Smart in the City – The BABLE Podcast BABLE Smart Cities

This episode was recorded live at the Urban Future 2024 conference with José Besselink, Senior Urban Planner for the Municipality of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
With her, we discuss the city's efforts in creating pedestrian-friendly spaces, enhancing green areas, and promoting active mobility through initiatives like the City Lounge framework, the Green and Healthy Neighborhood program, and tactical urbanism projects. She highlights successful interventions, the importance of community involvement, and strategies to balance competing urban planning priorities.
 
Overview of the episode:
[00:01:51] Teaser Question: "If you could describe your work for the city of Rotterdam with just three emojis, which emojis would they be?"
[00:02:18] Our guest's background
[00:03:41] Investment in public spaces: Examples of transformative projects in Rotterdam
[00:05:39] Next steps: Future green city projects and their significance
[00:07:06] Greening strategies: Various approaches to greening the city
[00:08:10] Tactical interventions: Explanation and examples of successful tactical urbanism in Rotterdam
[00:10:34] Measuring impact: How to assess the success of tactical interventions
[00:13:26] Green and Healthy Neighborhood Program: Combining climate adaptation, biodiversity, mobility, and health
[00:16:52] Community involvement: How data and community energy drive project locations
[00:19:24] Promoting walking and cycling: Strategies and the importance of considering pedestrians
[00:22:01] Data insights: How data informs walking initiatives
[00:23:22] Accelerating change: Tools and strategies to move faster in urban planning
[00:25:39] Social aspects of mobility: Investing in the social dimensions of cycling and mobility
[00:26:57] Urban Decision Dilemmas: how would our guest navigate fictional city planning or decision-making scenarios?
[00:30:58] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"
 
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And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub!

In this episode, we talked with Milan Sarzik, Business Development and Marketing at iTranSys, about their AI-powered public transport optimisation tool. The discussion covered how this innovative solution addresses driver shortages and inefficient scheduling in Slovakia, showcasing significant improvements in cities like Povazska Bystrica.
The conversation also delved into the challenges and insights gained from various regional implementations and examined the potential for international expansion.
 
Overview of the episode:
[00:02:02] Teaser Question: "If iTranSys was a type of food, what type of food would it be?"
[00:03:34] Our guest's background
[00:05:32] The problem iTranSys aims to solve for cities
[00:12:08] Planning and real-time management powered by AI
[00:14:59] Learnings from implementations
[00:17:23] Balancing stakeholder needs
[00:19:49] Future development plans
[00:24:55] Roll With the Punches: our guest answers this or that questions quickly and with their first instinct!
[00:28:52] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"
 
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And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub!

In this episode, we talked with Simone Mangili, Executive Director of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (CNCA), about how cities are innovatively pushing the boundaries to achieve carbon neutrality.
With him, we explored key topics such as scope 3 emissions, sustainable urban development, food systems transformation, climate justice, and addressing residual emissions through policy innovations and nature-based solutions.
 
Overview of the episode:
[00:01:53] Teaser Question: "How would you describe the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance if you only have three words?"
[00:02:21] Our guest's background
[00:04:31] Goals and mission of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (CNCA)
[00:07:46] Explanation of scope 3 embodied emissions
[00:08:38] Examples of cities addressing scope 3 embodied emissions
[00:11:54] Sustainable urban development in the built environment
[00:15:54] Innovative approaches in transforming food systems
[00:22:41] Circular economy practices in cities
[00:28:37] Managing residual emissions
[00:34:02] Climate justice and equitable approaches in climate action
[00:37:27] Areas where cities need to push the boundaries further
[00:40:29] Hot Take of the Day: we hear an opinion from our guest that might be slightly controversial or debated!
[00:42:07] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"
 
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Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page.
 
And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub!

In this fifth episode of our SMCNetZero series, we talked with Mario Rajn, Mayor of the City of Krizevci, Croatia.
With him, we explored Križevci's journey towards energy independence and sustainability, focusing on the city's green agenda, citizen engagement in renewable energy projects, and innovative initiatives to enhance the quality of urban life.
 
Visit the SMCNetZero Website to learn more about the project.
 
 
Overview of the episode:

[00:01:51] Teaser Question: "If Crosstown were an animal, which creature would it be and why?"
[00:03:55] Our guest's background
[00:07:03] Current challenges and priorities of Križevci
[00:13:05] Key challenges in Križevci's journey towards energy independence
[00:17:07] Involving citizens in energy transition through crowdfunding and cooperatives
[00:21:08] Scalability and sustainability of community-funded energy projects
[00:22:45] Roles of KLIK and Energy-Climate Office in Križevci's energy policies
[00:26:24] Other citizen-focused initiatives in Križevci
[00:33:32] Advice for decision-makers in smaller cities
[00:36:20] Top or Flop: our guest responds quickly with their positive or negative review on a variety of topics.
[00:41:03] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"
 
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In this episode, we welcomed one of the winners of our Urban Shark Tank session: Peter Ball, International Project Manager for Karos Mobility, as well as Juan Carlos Escudero, Head of Mobility and Data Science at the Environmental Studies Centre of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
They presented and discussed the AI-driven carpooling pilot project in Vitoria-Gasteiz aimed at reducing carbon emissions and improving urban mobility, illustrating both the challenges and successes of implementing smart mobility solutions in modern cities.
 
Want to learn more about the co-winning project of the Urban Shark Tank session at Autonomy 2024? Have a look at the Use Case on our BABLE Knowledge Hub.
 
Overview of the episode:
[00:01:45] Teaser Question: "Describe the impact of AI-driven carpooling using three emojis."
[00:06:40] Our guests' backgrounds
[00:08:55] Presentation of the goals of the AI-driven carpooling pilot for daily commuting in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
[00:10:33] What solutions did the project bring to the mobility challenges of Vitoria-Gasteiz?
[00:12:44] How was the project implemented? What were the steps?
[00:14:35] What challenges were faced and what was the community feedback?
[00:17:47] What was the AI technology involved?
[00:22:31] How does this align with sustainability goals?
[00:26:32] Are there any plans to scale this project?
[00:38:19] Freaky Friday: our guests switched places and answered a question in each other's shoes!
[00:40:57] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?
 
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And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub!

In this episode, we welcome Peter Brown, the Director of Public Works for Belmont, California, to discuss the evolving challenges and innovative solutions in urban infrastructure amidst climate change.
Our guest shared insights from his experience in urban planning within various Californian coastal cities, focusing on major infrastructure projects designed to adapt to climate realities like sea level rise and extreme weather events. The conversation also touched on community engagement strategies and the financial hurdles cities face in prioritising and funding essential infrastructure developments.
 
Overview of the episode:












[00:00:45] Teaser Question: "If you could add one magical feature to Belmont overnight, what would it be?"
[00:03:06] Guest Background
[00:04:51] What unique challenges do California's coastal cities face?
[00:06:37] What key projects are shaping Belmont's response to climate change?
[00:10:30] What are the latest trends in transport infrastructure in coastal cities?
[00:12:27] How are project priorities set in constrained environments?
[00:14:39] How is community feedback shaping urban infrastructure?
[00:17:55] Hot Take of the Day: Our guests ask each other the questions!
[00:23:45] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"












 
Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it!
Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page.
 
And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub!