Creating greener living for a sustainable future Geneva, Switzerland, 30 September – 01 October 2008
Introduction l Key Reasons to Attend l Who Will You Meet? l Agenda l Sponsorship Opportunities l Partners l Venue l Register

Ursula Hartenberger, Head of Public Affairs, RICS Europe

 What do you and your company do in the Sustainable Cities sector?

As the leading international organisation for professionals in property, land, construction and related environmental issues, RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) sets standards and provides expertise and advice to governments, businesses and international organisations. With more than 140 000 members worldwide and always keeping in mind the public interest, one of the key priorities of RICS is the promotion of sustainable development.

Acknowledging the significant role of the built environment in contributing to a more sustainable use of the Earth’s resources, RICS is highly active in areas such as energy efficiency, sustainable construction, sustainable urban development and regeneration of cities. Our work concentrates on examining key issues and challenges in the form of research papers and analysis, stimulating debate and providing scientific expertise and professional training. RICS is actively involved in the European Commission’s Sustainable Energy Campaign by raising awareness on the benefits to invest in sustainable buildings. Furthermore, RICS has recently organised  a sustainable urban regeneration lecture series on the basis of which a paper will be launched during the Geneva conference outlining five recommendations for successful sustainable urban regeneration.

What do you consider the key factors in future Sustainable Cities and Communities strategies?

Any strategy in creating sustainable cities and communities needs to bring together all professions, governments and local residents. All stakeholders need to take their responsibility and have ownership of any project that affects their immediate environment. People have to begin to feel that it is “their” city and that a sustainable city effectively means a higher quality of life for them and their children. Key elements therefore are communication and involvement.

What do you think are the most exciting developments and innovations in this sector at the moment?

One of the key elements to ensure a sustainable built environment lies in how we understand and value the places where we live. In our view, the most exciting development in this sector is the increasing awareness amongst planners and developers that apart from solely incorporating “green” features, a sustainable built environment also needs to make economic sense. The work of RICS in this area is focused on improving the understanding of the relationship between environmental and social aspects and the associated long term value for money. We believe that making the business case is vital for triggering the crucial changes needed to transform cities and communities into sustainable ones.

What do you consider the biggest challenges for Sustainable and Eco Cities and Communities?

As our recent work has shown, a very important aspect in delivering sustainable cities is the involvement of the people for whom such cities are developed and created. Indeed, communication between members of a community and between planners and developers and those beneficiaries of urban regeneration is essential if our cities are to have a sustainable future. However, this interaction is becoming harder to attain today and the fact that a lot  of people no longer know  and talk to  their neighbours may be the biggest challenge in building and re-building communities.