Hello Amsterdam Smart City Community,
I would like to extend an invitation to the kick-off key-notes of the MIT Summer Workshop on the 28th of August.
Between 10:00 to 11:30, there will be an open lecture by the MIT Center for Real Estate Director, Siqi Zheng, and the Scientific Director of AMS Institute, Eveline van Leeuwen, on the topic of Decarbonization and the Social Cost of Climate Change.
Eveline will dive into “The (im)possibility of a fair transition towards carbon neutral cities” and Siqi will talk about “Cities, buildings, and climate change: mitigation and adaptation”.
If you are interested, please email tvenver@mit.edu so we make sure we have enough seats. The event will take place at the AMS Institute, in the Amsterdam lecture room on the 1st floor, and you are welcome to walk in from 9:45 am onwards.
For reference, the abstract of Siqi and Eveline is attached below.
Siqi Zheng is the STL Champion Professor of Urban and Real Estate Sustainability at the Center for Real Estate of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is the faculty director of the MIT Center for Real Estate. She established MIT Sustainable Urbanization Lab in 2019, and MIT China Future City Lab in 2017. Prof. Zheng was the former President of the Asian Real Estate Society (2018- 2019) and is on the Board of the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association (AREUEA). She is the Co-Editor of the Journal of Regional Science, and Environmental and Resource Economics.
Eveline van Leeuwen is an expert in urban economics, is Scientific Director at Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute). In addition to her role at AMS Institute, Eveline is Chair of Urban Economics at Wageningen University & Research. Furthermore, she is Vice President of the European Regional Science Association (ERSA), a member of the OECD Expert Advisory Committee on Rural Innovation and a member of the International Advisory Board (IAB) of the Amsterdam Economic Board. In various other committees she advices both national and regional policymakers.
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Vacature: LCA & Circulaire Economie Specialist (Transport en Energie)
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📢 Vacature Alert! 📢
Word jij onze nieuwe LCA & Circulaire Economie Specialist?
♻ 🌿 Stap in een rol waar jij direct bijdraagt aan betekenisvolle initiatieven die de toekomst van duurzame mobiliteit vormgeven!
Terwijl het gebruik van fossiele brandstoffen transformeert naar elektriciteit en waterstof, neemt ook de focus op de levenscyclusimpact en circulariteit van de waardeketens toe. Kom jij ons team versterken? Dan werk je aan baanbrekend onderzoek, analyses en strategieën rond duurzame (technologische en maatschappelijke) innovaties. Met behulp van jouw kennis, Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) en andere tools ben jij de specialist en innovator op weg naar een circulaire mobiliteitssector. Je werkt aan zowel lokale als internationale projecten, werkt samen met diverse andere specialisten en speelt een cruciale rol in deze reis.
🔍 Klaar voor deze uitdaging? Ontdek ⤵ hoe jij een verschil kunt maken!
💼 Locatie: Hybride (Amsterdam kantoor en thuiswerken)
⏰ Contract: Vast, fulltime (37 uur/week, 32 uur bespreekbaar)
💡 Sluitingsdatum: Geen specifieke datum, we zoeken de juiste match!
Klik op de link om het volledige vacaturedocument te lezen en te solliciteren. We kijken ernaar uit om van je te horen!
Demoday #24: Exploring the public transport of the future with Amsterdam’s Mobility Radar (2024)
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Yuki Tol and Joaquim Moody, trend watchers for Smart Mobility at the Innovation Department of the Municipality of Amsterdam, delivered the Mobility Radar on future public Transport.Twee 'moonshots' geven je een,van zo'n 11 jaar) this March. In this first edition, the Amsterdam Smart Mobility program delves deeper into the city's mobility challenges. Will staff and funding shortages, the energy transition, and a growing demand for (accessible) transport options continue to impact the city's future public Transport system? Two 'moonshots' give us a glimpse into the future, showing what public Transport might look like in 2050.
The new concession for public Transport in Amsterdam is nearly ready and will commence in 2025 for a period of approximately 11 years. This is a good time to engage in discussions about the steps that need to be taken to achieve the goals and ambitions set for 2050. It is also crucial to determine what measures are necessary to address the developments that public Transport will face in the future. If the current system is continued, we are only one or two concessions away from 2050. Therefore, now is the time to start working on developments, innovations, and concepts that we want to include in the concessions for the 2030s and 2040s.
Exploring the future together
The Radar team has developed a workshop to engage with various organizations, experts, residents, and enthusiasts to discuss the Mobility Radar. In this workshop, participants jointly explore the trends and developments that can influence the future of mobility. It is a great way for participants to practice this way of thinking, and such a session also brings up topics and discussion points that the Municipality of Amsterdam can incorporate into its future explorations and concessions.
During our 24th Knowledge and Demo Day, Joaquim Moody hosted a work session for a diverse group of participants various organizations and domains. In three groups, we analysed an emerging public Transport challenge using the Mobility Radar approach and creatively thought about solutions. In the following paragraphs, I summarize what we discussed with the group.
Method
The starting point is a number of current challenges in public Transport: staff shortages, funding shortages, accessibility, the energy transition, and the growing demand for public Transport.
Each group selects one of the challenges and then 'dissects' it. Using a worksheet, you look at the following topics: What basic need underlies this challenge? What are examples of how or where you see this challenge currently? What macro changes play a role in the emergence of this challenge – in the long and short term? And how do these macro changes affect which basic needs are important and how they are fulfilled?
Next, you start creating a solution for this challenge and trend. Examples of solutions are: a service, a product, a regulatory adjustment, or an informative campaign. You also need to consider how you would deploy it and who exactly the target audience is.
Results
Accessibility
One of the groups analysed the challenge of public transport accessibility. This needs to be adequate for everyone, now and in the future. Accessibility involves affordability, the digital skills required, travel costs, and physical accessibility. This challenge mainly revolves around the basic needs of connectedness, independence, and control. The macro changes playing a role are migration (increasing number of people to be transported) and aging (more people wanting to travel independently but requiring extra assistance – particularly in digital and physical aspects). Therefore, more space and special assistance will be needed for a growing group of travellers.
The group proposed focusing more on 'micro public transport' and 'on-demand public transport' and making bus and train compartments more flexible. This would make people less dependent on a rigid system and travel environment. The group argued that air travel can serve as an example, where you can specify exactly where you want to sit, whether you need extra space, and if you require extra assistance. These needs deserve more attention in public transport as well. This can be tested with prototypes in train cars and buses and is intended for the target groups: the elderly, people with disabilities, and parents with young children.
Staff Shortages in Public transport
The challenge of 'staff shortages in public transport' is reflected in developments such as cancelled schedules, high work pressure, high absenteeism, strikes, and less social control in public transport (due to less staff). The basic needs affected by this challenge are the need for social status, financial security (for the driver), and a pleasant, healthy workplace. Macro changes playing a role include the large number of job opportunities in other sectors, increasing aggression and hardening in society, worsening public perception of public transport, and aging. As a result, working in public transport has become less prestigious, less safe, relatively less well-paid, and there is little influx of new, young employees.
The group proposed a campaign to improve the image of working in public transport. Currently, too few people choose this profession. However, with campaigns similar to those by the Defense Department, it could be made trendy and attractive again. Influencers or famous Dutch people could also play a role in this. The target audience to be enthused includes young starters and people considering a career switch.
The Growing Demand for public transport
Finally, the third group presented their worksheet regarding the challenge of the growing demand for public transport (and the decline in public transport investments). This is reflected in the decline in service quality, travel options, and the fact that less equipment is available. This affects the basic needs of comfort, connection, and being able to be oneself). Macro changes exacerbating these challenges include the decreasing space for mobility, individualization as a societal development, and increasing travel costs. This leads to a kind of public transport anxiety, aversion, and aggression, which is already happening and is only getting worse, the group noted.
The group proposed recognizing the societal role of public transport more, which would lead to more respect and funding. We should also further 'de-peak' travel times by better aligning telecommuting days or departure times for employees. This can be tested with pilots in specific (travel) areas or with large employers. The target audience can be seen as all travellers together.
Follow-Up
Joaquim will use the presented analyses and solutions as inspiration for further research and use the feedback on the method and workshop to improve such sessions in the future. Enthusiastic participants also wanted to use this method for sessions with students and international delegations, illustrating its success!
During the upcoming Knowledge- and Demo Day, we will have another session on mobility with a similar approach, but this time we will work with the scenario studies made by the Province of North Holland. Thinking about the future using trends, scenarios, and moonshots is essential in every domain, especially when done with a diverse group and maintaining connection.
Leer, werk, beleef hoe Ai de stad kan veranderen | Kom naar Ai in de Stad
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Leer, werk, beleef hoe Ai de stad kan veranderen
Op 12 september brengen we Ai in de Stad. In Breda, de stad die een van de voorlopers is op smartcitygebied in Nederland en daar in 2023 met een Smart City Award voor werd beloond. Maar ook de stad met een Ai-opleiding, een sterke techsector en een leidende positie in de gaming-industrie. We organiseren een congres dat laat zien hoe Ai de stad kan veranderen en wat daarvan de kansen en bedreigingen zijn.
Ai kan onze steden tot leven brengen. Kunstmatige intelligentie belooft dat auto’s autonoom rijden, professionals in het sociaal domein worden ondersteund in het nemen van beslissingen, veiligheidsrisico’s beter worden ingeschat en gebouwen veel efficiënter gebruikmaken van energie. En vast nog veel meer. Maar als dat allemaal samen komt lijkt het erop dat de stad op haar gebruikers gaat reageren. De tijd van stenen steden is voorbij. De stad van de toekomst communiceert met ons, reageert op ons, leeft met ons.
Dat biedt enorme kansen in het fysiek en sociaal domein en op het gebied van veiligheid. Het geeft Nederlandse bedrijven grote kansen. Want wat zijn de ethische consequenties van Ai? Hoe borgen we onze democratische rechtstaat in een zelfdenkende stad? Hoe afhankelijk maken we ons van de techniek? En worden steden geen eenheidsworst als ze allemaal dezelfde Ai gebruiken?
Dat vraagt het om kennis van de techniek en de toepassing daarvan. Zodat je kan onderscheiden wat echt is en wat niet. Waar de verandering ophoudt en de fantasie begint. Er zijn dus genoeg vragen om van te leren, genoeg voorbeelden om te zien en genoeg oplossingen om toe te passen en te beleven.
Daarover gaat het jaarlijks terugkerende event Ai in de Stad dat we op 12 september in Breda organiseren. Tijdens het congres kunt u leren in lectures, zelf aan de slag tijdens workshops en zien en beleven in de innovatie-expo.
Het conceptprogramma zien? Kijk het hier: https://aiindestad.nl/congres/
We presenteren daarbij toonaangevende sprekers uit binnen- en buitenland, mindblowing ervaringen en kleinschalige leerervaringen. We focussen op de thema’s: De leefbare en duurzame stad, de veilige stad, de sociale en gezonde stad en economie en cultuur in de stad. En op de rode draden: ethiek & burgerschap, techniek en cultuur.
En om de verbeelding helemaal de ruimte te geven, organiseren we ’s avonds een filmfestival over Ai in de Stad in het filmhuis van Breda. Met een diner vooraf en een inleiding op Ai in films.
Dit doen we samen… De gemeente Breda en de Future City Foundation hebben elkaar gevonden in de fascinatie voor de kansen van Ai in de Stad. Maar willen ook begrijpen wat de bedreigingen zijn.
Maar we doen dat niet alleen. We zijn trots op en blij met de partners die ons hierin ondersteunen. Zoals Scape Agency, Ai for Good, ELBA\REC en mediapartner Stadszaken.
Wanneer, hoe, wat
Wanneer: 12 september 2024
Waar: Breda (verschillende locaties in de binnenstad)
Entree: Het evenement is gratis toegankelijk.
Kun je toch niet, meld je af: Soms komt er iets tussen en kun je toch niet naar een event waar je graag heen wilde. Dat kan gebeuren. Maar als wij dat niet tijdig weten, kopen we eten in dat we daarna moeten weggooien. Dat vinden we zonde. Daarom vragen we je dat als dit onverhoopt voorkomt, je uiterlijk 7 dagen voor het event af te melden bij Naomi Vrielink (naomi@future-city.nl). Doe je dat niet, dan wordt er 75 euro in rekening gebracht.
Meld je hieronder aan: