The world’s first incubator for sustainable cities has been launched in Dubai. The R&D programme will focus entirely on developing new solutions for the next generation of sustainable cities across the world.
The concept was devised by Dubai-based urban planning consultants URB who focus on designing Net Zero Sustainable Cities. Its CEO Baharash Bagherian has masterminded the designs of various sustainable cities under construction.
“The incubator will be more than a research platform. It will allow us to transfer our sustainability know-how whilst engaging with the best minds in the world, to create an innovation hub centred around sustainable cities,” he said.
“Research & Development are the foundations to creating the next generation of sustainable cities. The incubator will continue our pursuit of pushing the boundaries in the field of sustainable cities and will be the first of its kind anywhere in the world.”
Its other aim is to discover, support and mentor the next generation of designers, empowering the best young minds whilst promoting a culture of sustainability in urban planning.
A sustainable city is designed to address social, environmental and economic impact through urban planning and city management. Many sustainable cities adopt eco-friendly alternatives into city infrastructure such as electric vehicles, bike lanes and smart waste management that reduces landfill.
Among the world’s leading sustainable cities are Copenhagen, Berlin, Vancouver and Cape Town.
Cities play a key part in the climate change war. By 2050, it is expected that almost 70 percent of the world’s population will be living in cities.
Rapid increase in population and urbanisation, coupled with climate change, will have severe impacts on cities’ infrastructures and resources, as well as the health and wellbeing of their residents.
Mega-cities with populations of more than 10 million people are also on the rise; the United Nations projects that there will be 41 Mega-cities by 2030. Experts says this will require a significant shift in the way we design the next generation of cities to ensure they are sustainable.
“The next evolution of sustainable cities are climate-positive cities producing more energy and food than they consume.
“These cities are designed to provide food, energy and water security whilst also creating a green economy. The creation of such cities is no longer a choice, it has become a necessity,” Bagherian concluded.
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