“Currently, cities account for around 80% of the GDP generated worldwide. Yet today, one out of three urban residents in the developing world still lives in slums with inadequate services. In addition, the majority of future urban growth is expected to take place in Asia and Africa, regions that are home to some of the poorest countries in the world.” writes Anne-Claire Barberi.
Supporting the idea of inclusive cities is not new – it is a concept that has been discussed for over 20 years now. Sustainable development goals were defined by the United Nations in 2015. The Paris Action Plan for Inclusive Growth in Cities was signed by 47 countries in the following year. And yet cities result in one-third of the urban population living in slums.
The urban population has always lived in buildings. With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, it has become clear that buildings will need to adapt and change to the new norms of more space and better air. It has also brought into focus a keener awareness of the importance of buildings and that they must function well, not just for some, but for everyone.
This presents a big opportunity to the real estate sector
There are many ways to achieve inclusion. Developers need to think more holistically about the built environment and consider developing in new ways – for more sustainable and healthier buildings, for more flexible usage, and in other ways that consider the changing needs of occupants and improve social impacts. Read the original article here.
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