WORKING WITH CITIZENS TO MAKE BETTER URBAN SPACES
21st-century communities require bold and innovative solutions to meet the challenges ahead of them. Experts are advancing ideas in climate change mitigation, urban infrastructure and sustainable building design.
From maximizing vegetation to creating efficient transit solutions, we're fostering collaborative efforts to build cleaner and greener cities.
Urban forests for cooler communities
Maximizing vegetation is a first line of defence for moderating the impacts of urban heat islands. By better understanding urban forests and engaging with citizens to employ them, we can reduce temperatures in our communities — making them more comfortable to live in while simultaneously combatting the effects of climate change.
Making mass transit personal
Re-thinking a city’s transit DNA is a complex puzzle, involving multiple stakeholders and objectives. Some cities are better suited for monorails or tramways, while others stand to benefit more from congestion charges, or new subway lines, bus routes, or bike paths — each city has its own individual needs. Specialists in different fields are working together to empower municipalities to tailor their transit systems to the needs of their citizens.
Designing buildings that generate more power than they use
With a focus on net-zero energy buildings (structures that produce at least as much energy as they consume over the course of a year), we're making a difference through applied concepts and ongoing research. Institutes such as the Centre for Zero Energy Building Studies are working to reduce the environmental impact of buildings while enhancing their safety and comfort.
Giving artists and engineers a seat at the table
What do you get when you combine engineers, biologists, artists, philosophers and policy experts? An interdisciplinary effort that exemplifies how Concordia is looking to solve the challenges faced by our cities. Bodies such as the Next-Generation Cities Institute provide an open, flexible and horizontal structure to help support solutions that draw from experts in a variety of fields.
By tackling the most prominent challenges faced in our communities, Concordia is setting the stage for more resilient and sustainable cities.
Next-Gen Innovation Now