Inspired young people propose solutions to future-proof cities in global competition

TORONTO, June 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Five North American solutions were shortlisted in a global competition run by RICS (the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors). It asked young people to propose solutions to the most urgent problems affecting global cities and received more than 1,200 entries globally; over 50 from North America. The overall winner will receive a prize of $65,000.

"Our aim with the Cities for our Future Competition was to harness the ideas of our diverse and talented young people to help solve the challenges of the cities they care about and make them better for generations to come. We hope that the leaders of the world's cities are listening and will work with us and all of our shortlisted entries to make these ideas a reality and help tackle some of the most pressing issues facing their cities," said Sean Tompkins, RICS Global CEO.

With three million people moving to cities every week, urban population growth is one of the biggest challenges facing society today. Many urbanites live in poor-quality housing, with poor air quality and inadequate transport links.

The Cities for our Future competition, is run by RICS in partnership with the United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

The five shortlisted submissions are:

• floating affordable houses for New York City to take advantage of the city's long coastline and provide public space and urban vegetable gardens
• a regeneration plan to turn Coney Island into a canal city to prevent flooding, revitalize the local economy and attract tourism
• smart, off-grid vertical and self-sustaining suburbs with include vertical farming, floodproof main floors and flexible live/work spaces
• harnessing heat waste from data centers for district heating systems
• harnessing the polar front jet stream's 110 mph wind speeds above Toronto for green energy.

Cassandra Francis of Lambda Alpha International, Head Judge of the regional judging panel for North America said: "We have been hugely impressed by the innovative ideas that young people who have entered the competition have devised to help solve the problems facing cities in North America. If developed further and implanted, all of the shortlisted ideas could have a real impact on people's lives. Each one of the entries on the North America shortlist would be a worthy global winner."

The North American winner will be announced in July and will go on to the global shortlist where they will work with an expert mentor, provided by RICS, to help develop the idea before the final judging in November.

Visit citiesforourfuture.com for details.

About RICS

RICS promotes and enforces the highest professional qualifications and standards in the valuation, development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. Our name promises the consistent delivery of standards - bringing confidence to markets and effecting positive change in the built and natural environments.

Contact:
Amie Silverwood
Writer and Media Relations
RICS – 120 Adelaide St. W., Suite 2202 
Toronto, ON M5H 1T1
p 437-990-4695 e [email protected] w rics.org

SOURCE RICS

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https://www.rics.org