The City of Cape Town is participating in the C40 Reinventing Cities Programme, a worldwide competition calling on the private sector and communities to devise carbon neutral development solutions and designs for underutilised publicly owned sites in C40 member cities. With the Reinventing Cities competition kicking off today, we are embarking on a process to make available five City owned-sites to innovative designers and implementers for carbon neutral development proposals.
The purpose of the C40 Reinventing Cities Programme is to transform underutilised urban sites into beacons of zero carbon emissions and resilient development.
Cape Town is a signatory to C40, a global network of large cities taking action to address climate change by developing and implementing policies and programmes that generate reductions in both greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks.
‘More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, with current projections indicating that this will increase to 70% by 2050. Cape Town is no exception. Our population has increased by 56% between 1996 and 2016. This trend is set to continue as we are facing the impacts of climate change – the current drought being a key example. Sustainable development and partnerships with the private sector and communities are no longer a choice, but a prerequisite, if we want to secure a future for our residents in times of limited resources,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron.
The competition is open to the private sector who is encouraged to form multidisciplinary groups consisting of architects, urban planners and designers, developers, environmentalists, and representatives from the local community.
As part of a two-stage process, the teams must submit their expression of interest bid proposals for the development of the underutilised City-owned sites by 30 March 2018. Up to three teams will be shortlisted to participate in a second detailed proposal phase for each site, with the winning project for each site to be selected by December 2018.
Importantly, the process remains subject to all local laws and regulations pertaining to the fixed property – thus, all statutory processes will apply.
The following candidate sites form part of this competition:
Ottery site – a 48 ha plot situated along Ottery and Old Strandfontein Roads in Ottery
Mouquet Farm – a 2,4 ha open plot situated on the intersection of Old Kendal and Main Roads in Plumstead
Bishop Lavis site – a 1,4 ha plot situated along Lenton Drive in the Bishop Lavis town centre
A section of the Grand Parade in the CBD – this section is located on the north-western edge of the Parade and is currently occupied by dilapidated trading stalls and related infrastructure
Civic Centre parking site – an open surface car park of approximately 1 ha, located adjacent to the Civic Centre in the Cape Town CBD
The urban development proposals to be submitted must address the following, among others:
Reduced energy demand
Energy and resource efficiency
Use of renewable energy, use of low-carbon energy
Resilience and adaptation
Green mobility
Inclusionary approach and community benefit
Innovative architecture and urban design
‘Thus, the design proposals for each site should minimise the amount of energy a building uses for heating, cooling, hot water, lighting, ventilation, electrical services, and so forth. Choosing construction materials that minimise greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing, transport and construction processes, but also through the lifetime of the building, are also important criteria,’ said Councillor Herron.
Managing waste is crucial, be it during or after construction. Discarded sources must be transformed into raw materials as far as possible. The design should ensure effective waste collection and separation, while construction waste must be limited.
‘Importantly, the design proposals must facilitate and encourage walking, cycling, the use of public transport and lift clubs, and at the same time discourage private vehicle use with only one occupant. We are all aware of the challenges we are facing in Cape Town with peak hour congestion and the consequences associated with it. By prioritising dense, transit-oriented growth and development along integration zones, we seek to create more inclusive communities with access to improved services, job opportunities, and affordable housing and public transport. Moreover, urban density can create the possibility for a better quality of life and a lower carbon footprint through more efficient infrastructure and planning,’ said Councillor Herron.
More information about the competition and the candidate sites from around the world is available on the C40 website. Click here for more
