Future Cities - Valuing the Environment for Urban Resilience and Enterprise
Lead Research Organisation:
British Geological Survey
Department Name: Engineering Geology
Abstract
Summary - Env-Data: Valuing the Environment for Urban Resilience and Enterprise
Cities need to be sustainable, to be resilient and to thrive no matter how the future unfolds. This means we need to be smart about how we plan and operate our cities and decisions need to be made using the best available data - a strong evidence base where multiple and varied datasets can be integrated to answer shared challenges in our cities.
Understanding and valuing our natural environment is important for city development. For example, the subterranean environment is utilised for space, water, minerals, heat, waste and water disposal, transport and communication networks. The natural environment may therefore be considered as a service-provider for our built environment E.g. the natural environment provides a 'platform' for development, 'provision' of resources, 'regulation' of human activity e.g. pollution and 'supports' habitat. By assessing the environmental and socio-economic services provided by the natural environment it is possible to develop city-wide tools that integrate the environment with land use and city services such that space in our urban areas is used most effectively for environmental, economic and social well-being.
> Objective: to develop multi-dimensional city-wide tools that integrate the environment with land use and city services.
In future our cities need to cope with increased pressures such as changes in population, land use and climate. Higher 'loading' on our urban areas can lead to significant environmental constraints such as increased flood risk and resource insecurity. For our cities to be more resilient we need to evaluate these environmental constraints against future scenarios and predictions.
> Objective: to integrate multiple datasets to assess environmental constraints for city resilience under future scenarios.
To meet these objectives I will address the following:
1. What environmental data can be applied to urban challenges?
I will meet with city partners to identify their drivers, challenges and needs and I will present this information to data providers to align environmental datasets with the urban challenges. I will collate and classify relevant research and datasets to increase awareness and accessibility.
2. How is environmental data presented, what are the high-impact exemplars, what new technologies are emerging?
I will work with data experts to review existing data formats, platforms, presentation and tools. I will evaluate best practice, emerging technologies and feedback from end-users to produce impact case studies.
3. Existing environmental datasets are used more widely for urban challenges.
I will promote existing environmental datasets and capability to stakeholders through interactive workshops, smart-media and networks.
4. New datasets and tools are developed for urban challenges and to inform city processes.
Using the knowledge exchange I will develop a series of datasets and tools, framed around city environmental needs (platform, provision, regulation, support); Data will be integrated with the Cities-lab and the value of environmental data for city services will be presented more explicitly.
This programme of work will enhance NERC's reputation by delivering knowledge to end users in the urban environment, which combines robust science data with sound scientific advice. The impact of the fellowship also extends to the FutureCities groups, city stakeholders and academic partners where access to environmental data improves, science research is aligned to urban challenges, new tools and technologies are validated in city-labs and multiple environmental datasets are integrated with other city metrics lead to the development of coupled city models and optimised planning tools.
Cities need to be sustainable, to be resilient and to thrive no matter how the future unfolds. This means we need to be smart about how we plan and operate our cities and decisions need to be made using the best available data - a strong evidence base where multiple and varied datasets can be integrated to answer shared challenges in our cities.
Understanding and valuing our natural environment is important for city development. For example, the subterranean environment is utilised for space, water, minerals, heat, waste and water disposal, transport and communication networks. The natural environment may therefore be considered as a service-provider for our built environment E.g. the natural environment provides a 'platform' for development, 'provision' of resources, 'regulation' of human activity e.g. pollution and 'supports' habitat. By assessing the environmental and socio-economic services provided by the natural environment it is possible to develop city-wide tools that integrate the environment with land use and city services such that space in our urban areas is used most effectively for environmental, economic and social well-being.
> Objective: to develop multi-dimensional city-wide tools that integrate the environment with land use and city services.
In future our cities need to cope with increased pressures such as changes in population, land use and climate. Higher 'loading' on our urban areas can lead to significant environmental constraints such as increased flood risk and resource insecurity. For our cities to be more resilient we need to evaluate these environmental constraints against future scenarios and predictions.
> Objective: to integrate multiple datasets to assess environmental constraints for city resilience under future scenarios.
To meet these objectives I will address the following:
1. What environmental data can be applied to urban challenges?
I will meet with city partners to identify their drivers, challenges and needs and I will present this information to data providers to align environmental datasets with the urban challenges. I will collate and classify relevant research and datasets to increase awareness and accessibility.
2. How is environmental data presented, what are the high-impact exemplars, what new technologies are emerging?
I will work with data experts to review existing data formats, platforms, presentation and tools. I will evaluate best practice, emerging technologies and feedback from end-users to produce impact case studies.
3. Existing environmental datasets are used more widely for urban challenges.
I will promote existing environmental datasets and capability to stakeholders through interactive workshops, smart-media and networks.
4. New datasets and tools are developed for urban challenges and to inform city processes.
Using the knowledge exchange I will develop a series of datasets and tools, framed around city environmental needs (platform, provision, regulation, support); Data will be integrated with the Cities-lab and the value of environmental data for city services will be presented more explicitly.
This programme of work will enhance NERC's reputation by delivering knowledge to end users in the urban environment, which combines robust science data with sound scientific advice. The impact of the fellowship also extends to the FutureCities groups, city stakeholders and academic partners where access to environmental data improves, science research is aligned to urban challenges, new tools and technologies are validated in city-labs and multiple environmental datasets are integrated with other city metrics lead to the development of coupled city models and optimised planning tools.
Organisations
- British Geological Survey (Fellow, Lead Research Organisation)
- UK Water Research and Innovation Partnership (Collaboration)
- The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (Collaboration)
- Business in the Community (Collaboration)
- Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Collaboration)
- Environment Agency (Collaboration)
- Ordnance Survey (Collaboration)
- FUTURE CITIES CATAPULT LIMITED (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Stephanie Bricker (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Bricker S
(2017)
Accounting for groundwater in future city visions
in Land Use Policy
Bricker S
(2017)
How integrated city data can benefit real people
Bricker, S.H
(2015)
The ground beneath cities: where should future development occur?
British Geological Survey Science Futures Team
(2015)
Optimising subsurface use for future cities
Business In The Community
(2018)
Water Resilient Cities - The business case for investing in resilience in Greater Manchester
Tkachenko N
(2018)
To dig or not to dig? Place and perception in subsurface housing
in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering Sustainability
UK Water Partnership Water And Cities Action Group
(2015)
Future Visions for Water and Cities - A Thought Piece
| Title | London 2036 (Big Bang Data Exhibition, Somerset House) |
| Description | London 2036 - Created by the Future Cities Catapult in Partnership with NERC and CASA, UCL. What would your ideal city be like, and how would you create it? London 2036 puts the public in control of London, painting pictures of many possible futures for the city through data modelling techniques. The gamified data model asks quick-fire questions around civic problems, policies and personal preferences. It then predicts how these choices would impact the social, environmental and economical state of the city in 2036. You can compare your London 2036 vision to the city we live in today, and explore the model of the future London predicted by the aggregated choices of exhibition visitors. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Impact | Impact from this piece is at an ealry stage as the exhibition is still on and the full impact hasn't bee collected at this stage. However London 2036 is a successful co-developed exhibition between data scientists and designers at the Future Cities Catapult, environmental experts at NERC and city modellers at CASA, UCL. It has been played by over 12,000 members of the public between Dec 2015 and March 2016. The outcomes from the London 2036 model are being used to inform a popular article and academic paper. Interest in applying the model to other international cities has been received. |
| URL | http://bigbangdata.somersethouse.org.uk/artist/future-cities-catapult/ |
| Description | The fellowship aimed to identify the ways in which NERC's environmental data could be used to help address urban challenges. As a result of engagement with a wider range of urban practitioners the following are considered to be the primary topics where NERC data could deliver significant benefits for urban stakeholders: air quality; flooding; resilience; energy; and urban planning/space constraints. The maximum benefits are delivered when NERC data is applied to address urban planning policy - e.g. the brownfield land regulations; air quality policy. With this in mind NERC should fully engage with Defra and local authorities in the implementation of the Environment Bill and the requirement for 10% biodiversity net gain which will be delivered through the urban planning regime. Most local authorities are also adopting digital planning workflows e.g. digital Environmental Impact Assessments in which NERC data should contribute. NERC should also seeks to develop a closer relationship with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and local government and the Infrastructure Projects Authority. Whilst urban centres offer the opportunity for local- scale data use, urban practitioners requires access to data that is robust with consistent spatial/temporal coverage as it is often used for policy evidence or socio-economic decision making. Data held in the NERC data centres generally doesn't offer this level of spatio-temporal consistency. NERC should support the research centres and other data innovators to create these data products, CEH and BGS are leaders in this field (e.g. the national SuDS map). NERC has made significant progress is making data available, but further work is need to make it discover able and useful. There has been too much focus on the technology needs for data delivery, and less focus on explaining the relevance of the data for users. Getting data out there is only first step. The role of data/knowledge broker services is considered key to enrich the data through benefits assessments and story-telling - how is data useful?, how can it be used? Investing resource for data services/training for data users when data is provided should be considered. The transition to federated data services (e.g. via APIs) is seen as a positive to ensure that the data custodian retains ownership of the data and provides updated data, this helps reduce the burden on hosted data platforms that are hard to maintain and may become out of data quickly. However we assume a comparatively high level of data competence across all our stakeholders - this is not so and further work is needed to understand the 'personas' of key NERC data users to tailor a range of data solutions that suit. The work of the Geospatial Commission in this regard may be of interest to NERC. |
| Exploitation Route | See response above |
| Sectors | Construction,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Environment |
| Description | (2015) Expert advice for GO science Foresight Future of Cities: Insights gained from the fellowship on the role of environment for economic cities that are also resilient and sustainable are captured in two invited Thought Pieces for the GO Science Foresight Future of Cities programme. i) Future of Cities: development underground https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-cities-development-underground. ii) Future Visions for water and cities written collectively by the UK Water Partnership Water and Cities task force, into which I provide advise on urban groundwater issues. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-cities-water-and-cities. (2015) Big Bang Data Exhibition, Somerset House: The Future Cities Catapult created a gaming model - London 2036 - for the Big Bang Data exhibition at Somerset House which was done in partnership with my NERC fellowship and CASA, UCL. The gamified data model asks the general public questions around environmental, mobility and housing problems, policies and personal preferences. It then predicts how these choices would impact the social, environmental and economical state of the city in 2036 to invite people to think about the social, environmental and economic factors that together determine the future landscape of the city. NERC data (Future Flows) and expertise were used to develop the water and energy sections of the model and to inform the climate and environment related outcomes. The game has been played by over 12,000 members of the public. The success of the London 2036 project and engagement with Thames Water led to a follow-on project to develop a new interactive approach to understand the priorities of Thames Water's customers and their awareness of issues faced by the water sector. 'The Catapult has created a plan that could see Thames Water adopt a virtual, online version of the installation to give customers a better understanding of how the utility plans investment in services and infrastructure for the next five years'. http://futurecities.catapult.org.uk/case-study/case-study-thames-water/ (2016) Follow-on commercial funding and practitioner buy-in: An expert workshop on integrated city mapping and modelling approaches has resulted in: - a collaborative co-funded innovation project between the Future Cities Catapult, Ordnance Survey and the British Geological Survey (Project Iceberg) to evaluate the technological capability, market drivers and societal and business benefits of an integrated data system that enables the complementary use of above-below ground data to support e.g. utility sector, brownfield development, street works. - support for the inception if Think Deep UK a newly formed group of built environment experts committed to creating resilient, sustainable and liveable cities through smart use of underground space. The launch was attended by >100 professionals across geotechnical, urban planning, law, architecture, environmental, utility sectors. www.tduk.org https://vimeo.com/206363371 (2017) Decision-support tool for brownfield redevelopment: - A prototype Brownfield Cost Calculator tool has been developed for Greater Manchester in partnership with the Environment Agency, Greater Manchester Authority, New Economy and the Future Cities Catapult. The tool uses environmental data held by NERC and the EA in combination with methodologies developed by the Homes and Communities Agency to estimate brownfield remediation costs. The tool help local authorities to identify land for their brownfield register which is more favourable for development and allows small-medium developers to identify economically viable land. The tools has already been used by Greater Manchester to evaluate the economic viability of sites on their brownfield land register and to consider the environmental issues that may limit future urban development. Funding was successfully obtained from Greater Manchester Combined Authority to take the tool to prototype to full-implementation phase, and was delivered early in 2019. A further contract is in place with Gateshead local authority to deliver a refined version of the brownfield tool which takes into account additional ground risk factors associated with mining hazard. There is industry interest from Ground Sure to commercialise the brownfield tool. We are also in discussion with the Future Cities Catapult about adapting the information for Gateshead authority to integrate it with their digital planning portal, this is a concept that could be applied nationally and plans are in place with the Catapult to further develop this capability. (2018) BiTC SuDS Innovative Financing models: environmental data relating to the suitability of SuDS and the multiple benefits of SuDS has been used across Greater Manchester to assess the application of innovative financing models for SuDS installation at schools and NHS sites. The findings from the project were presented at to the Mayor at Greater Manchester's Green Summit (March 2018). https://www.bitc.org.uk/sites/default/files/water-resilient-cities-report-july-2018-new_0.pdf (2018-20):Project Iceberg: Key findings from Project Iceberg have been used to inform the priorities and activities of the newly formed Geospatial Commission (GC). Iceberg's findings have formed primary evidence for the GC's business case for the National Buried Asset Register which identifies a potential economic benefit of ~£500m+ p.a. as a result of the register and it's application (Nov 18) 'work undertaken by Project Iceberg was a critical element of the underlying research leading to these pilot projects, and we see the Iceberg group as an important part of the industry ecosystem in this area'. The National Buried Asset Register pilot was commissioned by the UK government spring 2019 with ministerial approval and an investment of £3.9 million for two underground asset pilot projects in London and the NE of England. Stephanie Bricker has been invited by the Cabinet Office onto the GC's advisory board for the implementation of the register (Jan-19 onwards), BGS colleague Holger Kessler is seconded to the Cabinet Office to advise formally on the buried assets programme from Summer 2018-March 2020. The Iceberg Industry Committee has been formally invited by the Geospatial Commission to help review additional 'use case' benefits that might be derived from the underground asset register. Iceberg's outcomes have also been used as an exemplar project within the national Infrastructure Commission's report on 'Data for the Public Good' - this report forms the basis of a new initiative to create a 'Digital Twin' of UK cities, the pilot currently being planned for the SW of England. Findings from Project Iceberg have also been used to inform a pilot exercise led by the OS and Northumbrian Water on buried assets, known as the North East Underground Infrastructure Hub (NEUIH) focused on a tool for identification of buried assets (Steph Bricker is a member of the NEUIH consortium) and a pilot led by Greater London Authority to better use buried asset information in London's investment and planning strategies. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Construction,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Environment,Other |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | Cabinet Office - National Underground Asset Register |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Outcomes from Project Iceberg (www.bgs.ac.uk/urban/iceberg) have been used as primary evidence in support of the Cabinet Office's £3.9m initial investment in the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR). The register serves to collate the geospatial information for buried utility data held by asset owners and makes this data available to the wider utility sector to help reduce the risk of 'strikes' to buried assets and improve the coordination of data/information on buried assets to interested parties - estimated economic benefits of £500m/yr. Stephanie Bricker (PI) was invited to onto the NUAR Advisory Group and the Iceberg Industry Committee have been formally invited by the Geospatial Commission to review the additional benefits that may be delivered as a result of the creation of a National Underground Asset Register, for example better coordination of utility data and subsurface information for urban resilience e.g. data used in the event of natural hazards (e.g. floods) or terror incidents (blasts.) |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/news/map-of-underground-pipes-and-cables-designed-to-save-lives-and-pr... |
| Description | Innovate UK - Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC) Industrial Placement |
| Amount | £59,700 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 920035 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2017 |
| End | 03/2018 |
| Description | Brownfield Cost Calculator Tool |
| Organisation | Environment Agency |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Development of a proposal for the prototyping of a Brownfield Cost Calculator Tool which uses the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) guidance for remediation of brownfield land and integrates with it NERC environmental data and economic data to evaluate the most cost-effective brownfield sites for remediation. The tool has been prototyped for Manchester in collaboration with the Environment Agency, Greater Manchester, Future Cities Catapult and New Economy. The tool has been used to evaluate sites on Greater Manchester's brownfield register to determine which sites are more viable for development. |
| Collaborator Contribution | In-kind staff time and advice to develop the prototype tool in keeping with environmental regulations/policy and local authority brownfield registers. Use of facilities for stakeholder engagement. Funding for full development of the tool has been sought from the UK Government Planning Delivery Fund, through proposals led by Greater Manchester Combined Authority. |
| Impact | Decision on funding via Greater Manchester Combined Authority via the Government Planning Delivery Fund is pending. The tool at prototype stage (NERC IPR) but there is interest in commercial development of the tool from Arcadis and Ground Sure. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Brownfield Cost Calculator Tool |
| Organisation | Greater Manchester Combined Authority |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Development of a proposal for the prototyping of a Brownfield Cost Calculator Tool which uses the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) guidance for remediation of brownfield land and integrates with it NERC environmental data and economic data to evaluate the most cost-effective brownfield sites for remediation. The tool has been prototyped for Manchester in collaboration with the Environment Agency, Greater Manchester, Future Cities Catapult and New Economy. The tool has been used to evaluate sites on Greater Manchester's brownfield register to determine which sites are more viable for development. |
| Collaborator Contribution | In-kind staff time and advice to develop the prototype tool in keeping with environmental regulations/policy and local authority brownfield registers. Use of facilities for stakeholder engagement. Funding for full development of the tool has been sought from the UK Government Planning Delivery Fund, through proposals led by Greater Manchester Combined Authority. |
| Impact | Decision on funding via Greater Manchester Combined Authority via the Government Planning Delivery Fund is pending. The tool at prototype stage (NERC IPR) but there is interest in commercial development of the tool from Arcadis and Ground Sure. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Business in the Community (BiTC) Innovative finance models for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) |
| Organisation | Business in the Community |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | BiTC have formed a consortia of environmental, water industry and finance experts to evaluate the use of innovative finance models to support the retrofitting of SuDS. Collaborators include United Utilities, CIRIA, Environment Agency, Wetland and Wildfowl Trust, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Atkins, Arup and CLASP. The finance models are being trialled in for schools and NHS sites in Greater Manchester. NERC experts are contributing to the project by screening school and NHS sites to evaluate their suitability for the implementation of infiltration SuDS using NERC datasets. Additional data analysis and mapping of environmental data is being used to determine the multiple environmental benefits (over and above the finance benefits) that may be realised by installing the SuDS. |
| Collaborator Contribution | BiTC have formed a consortia of environmental, water industry and finance experts to evaluate the use of innovative finance models to support the retrofitting of SuDS. Collaborators include United Utilities, CIRIA, Environment Agency, Wetland and Wildfowl Trust, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Atkins, Arup and CLASP. The finance models are being trialled in for schools and NHS sites in Greater Manchester. The project is being managed and promoted by BiTC, the EA and WWT are providing environmental expertise (along with NERC). BiTC, CLASP, UU and ARUP are providing advice on the innovative financing options. |
| Impact | The BiTC SuDS project has determined the multiple benefits that might be delivered by innovative financing of SuDS for schools sites in Greater Manchester (GM) http://awards.bitc.org.uk/reports/multiple-benefits-report. SuDS are successful being implemented in GM as part of the financing scheme. The benefits of BiTC SuDS project has been summarised and is being presented at the GM Mayor's Green Summit (March 2018). NERC is involved in phase three and four of the project which is considering, the roll out of the scheme across Greater Manchester, and; adoption of the financing methods for schools and NHS sites nationally, these phases are on-going to 2020. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Business in the Community (BiTC) Innovative finance models for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) |
| Organisation | Environment Agency |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | BiTC have formed a consortia of environmental, water industry and finance experts to evaluate the use of innovative finance models to support the retrofitting of SuDS. Collaborators include United Utilities, CIRIA, Environment Agency, Wetland and Wildfowl Trust, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Atkins, Arup and CLASP. The finance models are being trialled in for schools and NHS sites in Greater Manchester. NERC experts are contributing to the project by screening school and NHS sites to evaluate their suitability for the implementation of infiltration SuDS using NERC datasets. Additional data analysis and mapping of environmental data is being used to determine the multiple environmental benefits (over and above the finance benefits) that may be realised by installing the SuDS. |
| Collaborator Contribution | BiTC have formed a consortia of environmental, water industry and finance experts to evaluate the use of innovative finance models to support the retrofitting of SuDS. Collaborators include United Utilities, CIRIA, Environment Agency, Wetland and Wildfowl Trust, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Atkins, Arup and CLASP. The finance models are being trialled in for schools and NHS sites in Greater Manchester. The project is being managed and promoted by BiTC, the EA and WWT are providing environmental expertise (along with NERC). BiTC, CLASP, UU and ARUP are providing advice on the innovative financing options. |
| Impact | The BiTC SuDS project has determined the multiple benefits that might be delivered by innovative financing of SuDS for schools sites in Greater Manchester (GM) http://awards.bitc.org.uk/reports/multiple-benefits-report. SuDS are successful being implemented in GM as part of the financing scheme. The benefits of BiTC SuDS project has been summarised and is being presented at the GM Mayor's Green Summit (March 2018). NERC is involved in phase three and four of the project which is considering, the roll out of the scheme across Greater Manchester, and; adoption of the financing methods for schools and NHS sites nationally, these phases are on-going to 2020. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Business in the Community (BiTC) Innovative finance models for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) |
| Organisation | The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | BiTC have formed a consortia of environmental, water industry and finance experts to evaluate the use of innovative finance models to support the retrofitting of SuDS. Collaborators include United Utilities, CIRIA, Environment Agency, Wetland and Wildfowl Trust, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Atkins, Arup and CLASP. The finance models are being trialled in for schools and NHS sites in Greater Manchester. NERC experts are contributing to the project by screening school and NHS sites to evaluate their suitability for the implementation of infiltration SuDS using NERC datasets. Additional data analysis and mapping of environmental data is being used to determine the multiple environmental benefits (over and above the finance benefits) that may be realised by installing the SuDS. |
| Collaborator Contribution | BiTC have formed a consortia of environmental, water industry and finance experts to evaluate the use of innovative finance models to support the retrofitting of SuDS. Collaborators include United Utilities, CIRIA, Environment Agency, Wetland and Wildfowl Trust, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Atkins, Arup and CLASP. The finance models are being trialled in for schools and NHS sites in Greater Manchester. The project is being managed and promoted by BiTC, the EA and WWT are providing environmental expertise (along with NERC). BiTC, CLASP, UU and ARUP are providing advice on the innovative financing options. |
| Impact | The BiTC SuDS project has determined the multiple benefits that might be delivered by innovative financing of SuDS for schools sites in Greater Manchester (GM) http://awards.bitc.org.uk/reports/multiple-benefits-report. SuDS are successful being implemented in GM as part of the financing scheme. The benefits of BiTC SuDS project has been summarised and is being presented at the GM Mayor's Green Summit (March 2018). NERC is involved in phase three and four of the project which is considering, the roll out of the scheme across Greater Manchester, and; adoption of the financing methods for schools and NHS sites nationally, these phases are on-going to 2020. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Project Iceberg - integrated city data mapping |
| Organisation | Future Cities Catapult Limited |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Evaluation of the technology capability, market drivers, societal and business need for an integrated data management system that allows full integrated of surface urban datasets with subsurface datasets e.g. for utility management, brownfield development, land viability assessment. NERC provided expert contributions of the role of environmental data and ground conditions to support decision-making on integrated urban systems and land management. Provision of intelligence on how environmental data is used for city decision-making and urban planning, technology capability for subsurface data management. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Evaluation of the technology capability, market drivers, societal and business need for an integrated data management system that allows full integrated of surface urban datasets with subsurface datasets e.g. for utility management, brownfield development, land viability assessment. Ordnance Survey provided expert contributions of the role of environmental data and city mapping information to support decision-making on integrated urban systems and land management - linked to the OS Deep Dig initiative. Provision of intelligence on how environmental data is used for city decision-making and urban planning, technology capability for city mapping technology. Future Cities Catapult provided project management, expertise of market conditions, market research and application of suitbale innovative urban tools/systems for practitioner uptake of an integrated data system (i.e. front end applications). |
| Impact | Outcomes: Project Iceberg findings are being used to underpin discussions on priorities for the Geospatial Commission with respect to the urban agenda (Housing, Urban Planning, Utilities and Resilience. Project Iceberg forms an exemplar case study within the National Infrastructure Commissions report on Data for the Public Good. Phase 2 of project Iceberg has received support from UK industry(e.g. AWE, Arup, Atkins, Landmark) and government (Transport for London, Scottish Government, National Grid) and from International environmental organisations (OGC). Outputs:Project summary: Breaking new ground for Future Cities https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/docs/collateral/project-iceberg-future-cities.pdf Work package 1: Market research for mapping underground assets in the UK http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/519019/ Work package 2: A unified data framework for mapping underground http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/519035/ Work package 3: How integrated data can benefit real people https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/docs/collateral/project-iceberg-work-package3.pdf |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Project Iceberg - integrated city data mapping |
| Organisation | Ordnance Survey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Evaluation of the technology capability, market drivers, societal and business need for an integrated data management system that allows full integrated of surface urban datasets with subsurface datasets e.g. for utility management, brownfield development, land viability assessment. NERC provided expert contributions of the role of environmental data and ground conditions to support decision-making on integrated urban systems and land management. Provision of intelligence on how environmental data is used for city decision-making and urban planning, technology capability for subsurface data management. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Evaluation of the technology capability, market drivers, societal and business need for an integrated data management system that allows full integrated of surface urban datasets with subsurface datasets e.g. for utility management, brownfield development, land viability assessment. Ordnance Survey provided expert contributions of the role of environmental data and city mapping information to support decision-making on integrated urban systems and land management - linked to the OS Deep Dig initiative. Provision of intelligence on how environmental data is used for city decision-making and urban planning, technology capability for city mapping technology. Future Cities Catapult provided project management, expertise of market conditions, market research and application of suitbale innovative urban tools/systems for practitioner uptake of an integrated data system (i.e. front end applications). |
| Impact | Outcomes: Project Iceberg findings are being used to underpin discussions on priorities for the Geospatial Commission with respect to the urban agenda (Housing, Urban Planning, Utilities and Resilience. Project Iceberg forms an exemplar case study within the National Infrastructure Commissions report on Data for the Public Good. Phase 2 of project Iceberg has received support from UK industry(e.g. AWE, Arup, Atkins, Landmark) and government (Transport for London, Scottish Government, National Grid) and from International environmental organisations (OGC). Outputs:Project summary: Breaking new ground for Future Cities https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/docs/collateral/project-iceberg-future-cities.pdf Work package 1: Market research for mapping underground assets in the UK http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/519019/ Work package 2: A unified data framework for mapping underground http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/519035/ Work package 3: How integrated data can benefit real people https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/docs/collateral/project-iceberg-work-package3.pdf |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Urban Water Simulators |
| Organisation | UK Water Research and Innovation Partnership |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Connecting the city modelling expertise at the Future Cities Catapult to the Water and Cities task force to inform activities on urban simulators. Input to the development of a co-creation workshop on urban simulators organised by the Water and Cities task force and hosted by STFC, Daresbury. Team members will be presenting the use of geovisionary software for the visualisation of environmental data at the workshop. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Water and cities task force have offered connections to the UKCRIC team and support for research proposals on urban water (decision pending). |
| Impact | On-going |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | COST at the European Week of Regions and Cities - Networks to share knowledge and deliver results |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation at the European Week of Regions and Cities to deliver a talk to city practitioners about the benefits of working across environmental and urban planner experts. The main outcomes were to 1. get evidence-based information on scientific and societal challenges that can be addressed through city collaboration 2. provide feedback to the scientific community on how working with urban planners can deliver policy actions e.g. embedding environmental data in strategic planning frameworks 3. share information/learning between different local and regional organisations, in the same or different countries |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.cost.eu/media/newsroom/cities-think-cost-actions |
| Description | Environmental Safeguarding for Future Cities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk delivered at the AGI Future Cities: Security conference. The conference considered how Future cities can be sustainable and resilient to change. As triggers for change are increasing: energy and food prices, severe weather events, and aging infrastructure. Cities face a myriad of potential future shocks and stresses. To meet these challenges they must work to identify risks and mitigate against them with location as a key component. The conference asked the following of participants: How should we best monitor, measure and manage our cities? The growth of the Internet of Things: will it improve the way we all navigate our cities? How do we successfully translate urban data to measure our key cities' economies? How do we capture citizens' wishes to shape the urban environments of the future? As a result of this talk further contacts were made with cities working on smart/future city initiatives. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.agi.org.uk/component/civicrm/?task=civicrm/event/info&reset=1&id=26 |
| Description | National Underground Asset Workshop - Geospatial Commission |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Expert practitioner workshop arranged by the Geospatial Commission, attended by ~12 industry professionals to advise on the development of a government-backed, national system to capture data on underground assets. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | North East Underground Infrastructure Hub - user hackathon |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A user hackathon event, targeted to industry professionals, local authorities and national data providers who have a role in managing street works and the provision of information to enable coordination of works on buried assets and information about subsurface conditions. The event was attended by 30-40 professionals who advised on the best mechanisms to exchange information and display data about underground assets and subsurface conditions. The outcomes are being used to shape a data search tool for the North -East of England for street works. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-and-government/case-studies/northumbrian-water-underground... |
| Description | Urban Design: Urban Geo-Science for Future Cities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Informal talk delivered to the Urban Design Group on the role of urban geo-science for Future Cities, the primary audience was urban designers and urban planners. The relationship between supply of resources, materials etc. for urban design and development was demonstrated along with the benefits of using newer technologies and systems (e.g. ground heating and Sustainable drainage) in cities. As a result of delivering this talk, we are in discussion with urban planners about the role of building stone for maintaining cultural heritage and the importance of training new planners in the proper use of environmental materials. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Video: Water in Future Cities - RCUK Water Showcase 2015 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participated in the UK Water Partnership Water and Cities Group showcase event on: Water in Future Cities. Co-hosted a workshop session on Water and the Underworld, with Birmingham University and Thames Water and participated in the Workshop video. As part of this activity the Water and Cities task force produced a Thought Piece for the GO Science Foresight Future of Cities project which I contributed to as part of the fellowship. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | https://vimeo.com/134000394 |
| Description | Workshop - City Spatial Planning and Modelling |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A workshop was hosted as part of the fellowship on city spatial planning and modelling: There is a current drive to reform the planning system in the UK to unlock the value of data and embed digital processes into the work of government and cities. It is recognised that existing data, in particular environment and utility datasets, are not fully utilised to inform planning decisions at a local and strategic level. Failure to consider the full suite of data for cities weakens the evidence base on which planning decisions are made and leads to inefficiencies and a late stage awareness of potential issues. This situation is most pronounced for underground development in cities. There is currently no formal policy for integrating urban underground space and above ground city services within the planning framework and no one organisation with a mandate to take ownership of this issue. However there are a number of projects and initiatives underway which are beginning to address elements of the issue, such as city data management tools, infrastructure mapping, integrated city modelling, building information modelling systems and collation of good practice demonstrators. To capitalise on these initiatives and bring the subsurface into strategic city planning the workshop, hosted by the Future Cities Catapult at their Urban Innovation Centre drew together science expertise and city innovators that work across the boundary between surface and subsurface spatial planning and use, and city modelling. The aim was to demonstrate capability and share learning, identify commercial opportunities to address the challenges, and consider how we can advance this topic at a strategic level within UK cities. Outcomes and Impact: i) City mapping platform: The use case developed in the workshop on a 3D approach to city mapping standards and models is being taken forward by the Future Cities Catapult, NERC (BGS) and the Ordnance Survey (OS). A project outline has been prepared and funding routes for a prototype are being pursued. Partners:Future Cities Catapult; NERC(BGS); Ordnance Survey ii) Brownfield cost calculator tool: A follow up meeting with Manchester local authority and the Homes and Communities Agency highlighted the potential for a brownfield cost calculator tool. The tool would bring together various environmental datasets, planning information and economic information to highlight where redevelopment of brownfield land is most cost-effective. A proposal to prototype the tool for Manchester has been submitted. A linked KE fellowship proposal on Brownfield development is being developed. Partners: Future Cities Catapult; NERC; BGS; Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA); Homes and Communities Agency. iii) Glasgow spatial planning: Glasgow City Council are introducing supplementary planning for the subsurface in conjunction with BGS through a NERC KE fellowship. Following the workshop the OS are working with them to help create a demonstration of an integrated above-below ground city BIM system. Partners: Glasgow City Council; Ordnance Survey; NERC (BGS). iv) Data exchange and BIM demonstrator: Through the BGS national capability programme and a linked NERC secondment with the Environment Agency new protocols for data exchange have been agreed and a cross-organisation demonstration of the use of BIM is underway. Partners: NERC (BGS); Environment Agency v) Urban Underground Space: A new committee has been formed called Think Deep UK which aims to reform the management of urban underground space through better planning and policy. Outcomes from the workshop are informing the aims of the group and planned activities. Parteners: Dr Sauer & Partners; Urben; CH2M; ITACUS; BTS; NERC (BGS); Weston Williamson + Partners |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Workshop: Future Transportation (people & freight) - how will we be moving in the future? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The workshop brought together experts in transportation, the built and natural environments and urban geosciences to: · Consider blue-sky future scenarios of how people and goods will be transported in our cities · Discuss the future of transportation and how it applies to urban environments · Discuss tools and methods to predict future need · Work through scenarios and apply principle of time, depth and human factors This workshop provided a step towards improved planning, governance and management of urban space and the links between surface and subsurface space utilisation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |