Independent design, environment and sustainability consultancy, LDA Design has teamed up with the Anglia Ruskin University's Global Sustainability Institute (GSI) to help develop solutions to some of the biggest global challenges of our time.
The partnership was formed as part of LDA Design's Futures programme, to share knowledge and to better understand how the big social, environmental and economic drivers of change are shaping development, our landscapes and places, and the types of infrastructure we need. This unique partnership between one of the UK's leading consultancies and top research institutes will lead to practical solutions and new services for clients in the environment and development sector, while pushing the boundaries of research in these areas.
Three key areas will be addressed:
- Drivers of change and how they are shaping our approach to development, cities, landscapes, infrastructure and investment.
- Responses and solutions to the big drivers of change, which includes the application of new technologies or new forms of development or infrastructure.
- Mechanisms that can be used to implement the solution(s), such as new business models; new forms of partnerships with developers, investors and infrastructure providers; and different roles for public, private and community sectors.
In launching this new collaboration, Rob Shaw, LDA Design's Director in charge of the LDA Futures programme said: "We've always worked with our clients to find creative solutions to problems and this has shaped how we approached some of our biggest development projects, including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Battersea Power Station - but the world is changing fast. The transition to a decentralised low carbon energy future, demographic and climate change, and the need for infrastructure renewal are demanding new ways of thinking.
"We're at a very exciting point in time where the challenges that we have long known about are being met by a set of solutions that are increasingly viable. Through our partnership with GSI, we aim to help our clients take advantage of the opportunities that this presents for new business ventures, new forms of development and land management plus new mechanisms for infrastructure delivery."
Aled Jones, Director of the Global Sustainability Institute, added: "The Global Sustainability Institute is pleased to be working in partnership with LDA Design on its Futures programme. Responding to tomorrow's challenges today is key to the success of any strategy delivery whether that is on a local, regional or national scale."
LDA Design's Futures programme builds on its 35 years of involvement in innovative development work. Its team has expertise spanning development and infrastructure as well as landscape management and delivery. It has a specific focus on providing services that help clients to take advantage of the opportunities presented by change.
Over the coming months, the partnership will publish a set of research papers and opinions pieces on a range of topics with a view to sparing debate and collaborations.
The first paper, which explores the emerging trends and the implications of the energy transition, has now been published and is available on LDA Design's website:
http://www.lda-design.co.uk/news-views/lda-research/
