The Built Environment of the Future

A well-documented trend toward urbanism is already under way. By some estimates, the average aggregate population of the world’s 101 largest cities is will increase from 757 million in 2010 to 2.3 billion by 2100. This desire to live in or near cities represents a three-fold increase in average city size. If these projections prove accurate then the ‘average’ large urban area would increase from 7.5 million in 2010 to about 23 million in 2100.

If this trend continues it would result in more than 35 ‘large mega-cities’ in excess of 15 million with the top ten all in excess of 30 million. Major cities around the world will face the challenges of integrated planning to provide economic prosperity, social stability, critical services, communication and mobility that support the health, well-being and quality of life for their populous at a scale that is unachievable today with our current infrastructure, inefficient buildings and carbon based transit systems.

Solving for these future demands on our built environment is at the core of Smart Cities initiatives around the globe. It is also the driver behind unprecedented investment in the pursuit of new technology and innovation for the construction and real estate.