The future of Britain’s national infrastructure is getting a lot of attention. In large part because it’s facing some big challenges. Not least our changing climate and the commitment to decarbonise our economy. But also the question of who pays for it, who benefits from it, and who gets to contribute to the decision-making process about its future. There are also the opportunities that new technologies bring to improve the way we design, build and operate our infrastructure – from transport and energy, flooding and waste management, digital and data, to protecting our biodiversity and th ..read more

In this episode, we meet David Shukman, former BBC Science Editor. For over 30 years David has been reporting from all over the globe on the profound changes that are happening in our environment, our seas, and the wider natural world. Having started his career with the BBC in 1983, he was appointed the BBC’s first science editor in 2012, a position he held until stepping down at the end of COP26 in Glasgow. David has some fascinating stories to share from his time as a science reporter, and he’s also thought a lot about the future of the world’s oceans and the profound changes and innovations ..read more

The United Kingdom is a maritime nation. Our ports have long been hubs connecting Britain to the rest of the world. Yet if we think of ports as under-utilised hubs of innovation, things start to get exciting! Whether it’s 5G, autonomous systems, or net zero infrastructure, our ports can foster diverse innovation ecosystems. They can also be powerful engines of regional growth, as well as gateways to new global markets and routes to foreign direct investment. With the right vision and imagination, we have the tools and capabilities to write a new and exciting chapter in Britain’s maritime story ..read more

Brazil is a vast country with 16% of the world’s fresh water and home to most of the Amazon Rainforest – often referred to as the lungs of the planet. But the frontline of the climate crisis in Brazil is not only protecting its forests, important of course as they are. The fight is also being fought in Brazil’s cities. Like Sao Paulo - the 4th largest city in the world. In fact, Sao Paulo isn’t just a city. It’s a state that’s home to around 20% of the Brazilian population.  In this episode, we visit Brazil to hear about the innovation economy from the President of Invest Sao Paulo, Gusta ..read more

Are you one of the 14 million people in the UK with some form of disability? Or do you know someone who lives with a disability? Then you’ll probably know how hard it can be to use public transport - whether it’s getting on and off a bus, or navigating the complex, stressful and often-confusing environment of a train station.   We’re working with innovators to find solutions that will make it easier for people to live active lives. In this episode of the Connected Places Podcast we speak to some of those innovators about how artificial intelligence, gaming and sensing technology is revolu ..read more

Spring is on its way and with it the hope that COVID-19 restrictions might soon be eased. Yet many weeks of uncertainty still lie ahead, resilience is wearing thin, and while we wait for better days many of us continue to work from home. Even those who can’t work from home are certainly spending a lot more time at home. In this episode we ask how place leaders and city planners can help create homes, high streets, public spaces and urban infrastructure which enable human flourishing. We hear from three experts in mental health, human-centred design and the built environment about how the place ..read more

In this episode Prof. Greg Clark meets Daniel Deparis, Head of Urban Mobility Solutions at Mercedes-Benz. As our towns and cities become more connected, so too are the ways in which we get around them. In this episode we explore how urban mobility is changing. How will connected vehicles shape the connected places of the future. What will they need to connect to and what value can they add to the city and the citizen? What are the new emerging technologies that are shaping mobility systems in cities around the world? Where are the UK’s strengths and weaknesses when it comes to innovation in ur ..read more

In this episode Prof. Greg Clark speaks to Prof. Lynda Gratton, Professor of Management Practise at the London Business School (LBS) and best-selling author. We’ll be exploring what we need to do now if we are to live to 100. What do businesses, policy makers and place leaders need to be thinking about now as we prepare for the age of longevity? Where are the opportunities for innovation in how we imagine and shape the homes, workplaces and communities of the future? And what can the UK learn from health systems and business practises around the world, especially the oldest population on the p ..read more

In this episode Professor Greg Clark speaks to Lord Nigel Crisp, former Chief Executive of the NHS and an independent crossbench peer in the House of Lords. We’ll be exploring the question of living a healthy life, not just in terms of avoiding sickness and disease, but creating health where we live, far away from the hospital ward. Where are the opportunities for innovation in how we imagine and create healthier homes and communities? What’s the role of government, public health institutions, entrepreneurs and individuals? What can the UK learn from health systems around the world? Lord Crisp ..read more

In this episode Professor Greg Clark speaks to Andy Byford, London’s Transport Commissioner about his ambitious plans for Transport for London (TfL). We’ll be exploring where the opportunities lie for innovation in how we imagine, design and operate the transport systems of tomorrow? What’s the role of a public transport authority in managing the post-COVID economic recovery? What now for urban mobility in London and how can other UK cities learn from overseas? Andy Byford is the Transport Commissioner for London and he leads the capital’s transport authority, TfL. Before joining TfL, he ..read more