Core Academic Lead: Dr Susanne Börner s.borner@bham.ac.uk
Evidence continues to mount on the intimate relationship between built form and the opportunities afforded those who live and work in cities, in health, wellbeing, employment, education. Researchers within the Sustainable, Liveable and Resilient Cities theme are focusing upon how urban communities experience the built form and how this interacts with the city’s sustainability, liveability and resilience priorities. The three guiding questions are: To what degree is wellbeing “baked” into the urban fabric? What does this mean for urban sustainability, liveability and resilience? What are the implications for urban design and regeneration practices?
Theme members explore the guiding questions using an ‘engineering lens’, with the understanding that engineering is for the benefit of society, not the other way around. We actively engage with non-engineering disciplines in an effort to blur disciplinary boundaries for a better outcome for all.
Current projects, collaborations and research include:
Theme members are continuously scoping new research. Although these are proprietary to protect the ideas through the competitive bid process, we can reveal that we are currently involved in proposals related to (1) net zero transport for a resilient future (working with a number of local authorities and infrastructure services providers across the UK), and (2) community participation and connectedness.
The Sustainable, Liveable and Resilient Cities theme meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are hybrid, informal and conversational, covering a mix of topics within the broad areas of urban systems and infrastructure, exploring how they impact daily life now and in the future. Agendas are attendee-driven and all attendees are welcome to suggest discussion items including:
- Presenting your own work
- Suggesting guest speakers
- Pressure testing ideas
- Requesting help with a problem
- Highlighting and organising events
- Highlighting and responding to funding opportunities
- Exploring research ideas
- Recommending and collaborating on papers
Meetings are open to everyone, including doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, practitioners, policymakers and businesses. Attendance is flexible and no commitment is required. If you’d like to join the mailing list and receive notifications of meetings, or simply find out more about the theme, please email Joanne Leach at j.leach@bham.ac.uk