Campaign could help solve the UK's urban development issues

With the UK’s population expected to reach 72 million by 2035, the pressure on ageing infrastructure, much of it dating back to the Victorian era, will be immense.

But while the upgrades required to energy, waste, water and transport infrastructure present a stiff challenge, WSP claims that they also represent a huge opportunity for job creation and economic growth. 

According to UK Future Cities director Mike Duff, the purpose of the campaign is to encourage businesses to work holistically on the challenges ahead.

‘Green buildings are positive,’ he said, ‘but scale is the issue — sustainable cities and districts are where the real wins are to be made. This requires long-term, whole-lifecycle thinking and a cross-disciplinary systems approach, not a traditional multi-disciplinary menu of piecemeal interventions.’