KPMB at AZURE’s Human/Nature conference

October 21, 2024

This week, partner Kevin Bridgman, sustainability analyst Shahrzad Soudian, and principal Kael Opie will be at AZURE’s climate conference in Toronto, Human/Nature, speaking about the Downsview Framework Plan, the “City-Nature” approach to placemaking and urban development, and strategies for whole life cycle carbon reduction. 

Event Details

Session: City-Nature: A Blueprint for Tomorrow’s Cities (Toronto’s Downsview Framework Plan)
Speakers: Kevin Bridgman, Jeff Ranson, Emily Resiman, Jesse Zuker, David Anselmi, Michael Sorensen, Rasmus Astrup
Date and Time: Thursday, October 24, 11:30am—12:45pm

This workshop offers a deep dive into blending nature into urban development in the multi-award-winning Downsview Framework Plan – a 520-acre city within a city. Kevin Bridgman, partner and team lead on the project, will share insights on creating a master plan, engaging in phased community consultation, and crafting design principles for a series of connected, vibrant, and healthy communities supported by sustainable urban systems. 

Read about the Downsview Framework Plan. 

Session: Tools for Accelerating Whole Life Cycle Carbon Reduction
Speakers: Shahrzad Soudian, Kael Opie, Haley Anderson, Anna Beznogova, Jesce Walz
Date and Time: Thursday, October 24, 2:45—3:45pm 

This workshop begins with a synthesis of a wide array of available tools and resources for carbon reductions, providing a practical roadmap to practitioners. Shahrzad Soudian and Kael Opie will present a comprehensive framework developed at KPMB for whole building life cycle analysis, seamlessly integrated into all design projects to facilitate low-carbon decision-making. They will share three case studies that illustrate this approach, including a collaborative research project on low-carbon concrete undertaken with industry and academic partners. 

Read the life cycle assessment of KPMB’s office interior. 

Learn more about the Human/Nature conference.