute is involved will be presented.  

Format of the session 

The session is conceived to be as much as possible engaging and interactive. The keynote speaker presentation will provide meaningful insights and inspire the rest of the session. The presentation of two projects where ISOCARP Institute is involved are meant to encourage the debate and the comparison with other projects and local initiatives. The third part of the session is entirely dedicated to the exchange of ideas and experiences, supported by engaging online tools. 

Programme 

  • 13.30 – 13.40 | ISOCARP Institute introduction

    13.40 – 14.00 | Keynote Presentation: Assembling sustainable smart city transitions 
                              Luca Mora, Professor of Urban Innovation, Business School of Edinburgh Napier University

    14.00 – 14.10 | Q&A Session

    14.10 – 14.25 | ISOCARP Institute projects presentation: (+CityxChangeVARCITIES)
                             Dirk Ahlers, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (for +CityxChange)
                             Denia Koloktsa, Professor (Associate) of Technical University of Crete (for VARCITIES)
                             Pietro Elisei, President-elect ISOCARP

    14.25 – 14.55 | Online Workshop  (discussion, sharing experiences, team brainstorming)

    14.55 – 15.00 | Closing

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Moderators

  • Didier Vancutsem – Director of ISOCARP Institute
  • Federico Aili – ISOCARP Institute

Keynote Speaker 

Luca is an Associate Professor of Urban Innovation at the Business School of Edinburgh Napier University, where he is also leading the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Subject Group. Luca is also Professor of Urban Innovation at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), where he is collaborating in delivering the €32 million Horizon 2020 project FinEst Twins. Over the course of his professional career, Luca has committed himself to improving the quality of knowledge production and dissemination processes related to urban and regional innovation management in the digital era. His research is interdisciplinary in nature and links urban studies, innovation studies and computer science. Luca’s main research interests include: technology-driven urban and regional innovation dynamics; technology-driven urban sustainability processes; smart city development projects and strategies; Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3); and strategic planning for smart cities and RIS3. Luca is offering a strong support to the emerging scientific and technical developments of urban and regional innovation management. He has a sustained track-record of producing high-quality publication outputs and has contributed to delivery several research and consultancy projects, mainly supported by EU funding schemes (7FP, Horizon 2020). These projects have resulted in the production of new knowledge and innovative products and processes which are helping industry, government, universities and civil society to exploit their collective intelligence and generate the collaborate ecosystems required for developing smart environments that enable urban infrastructure to operate in a more sustainable manner.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions.

 

homepage varcities website

Green Cities are Healthier Cities: discover VARCITIES project

Green Cities are Healthier Cities: discover VARCITIES project 

The new Horizon 2020 funded project VARCITIES (Visionary Nature-based Actions for Health, Well-being and Resilience in Cities) has officially started on 1st September 2020. ISOCARP Institute is part of a consortium of 25 partners, including 8 Pilot Cities and under the lead of Telecommunication System Institute (Technical University of Crete).

The vision of VARCITIES is to implement nature-based actions in cities and establish sustainable models for increasing the health and well-being of citizens exposed to different climatic condition and challenges. The project will last until February 2025. 

The kick-off meeting took place online on 9-11 September 2020 and now the partners are implementing the first actions and deliverables.

Are you interested or actively engaged in shaping a healthier and sustainable future for your city? Then visit the project website to discover more about VARCITIES and follow it on social media! 

For any question or information regarding VARCITIES, please contact contact@varcities.eu or aili@isocarp-institute.org