BSRIA’s sustainable construction group manager Jo Harris spoke at a leading event at City Hall in London on Friday 6th January on resilient cities and creating sustainable urban environments.

Organised by arcc Projects and working with the CIBSE Resilient Cities Group, 65 policy, industry and academic experts were brought together to consider the current state of knowledge and understanding of the various built form-driven effects on urban performance and resilience. The practice requirements of tackling the unintended local environmental consequences on urban resilience were addressed.

Built form effects range from changes in air and surface temperatures, air quality, the wind field, thermal comfort, building energy consumption and daylight availability which are currently outside most microclimate and energy management assessments.

Chaired by Professor Gerald Mills, the event offered an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to review and debate the current understanding of the interdependent dynamic relationships between high density urban typologies, urban climate, energy management, use of green infrastructure and the health and wellbeing of urban dwellers.

Leading experts in urban heat islands, pollution/particle dispersion, health and wellbeing, energy, daylighting and facilities management were invited to share their knowledge. Attendees discussed the gaps in the industry’s knowledge and collective purpose that limits the built environment community’s ability to create more integrated, resilient cities.

Jo’s presentation, entitled ‘The Role of Facility Management’ looked at: what we know in FM, what we need to know, and how best to take this forward to ensure we can build and operate high density resilient cities.

She said: “I was delighted to be asked to speak at this leading-edge event – especially to ensure that the operational side was represented. It is essential to remember that design is not what it looks like and feels like: design is how it works. We need to provide installations that are safe, fit for purpose, can be maintained and operated and consider whole life and not just capital cost.

For facilities management specifically – we need: a safe and healthy environment to support the core business and economic operation to minimise the environmental impact.”