Brazilian cities talk with the future

Event promoted bySobratemagathers in São Paulo representatives of the construction chain, politicians, investors, architects, urbanists and engineers, among others, to think about the cities we want for us and for the next generations

More sustainable, inclusive and connected cities, where the population could enjoy a structure of mobility which is adequate to its needs; private initiative and public power working together in the solution of main demands of metropolitan areas; construction industry committed with the reduction of environmental impacts, supported by new technologies and modern constructive processes; politicians, industry entities, academic community and encouragement institutions committed to plan and develop with transparence important projects for the cities that we want for us and for the next generations. This was the ideal scenario, drawn in June 15 and 16 at the Construction Summit, event carried out by the Brazilian Association of Technology for Construction and Mining (Sobratema), at the São Paulo Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, in the capital of São Paulo.

About 1200 persons—including architects, urbanists, engineers, politicians, contractor executives and suppliers of the construction chain, in addition to students, pressmen and investors in infrastructure—took part during two days in the congress, interactive exhibitions, courses and workshops, committed todiscuss and propose solutions for the main challenges of huge Brazilian cities. A series of parallel events presented—in an innovative approach—cases and initiatives connected to the challenges of construction industry.

The meeting was divided in two large blocks of content: discussion and presentation of challenges and proposals to improve the infrastructure of Brazilian cities and presentation of technologies and constructive systems involving materials, processes and equipment.

"We are living a unique moment for cities and for transformation of urban scenarios. The new urban agenda is being developed and the moment is to think about the challenges we are facing ". The statement of Miguel Bucalem, engineering professor at the University of São Paulo—one of the experts of national renown invited for the event—translates precisely the concept that has driven the meeting.

Another invited personality, Ozires Silva,former minister of Infrastructure and CEO of theGrupoÂnima de Educação e Cultura, featured one of the important moments of the summit. In his pronouncement, he stated that the society cannot wait the governments to develop the actions needed to transform Brazilian cities and the country. For him, the civil society has to assume its responsibilities and make the expected changes happen. With the weight of his 85 years, the famous former minister—that was also president of Petrobras and Vale—touched the audience calling the present people and mainly young people to dare in the search of solutions for the country, ina way to insert Brazil among first-world nations.

Diego Canales, expert inInnovation of Data and Tools from the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities pointed that—in the current speed that urbanization is occurring—intelligent and assertive decisions are necessary to change cities. “Theories are just a base. Data and information will move the future. The concept of Intelligent Cities is based on the best use of technologies helping to solve the problems of main urban centers”. Canales stated also that one of the obstacles to the processof construction of Intelligent Cities is the difficulty in structuring the government agencies that deal with this subject withpersons havingappropriate knowledge and technical capacity.

José Roberto Bernasconi, president ofSinaenco – National Union of Architecture and Engineering agreed with Canales. For him, architecture and engineering have a key role in the growth of a nation, since they are present and act in an effective way in its five fundamental pillars: health, education, public safety, infrastructure and national defense. “We are operators of country’s development”, concluded him.