Shaping Urban Futures

20230824 131003 efa23 all around c EFA Philipp Huber

27 Jun, 2024

EFA365
EFA24

An initiative that invites partners of the European Forum Alpbach to contribute valuable expertise to EFA’s Climate Track and in return broadens their scope for action.

Serving science is a fundamental pillar of the Forum. In the light of the climate crisis – one of the major challenges for humanity – we aspire to incorporate scientific evidence by sharing our network’s knowledge.

Our partners are a powerful leverage to involve large-scale endeavours for systemic change, transformative solutions, and social and technological innovation. The European Forum Alpbach bridges theory and practice and opens an interdisciplinary dialogue about the path to a net-zero future. New economic thinking and leadership, the engagement of all players as well as strategic climate financing are but a few steps to be taken hand in hand.

The EFA initiative “Shaping Urban Futures” connects visionary stakeholders to foster physical and social innovation for sustainable construction and livable cities.

With strong partners from the construction sector and the built environment at large, we create a space for innovation and inspiration over a three-year programme cycle. Bringing the industry on track with the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement is the overarching task. A wide range of EFA24 sessions and projects address the following questions:

  • How can we deal with resource scarcity, since the demand for construction materials puts a strain on finite resources such as timber, water, and minerals?
  • How do we reconcile the increasing need for urban housing with limited resources and the need to drastically reduce emissions?
  • How can sustainable construction contend with the need for energy-efficient buildings?
  • How can construction practices and architectural design harness the regenerative potential of buildings?
  • As green technologies and materials are more expensive, what are the financial and regulatory barriers to sustainable construction?
  • Which new funding and investment practices are needed to finance sustainable construction and make it more accessible?

10x100 Cities Lab (Mercator Foundation Switzerland, Politics for Tomorrow, Dark Matter Labs, Global Parliament of Mayors)

Cities have transformative powers, when it comes to climate action. Participants of this EFA Lab series are creating a blueprint for unlocking the potential of metropolitan bioregions. The “10x100” Labs forge multiannual partnerships and focus on cities as centres of economic activity and knowledge creation: Urban residents can be drivers of systemic transformations, for example, by quickly applying novel approaches to production, distribution and consumption schemes. What started as a kick-off at EFA22 turned into concrete goals at EFA23 and will be extended to four more model cities with EFA24. Evaluation and further roll out are planned for the years 2025 and 2026. Continue reading

Affordable Housing in CEE (ERSTE Foundation)

While affordable housing models thrive in Austria, they have almost ceased to exist in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), where the vast majority of the population lives in their own dwelling. Following a recent surge in real estate prices, flats in the region’s major cities have become the most expensive in the European Union, posing a real challenge, especially for the younger generation. We’ll delve into the strategies to leverage Austria’s experience in creating new ways towards affordable housing in CEE.

Circular Economy in the Construction Industry (Strabag SE)

Between 24 and 27 August 2024, a diverse group of 30 participants develops solutions to lift the roadblocks which slow down the green transformation in the construction sector. The Lab harnesses the opportunities of the construction industry to contribute to the climate goals.

“We would like to use the Alpbach Forum to discuss feasible paths to a climate-neutral future for changemakers together with politicians, businesses, and, above all, bright young minds. Only if we pull together we can give the planet and our children a chance.” (Klemens Haselsteiner, CEO of Strabag SE)

Turn Green: Inventory Management for a Sustainable Future (ADOMO Real Estate)

At the Austria in Europe Days, this session provides insights into the real estate project lifecycle – from assessment to ongoing management. The goal is to ensure that buildings not only achieve higher standards of environmental performance but maintain them over the long term.

Imagining Green, Sustainable and Regenerative Cities (IKEA)

On 26 August 2024, participants of this session visualise greener urban landscapes, focusing on transforming urban spaces globally to ensure a sustainable and livable future.

Municipal Governance Innovation (City of Linz and Chamber of Labour Upper Austria)

Two sessions hosted by the City of Linz & Chamber of Labour Upper Austria will delve into "Stories of Transformation – How We Cope with Fundamental Change," exploring how artificial intelligence and climate change drive adaptation in various sectors. The network session "Do Cities Manage Fundamental Change Better than National Governments?" will highlight mayors' best practices in handling transformations like carbon reduction, pandemic management, and digital job creation, showcasing cities' proactive roles.

The past shows that Linz has already faced many crises. Political courage, innovative technologies and social cohesion were decisive in overcoming them positively; three characteristics that are needed to realize the vision of a climate-neutral industrial city in 2040. Linz is following this path and shaping the urban future.

Vienna New Deal – Prospects for a Climate-Friendly Future (City of Vienna)

For the second time in a row, the City of Vienna leads discussions around a climate-neutral urban future. The “Vienna New Deal” shows prospects for a socio-ecological transformation. To this end, strategies for change will be developed that focus on the common good and climate protection and blueprint for a climate-friendly future in which all people can lead a good life within planetary boundaries.

Beyond Concrete (Alpbach IDEAS)

At the 2023 EFA event, participants were invited to shape their ideas in a collaborative process. Selected groups continued working after the event, one of them elaborated “Beyond Concrete” – a sourcing catalogue for sustainable living: Local materials and ancient building techniques are the most environmentally friendly choice for construction. The IDEA is to create an open-source database to map a specific region, compiling a comprehensive manual, including cost analysis and comparisons with conventional materials.

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