SIGGRAPH 2024
Leading Sustainable Futures: Innovative Approaches for Urban Environments
Swissnex in San Francisco is hosting a session with Swiss, US, and Canadian experts at SIGGRAPH 2024 to explore how new technologies such as digital twins, GIS tools, and AI are revolutionizing urban planning, creating smarter, more resilient, and sustainable cities.
Building on our Metropolis initiative focused on the future of cities, this session will explore the transformative potential of technologies such as digital twins, GIS/mapping tools, AI, and open-source platforms in urban planning.
The discussion will uncover how these technologies can lead to smarter, more resilient, and ultimately more sustainable urban environments.
Through the presentations of case studies and research projects from Switzerland, the US, and Canada, this session will provide concrete examples of practices and the utilization of advanced technologies to reshape our cities for more sustainable urban futures. Join us to gain insights and to get inspired by the latest practices in creating sustainable urban futures.
Speakers
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Bio
Niklaus Houska
Software Developer at Esri R&D Center ZurichNiklaus Houska is a software developer in the Esri Research and Development (R&D) Center in Zürich, Switzerland. He leads efforts in advancing tools for the procedural modeling of architecture in ArcGIS CityEngine. Specializing in 3D graphics, Niklaus is passionate about designing innovative, user-centric solutions and accessible applications. His contributions include a publication that he presents at the current SIGGRAPH conference. Niklaus has a master’s degree from Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, and completed an exchange stint at the University of Washington.
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Bio
Sibylle Wälty
Lecturer at ETH Zurich & CEO at ResilientsyDr. sc. Sibylle Wälty is a recognized real estate economist and architect who teaches at ETH Zurich, among other institutions. She is considered a leading expert in spatial development research. She is particularly known for her work on 10-minute-neighborhoods and sustainable land use. She is regularly invited to give lectures and participate in panel discussions and is featured in the media. Her dissertation, Implementing Sustainable Land Use, was published by Park Books. Since 2023, through her start-up Resilientsy, she has been offering GIS tool-based management consulting for the real estate industry and urban planning.
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Bio
Marina Psaros
Senior Advisor at Atlantic CouncilMarina Psaros is a climate change advisor, author, and funder. She currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, where she provides thought leadership on the use of emerging technologies (such as digital twins, virtual reality, and video games) for sustainability. Over the past two decades, she has built climate action programs across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, most recently as the Head of Sustainability for Unity Technologies. She is the author of “The Atlas of Disappearing Places: Our Coasts and Oceans in the Climate Crisis” (The New Press, 2021) and the co-creator of Worlding, a community of practice for climate + technology futurists. Psaros holds a Master’s in Environmental Policy and Urban Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is a recipient of the C40 Cities Award. Her mission is to unite science, technology, and creativity to solve our most pressing environmental issues.
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Bio
Dale Bracewell
Principal at Mobility ForesightAs a visionary transportation engineer, Dale is a catalyst for enabling sustainable mobility to create healthy, safe communities. With over two decades of mobility experience at the City of Vancouver, Dale has been in various senior leadership roles, advancing the sustainability of the transportation system in one of the world’s most liveable cities.
As Principal of Mobility Foresight, Dale provides advisory services that integrate strategic planning with a forward-thinking mindset to facilitate transformative and resilient mobility solutions. As an influential public policy leader and trusted advisor, he enjoys translating his passion for mobility and leadership experience to other public agencies to accelerate sustainable transport growth that best serves residents and businesses.
Program
- 3:45pm – Opening words by Munkhtsetseg Nandigjav, SIGGRAPH Lead Chair
- 3:50pm – Introduction by Emilia Pasquier, CEO of Swissnex in San Francisco
- 3:55pm – Talks
- 4:35pm – Moderated panel discussion
- 5:05pm – Q&A
iCal / Outlook
Event start time
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USA
3:45PM