Club Lunch: Smart City: Sustainable Solutions from Vienna

Speakers:
Maria Vassilakou, Deputy Mayor and Vice Governor of Vienna

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014
12:45PM – LUNCH
1:15PM – ADDRESS
1ST FLOOR

Deputy Mayor Vassilakou will talk about the recently adopted framework strategy on Vienna’s Smart City visions and goals until 2050 and expand on Vienna’s approach and definition of a “Smart City.” The framework strategy is the first of its kind worldwide. She will also discuss the history and the lessons learned by using incinerators in Vienna making the connection to another pressing issue of interest to Hong Kong – “waste to energy”, particularly energy planning and biofuels. In addition, Vassilakou will talk about citizen participation as a precondition for success of any innovative urban planning endeavour. Vienna consistently ranks high in various empirical assessment studies (including the no. 4 Green City in Europe in Siemens Green City Index 2014). Underlying this achievement is a comprehensive and holistic strategy of innovative urban planning and project implementation, which links ICT technology, “green” policies, social policies and public consultation processes.

Ms.Vassilakou became a member of the Vienna Provincial Parliament in 1996 and the Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Green Party in 2004. She is currently Deputy Mayor of the City of Vienna and Deputy Governor of the Federal State of Vienna. She is responsible for urban planning, traffic and transport, climate protection, energy and public participation within the city.

This event has been coordinated with the Austrian Consulate General in Hong Kong.