Mipim 2008: La Vie en “Green”

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Mipim 2008, to be held from 11 to 14 March in Cannes, is turning the spotlight on the challenges of sustainable development in the property sector. In addition to the unique environmental features of projects showcased in the exhibition area, there will be a series of conferences devoted to the topic on "green" day (Wednesday, 12 March). There will also be a new category rewarding green construction in the MIPIM Awards. "Like all real-estate professionals from local governments and developers to architects and investors, MIPIM is fully committed to sustainable development. This reflects the need to build a sustainable urban environment as a response to global environmental problems, " says Nadine Castagna, the Director of MIPIM.

Highly topical issues will be on the table throughout "green" day There will be discussions on active policies for energy efficiency in two separate sessions. Paul Dickinson, President and Co-founder of The Carbon Disclosure Projects, will speak on the challenges faced by cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A second conference, co-hosted by ENVAC, will be devoted to urban strategies for regulating pollution, using the examples of London and Stockholm.

A panel of experts will highlight the role played by all key players in the sector to reduce the effects of climate change. One session, in partnership with The British Property Federation, will focus on the need for real estate professionals to make sustainable development rhyme with profitability. A second session, co-hosted by The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, will focus on the capacity of cities to incorporate an architectural dimension that addresses these issues and to respond to the growing need for green spaces.

The analyses provided during the conference programme will be illustrated in the MIPIM exhibition area, where many of the new projects on display meet high environmental standards.

For some years now, the construction industry, regarded as one of the main sources of energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions, has been adapting to ecological constraints. One example on the "environmentally responsible" agenda is the Incity tower, a future 200-meter skyscraper that will be showcased on the stand of the urban community of Lyon (France). Aligned with the prevailing wind, the building will use wind power to generate part of its own energy through a top-mounted wind farm.

Eco-cities and eco-neighbourhood projects are new urban models that comply with the principles of sustainable development; they will also be on show in the MIPIM exhibition area. In the wake of its Akademia City project, the developer Renova StroyGroup has created another city called "Sunny Valley." It is to be built over an area of 1,200 hectares, and will blend harmoniously into the natural setting of the Chelyabinsk Region (Urals). Scheduled for completion in 2024, this site is expected to host around 115, 000 people and will include homes, services and public facilities.

The Carlsberg A / S Properties group will unveil a plan for relocating its factories. In collaboration with the city of Copenhagen (Denmark), this large corporation has designed a new neighbourhood based on robust environmental principles such as the sustainable management of green spaces, water and energy.

The annual MIPIM Awards are intended to reward the most significant architectural projects from around the world. This year there will be a new category devoted to green buildings. The idea is to pay tribute to buildings that comply with high quality environmental criteria including making optimal use of energy and water and reducing the impact of buildings on the environment. The three Green Buildings finalists are Crane Track (Netherlands), Pines Calyx Centre (UK) and United States Census Bureau Headquarters (USA).

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