A more resilient built environment – Kevin Gatt
The setting up of Project Green, with a budget of €700 million over a period of seven years, offers great hope to those who have been eliciting the need for a more resilient and sustainable built environment. A more resilient and sustainable built environment implies designs that maximise economic, social and environmental goals. Resilience and sustainability are not limited to the environmental dimension but are also geared towards enhancing the socio-economic dimension of localities. A socio-economically thriving locality gives a sense of belonging to residents, operators and visitors fostering further investment. The ‘green’ in Project Green can, ironically, be a potential forma mentis limitation both in the design as well as in the expectations from the selected interventions. The ‘green city’ concept in its purist form often relies on nature-based solutions. However, today’s green should also encompass clean technologies and systems which can make our localities wealthier in all senses. We must, therefore, guard ourselves and demonstrate an ambition that befits the sustainability challenges of today. Physical development has led to pressures on natural cycles. It is,...