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Dear Friend of SMART:Welcome to Issue #9 of SMART’s e-NEWS briefs. From your friends of SMART we wish you a safe and happy (and sustainable!) holiday season. In this issue we share (quite a few!)upcoming events and we’ll also catch you up on some of the latest SMART news. To learn more about SMART’s mission and activities and how to get involved, please go to um-SMART.org. And We’d like to hear from you. Please send your comments, questions, related research, favorite innovations, case studies, and collaboration ideas to me, Susan Zielinski, Managing Director of SMART at susanz@umich.edu. For past issues of SMART e-NEWS, go to:
Issue 1
Issue 2
Issue 3
Issue 4
Issue 5
Issue 6
Issue 7
SMART upcoming eventsJanuary 30: Gordon Feller, Urban Age Institute. SMART Distinguished Speaker Series.
Noon–1:30 pm. Ann Arbor - Location TBA Kissin’ Cousins – A Presentation by Gordon Feller on What Happens when Transport, Energy, and Urban Planning Systems meet (… and related opportunities for SouthEast Michigan)
• Now that the world is noticing these inter-relationsips, what’s the best way to take advantage of the opportunity created by the new perceptions of systemic interconnections? About Gordon Feller As CEO of Urban Age Institute, Feller leads a 15-year old international organization. UAI was founded inside the World Bank and later spun off. UAI’s team of recognized innovators help leaders to assess urban transport projects, to structure key projects and create partnerships, and increase the innovative content within these projects, to reduce risk factors. For nearly 30 years, Feller has been assisting leaders from…
- national governments (Canada; Germany; Japan) Feller’s “Meeting of the Minds” annually convenes a select group of corporate and government leaders. It is sponsored by Toyota and Metropolis (world association of the mayors of the world’s largest cities), among others. Oregon‘s Governor hosted the 2008 program with IBM and Portland General Electric as co-sponsors. While completing undergraduate and graduate degrees (both cum-laude) at Columbia University (New York), Feller received numerous fellowships and international awards. Feller’s writing has appeared in 400+ newspapers and magazines on all five continents. His first book was published during his undergrad years at Columbia. For more information see: www.mtgoftheminds.org and www.urbanage.org/magazine.php  Since last year’s groundbreaking conference in Pasadena, SMART has been connecting with the Art Center College of Design to move forward together on sustainable transportation. If you possibly can, join a select international group of influential thinkers, industry executives, government leaders and entrepreneurs for the third installment of The Art Center Summit: Expanding the Vision of Sustainable Mobility. They do a great job of bringing together top notch thinkers and doers in an interactive and stimulating setting. In addition to a cross-section of mobility experts, the 2009 Summit will host visionary leaders from a variety of fields who will offer their ideas and strategies for moving goods and people around the planet in environmentally friendly ways. Please note: SMART Learning community members can quote SMT131 and benefit from a $250 discount on the entry fee. Nine new speakers have been added to the 2009 line up. They include:
• Kurt Andersen: Author, Columnist and Editor; Co-founder, Studio 360, Spy magazine and Inside.com A dozen more speakers to be added. Already on board:
• Nathan S. Lewis, Ph.D.: George L. Argyros Professor of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology; Principal Investigator, Beckman Institute Molecular Materials Resource Center
Summit Sponsors include: CN Railway, Eastman, BMW, New Belgium Beer, Honestea, Faurecia, University of Michigan SMART. For more information about the 2009 Summit, including travel and lodging, visit artcenter.edu/summit. Early Bird Registration ends January 15, 2009. Register today if you can — seating is limited to 100 industry leaders. June 10 - 12: SMART’S (now annual) Summit – Moving Minds: The Next Transportation Infrastructure.
BSRB Ann Arbor On June 10 – 12, 2009, SMART's Sustainable Urban Mobility & Accessibility Summit is back by popular demand at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Moving Minds: The Next Transportation Infrastructure will bring researchers together with business leaders, entrepreneurs, practitioners and policy makers from around the world:
• to share new knowledge and experience in piloting and implementing innovative, integrative sustainable urban mobility and accessibility in urban regions around the world This year’s summit will give special attention to:
• “Moving Minds” -- understanding the cultural, psychological, and aspirational underpinnings of our relationship to transportation (for both users and leaders), and responding with innovative systems that address these dimensions sustainably, equitably, and compellingly. The three-day program makes space for related projects and partnerships to meet in parallel while drawing new knowledge, energy, and inspiration from the core program. (Let us know if you would like to organize a parallel stream.) The meeting aims to build on the invaluable wisdom and experience of its participants, and on SMART’s ongoing work to understand and accelerate development and implementation of sustainable, systems-based solutions to mobility and accessibility in global urban regions. Check the SMART website or watch future editions of e-News for more information, conference schedules and fees, and updates. Other Great EventsJanuary 11 – 15: Transportation Research Board
Washington D.C. The Annual Transportation Research Board Meeting is the largest transportation conference in the world, drawing over 10,000 people to three different hotel venues. The TRB Annual Meeting program covers all transportation modes, with more than 3,000 presentations in nearly 600 sessions addressing topics of interest to all attendees—policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions. The spotlight theme for 2009 is Transportation, Energy, and Climate Change. For more information, visit: http://www.trb.org/ January 14-16: EMBARQ’s Transforming Transportation 2009Washington DC (just following the Transportation Research Board Meeting) Organized by the WRI Center for Sustainable Transport, the World Bank, the Clean Air Initiative – Asian Cities, the Clean Air Initiative – Latin American Cities, and the Asian Development Bank, this annual workshop focuses this year on Bus Rapid Transit, Safety, Security, and Mobility for Vulnerable Populations, and Reducing Greenhouse Gases Through Transportation and Land Use. Register at http://jotform.com/form/82764514375. For more information and a full agenda, go to http://www.embarq.org/en/transforming-transportation-2009 January 23: Ontario Cycle Tourism Forum
Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto Canada The Ontario Cycle Tourism Forum will bring together leading cycle tourism stakeholders to discuss business development opportunities and challenges of this growing tourism market segment in Ontario. Confirmed special guest speakers include: The Honourable Monique Smith, Ontario Minister of Tourism, Jean-François Pronovost, Executive Director, Vélo Québec Association, Lukas Stadtherr, Co-director, Velobüro/SwitzerlandMobility, Eric Nijland, Director, Dutch National Cycling Platfor, Richard Bonds, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Tourism Office. The forum will feature presentations from world-leading cycle tourism organizations and provide market profiles of specific regions, successful tourist product and marketing examples, business development case studies, best practices in infrastructure and signage, and evaluation of regional growth opportunities. Over 150 delegates are expected to attend from across Ontario representing destination marketing organizations, municipal and provincial government, non-profit organizations, tour operators, small and large businesses, and established cycling associations. The forum will be critical for anyone wanting to learn why cycle tourism is growing in Ontario, how to develop your own local market, and what will be the next steps for establishing Ontario as a leading cycle tourism destination in North America. Visit http://www.ontariocycletourismforum.ca to see the full agenda. Contributed by Justin Lafontaine January 29 & 30: Ross Net Impact Forum 2009. Next Practices to Address Future Challenges (including Transportation)
Ross School of Business and Michigan League, Ann Arbor. Corporations across the globe have recognized the value of incorporating social and environmental issues into their core strategies -- so what’s next? Over 400 business leaders, faculty, and students from the Midwest region will convene to discuss how the public, private, and non-profit sectors should address the host of increasingly complex and interconnected social and environmental issues impacting business. Speakers include John Ehrenfeld, author of Sustainability by Design, Tom Szaky, Founder & CEO Terracycle, and SMART’s Sue Zielinski. Topics include: Green marketing – is it enough?; Adapting business models to address complex environmental issues; Climate change strategies to weather today’s economy; Transportation in a carbon-constrained world, From concept to operation – social entrepreneurship workshop; Innovative business models in developing countries – engines of poverty alleviation, and more. The forum is hosted by Ross Net Impact, a professional development organization that equips MBA’s with the skills, networks, knowledge, and opportunities to improve the world through business. With more than 280 members, the club has been awarded the national “Chapter of the Year” for 3 years running. For more information, go to http://rossnetimpactforum.org Contributed by Jason MacDonald May 26 – 29: Transport for a Global Economy – New Challenges and Opportunities – (along with the new Young Researcher Award of the International Transport Forum)
Leipzig, Germany Efficient Transport is a cornerstone of our global economy. Competitive transport services operated securely and sustainably are essential for growth and development. But now the financial crisis coupled with volatile oil prices poses demanding new challenges for international transport systems. What does the present economic crisis mean for globalization? Transport and globalization – who stands to lose and win? How will the global credit crunch affect transport investment programmes? These questions will be addressed at this forum, hosted annually by the International Transport Forum, which provides an annual platform for Transport Ministers from around the world to meet with researchers and leaders of civil society and examine strategic policy issues facing the sector. The Forum is supported by the Joint Transport Research Center, which is a joint initiative of the International Forum and the OECD. For more information, go to: http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/ In addition, the forum offers a “Young Reseacher Award” to a young researcher (or researchers) who submits the best research paper on the 2009 forum theme: “Transport for a Global Economy, New Challenges and Opportunities”. For more information on the Young Researcher Award, go to http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/2009/pdf/Award.pdf June 15, 16, & 17: International Conference on Efficient, Safe, and Sustainable Truck Transportation Systems for the Future
Michigan League Ballroom, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan Building the Policy Options Roadmap: Legislators and transportation policy experts around the world are challenged by rising energy costs, an increasing freight demand and growing concerns regarding greenhouse gas emissions. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is conducting an international study of highway freight transportation safety, efficiency and policy with a view to sustainability. The preliminary findings of this study will be discussed at the conference together with the most recent domestic and international highway freight research results with a view to building policy options that support a vibrant economy while protecting environmental and public interests. The conference will include:
• plenary sessions on the future direction of both domestic and international highway freight transportation including international benchmarking of transportation efficiency and safety performance The conference is hosted by UMTRI, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Major sponsors include the United States Department of Transport, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the American Trucking Association, and Conway Freight. Who should attend? Stakeholders in the highway freight transport system, including legistlators and their staff, federal and state transport and highway infrastructure officials, shippers, motor carriers, commercial drivers’ representatives, motorists, insurance industry officials, manufacturers, suppliers and researchers. For more information contact Karen Szemak szemak@umich.edu (734-647-8633). Contributed by John Woodrooffe, Research Scientist, UMTRI. June 18 – 19: Sustainable Mobility Symposium: A Practical Applications Approach for Engineers
Next Energy, Detroit Michigan Automotive design or manufacturing engineers have direct involvement with sustainable mobility whether they are aware of it or not. What they need to know is how Sustainable Mobility concepts are translated into product / process design and technical specifications. Participants will discuss how the goals of the 2030 sustainable mobility report can be translated into product specifications that define and design the space. This “practical approaches” symposium will address the concepts of sustainability with the idea that if done correctly engineers can walk away with ideas and practices to take back to integrate into their work environment. OEM and supplier case-studies, industry / government co-operative ventures, panel discussions, and a hands-on exercise will introduce participants to concepts and practices of Sustainable Mobility that can be applied to their job function. Contributed by Marc LeDuc, Technical Program Engineer, Society of Automotive Engineers
Case study briefsKnoogle. A New Smart Search EngineMike Tuori and Chris Ash of the SMART team have been working over the last several months with Eric Britton of EcoPlan International and the New Mobility Agenda in Paris to contribute to the development of a new "smart" search engine that has as its specific purpose to comb through the activities and information contained in the websites of close to 500 leading programs, sources, and projects – specifically active in the field of new mobility and sustainable transportation, and primarily in cities. The intended coverage is worldwide, as is appropriate for our program. If you click to www.knoogle.net you will be taken to the new power browser which is part of a new project entitled New Mobility Knowledge Environment (http://www.knowledge.newmobility.org) which has as its goal to stimulate knowledge sharing and project activity in the many groups and programs working in our field . And while Knoogle is still in beta form, if you try a few searches you may find that it just may become a useful research tool for you in your work in this field. And if you have any other reactions to share with us all on this, it would be great if you could communicate them by e-mail to knoogle@newmobility.org, or if you prefer by phone to +1 310 601-8468 (North America) or +331 4326 1323 (Europe and other), or by Skype to ericbritton or newmobility. We expect to continue work on this in the months ahead so your feedback will be most welcome and help us to make what is already a good research tool better yet. Contributed by Eric Briton, EcoPlan Streetfilms.orgWant to see fresh ideas about transportation all across the US? Visit www.streetfilms.org and watch videos about regular people doing amazing things to change the way that Americans view transportation and public spaces. Posted videos include San Francisco Sunday Streets, Bike Cages in Berkeley (California), Park(ing) Day NYC, and MORE! Go to www.streetfilms.org to view videos, blogs, and to contribute a few of your own. (Streetfilms.org is part of the Livable Streets Network. To contribute to Streetfilms, email tips@streetfilms.org or send them anonymously to www.streetfilms.org/contact) Contributed by Chantal Coton, Masters Student, Ford School of Public Policy. Don’t Forget INSPIREMOBILITY, SMART’s OnLine Innovations Library and BlogInspiremobility is a case-based library of innovations related to sustainable transportation. Find the link on SMART’s home page or at www.inspiremobility.blogspot.com. If you’d like to contribute innovations you know about to the blog, please E-mail the URL to inspiremobility@gmail.com and your submission will be posted within 48 hours.
SMART NewsSince our last e-News in October (and a few significant world events later) SMART has been redoubling its efforts to help realize a sustainable transportation future globally. These brief news clips are a sampling of our activities of late. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to know more, support, or get involved with any of the activities below: * Tom Gladwin, David Berdish and Sue Zielinski recently published articles in the University of Michican’s Journal of the International Institute. See www.ii.umich.edu/UMICH/ii/Home/PUBLICATIONS/II%20Publications/7-Gladwin-web.pdf “Doomsday Alert: MegaChallenges” (Tom Gladwin) and www.ii.umich.edu/UMICH/ii/Home/PUBLICATIONS/II%20Publications/4-Zielinski-Berdish-web.pdf “New Mobility Solutions for Urban Transportation" (Sue Zielinski and David Berdish) * Jonathan Levine has recently presented on the ongoing Accessibility study at the meeting of the UMTRI external advisory board, and at the meeting of the Michigan Institute of Transportation Engineers. * Krista Gullo has been busy working on developing the SMART research collaborative. This project brings together international academic and business research partners from India, South Africa, Canada and the U.K. with U.S. partners including the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the Georgia Institute of Technology (and more). Its purpose is to formalize an ongoing inter-disciplinary research collaborative that supports and accelerates implementation of sustainable urban mobility and accessibility in selected urban regions. Anticipated outcomes include studies, peer-reviewed articles, books, workshops, and pilot projects. Related to this, Jonathan Levine, Moira Zellner, Krista Gullo, Yoram Shiftan and Sue Zielinski have been working with international partners on a number of exciting research project proposals. * David Berdish and Sue Zielinski have been working on New Mobility Hub Network and innovation projects with partners in India and South Africa, and Sue is planning a trip this coming February to India, South Africa, and London England. In India, Raj Cherubal and Santhosh Kumar are the key movers, and more recently some work is being explored in Delhi. In South Africa, key movers include Claire Janisch, Jerome VanRooij, Gail Jennings, Andrew Russell, Peter Willis, and David Chait. Designer Kyle Lawson is supporting the web and map development from here in Ann Arbor. Watch future editions of e-News for reports from the field. * Ryan Jones and Jessica Simoncelli are working on mapping and documenting the range of innovative sustainable transportation projects going on throughout the Detroit region to support future efforts to connect these dots. If you are involved in one we don’t know about, please get in touch with SMART and tell us about it! * Sue Zielinski has been invited to participate in the Infrastructure Committee of the Center for the Study of the Presidency’s project to advise the incoming Presidential transition (see http://www.thepresidency.org/). She has also been providing advisory support to ongoing T4America efforts (see http://www.t4america.org/). Since last e-News she has been to Austin Texas twice, once to present at the Alt Car conference (see http://www.austinenergyaltcar.com/) and once to present at and participate in the American Architectural Foundation’s “Great Schools By Design” charrette (see http://archfoundation.org/aaf/aaf/Programs.GSBD.htm). She is looking forward to the Art Center College of Design Summit in Pasadena in February, where she’ll be working with conference hosts on developing a network for Design and New Mobility. * SMART happily supported a very succesful TechnoForum in Ann Arbor back in October (see http://www.techknowforum.org/) as well as Detroit’s very successful “SDAT” (Sustainable Design Assessment Team) charrette sponsored by the American Institute of Architects with the goal of moving toward a sustainable Detroit (see http://www.zacharyandassociates.com/sustainability/) * And finally, Peter Sweatman recently made a keynote presentation at the EPA’s SmartWay Sustainable Goods Movement conference that was supported by SMART and UMTRI. Here is a summary of that event: Success Travels: The SmartWay to Reduce Transportation Emissions goes Global.The achievements of the U.S. EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership have governments and other organizations around the globe sitting up and taking note. At the first SmartWay International Summit, representatives from 12 countries, major retailers, and freight carriers gathered to discuss ways to reduce greenhouse gases from the transportation sector. The conference was hosted by the U.S. EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership and the University of Michigan (SMART and UMTRI) on Dec. 2 – 4, 2008. Businesses worldwide want to reduce the environmental impacts of shipping their goods, and programs like SmartWay can help them reach their goals. During the summit, participants shared best practices and exchanged ideas on how to track greenhouse gas emissions and how to implement SmartWay type programs overseas. Australia, France, Japan, and New Zealand are now among countries establishing or strengthening similar programs to SmartWay. Additionally, with the volume of international trade, conference attendees are working to adopt a more consistent approach worldwide to measuring and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions from the global supply chain. Launched in February 2004, the SmartWay Transport Partnership currently has more than 1,200 partners in the U.S. who are on track for 2008 to save about 540 million gallons of diesel fuel and greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and smog-forming chemicals. For more information, go to: http://www.epa.gov/smartway/transport/partner-resources/internationalsummit.htm Contributed by Gay MacGregor and Suzanne Ackerman, EPA
About SMARTVisit um-smart.org to learn about SMART.
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What happens when transport systems and urban energy systems and urban planning systems start to meet? Well, they’ve always met, and in most cases they’ve been very close cousins, if not outright siblings. Gordon Feller’s presentation will ask (and maybe even begin to answer) a few important questions: