Starting Strong: Marking the Project’s Kickoff
Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) is a collaborative project bringing together many supporting partners from different sectors. We held a workshop in summer 2022, led by Arup, at Eddington in Cambridge which began the journey.
Eddington is an ambitious example of building with sustainability in mind. Among the systems present are channels for harvesting rainwater through blue and green roofs and swales, which get collected in the newly formed lakes and minimises the risk of local flooding. The session acted to inspire, excite and align the diverse partnership and commence our own ambitious programme.
The kickoff session sought to bring stakeholders across the project together to develop the vision and focus on priorities for the EWSC programme.
After seeing the potential in Eddington, the message was clear. We need more water smart communities. The workshop developed our shared vision underpinned by three pillars: rethinking value, rethinking assets and rethinking stewardship.
EWSC partners at Eddington.
Considering these pillars will ensure a legacy after the project ends and maximise the wider impact the EWSC project can create, particularly how we can impact non-water areas and benefit communities and the environment.
As to the desired outcomes, partners at the kickoff identified key priority areas. These include, improving housing quality & affordable housing, connecting with nature & communities, as well as introducing nature-based solutions and promoting a healthy water environment. Understanding the desired outcomes give the project tangible destinations for success which, through the Discovery phase, will guide the project.
The session built a common understanding of where our collective expertise can have the most impact, particularly in leading and involving communities.
The project may achieve this through educating developers to adopt more sustainable practices for example, and encouraging consumers to change their behaviour’s – think dedicated re-use strategies like household rainwater harvesting and the use of smart water butts.
The kickoff workshop last summer was just the beginning and set the scene for achievable integrated water management – this is just the start of our journey in Enabling Water Smart Communities.
