CLC-Ramboll report identifies regenerative design as potential tool for climate-positive cities

The report “Creating a Regenerative City: Insights from the CLC-Ramboll Urban Lab”, was launched during the Summit held in Singapore from 2 to 4 June 2024. It highlights potential approaches to urban development, including the need to consider biodiversity, the transition to a low-carbon future and ensuring a city’s long-term sustainability and resilience in the face of climate change and resource scarcity.

The report is the outcome of Singapore’s Urban Lab, which was launched under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for collaboration and knowledge exchange between CLC and global engineering, architecture and consulting company Ramboll. The first Singapore Urban Lab was held in January 2024 as a one-day workshop involving more than 60 representatives from academic institutions, private corporations and public sector agencies, across the built environment, urban planning, environment, energy, and transportation sectors in Singapore.

The report summarises key insights from the workshop and offers a starting point for understanding and unpacking the concept of regenerative design to create climate-positive cities of the future.

“We embarked on the MOU to expand opportunities for collaborative research, expertise and networks to explore the potential of adopting a regenerative approach to urban development. In this report, we used Singapore’s tropical, high-density context as a case study to examine how cities can approach urban redevelopment in an ecological-friendly and carbon-sensitive manner while maintaining high liveability,” said Elaine Tan, Director of Research at the Centre for Liveable Cities.

Sarah Katz, Ramboll’s Sustainability Director for Asia Pacific, said: “Having conducted four Urban Labs in Copenhagen and New York previously, the collaborative and multi-stakeholder processes have generated innovative ideas and tools to address urban-related challenges. This Urban Lab is the first one in Asia Pacific and we are proud to work with CLC to host the forward-looking initiative in Singapore, pushing the boundary on the important agendas of urbanisation and sustainability. Although Urban Lab started by identifying the potential of regenerative strategies for Singapore, we look forward to scaling the findings and impact of our initiative to cities across the world.”

“Embracing regenerative design calls for integrated approaches that consider both carbon reduction and ecosystem restoration, recognising that the two are not mutually exclusive but rather complementary aspects of our longer-term transition to a healthier planet. We see the report as an invitation to stakeholders and partners to start a dialogue and embark on a shared journey to instil tailored regenerative strategies to more cities.” Added Ms Katz.

With emphasis on sustainability, resilience, and social equity, the CLC-Ramboll Urban Lab offers a transformative approach to city development and the built environment sector, serving as a platform for exploring, innovating, and implementing the principles of regenerative design, ensuring that our cities are not only sustainable but also foster the well-being of occupants.

To find out more, read the report here.

About Ramboll

Ramboll is a global architecture, engineering and consultancy company founded in Denmark in 1945. Ramboll’s more than 18,000 experts create sustainable solutions across Buildings, Transport, Architecture & Landscape, Water, Environment & Health, Energy and Management Consulting. Across the world, Ramboll combines local experience with a global knowledgebase to create sustainable cities and societies. We combine insights with the power to drive positive change to our clients, in the form of ideas that can be realised and implemented. We call it: Bright ideas. Sustainable change. Read more on ramboll.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

About Ramboll in APAC

In the Asia Pacific, Ramboll brings integrated expertise and experience in the built and natural environments to drive sustainable change. Our strategy is to help clients and communities realise their goals and aspirations of a flourishing sustainable future through four unifying themes: decarbonisation for net zero, resilient societies and liveability, resource management and circular economy, and biodiversity and ecosystem.

Ramboll’s diverse team draws upon our Nordic heritage and an extensive project portfolio to bring systems thinking and integrated solutions with people and sustainability at our core. As a foundation-owned business, Ramboll puts passion and the common good of our people and business first, thus ensuring the long-term and independent development of the company, its employees and the communities we serve.

About Centre for Liveable Cities

Set up in 2008 by the Ministry of National Development and the then-Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) aims to distil, create, and share knowledge on liveable and sustainable cities.

The CLC’s work spans four main areas: Research, Capability Development, Knowledge Platforms, and Advisory. Through these activities, it hopes to provide urban leaders and practitioners with the knowledge and support needed to make our cities better.

For more information, please visit www.clc.gov.sg.

About the World Cities Summit

The biennial World Cities Summit (WCS) is an exclusive platform for government leaders and industry experts to address liveable and sustainable city challenges, share integrated urban solutions and forge new partnerships. Jointly organised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), key highlights of the Summit include the WCS Mayors Forum, the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize and the WCS Young Leaders Symposium. For more information, visit www.worldcitiesummit.com.sg.