"Rethinking our cities: leveraging urban planning and design solutions for
sustainable buildings, neighborhoods and lifestyles "
"The event will focus on the potential of urban planning and design for
creating sustainable, low-carbon neighbourhoods and buildings through
integrated solutions that reduce energy use, improve resource efficiency,
and promote sustainable lifestyles. Urban planning and design have the
potential to shape sustainable building development by defining urban
morphology (such as building height, density, and open space allocation),
by promoting compact and mixed-use planning approaches that foster
walkability and active mobility, and by leveraging circular economy
strategies like recycling and energy recovery. Thoughtfully designed
spaces, both within and between buildings, can promote circular practices
(e.g., composting) and support sustainable living and working through
active mobility and resource sharing. Additionally, incorporating green
infrastructure solutions enhances the environmental performance of
buildings (e.g., by reducing cooling needs). Participants will discuss
innovative and integrated approaches that (1) optimise environmental
performance at the neighbourhood and building levels, (2) tackle sprawl and
low-density urban development by transforming cities into polycentric hubs,
(3) embed nature-based, active mobility and circular economy solutions into
urban development, and (4) foster social cohesion through inclusive, shared
and public spaces. This event will build on and leverage previous efforts
and conversations with international partners, including the ‘Call for
climate action through transformative urban planning’, issued at COP28,
during which leading organisations including UN-Habitat, C40 Cities, Urban
Partners, and UCLG committed to address climate change through sustainable
urban planning. The event also builds on the event ‘Advancing
Decarbonisation of Buildings and Climate Adaptation through Urban
Planning’, held at the Buildings and Climate Global Forum. See the COP29 Buildings and Cooling Pavilion!"
