Open Eyes Economy Summit 2023 - City Energy Transformations
Panel discussion at the Open Eyes Summit 2023 on energy transformations for regenerative cities. From left to right - Adrianna Śniadowska, Piotr Górnik, Agnieszka Spirydowicz, Richard James MacCowan and Paweł Orlof.
Last week, we were invited to speak the Open Eyes Economy Summit 2023 in Krakow, Poland. Chaired by Adrianna Śniadowska (President of the Management Board, THINKTANK Center for Dialogue and Analysis), Piotr Górnik (Director of Thermal Energy, Fortum), Agnieszka Spirydowicz (President of the Management Board, Zgorzelec Energy Cluster) and Paweł Orlof (President of the Management Board, CEO of Veolia Energia Warszawa SA), the discussed energy transformations for regenerative cities.
Summit programme - “It is through appropriate regenerative and adaptive processes in cities that the greatest potential for change lies. Cities are also the greatest source of innovation and good practice. The track will focus on the exchange of experiences and best practices related to urban regeneration processes. Invited experts will discuss how appropriate public policies can help accelerate regeneration processes in cities, and what concrete steps should be taken to achieve the energy efficiency goals associated with adapting cities to energy shocks. We will address the issue of new technologies that can assist cities in this necessary transformation. We will not overlook the impact of the energy transition on urban structures and changes in all functional-spatial areas. We will discuss what can contribute to a better understanding of urban regeneration processes and help develop more effective adaptation strategies to ensure the best possible quality of life for people living in today's cities. We will answer the question of how to obtain efficient energy sources and how to use them.”
Questions posed:
At Biomimicry Innovation Lab, you shape sustainable and intelligent services, products and spaces.
How should we create sustainable cities today, also in terms of energy?
What should city leaders focus on to create spaces that are friendly to both residents and the environment and, at the same time, optimise energy costs?
You give lectures and workshops worldwide and know European reality and global trends well. What regions and cities are worth following as examples regarding energy transformation?
Regenerative cities are urban developments that aim to have a restorative relationship with the natural systems from which they draw resources. This concept was first developed by an International Expert Commission on Cities and Climate Change convened by the World Future Council and Hamburg University for Architecture and Urban Development between 2008 and 2011. The idea is to go beyond sustainability and actively regenerate the natural resources cities need and absorb.
Regenerative cities reintroduce treated water into the hydrology cycle, source food from urban and peri-urban producers, capture nutrients from sewage and waste to be applied to surrounding agricultural land, and reduce energy consumption. They are designed to tackle, absorb, recover, and learn from their problems and both natural and man-made disasters.
In terms of energy, regenerative cities aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution by transitioning from dependence on fossil fuels to operating with renewable energies. A truly regenerative city extends circularity to all its flows, including those of people, activities, and data.
Examples of regenerative and sustainable cities include Wittenberg, Germany, Copenhagen, San Francisco, Vancouver, Stockholm, and Singapore. These cities are devoted to combating climate change and improving the quality of life of their citizens.
Cities like Barcelona aim to become energy self-sufficient by 2050, with a roadmap that makes the “100% renewable” objective an integral part of the city’s official strategy. Other cities are also stepping up to the responsibility, with examples from China, Costa Rica, and Uganda showing that despite limited access to financing and policy support, the clear benefits of sustainable energy in an urban context have inspired action.
Regenerative cities are a promising approach to urban development that emphasises the regeneration of natural resources and efficient energy use, focusing on renewable sources. They represent a holistic and sustainable model for future urban planning and development.
“It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it. ”
What links nature-inspired innovation to regenerative cities?
Nature-inspired innovation (biomimicry) plays a significant role in developing regenerative cities. Regenerative cities aim to maintain mutually beneficial relationships with their immediate and surrounding environments, striving to improve and regenerate the productive capacity of the ecosystems on which they depend.
Biomimicry, which involves emulating nature's strategies and functions, can help cities become complex systems that create rather than diminish ecological and societal health. For instance, buildings and cities can be strategically designed to generate and provide ecosystem services, positively shifting the ecological performance of urban settings.
Biophilic design, a component of biomimicry, integrates nature into our cities and buildings, leading to improved environmental and health outcomes. It can contribute to urban resilience, making cities more robust on ecological, economic, and social levels.
Moreover, nature-inspired innovation can lead to sustainable solutions that are energy-efficient, resource-conscious, and harmonious with natural ecosystems. For example, biomimetic urban planning can mimic natural ecosystems for water management, creating sustainable, resilient, and energy-efficient buildings and cities. This is where ecological engineering plays a crucial part of the process.
Conclusions
Nature-inspired innovation fits into the concept of regenerative cities by promoting the integration of nature into urban design and planning, enhancing environmental health, improving societal well-being, and fostering resilience and sustainability.
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