We support the development of methods to create baselines for smart cities and the built environment. To do this we have followed a ‘Test Bed’ approach—using the places we operate in as experimental, learning opportunities. This has enabled us to normalize regenerative thinking when it comes to placemaking and built environment planning.
Alongside Qatar Foundation, this work has helped us to promote code compliance and regulatory pathways for buildings beyond current standards, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS). And we have added a missing focus of community and human-centric development to planning.
By making Education City (EC) a living desert city laboratory, and embedding a research and education focus, we are now engaging the community and visitors, and hosting people in a different way. We are empowering them to have an interactive experience when in EC, and to think differently about what the future of “business as usual” should look like.