Skanska’s Executive Vice President Paul Chandler spoke about the challenges of making historic cities smart at an event hosted by the Lord Mayor of London, on Friday.
He set the scene by considering population growth and the increasing demands on resources in our cities. Drawing on examples ranging from Hammarby Sjöstad, the sustainable community in Stockholm, to the refurbishment of Dashwood House, a commercial office building in London, Paul illustrated how cities can become smarter through different approaches to making buildings work. He explained the challenges ahead – from protecting views of St Paul’s Cathedral in the capital to engaging with the numerous stakeholders concerned with city development – and emphasised the need to think longer term in city planning.
Skanska was joint sponsor of the ‘Sustainability by Sweden’ event which brought together clients, government and media representatives to share their views on smart cities and energy efficiency, at. Speakers from Swedish firms Ericsson and Vattenfall joined Paul on the platform to speak about their experiences, alongside government representatives from the UK and Sweden.
Held at The Mansion House in London, the event was organised by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, Business Sweden and the Embassy of Sweden and showcased sustainability in Sweden and the United Kingdom.