Using Urban Metabolism Tailor-Made Method Solutions to Promote Minority Education Workshop - University of Michigan, USA - November 9, 2018

Facilitators: Dr. Gabriela Fernandez, Department of Architecture and Urban Studies (Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy) / Co-founder, Metabolism of Cities, Brussels Belgium www.metabolismofcities.org

MSc candidate, Ms. Carol Maione, School for Environment and Sustainability (University of Michigan) 

1. Specific aims of the workshop

Would you like to learn more about how sustainability issues may influence your daily life?

Today more than half the world’s population lives in cities while giving rise to three-quarters of global carbon emissions and consuming two-thirds of all energy produced. Cities are also seats of political power, cultural production, and technological and business innovation. Join us as we will discuss the importance of localizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 while considering the ‘no one should be left behind’ motto. In this workshop, we will discuss together how the latest SDGs related to cities, big data, urban metabolism, material flow analysis (environmental assessment parameters), tailor-made civic engagement may help make cities be more inclusive and sustainable. The workshop will include a number of presentations, group activities, open discussion all related to diversity research. Participants will be given an overview of strategies related to urban metabolism, civic engagement, participate in an open discussion and group activity on the SDGs.

2. Agenda (total length 3 hours)

Part I. Preamble
(30 minutes)

• Welcome and introduction.
• Instruction for assignments.

Part II. The SDGs and urban metabolism
(30 minutes)

• Definition, visualizations, and lesson learned from the Urban Metabolism and Minority Pulse (UMMP) campaign.
• Target on minorities: Who, and Why it is important, Benefits for all.

Part III. Identify problems and existing conditions
(30 minutes)

• SDGs cluster: How to deal with SDGs, How they interconnect, Why it is important to speak on the UN SDGs.
• Audience: How to select the target audience for a pilot, policy implementation, or solution design; Who to include; How to deliver tailored-made information and knowledge.

Part IV. Material flow analysis activity
(30 minutes)

Part V. A closer look at a practical case study
(30 minutes)

• Round tables on the current problems including water and energy supply,
  pollution, waste management, and good consumption

Part VI. Final group presentations, and closing remarks
(30 minutes)

3. Key knowledge, tool, or skill presented

• This workshop is for students, citizens, young professionals, city officials, entrepreneur,
  climate or thematic experts relating to the local city challenge, designers, and creators.
  The workshop will provide tools, data collection parameter methods, and urban metabolism
  system approaches towards resilient and monitoring cities.

4. Outcomes for the participant

• Understanding of urban systems (i.e. urban metabolism).
• Sustainability indicators.
• Data collection (real case study)
• 10 min group presentations