Smart in the City – The BABLE Podcast BABLE Smart Cities

In this episode recorded live at the Urban Future 2024 conference, our guest Valentina Schippers, Coordinator of the Urban Agenda Partnership on Innovative and Responsible Public Procurement at the City of Haarlem, Netherlands, discusses how innovative public procurement can strategically address social, ecological, and economic challenges, sharing her experiences and strategies from Haarlem. 
The discussion also highlights the importance of simplifying procurement processes, engaging local politicians, and integrating sustainability and social responsibility into public procurement.
 
Overview of the episode:




[00:02:35] Teaser Question: "Imagine that the city is like your favourite dish to cook. If public procurement were an ingredient, which ingredient would it be?"
[00:03:47] Our guest's background
[00:07:42] Misconceptions about public procurement
[00:09:57] Strategic use of public procurement to address social challenges
[00:12:22] Achieving sustainability through public procurement
[00:14:24] Strategies to include smaller companies in procurement processes
[00:16:24] Common obstacles faced by public authorities in improving procurement processes
[00:19:16] Use of AI and best practices in procurement
[00:24:40] Importance of storytelling in demonstrating the impact of public procurement
[00:28:52] Addressing concerns about the costs of socially responsible and sustainable procurement
[00:30:13] Challenges in Haarlem and its relationship with Amsterdam
[00:32:10] Importance of pre-procurement market consultations and contract management
[00:34:00] Top or Flop Segment
[00:36:44] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"




 
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In this episode recorded live at the Urban Future 2024 conference, Lykke Leonardsen, Programme Director for Resilient and Sustainable City Solutions at the City of Copenhagen, Denmark, discusses the integration of resilience and urban development, and the innovative water management solutions implemented in Copenhagen.
She also addresses challenges in advancing urban climate action, the importance of breaking down silos in city planning, and future trends in urban resilience and climate adaptation. Additionally, she shares insights on balancing long-term climate resilience with immediate social and economic needs and highlights some of her favourite projects that transform urban spaces while enhancing resilience.
 
Overview of the episode:
[00:01:20] Teaser Question: "You have one wish from a genie to make one change in Copenhagen to make it more climate resilient overnight. What would it be?"
[00:02:36] Our guest's background
[00:05:12] Defining resilience and sustainability
[00:08:44] Integrating resilience and urban development
[00:14:26] Innovative water management solutions in Copenhagen
[00:16:53] Biggest challenges in Copenhagen and resilience strategies
[00:19:50] Trends and emerging technologies in urban resilience
[00:25:31] Addressing investment concerns and social issues
[00:28:04] Tools and resources needed for accelerating resilience efforts
[00:36:16] Shoutout: our guest mentions a person, an organisation or a city they think deserve more recognition in the field.
[00:38:13] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"
 
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In this episode recorded live at the Urban Future 2024 conference, Anna Wierzbicka, Director at the City of Łódź in Poland, discussed with us the city's history, its transition to addressing climate issues, and the importance of community involvement in urban development.
She emphasised the challenges and opportunities related to sustainability, economic growth, and collaborative efforts with other cities and stakeholders.
 
Overview of the episode:
[00:02:55] Teaser Question: "If your city were an animal, which animal would it be?"
[00:05:55] Our guest's background.
[00:09:00] Discussion on the biggest challenges Łódź is facing.
[00:13:04] Achievements of the European Climate Pact and its impact.
[00:15:09] Cross-sector collaboration in Łódź.
[00:17:16] Balancing economic growth and sustainability.
[00:22:28] Communicating the urgency of climate action.
[00:24:16] Examples of successful initiatives in Łódź.
[00:28:46] Anticipating future technological changes and challenges.
[00:32:42] Inspire Us: our guest shares a story, a quote, or anything that has inspired them recently.
[00:33:21] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"
 
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This episode was recorded live at the Urban Future 2024 conference, where we sat down with Christophe Najdovski, the Deputy Mayor of Revegetation, Green Spaces, Biodiversity & Animal Welfare at the City of Paris.
He shared his insights and experiences in redistributing and redesigning public spaces in Paris, highlighting key initiatives such as the pedestrianisation of the Seine Banks and the development of cycling infrastructure. We discussed the environmental and social impacts of these transformations, the challenges of maintaining green spaces amidst urban development, and how Paris prepared for the upcoming Olympic Games as an accelerator of ecological transition.
 
Overview of the episode:
[00:02:35] Teaser Question: "If the parks and green spaces of Paris could talk, what stories do you think they would tell us?"
[00:03:24] Our guest's background
[00:06:03] Discussion on the transformation of Paris into a garden city and the political will behind these changes
[00:09:56] Challenges in redistributing public space and ensuring community support
[00:12:39] The success and public reception of the pedestrianisation of the Seine Banks
[00:15:05] Coping with climate change and the importance of greening the city
[00:19:57] Financial investment in urban greening and its benefits for the community
[00:21:25] Integrating green spaces in the context of the upcoming Olympic Games
[00:25:31] Engaging with the public and handling conflicts around urban development
[00:29:22] Learning from other cities and sharing best practices in urban sustainability
[00:33:36] Hot Take of the Day: Increasing parking prices for SUVs in Paris
[00:37:21] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"
 
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In the sixth and last episode of our SMCNetZero series, we discussed the project's key achievements with Clara Plata Ríos, Project Director at Smart City Cluster, and Goran Lampelj, Project Coordinator at ODRAZ-Sustainable Community Development.
 
They shared their insights on the project's goals, the collaborative efforts among different stakeholders, and the significance of the market analysis in identifying key opportunities and challenges. They also addressed concerns about the feasibility and scalability of net-zero goals, emphasising the importance of tailored solutions and citizen engagement.
 
Overview of the episode:
[00:02:01] Teaser Question: "What is the best memory of the project so far, and also the worst?"
[00:04:15] Our guests' backgrounds: Clara's and Goran's professional journeys.
[00:05:36] Project Goals: Description of the SMCNetZero project and involved stakeholders.
[00:07:53] Achievements and Benefits: Significant achievements and benefits for cities.
[00:11:33] Collaboration Among Stakeholders: Fostering collaboration among local governments, businesses, and community organizations.
[00:14:19] Market Analysis: Utilisation of market analysis in the project.
[00:18:17] Common Challenges: Similarities and challenges of Small and Medium-sized Cities.
[00:23:41] Addressing Feasibility Concerns: Ensuring strategies are adaptable to unique city needs.
[00:29:22] Next Steps: Future initiatives and steps for SMCNetZero.
[00:34:38] Flip the Script: Our guests ask each other questions.
[00:36:40] Ending Question: "To you, what is a Smart City?"
 
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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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