Smart in the City – The BABLE Podcast BABLE Smart Cities

In this first episode in collaboration with Copenhagen Capacity, it was our great pleasure to have two architects by formation on the podcast: Camilla van Deurs, Chief City Architect for the City of Copenhagen, and Stefanie Weidner, Director at Werner Sobek Copenhagen and Director of Sustainability Strategies for the whole Werner Sobek Group.
 

 
Copenhagen Capacity is organising the Network & Mingle Green Urban Futures event on 3. July 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark! Join this after-hour networking event and experience the Greater Copenhagen region from above: find out how to participate.
 
Overview of the episode:
02:21 - Teaser: What are our guests' favourite buildings in Copenhagen?
03:58 - What is Camilla's background?
05:19 - What is one lesson Camilla has taken from working with other cities in the past and that she has applied in Copenhagen?
06:12 - What is Stephanie's background?
08:18 - Why is it important that Copenhagen has been named the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture?
11:57 - Where are the obvious cross-over points between architecture and Smart City concepts?
14:36 - Examples of how Camilla works with Smart City concepts within Copenhagen
17:13 - What are the foreseeable developments in the relationship between circularity and architecture?
22:05 - What are the steps cities need to take to meet their sustainability goals?
26:58 - How are international companies and partnerships contributing to Copenhagen’s transition towards a more sustainable capital? 
35:49 - Roll with the Punches: our guests answer 'this or that' questions quickly and with their first instincts
41:16 - 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? Contact our host Tamlyn Shimizu.
 
And for more insights, join our Smart City Community!

In this episode, we talked with Stephen Jones, Director of Core Cities UK, about collaboration between national governments and cities, UK cities' preparation for net zero, smart readiness, international relationships and more!
 
Overview of the episode:
01:13 - Teaser: What is the most stereotypical British thing our guest has ever done?
01:55 - Stephen's background story and what led him to Core Cities
04:27 - What is Core Cities and why is the organization important?
07:33 - What are the most unique challenges that UK cities face in comparison to say European cities?
10:48 - What are the key factors and strategies that contribute to the smart readiness of UK cities?
16:02 - What are cities doing in the UK doing to make their way to net zero?
20:30 - Practical examples of smart readiness and climate adaptive projects
25:43 - What now after Brexit? Are UK cities doomed to strengthen their international relationships?
30:04 - Stephen's take on the 15-Minute City
34:45 - Hot Take of the Day: hear one opinion from our guest that might be slightly controversial or debated
41:32 - 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? Contact our host Tamlyn Shimizu.
 
And for more insights, join our Smart City Community!

This episode was recorded live at the Autonomy Mobility World Expo 2023 in Paris, where Smart in the City was a Media Partner. 
 
In this episode, we talked with Sergio Fernández Balaguer, the Head of the International Department at the Municipal Transport Company (EMT) of Madrid, Spain. We discussed sustainable mobility, transversal connectivity, public transport and car usage and the importance of international activities when it comes to urban mobility.
 
Overview of the episode:
02:03 - Teaser: What is one odd or weird thing that Sergio has seen on the streets of Madrid recently?
03:23 - Sergio's background story and transition to working at EMT Madrid
06:01 - What are the main challenges Madrid is facing when it comes to public transport?
10:27 - How does collaboration between EMT Madrid and other EU cities work?
14:21 - How can other cities replicate urban mobility models?
10:17 - Is the European Commission’s proposal to ban the sale of carbon-emitting cars from 2035 feasible?
23:01 - Roll with the Punches: our guest answers this or that questions quickly and with their first instincts
25:58 - 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? Contact our host Tamlyn Shimizu.
 
And for more insights, join our Smart City Community!
 

This episode was recorded live at the Autonomy Mobility World Expo 2023 in Paris, where Smart in the City was a Media Partner. 
 
In this episode, we travel to Manchester in the UK and talk about public transport, active mobility, integration, railway network and more with Nick Fairclough, Senior Policy Manager at Transport for Greater Manchester.
 
Overview of the episode:
02:29 - Teaser: What is a little-known fact about Manchester?
03:11 - What led our guest to work in transport?
05:20 - How does Transport for Greater Manchester work?
07:35 - What are the similarities and differences in your organisation to others?
08:54 - Is there an increase in people biking and walking?
10:17 - What does success look like for integration?
11:19 - Do cars have a place in integration?
12:08 - What are the barriers? What are the challenges? 
13:17 - Where does public transport fall short?
14:58 - What is the business model behind public transport in Manchester?
18:51 - Nick Fairclough's favourite project: the development of Greater Manchester's bus plan
20:37 - What does Greater Manchester look like in 2050?
22:47 - Inspire Us: our guest shares a story, a quote, or anything that has inspired them recently
24:27 - 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? Contact our host Tamlyn Shimizu.
 
And for more insights, join our Smart City Community!
 

This episode was recorded live at the Autonomy Mobility World Expo 2023 in Paris, where Smart in the City was a Media Partner. 
 
In this episode, we were lucky enough to sit down with Ross Douglas, Founder and CEO of Autonomy Paris & the Urban Mobility Weekly, to talk about the event, mobility trends, carbon emissions goals, car ownership, electric vehicles and more!
 
Overview of the episode:
01:40 - Teaser: if our guest was to ride in any mode of transport of the future, what would it be?
02:15 - What's the story behind Autonomy?
03:45 - "Change is really driven by policy-makers" and not by consumer behaviour
05:05 - What is the consumers' responsibility?
06:43 - What are the three current mobility trends?
08:44 - Is there still time to turn the tide regarding Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
11:15 - How can events such as Autonomy help meet carbon emissions goals?
12:47 - What are the limitations to such events?
13:56 - Car ownership: the cities vs the industry
16:29 - Why we mustn't see EVs as a solution but as a tool
19:10 - Mobility and public health: looking at urban planning in a holistic way
20:52 - Flip the Script: our guest is asking the questions!
24:46 - 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? Contact our host Tamlyn Shimizu.
 
And for more insights, join our Smart City Community!

In this episode, we learn how the happiness of citizens can be measured and quantified to inform decision-making in urban planning with two guests from the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark: Catarina Lachmund, Senior Analyst, and Camilla Michalski, Data Analyst.
 
Overview of the episode:
02:18 - Teaser: our guest shared a quote about happiness from the founder of the Happiness Research Institute
02:26 - Who is Catarina? What is Camila’s story?
05:19 - Why should municipalities care about happiness?
08:06 - How can happiness be measured?
11:39 - What is the impact of technology on happiness?
17:54 - What is the "currency of happiness"?
21:03 - How do the Happiness Research Institute works with cities?
25:10 - How do they work with the private sector?
30:13 - Hot Take of the Day: an opinion from our guest that is slightly controversial or debated
33:24 - 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? Contact our host Tamlyn Shimizu.
 
And for more insights, join our Smart City Community!