Dominic Seah

Earlier this week I was invited to present at the Chartered Institutions of Highways & Transportation council. The CIHT is home to professionals working in transport infrastructure. I presented SoRA-DASH, a framework to gauge the social impact of mobility innovations. SoRA-DASH is a research-informed and actionable framework to assess and improve the societal readiness of innovations. We are familiar with 'readiness levels' that assess the maturity, feasibility and impact of innovations, such as Technology Readiness Levels and Market Readiness Levels. If an innovation has a low TRL is fails because it is not technologically feasible. If an innovation has a low MRL is fails because there is no market for it. But what about those innovations that are simply unintentionally harmful? Those innovations that have not paid enough attention to social and ethical issues and have resulted in unintended harm? SoRA-DASH works in two stages: 1) An online reflexive questionnaire to assess the innovation, which results in a Societal Readiness Levels score and report. The recommended SRL score is relative to the innovations stage of development. 2) Improvement of the innovation based on the SRL score and guided by design methods. SoRA-DASH can be accessed online for free at https://soradash.org/ and it is also available as CPD Thank you Martin Tugwell Justin Ward (and so many others that I am yet to find on LinkdIn!) #edi #sustainability #cpd #free #publicdesign

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5 proposed NPPF changes that will influence quality without talking specifically about design: 1️⃣ Para 11 specifically referencing Chapter 9 (sustainable transport) and Chapter 12 (well designed places). 2️⃣ Strategic planning (my fave) - you cannot design out unsustainable site selection. 3️⃣ A more sensible approach to green belt - encouraging more sustainable patterns of development rather than "leapfrogging". 4️⃣ Brownfield land within settlements "acceptable in principle" and reaffirming that density should be a mechanism to address housing need. 5️⃣ Para 98 and 112 supporting delivery of public service infrastructure and sustainable transport ➕ Bonus = retained wording on design quality and coding at Chapter 12 https://lnkd.in/euFKYU4S You can read all of my In Place articles for The Planner RTPI for free here:https://lnkd.in/ernEk4TX

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This Sunday is International Labour Organization's World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2024, exploring the impacts of climate change on occupational safety and health. The ramifications of a changing climate are clearly present in our daily lives, in our conversations and on the news. Our Chair, Jerome Frost, reflects on what these shifts mean and how we must all adapt the way we design to create safer and more resilient outcomes for people around the world. #WeAreArup

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📣 Exciting update from the UK’s Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium (#AMEC)! 🚀 Last Tuesday, Connected Places Catapult held another workshop with consortium partners to explore elements, constraints, and barriers regarding the planning system and vertiport building. Here’s a glimpse into our approach: #PlanningReview: We initiated our approach by conducting comprehensive desk research on the existing English planning system, and relevant policies, regulations, and case studies related to aviation infrastructure, heliports, and airports. #DefiningVertiport: We adopted a co-design approach, engaging with various parties, through workshops, focus groups, and iterative design sessions, to commonly define what vertiports are for the UK and basic eVTOL infrastructure. #DefineAssumptions and #PlanningCases: To navigate uncertainty, we identified key assumptions related to vertiports, operational requirements, and passenger demand. These assumptions defined our planning scenarios. Our task focuses on aiding the wider air mobility ecosystem in adopting, supporting, and engaging with this new mode of transportation. To achieve this, our research addresses several key areas: #PathwaysClarity: We aim to provide stakeholders with a high-level understanding of current planning permission processes, empowering them to navigate the regulatory landscape effectively. #IdealProcessGuidance: Our work is outlining an ideal planning process, streamlining approvals for rapid vertiport implementation. #RegulatorySupport: We have engaged with regulatory authorities, emphasising the benefits of vertiports and efficient aerial connectivity. #AnalyticalInsights: By analysing steps, we are anticipating future planning needs. This will enable regulators, planners, and developers to confidently embrace transformative eVTOL technology. Together, we aim to propel #eVTOL infrastructure from concept to reality, revolutionising urban transport. 🚁✨ #UKRIFutureOfFlighChallenge #vertiport #AAM Innovate UK Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom NATS Skyports Infrastructure Cranfield University London City Airport Marcel Pooke Raghav R. Bin Guan (MRTPI) Steve Lowman Shipra Samanta Alberto Martín González-Zaera Jack Vickers Alan Nettleton Rob W. Ed Russell Alex Brown Henrik Rothe

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Sure, those billions will provide some "benefit in time savings" for those who drive - for a short time only. Simeon Brown does not talk about induced traffic or transport engineering best practice in general. Lewis Mumford warned about the misconception of adding more lanes to fight congestion in 1955 already... And here we are, 70 years later. Depressing. #automobility #urbansystems #traffic #inducedtraffic https://lnkd.in/eYcmsSCB

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Ecodesigning Rail Infrastructure: A Collaborative Approach to Sustainability Sustainable design, or ecodesign, is crucial for infrastructure projects like railways. A recent study by Joseph Mansour Salamé (1); Yann Leroy(1); Saidani, Michael (1,2); and Isabelle Nicolaï (1) from Université Paris-Saclay, CentraleSupélec, France and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA explore how stakeholders can collaborate to improve environmental performance in rail infrastructure projects (ICED 23 Proceedings). https://lnkd.in/gixSgXzH Join the "Design is a Team Sport" movement at ICED25 Dallas. How can stakeholder collaboration be improved in ecodesign projects for infrastructure development? What are some of the biggest challenges in measuring and managing the environmental impact of large-scale projects? Share your thoughts on the role of data visualization in facilitating communication and decision-making in sustainable design. Don't miss out!   · Register for ICED25 Dallas: iced.designsociety.org/ The University of Texas at Dallas, The Design Society #Ecodesign #Sustainability #RailInfrastructure #ProjectManagement #EnvironmentalPerformance #StakeholderCollaboration #DEMATEL #DataVisualization #EnvironmentalImpactAssessment

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Infrastructure design must prioritise accessibility in the cities of the future for urban transport systems to truly serve those with mobility challenges. https://lnkd.in/ejbicdwa #urbanmobility #futuretransport #futurecities

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A long-term integrated approach is crucial in securing a better future for everyone. https://lnkd.in/egH8yZM3

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The surprising realisation that many sci-fi authors and visionaries from hundreds of years ago imagined ‘extraordinary’ energy sources, such as solar power and all electric futures well before they came into being... In this week’s ‘Sandbox’ FOMO5… The industrial revolution and the reliance on coal - one source of power - encouraged visionaries in the 19th century to question what would happen when the coal eventually ran out. Energy was power both politically and literally, and many sci-fi authors at the time, took to fantasising about a future where energy was infinite.  Professor Iwan Rhys Morus, our special guest in our latest ‘Sandbox’ episode ‘Powering On: The past, present & future of energy’, discusses science fiction authors from the Victorian era, including the novel by John Jacob Astor, ‘A Journey in Other Worlds’ (1894). In this, Aster imagines a future where there is a windmill on every house and the rivers are able to generate electricity. However, as Iwan said, “…it's important to remember that they weren't actually thinking about renewable energy. “Why they were so keen on electricity as the future's energy, was that this was going to be infinite, this was going to be indefinite. You could produce as much electricity as you like. With that, it shows the kinds of limitations that are increasingly clear in the case of things like coal.”    Iwan continued, saying:” If history teaches us anything, I think it teaches us that's not necessarily the good way to think about energetic futures.    “Because one size doesn't fit all, really, I think, when it comes to equitable provision of enough energy for everybody.”    The episode features Buro Happold engineering experts Maddie McTaggart and Ben Jones, special guest Iwan Rhys Morus, and our regular host Andy Duncan.      Keep an eye out across the Buro Happold social channels and all podcast platforms for our weekly FOMO5s following each monthly episode.     You can also find the full episode, as well as its accompanying FOMO5s, on all the usual platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.       Do feel free to pose any questions, suggest ideas for future episodes and join the conversation using #BHSandbox on social media.   Visit our website for more information and all ‘Sandbox’ episodes: https://lnkd.in/eybgxfGi      Apple podcasts: https://lnkd.in/ehf3ZPFq  Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eZpBscUS  YouTube: https://lnkd.in/ezQF-mKY    #BHSandbox #BuroHappold #podcast #UK #energy #cleanenergy #sustainablenergy #solarpower #windpower #sustainable #cities #transport #powersources   

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The C40 Cities workshop held at The Klosters Forum earlier this year explored the subject of "Harnessing the power of urban planning to deliver climate resilient cities." It was hosted by Helene Chartier, C40 Director of Urban Planning & Design and Emma Goddard C40 Manager for Urban Planning & Adaptation, who provided crucial insights into the role of urban planning in addressing the challenges of climate change. Here are our 5 key takeaways: 1️⃣ Case studies presented during the workshop underscored how poor urban planning can intensify the impacts of climate change. However, effective urban planning is vital for building climate resilience and reducing emissions. 2️⃣ Urban planning is a complex balancing act as it involves navigating trade-offs between various needs and risks. The interactive map exercise C40 Cities brought to the workshop highlighted the complexities of balancing infrastructure development, social equity, and environmental protection. 3️⃣ Cities face numerous barriers to climate-responsive planning, such as financial constraints, political hurdles, administrative complexities, regulatory obstacles, social resistance, technical limitations, and environmental challenges can all hinder progress. These barriers can also vary significantly between Global North and Global South cities, requiring tailored solutions. 4️⃣ Sharing knowledge and successful approaches between cities is crucial for overcoming barriers and replicating effective strategies. Collaborative efforts are key to accelerating progress towards climate-resilient cities. 5️⃣ The workshop emphasised the critical role of urban planning in mitigating climate change and creating cities that can withstand its impacts. By prioritising sustainable and equitable urban development, we can build a more resilient future for all. Follow C40 Cities to learn more about the role of urban planning in building climate resilient cities. #KlostersForum #UrbanPlanning #ClimateResilience #SustainableCities #ClimateAction

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New Method Paper! ‘Rightsize’: a housing design game for spatial and energy sufficiency A chronic misallocation of housing #space in the UK creates #sufficiency problems because some people do not have enough space, whilst others use excess energy to heat and cool unoccupied rooms. Energy is also used to build new homes that compensate for redundancy in the existing stock. A sufficiency-oriented approach is introduced for new housing that encourages people in multi-apartment housing to respond to changing housing needs by merging an apartment they might own with adjacent modules of living space they could rent. Converting this theoretical basis into a conceptual framework, the aim is not only to explain sufficiency-oriented housing to new audiences. Rather it is to propose a #design #game through which to establish a functional unit for describing spatial and energy sufficiency. A beta version of the game—as a ‘metagame’ or context-adaptable blueprint—suggests this method has the potential to reveal strategic behaviours, produce a shared understanding of sufficiency, help to overcome institutional barriers to sufficiency-focused new-build housing, and produce qualitative (and potentially quantitative) data for analysis. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g5nQvMDj Authors: Philip Graham Pirouz Nourian Dr Elanor Warwick Michal Gath-Morad

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Stantec's Development Economics team have revisited analysis of out-migration from London to the Wider South East which we undertook in 2021. This has been updated to present the latest mid-year population estimates and shows increases in the number of people leaving the capital and seeking to access the housing market in the #HomeCounties. All adding significant pressures including an increasingly unaffordable housing market across main parts of the Wider South East. Even if one was to conclude the #affordability uplift in the calculation of local housing need properly addresses these factors (which I don't), the 40% cap avoids #standardmethod from dealing with these significant pressures. Sticking with standard method, there's also the prickly issue of the #urbanuplift for urban areas including #London which the 🎠 DLUHC 🎠 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 🎠 Select Committee called an arbitrary figure that should be abolished as part of a review. All to bear in mind when considering the assessment of housing need, before one gets to considering 'policy on' judgements, #greenbelt and cross-boundary #strategicplanning For the first time in nearly four years, however, there appears to be an appetite from Government and MHCLG to evaluate the scale and complexity of such challenges and introduce potential solutions. We can hope.

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#todaysmap Usually you see a railway map from a local perspective, or even a single continental perspective, because it’s meant to show how you get from point A to point B. As a learning experiment,this map shows railways worldwide. It’s not comprehensive but still interesting to think about, in case you’re trying to get to Buenos Aires from Juno by train. See it here: https://lnkd.in/gHv-QPpt

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Got questions about using OpenRoads Designer on your projects? Check out this tutorial #playlist covering best practices and topics including workspace and file setup, #3D modeling, drawing production, and more. 🎞️: https://bit.ly/3Zp8Gm6 #infrastructure #civilengineering #OpenRoads #tutorials

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🌟 “A city is not an accident but the result of coherent visions and aims.” These words by Richard Rogers remind us that every decision in urban planning shapes the face of the future. Public transport is one of the key tools to create cities designed for people, regardless of their needs. Today, transportation innovations address three critical objectives: 1️⃣ Inclusivity: Modern technologies open doors for everyone. From accessible ramps to smart apps for people with visual impairments, transport is becoming inclusive for all. 2️⃣ Transparency: Real-time updates, open data, and interactive maps. Passengers no longer waste time in uncertainty — all information is just a click away 📊🗺 3️⃣ Economic Development: An efficient transport hub boosts workforce mobility and drives business activity, creating new opportunities for cities 💼🚀 🌟 At GIS, we strive to develop solutions that help cities move toward sustainable development and improve the quality of life for all residents. You can explore more about our initiatives and solutions here 👉 https://usgis.pro/ 🔎 What do you think? What other aspects of transportation need digitalization? Let’s shape the vision of future transportation together! 🚀 #GIS #SmartCity #SmartSociety #PublicTransport #FutureofCities #Digitalization

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Questioning Urban Transport Planning: Towards Transport Justice What are the implications of prioritising socio-environmental justice in transport planning? Join us as this session draws on DPU’s work on urban transport & mobility over the last 30 years. https://lnkd.in/eeQ2fJ_9

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