Building societal resilience: Innovations in architecture and landscaping for climate adaptation
18. October 16:00 - 17:15
The adaptation of buildings and public spaces will be increasingly necessary in a changing climate. When we design for the future we need to think about insulation and ventilation, but also the integration of vegetation and water in urban spaces and equally importantly, we need to think about the social resilience of the neighborhood. With a view to mitigation, we also have to do all of this limiting the carbon footprint from construction of new urban structures by thinking in circular resource flows. Rather than being seen as an obstacle, the design of well-adapted buildings and infrastructure can be an opportunity for innovation and creativity.
In this session we would like to invite speakers working on innovative design and architecture projects from around the world that take into account the need for adaptation to the current changing climate as well as that foreseen in the near future.
We invite city representatives, urban planners, policymakers, researchers, and sustainability enthusiasts to join us in exploring how we can use methods from design and architecture to create urban habitats which allow communities to work, live and thrive within the planetary boundaries in a European and a global context!
This session is part of the Mainstreaming solutions for a just transformative pathway: an integrated approach to resilience stream.
Speakers
Secretary General, European Landscape Contractors Association
Egbert Roozen, Secretary General, European Landscape Contractors Association
Egbert Roozen started in May 2023 as Secretary General of the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA). This association represents 23 national members and three associated members (Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom). His main task, besides managing the association’s office in Brussels, is to create the green connection to societal challenges with regard to climate change, biodiversity, people’s health, circular economy and labour market. Stakeholders are amongst others political institutions, press, NGO’s, research organizations, schools and of course companies in the branch. Before he started in Brussels, Egbert has been working for the Royal Dutch Association for landscapers and gardeners for 14 years, first in the position of director and later as president. In that period he was expert for the European Commission in the definition of the strategy on Nature Based Solutions in Renaturing the Cities under the Horizon 2020 program.
Housing Development Agency: Planning and strategy
Neville Chainee, Housing Development Agency: Planning and strategy
Neville Chainee is currently head of strategy programming planning and coordination for the Housing Development Agency, an entity of the National Department of Human Settlements (DHS). Prior to this he spent 12 years heading the housing unit in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. His area of focus includes sustainable development planning for subsidised housing and informal settlement upgrading.
Urban Policy Consultant & Special Consultant in Politics, Analysis, and Communication, City of Vejle
Tinus Elsig, Urban Policy Consultant & Special Consultant in Politics, Analysis, and Communication, City of Vejle
Tinus Elsig has been working with urban planning, analysis, strategy and policy development from regional and local perspective since 2016. In continuation of the Resilience Strategy of Vejle (2016), Tinus has been deeply involved in the facilitation and composition of a new city vision (2022) with ambitions for a co-creating society where public administration, civil society, NGOs and private sectors cooperate and develop new roles and shared responsibilities. Today Tinus is leading projects that operate across urban planning, welfare institutions and cultural activities from the objective that democratic dialogue, test and experiments can serve as new approaches toward a more resilient urban planning, diverse communities and social resilience. Tinus has a background in studies of globalization, journalism, political sciences and comparative literature studies. Previously, Tinus has worked in the media industry as chief-editor of Denmark’s largest youth magazine TJECK Magazine.
President of Architects´ Council of Europe
Ruth Schagemann, President of Architects´ Council of Europe
Ruth Schagemann, (b. 1974) is an architect who studied architecture at the University of Braunschweig and at the University of Stuttgart in Germany. In 2006 she founded the Architect’s office VICEVERSA Architektur + Medien together with her husband. She was elected member of the executive board of the Architects` Council of Europe (ACE) from 2016 until 2021, Coordinator of the European Network of Architects` Competent Authorities (ENACA), member of the Coordination Group Europe of the Federal Chamber of German Architects and is head of department of national and international professional policy at the Chamber of Baden-Württemberg. In 2022, Ruth Schagemann was elected President of the Architects’ Council of Europe for a two-year term. Since January 2023, she is also serving as the Managing Director of the Brussels Office of the Federal Chamber of German Architects (BAK). She represents ACE in the 2023 Davos Baukultur Alliance Steering Committee.
Project Manager, Infrastructure Research & Innovation, RINA Consulting
Rita De Stefano, Project Manager, Infrastructure Research & Innovation, RINA Consulting
Rita De Stefano is a geologist with a strong academic background and a passion for applied geology research. She earned her PhD in applied geology AT THE University of Naples “Federico II”, demonstrating her commitment and excellence in the field of Earth science. Currently, Rita works as a project manager at RINA Consulting dealing a wide range of projects related to environmental sustainability, climate change, and associated risks. In her role as a project manager, Rita is responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing high-impact research projects in these crucial areas. In addition to her professional work, Rita De Stefano is the founder of the BeGEO Scientists association, where she is involved in research and the organization of events focused on sustainability and geosciences. Through BeGEO Scientists, she actively contributes to advancing research and organizing events aimed at promoting sustainability and geosciences.
Moderator
Sustainable and Resilient Regions, Climate-KIC
Pernille Martiny Modvig, Sustainable and Resilient Regions, Climate-KIC
Pernille spent the past 12 years working with (Social) Innovation, climate adaptation and mitigation with a primary focus on sustainable land use. It is her vocational as well as personal mission to work towards a zero-carbon economy by promoting sustainable urban design and construction, food systems, sustainable consumption patterns, circular economy, and resource optimization. She has developed mission driven systems demonstrators on the needed culture shift towards sustainable construction and architecture, sustainable land use and food systems transition, working closely with national and regional governments as well as other stakeholders such as industry, research organisations and financial bodies. She specializes in facilitating dialogue and collaborations between the relevant parties within a given system with the aim of generating systems change towards a net zero carbon society for all.
Expert - Urban Climate Adaptation, European Environment Agency
Ine Vandecasteele, Expert - Urban Climate Adaptation, European EnviroNment Agency
Ine is an expert in Urban Climate Adaptation at the European Environment Agency. She is responsible for the Agency’s Urban Adaptation Report, published every 4 years, which aims at supporting and inspiring the much-needed process of adaptation to climate change at the local level. Ine has a background in both environmental and political sciences, and has 12 years of experience in providing scientific evidence for policymaking in the fields of water management, energy, climate impacts and urban sustainability.