(m) apping sustainability in Brussels

1. (m)apping sustainability in Brussels Feasibility Study Ólöf Söebech & Trisha Meyer Olof.soebech@vub.be & trisha.meyer@vub.be

2. (m)apping sustainability in Brussels There is no lack of environmental initiatives in Brussels, but little coordination among them. This means that actors are unaware of each other’s efforts and miss out on opportunities of scale. This may decrease the impact that the initiatives can have in making Brussels a more sustainable, livable city. Our (m)aping exercise aims to bring an overview of ongoing initiatives and actors in a user friendly taxonomy based online database- allowing easy information sharing and ability to get an overview of what is going on in the city. Innovation

3. (m)apping sustainability in Brussels Relation to the urbanscape A comprehensive mapping and visualisation of sustainability initiatives in Brussels not yet been executed. Without awareness of efforts, it is more difficult to identify gaps, share best practices, and become involved. Our project provides a necessary stepping stone for future collaboration in Brussels and potentially in other cities as well. Design approach Based on an initial brainstorming exercise with stakeholders, we will continue the identification phase of existing initiatives and actors. In a second step, we will develop the classification categories and taxonomy. With feedback from stakeholders, we will develop a first beta level presentation of the data for further improvement. Finally, we will investigate where the dataset could be housed and how it would be maintained

4. (m)apping sustainability in Brussels Scaling up prospects Once implemented in Brussels, a similar approach could be used for cities all over Europe. Bringing together sustainability initiatives at local level can significantly raise the level of local collaboration and impact. At a European level, there is potential for cross city learning and sharing. . At the same time, we need to be aware of the need for user-friendly design and high-quality up-to-date content. Moreover, within the Brussels context, the project will only survive long-term if a suitable institutional set-up and maintenance model is found. Public or private sector support will likely be necessary.