C40 Cities is a global network of cities working to promote a collaborative and inclusive approach to face the climate crisis and create a more sustainable future for everyone. In fact, the organization supports several initiatives to pursue sustainable development and search for innovative solutions, one of which is Reinventing Cities, an international competition specifically addressing sustainable urban regeneration.
GET was a member of the winning multidisciplinary team that participated in the international call for proposals for the Ravone-Prati railway yard area in Bologna, contributing to the “Green Soul” project led by Nhood Services Italy.
The project, aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aims to unify the area currently divided by railway infrastructure, creating new social value and increasing access to affordable housing.
C40 Cities values
C40 Cities brings together nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities in a global network and aims to create a more sustainable future by:
- Creating thriving communities through equitable climate action. The organization supports mayors to create communities that put inclusion and sustainability at the center of administration through concrete tactics such as supporting the transition from fossil fuel-dominated economies to green jobs and opportunities.
- Facilitating access to financial resources for green investments that help pursue the transition towards a greener economy.
- Supporting cities to implement climate action plans aligned with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement.
- Sharing best practices to face the climate crisis across air quality, adaptation & water, food systems, energy & buildings, transportation, ports & shipping, urban planning & design, and waste management.
- Creating a global movement that supports sustainable development through the exchange of ideas among international leaders.
Members are committed to C40 leadership standards and aim to generate more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient cities. The organization sets leadership standards, which allow members to operate on performance-based requirements instead of on fees.
The global network has several areas of focus, including Urban Planning & Design. C40 Cities promotes initiatives to support city development in terms of sustainable urban growth.
C40 Reinventing Cities: an opportunity to build a more sustainable future
Reinventing Cities is an international call for proposals led by C40 Cities to find innovative solutions to environmental and urban challenges. The goal is to address the pressing need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, foster sustainable development, and build more equitable communities.
It is an initiative that:
- Fosters collaboration between the public and private sectors.
- Seeks innovative solutions that can be replicated globally.
- Promotes public policy-making to integrate sustainable principles within cities and communities.
- Drives innovative solutions within the global building sector.
This competition inspires cities to identify underutilized spaces and sustainably redesign them to create transformative landmarks that serve as models for the future.
To date, C40 has announced 42 winning projects. One example is the “Urban Battery” project in Madrid, located in the Vicálvaro district on a 28,493 m² site next to the railway. The design aims to reindustrialize the area by constructing a 4.0 factory and generating over 100 skilled green jobs. It also features a large, socially co-managed photovoltaic plant to promote the use and storage of renewable energy.
GET Consulting participated in the winning Reinventing Cities project “Aria“, proposed by REDO sgr, which focused on revitalizing the former slaughterhouse area in Milan. In this project, GET Consulting was responsible for overseeing the LEED for Cities and Communities Certification, ensuring adherence to the initiative’s criteria, and monitoring compliance with the 10 challenges set by Reinventing Cities. Teams are encouraged to integrate features such as energy efficiency, sustainable materials management, inclusive actions, and biodiversity to create resilient and sustainable projects.
Building on this experience and its professional expertise, in 2024 GET was part of the successful multidisciplinary team that participated in the international competition organized by Reinventing Cities, supported by the Comune di Bologna and FS Sistemi Urbani. The project presented an opportunity to revitalize a large area of the city with a focus on sustainability, resilience, and social benefit.
“Green Soul”: a winning project
“Green Soul” is the winning project selected to create a new mixed-use district in the railway area Ravone-Prati area in Bologna.
The multidisciplinary team was led by Nhood Services Italy, with GET Consulting participating as a Monitoring Protocol Advisor. GET offered strategic consultancy to establish metrics and methods for tracking the attainment of the rigorous sustainability, resilience, and social utility objectives. Our team participated in regular meetings with the designers to translate leading sustainability practices into KPIs, ensuring a transparent demonstration of the achievement of high sustainability standards throughout the entire process (design, construction, and operation).
The project wants to create a new united green soul for the area now, which is currently divided by the railway infrastructure. The aim is to create a district rich in services, revitalizing an area of 93,000 square meters. The design is intended to align with the 17 UN SDGs and the Reinventing Cities 10 challenges, meeting the highest ESG standards.
The area is set to feature a landscape shaped by 43,000 square meters of public green space, 600 trees, 30,000 square meters of permeable surfaces, and 2,200 square meters of urban gardens.
The operations will create new social value for the site and more equitable buildings to respond to the increasing city demand.
Nhood Services Italy partnership
Every urban planning decision plays a crucial role in creating healthier spaces for people to live in around the world. GET Consulting upholds this principle, and we are proud to have contributed to the international tender process.
We had the chance to collaborate with an international team of consultants and experts, sharing knowledge and opinions. The team was led by Nhood Services Italy, a real-estate service company that uses a sustainable and human-focused approach to develop projects that aim to positively impact the city, the planet, and those who live there.
This is how we aim to GET a more sustainable future: by leveraging multiple specializations to achieve innovative sustainable solutions. This is made possible also thanks to organizations like C40 Cities, that provide the necessary tools to achieve this much-needed change.
