Upcoming e-Dialogues

Sustainable Building: Discussion on LEED-ND Rating System, June 29th 2011
This e-Dialogue examines the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Neighbourhood Development (LEED-ND) rating system. The session is a component of the graduate research of Katherine Constantine who has conducted a case study review of three stage-two certified LEED-ND communities registered under the USGBC Pilot Version--- Dockside Green, South East False Creek, and Garrison Crossing, all located in British Columbia. The e-Dialogue brings together planners, architects, and policy-makers, and the session will involving insight and idea sharing on the LEED-ND system and sustainable building.  Click on the title above to navigate to the e-Dialogue's webpage.

CRC Research Review: Past and Future Five Years, June 16th 2011
The original CRC Research team of Professors Ann Dale, Lenore Newman, Chris Ling, and Chris Strashok will engage in an e-Dialogue that will review their findings on the last five years of the research program. They will specifically address how the dimensions of scale, limits, diversity, and place relate to the concept of a sustainable community. The e-Dialogue will then focus on the next five years of the CRC Research program and will involve discussion between Dr. Dale and the newer research team members: Yuill Herbert , Rebecca Foon, and Rob Newell. This portion of the session will involve community vitality, resilience, anticipatory governance, and use of social media in conveying sustainable community development messages.

Event Driven Urban Sustainability, Opportunities for change when the world is watching, September 2010
Cities compete to host large international events that bring thousands of tourists, attract business and provide constant media attention. This conversation will explore how recent mega events, such as the 2010 Olympic Games in Vanouver/Whistler, the 2010 World Cup in Durban, and Summer Olympics in Sydney have provided opportunities for the city to inspire and stimulate greater urban sustainability. Immediate and long-term impacts will be discussed. Panelists will share how events were used to alleviate strains on their urban system. This e-Dialogue will be an opportunity to share lessons with other cities interested in hosting future events, what worked and what didn’t work. Panelists will explore the benefit/costs to the host cities, drawing on their recent experiences on the ground.

Governance for Urban Sustainability, TBA
This session will examine some of the new and innovative models for governance emerging that are informing integrated sustainability thinking in cities around the world. Bringing together leaders of specific innovative initiatives, including one of Canada's foremost experts in multi-stakeholder processes, each will outline key factors of success and will speak about the challenges that they have faced (and how they were overcome), and close with their ideas about the "new models of governance for the 21st century".

Cities and Natural Disasters: Adaptation and Mitigation, TBA
Practitioners and researchers from cities around the world will be asked to share how they have been impacted by natural disasters, and what opportunities arose in the aftermath to recreate their city with a new focus on sustainability. The opportunity to rebuild using a long-term lens that account for resiliency will also be discussed. Challenges to integrating perspectives of citizens, governance systems and infrastructure development in a post-crisis environment will be discussed and strategies for overcoming these hurdles will be shared. Panelists will share resources for addressing urban sustainability in the aftermath of a disaster.

Youth Interns: Urban Sustainability and Long-term Planning, TBA
This e-Dialogue will re-visit the theme of youth engagement in urban sustainability and long-term planning. Youth interns who have returned from overseas projects will reflect on the impacts of their experience that were made both internationally and upon returning to Canada. These future leaders will discuss the networks that have been formed and reflect on new and emerging themes in urban sustainability. Challenges to reintegrating knowledge and international perspectives will be shared. Common elements or concerns regarding the role of youth and international interns in instigating urban solutions will be reviewed.

The New Volunteer: TBC

Tune in to e-dialogues and register in the e-audience and ‘listen’ in to the expert dialogue, there will also be a space available for audience discussion.