Tuning In to Nature's Symphony

Circular Economy principles emerged as the conductor, orchestrating a harmonious balance between human needs and ecological imperatives. Against the backdrop of rapid urbanization and climate change, the need for a circular approach to water management reverberated like a clarion call.

Navigating the Urban Water Nexus

In Session 1, Trudy Muwanga's poignant insights set the tone, highlighting the interplay between climate change and urbanization on the delicate water ecosystem. Anand Muthukrishnan underscored the nexus between water, carbon emissions, and climate change, while Johanne Gallagher emphasized activating the supply chain as a linchpin for change. The clarion call for a circular water economy resounded, with speakers stressing its potential to mitigate urban water demand and pollution.

Tides of Change

From the sinking cities of China to the surprisingly heavy water consumption for breakfast with a morning cup of coffee in the UK and US, Session 2 delved deeper into the intricacies of water scarcity and its carbon footprint. The call for life cycle analysis echoed loudly, urging industries and local authorities to embrace efficient designs, water saving solutions and technologies. The construction industry emerged as a pivotal player, with a mandate to champion the judicious use of water resources.

Charting a Course Towards Resilience

Cape Town's water odyssey was highlighted in the discussion and serves as a guiding star, illuminating the path towards resilience in the face of adversity. By embracing the City Water Resilience Approach (CWRA), cities worldwide can navigate the stormy waters of uncertainty, steering towards a future where water scarcity is but a distant memory.

Martin Sing of WSP mentioned Sponge Cities as another source of inspiration for designing solutions for our global cities.

'The threat posed by climate change to biodiversity is expected to increase, with rainfall increases in both frequency and intensity amongst those threats and impacting urban areas around the globe almost daily.

The nature-based solutions promoted by Sponge Cities offer a way to adapt our built environment to the changing climate, increase resiliency and help restore and promote biodiversity. They increase blue-green spaces in our cities, help filter and clean water runoff, promote greater infiltration to recharge the water table and restore the natural water cycle, all of which helps us to survive and thrive despite increased rainfall with benefits for biodiversity and human health and wellbeing.'' -Martin Sing, National Market Leader-Energy and Sustainability, WSP Canada

A Call for Collaboration

As we celebrate World Environment Day, the echoes of the discussions reverberate with renewed urgency. The theme, "Sailing Towards Sustainability," resonates deeply with the quest for water resilience. Just as sailors navigate the turbulent seas with skill and foresight, so too must we chart a course towards a future where water flows freely, sustainably, and resiliently.

Panel participants

Anand Muthukrishnan, Green Building Council of India (ICBC)

Dr. Dennis Truax, 2022 President of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Dr. S. Carolina Montano Owen, WorldGBC -Moderator

Johanne Gallagher, Strategic Delivery Lead for Sustainability, ARKANCE

Kirsten Smith, Civil Engineer, ARUP

Maggie White, Policy Leader, Stockholm International Water Institute

Marco Caffi,  Green Building Council of Italy

Martin Shouler, Water Leader, ARUP London

Martin Sing, National Market Leader, WSP

Tatiana Carreño Martinez, CCCS

Trudy Muwanga, Green Building Council of Uganda (GBCUG)

#WorldEnvironmentDay #SustainableDevelopment #WaterResilience

Authored by Johanne Gallagher, ARKANCE Strategic Delivery Lead, Sustainability.

About ARKANCE

For over 20 years the brands under ARKANCE company, have been providing software solutions and professional services to Architectural, Engineering, Construction and Manufacturing industries helping them to understand the role of digitalization for the built environment. Businesses both large and small utilize ARKANCE's dedicated industry experts to help navigate technologies as they emerge, driving efficiency and improving workflows. With a global focus on reducing emissions and increased focus directed towards industry, ARKANCE are now turning their attention to providing the linkages between using technology to digitize, and at the same time leveraging the valuable data insights it brings to build more sustainably. ARKANCE are passionate about helping their customers understand how the technologies they use today can help them to step towards net zero in the future, to build a better world.