Future-proofing Auckland: is building a sustainable city really possible?

Future-proofing Auckland: is building a sustainable city really possible?

With Auckland’s population set to swell to 2 million by as early as 2029, growing demands on housing and infrastructure, and climate change exposing our city to impending natural disasters, future-proofing Auckland has become more important than ever before.

5:00pm: Networking & refreshments
5:30pm: Start
7:00pm: Finish

The way we plan, design, construct and govern our city will determine Auckland’s future viability.  The world’s cities are under threat by climate change.  Building a sustainable city is an integral part of Auckland’s future.

But what does the ideal sustainable city look like?  And is it possible? 

Join us with Dr Michelle Dickinson as she facilitates the conversation focusing on crucial attributes and solutions – high-rise medium-density, incorporating resilience into urban design and development, and high-quality living for our people with easy access to employment, social infrastructure and clean, green spaces. 

This Auckland Conversation is brought to you in partnership with New Zealand Green Building Council.

Listen to the podcast

Dr Michelle Dickinson

Dr Michelle Dickinson (MNZM) is a Nanotechnologist and Materials Engineer. She has spent the last two decades contributing to cutting-edge technologies, researching solutions for medical and technology applications for clients who range from small start-ups to large corporates. Having set up and run New Zealand’s only nanomechanical testing laboratory that specialises in making and breaking tiny things (nano and micro), Michelle spends her time helping companies with board advisory around science and technology commercialisation including technical consulting for investors and VC’s looking for ROI advice for high-tech start-ups. Her experience spans academia, government labs and large-scale R&D departments. 

Michelle’s success comes from her hard work and lots of lucky opportunities, allowing her to break the poverty cycle she grew up in through education. This experience led her to Co-Found Nanogirl Labs, a socially conscious business designed to create beautiful and engaging content to help everyone build confidence around STEM. Nanogirl Labs is both an in-person and a digital platform that highlights positive, diverse role models with fun and engaging storylines and kinaesthetic based learning helping everyone to see that they can be a creator not just a consumer. Nanogirl Labs’s goal is to help people have a meaningful relationship with technology no matter their educational background or socioeconomic status. Their projects include the bestselling book The Kitchen Science Cookbook and TV show, a digital STEM platform and STEM education in schools in the pacific islands.

Davina Rooney

GM of Sustainability and Corporate Procurement, Stockland

Davina is the General Manager of Sustainability and Corporate Procurement at Stockland. She is a property professional with a broad range of sustainability experience, from environmental projects, not-for profit boards and overseas community development work, spending 8 months working in the Indian Himalayas on the construction of a school which won multiple international awards. Davina has been recognised by numerous industry awards including NAWIC NSW 2016 Sustainability Award, PCA 2014 Future Leaders Award and Sydney University Engineering Young Alumni Award.

Career highlights include simultaneously holding the most sustainable real estate company in world (DJSI Global Property leader), GRESB Global leader (Retail/Office) and recognised on the Carbon Disclosure Project Leaders in 2016, and again in 2018. The success has been maintained whilst simultaneously holding these in 2018. In mid-June Davina will commence as the CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia.

John Mauro

Chief Sustainability Officer, Auckland Council

John Mauro is Auckland Council’s first Chief Sustainability Officer.  John and his team provide thought leadership, drive strategic direction and champion change to mainstream sustainability and resilience in the Auckland region.   

The focus of the office is to unlock the potential of Auckland’s low carbon transformation, build climate resilience, and lead by example through business and operational practices – from building portfolio to procurement, from fleets to financing - so all activities deliver smarter sustainability outcomes. 

John has over 20 years of experience in climate policy, research and advocacy.  He came to Auckland from Seattle, where he worked as Policy Director for a transport not-for-profit, helped deliver the US Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement and Seattle’s first climate plan while in the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Environment, and ran an organization dedicated to smart growth policy and advocacy. 

Jacqueline Paul

Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngā Puhi and Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga

Jacqueline, 26, is currently a researcher at Ngā Wai a Te Tūi Māori and Indigenous Research Centre, and lecturer at the School of Architecture in Landscape Architecture at Unitec Institute of Technology.Jacqueline is also an appointed member and independent specialist for the Urban Development and Planning Committee at Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities (Housing New Zealand), a member on the Expert Advisory Panel for Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission supporting Open Government and has also been involved with the National Science Challenge – building better homes towns and cities Māori housing research.Key research interests focusing on building better homes towns and communities, Māori housing, mobilizing rangatahi and Māori voices, transformative policies, improving architecture and urban planning.Jacqueline is heading to the United Kingdom to pursue a Master of Philosophy in Planning, Growth and Regeneration in the Department of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge.

Ludo Campbell-Reid

General Manager of Auckland Design Office, Auckland Council

Ludo Campbell-Reid is a globally renowned thought-leader on Cities and Sustainable Development. He is a City Planning & Urban Design expert with over 24 years’ public & private sector experience on large-scale city transformation projects in London, Cape Town and Auckland.

Ludo is currently the General Manager of Auckland Council’s Auckland Design Office (ADO), a department of multi-disciplinary built environment professionals charged with spearheading Auckland’s design-led urban renaissance.

Ludo is also Council’s Design Champion and is accountable for achieving design excellence in Council’s plans, policies and projects; working alongside the private sector and community to deliver exemplary design outcomes and promoting the council’s design-led city agenda across the organisation, the wider Auckland community and internationally.

In 2015 he was described by Metro Magazine as one of the Top 50 Most influential Aucklanders. The NZ Property Council People Awards in 2016 labelled him as the "lightning rod for the transformation of downtown Auckland". While Paperboy magazine branded him as "the Design Champion with an unshakeable faith in Auckland". He was nominated as one of NZs Most Creative People by Idealog magazine (2017) and made an Honorary member of the Designers Institute of New Zealand in 2018. 

Expand speaker bios

Be the first to know about upcoming Auckland Conversations

Sign up to the mailing list