Sustainability Research Institute

- TURaS -Transitioning towards Urban Resilience and Sustainability

€6.8 m EU FP7 funding

Theme: ENV 2011 – Sustainable and Resilient Green Cities

Project lead: University College DublinUEL lead: Darryl Newport

Sustainability Research Institute

The TURaS concept

Enable European cities and their rural interfaces to build vitally-needed resilience in the face of

significant sustainability challenges.

Develop new visions, feasibility strategies, spatial

scenarios and guidance tools to reduce urban

ecological footprints

Tackle climate change

adaptation and mitigation Natural resource shortageUnprecedented urban growth

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Twinning approachBrings together decision makers in local authorities with SMEs and academics to ensure meaningful

results and real change.

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9 leading academic research institutions

11 local authorities or local development agencies

8 SMEs

28 Project partners

• University of East London

• University College Dublin

• Universität Stuttgart VU

• University VU-IVM

• Aalborg Universitet

• University of Ljubljana

• Varna Free University

• Sapienza Università di Roma

• Institute of Architecture and Urban and Spatial Planning (Serbia)

• London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

• Barking Riverside (London)

• City of Rome

• Dublin City Council

• Nottingham Development Enterprise

• Stuttgart Municipality

• City of Rotterdam

• Regional Development Agency of Ljubljana Urban Region

• Sofia Municipality

• Brussels Capital Region

• Seville Municipality

• Dermot Foley Landscape Architects

• BioAzul

• Helix

• BIC Lazio (Rome)

• Institute for Sustainability

• EBN

• Climate Alliance

• PRACSIS SPRL

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TURaS - 9 Work Packages (WP) over 5 years

WP 1: Geospatial ICT-support infrastructure for urban resilience

WP 2: Greening public and private urban infrastructure (UEL lead)

WP 3: Urban/industrial regeneration, land use planning and creative design

WP 4: Climate change resilient city planning and climate-neutral infrastructure

WP 5: Limiting urban sprawl

WP 6: Short-circuit economies

WP 7: Integrated transition strategies

WP 8: Dissemination, training and exploitation of results

WP 9: Project management

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Work Package 1: Geospatial ICT-support infrastructure for urban resilience

• Generating a common GIS dataset to support the analysis of sustainability issues affecting partner cities

• Developing an internet-based discussion and dissemination forum

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Work Package 2: Greening public and private urban infrastructure

• Evaluating the ecological quality of green infrastructure

• Research into innovative green infrastructure to maximise ecosystem services and its economic value

• Experimental and case study trials

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Work Package 3: Urban/industrial regeneration, land use planning and creative design

• Examine innovative solutions for urban regeneration and holistic land use planning:

o use of dormant sites/buildings

o ecosystem service provision

o food/energy production

o community engagement

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Work Package 4: Climate change resilient city planning and climate-neutral infrastructure

• Increase resilience and reducing the ecological footprint of cities:

o flood risko water treatmento waste recyclingo sewage systemso energy systemso transport policies

• Developing climate neutral infrastructure

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Work Package 5: Limiting urban sprawl

• Looking at planning processes and attitudes towards compact vs dispersal development

• Applying models for looking at urban development patterns at the urban periphery

• Developing regulations and guidance tools to address problems of urban sprawl

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Work Package 6: Short-circuit economies

• Investigate the impact of different approaches to increased reliance on local goods and services

• Investigate the potential for clean-tech processes and eco-design

• Research & development of product service systems supporting ‘localised’ businesses

• Develop a rating system on contribution of businesses to local economy

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Work Package 7: Integrated transition strategies

• Identify synergies between WPs 2-6

• Prepare integrated transition strategies for participating TURaS cities

• Demonstration within partner cities

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Work Package 8: Dissemination, training and exploitation of results

• Develop effective dissemination and exploitation strategies

• Open up TURaS beyond just partner cities

Work Package 9: Project management

• To ensure the efficient and timely implementation of project activities

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For further information contact:

Stuart Connop: s.p.connop@uel.ac.uk

or

Darryl Newport: D.J.Newport@uel.ac.uk

Sustainability Research Institute

Sustainability Research Institute