Haus der Wirtschaft, Stuttgart - June 20, 2023

Stuttgart, Germany - The city of Stuttgart has taken on the role of hosting Urban Future, Europe's leading event dedicated to making cities sustainable. On the 20th of June, stakeholders and experts gathered at "Between Smart & Green", a side event of Urban Future, hosted by BABLE Smart Cities and The Municipality of Breda, along with their EU-funded project, GreenQuays, held at the Haus der Wirtschaft. The event centred around sharing the outcomes of the GreenQuays project, focusing on its potential for upscaling and replicability, while also addressing the actual challenges faced by three cities.

Alexander Schmidt, the founder & CEO of BABLE, opened the event by highlighting the significant changes Stuttgart has seen in urbanism evolving from street races to a walkable city. Roel Klei, Project Lead – GreenQuays Municipality of Breda then gave some background into the GreenQuays project and the unique methods behind the project.

The event then opened with a round-table discussion about the GreenQuays Project and its transformation in Breda in The Netherlands. Moderated by UIA Expert, Birgit Georgi, participation included Roel Klei; Koen Mulder, Masonry Expert TU Delft; Joost Barendrecht, Biodiversity Expert Natuurplein de Baronie; Ton van Beek, Programme Initiator BLASt; and Willem de Brouwer, Project Leader City Engineers at the Municipality of Breda.

The GreenQuays project aims to green the walls and quays of the Nieuwe Mark with trees, plants, ferns and mosses. Using various techniques, the partners have investigated what the most optimal ecosystem is, both against the vertical quay walls and on the quays themselves. 

The World Café session, organised by GreenQuays and The Municipality of Breda and moderated by UK & Ireland Lead for BABLE Smart Cities, Nikita Shetty, dug into five key topic areas:  

Impact of EU Funding and Innovative Partnerships on Project Development, led by Veerle Hemerik

Nature Inclusive Quays - The Technology Behind It, led by Koen Mulder & Willem de Brouwer

Increasing Biodiversity in Cities, led by Joost Barendrecht & Roel Klei

Engaging Actively with Citizens, led by Ton van Beek & Birgit Georgi

Accessing EU funding, led by Philipp Riegebauer & Alex Schmidt

 

Later on, three keynotes inspired us:

Jan Kohlmeyer, Head of the Climate Protection Department City of Stuttgart, Germany, together with Sophie Mok, Nature-based solutions and climate change adaptation at the Climate Innovation Fund Stuttgart, Germany.

Bas Boorsma, Professor of Practice at Thunderbird School of Global Management, Former CDO of Rotterdam, Author of A New Digital Deal, Founder/Partner Urban Innovators Inc.

Fabienne Hoelzel, Professor State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart, Founder-Director Fabulous Urban.

The "Between Smart and Green" side event not only served as a space for sharing the results of the GreenQuays project and its potential for upscaling and replicability but also provided valuable insights, diverse perspectives, and tailored solutions to address the unique challenges faced by each of the three cities. The event successfully brought together intelligence and climate adaptation, showcasing the innovative and sustainable approaches that align with the goals of the Urban Future event.

 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Tamlyn Shimizu

Global Partnership and Communications Lead

BABLE Smart Cities

Email: tamlyn@bable-smartcities.eu

 

 

Thanks to our partners:

Intelligent Community Forum, Eindhoven International Project Office (EIPO), Smart City Cluster, Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, ClimateView, BLOXHUB, Cleantech Scandinavia, Global Mobility Call and Copenhagen Capacity