The Future Cities Laboratory held a Midterm Exhibition last week, attended by Singapore’s Minister of Environment and Water Resources, showcasing the work and the development of FCL in its mission to tackle some of the most pressing challenges for the future of the built environment. And Malaysia plays host to the International Green Purchasing Network next week to draw attention to the important ethical and social factors in developing Green Procurement policies internationally and by local government. Read More

Singapore, 5 September 2013

The Future Cities Laboratory (FCL), as the first research programme of the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability (SEC), was formally established in 2010 by ETH Zurich and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) with the aim to develop solutions for the sustainable development of future cities, districts and regions.

Now, after three years of research, the team has put together a Midterm Exhibition to showcase the work and the development of FCL in its mission to tackle some of the most pressing challenges for the future of the built environment.

It was attended by the Minister for Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan was diverted from attended to serious flooding in the city on the day and questioned by media on what action Government is taken to deal with it.

Cities accommodate more people today than at any point in history and are more interconnected than ever before. Many of the world’s contemporary social, political and economic dilemmas are also found in cities. As such, cities are likely to be the places where the challenges of urbanisation and environmental sustainability can be most productively addressed.

In this light, the team of approximately 140 researchers from over 30 countries study cities and urbanisation in the context of global environmental sustainability. In doing so, they help to shape sustainable future cities. Research in FCL is conducted in multiple scales, from building materials and systems, to urban neighbourhoods, quarters and precincts, hinterlands and territories, to extensive networks and their flows of people, material, energy and information.

“Research in FCL takes place in three ways – fundamental research by scholars, design research studios with students and applied research by scholars and designers,” explained Professor Kees Christiaanse, Programme Leader of FCL. “Geographically we work on three scales, the building scale, the urban scale and the regional scale. The relevance of the rich palette of research in Singapore is also shown on three levels, projects directly related to Singapore, projects related to sustainable development in the East-Asian region, and projects that are relevant to the planet’s sustainable future. This three times three combination produces an amazing spectrum of in-depth research.”

The Midterm Exhibition is part of a review held in accordance with ETH Zurich and NRF’s review guidelines. A Midterm Review Panel, comprising well regarded international academics, industry practitioners and senior representatives from local agencies, will evaluate where FCL stands internationally and how well visions and strategies are corroborated by past activities, future plans and resources.

“The story of how SEC came to be is one of collaboration and partnership between Singapore and Switzerland,” said Prof Dr Gerhard Schmitt, Director of SEC. “We are proud to be the first academic and research example of this partnership, and would like to take this opportunity to express our most sincere gratitude to all our partners for their invaluable support in the last three years. We aim to continue being an integral part of the research and development community in Singapore and around the world.”

ABOUT FUTURE CITIES LABORATORY

The Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) is a transdisciplinary research institute focused on urban sustainability in a global frame and aims to build a foundation for a new curriculum of urban science. FCL is run under the auspices of the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability (SEC), which was established by ETH Zurich and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF).

Research work at FCL encompasses material science, advanced fabrication, architecture, engineering, landscape ecology, computer science, transportation planning, and urban and territorial design. FCL aims to develop integrated solutions for the sustainable development of future cities, districts and regions.

Source: www.futurecities.ethz.ch

4th International Conference on Green Purchasing and  Green Purchasing EXPO 2013, 18 – 20 September 2013, Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

MAXIMISING GREEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORGANISATIONS

The three day conference will bring together world renowned experts and practitioners with more than a decade of green purchasing and green productivity experiences. Experts will share the critical factors & conditions for the successful implementation of green purchasing and green productivity; and how to formulate a strategic approach to resource productivity in industry, agriculture, retail and service sectors.

Day 1 and 2: will examine how the roadmap for government green procurement (GGP) has been successfully implemented in advanced green purchasing countries. Japan has successfully implemented 100% Green Procurement in 22 local governments and is working to achieve 100% implementation for all other local government in Japan.Strategies, techniques and mechanism such as resource productivity, eco design and materials, eco-labels, biomass and green supply chain to achieve successful green purchasing in governments, private enterprises and the retail sectors will be shared.

Day 3: will discuss how to build Safe and Green Commercial complexes and high rise buildings. Case studies will be taken from Kuala Lumpur City. Techniques for keeping complexes safe and green through the mobilization of safety strategies and the efficient use of waste resources will ensure better bottom lines for all owners.

DRIVING SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PROCUREMENT PRACTICES

Buying and selling ‘green’ is no longer a trend but an essential part of building and driving sustainable business practices. Now more than ever supply chain practitioners have to heed the clarion call to adopt more efficient spending and investment processes in order to achieve environmental, social, and economic objectives (UNEP 2012).

Green buyers have the opportunity to adopt a myriad of green and ethical purchasing options. This passive solution allows for new markets to be created with emphasis on innovations in green technology, green productivity practices, and eco-friendly business operation.

CONFERENCE COVERAGE :

• Rationale for green purchasing and how to tap on this opportunity

• Ethical, social and Government Green Procurement policies internationally and by local government

• The best way of implementing Green Purchasing and Green Productivity and the resulting benefits

• How to measure GP processes?

• Strategic Green Productivity through Green Purchasing

• Best practises and case studies on Green Purchasing and Green Productivity process

• Update on the latest Fire Hazards Abatement strategies and Effective control on waste resource recovery to maximize profits for owners

• To enhance safety in work place and create fire safety awareness through the efficient management of fire risks, waste recycling and fire certification.

For the full programme and how to attend go to:  www.gpnm.org