“It’s a bonanza!”
This commentary appeared in the Summer 2009 issue
In an exclusive interview, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London enthuses about the tremendous opportunities the Olympics presents for business and the environment
For someone who has built his career on parliamentary debate and TV appearances, addressing an audience of sustainable building enthusiasts at Ecobuild 2009 is a walk in the park. By the time I meet Boris Johnson at the end of the question and answer session he is on a roll – but no one has mentioned the Olympics.
As he grasps his copy of Host City and admires the IOC’s cover photograph of Beijing’s spectacular opening ceremony, I pose this teaser: how can such a short-lived and highly energy intensive event possibly bring sustainable development for the host city?
He handles my googly deftly. “The Olympic and Paralympic Games themselves only last for a total of 64 days. That is a short time. But you are talking about investments that are going to be going into East London over 40 to 50 years and that are triggered by these Games.
“It’s going to be fantastic for the city – and of course we are going to make sure that these are sustainable developments. We want to create low carbon dwellings – not just within the Olympic Park, but generally across London.”
Long-term eco-friendliness
He outlines how the Greater London Authority is in the process of revising the London Plan, the strategic approach to the city’s development originally published in 2004. “This takes a very long time. We are insisting upon extremely high standards –on garden space, green space, cycling spaces, ways of ensuring that any new development is sustainable. And insofar as there is car parking space, 20 per cent of it must be reserved for electric vehicles.
“We are looking at all sorts of measures to encourage the long-term eco-friendliness of the city.”
I ask him what opportunities green technologies bring for businesses in the Olympic Host City. “It’s a bonanza,” he says. “I really believe this is the technology of the future and one that we should be championing – because it ticks all the boxes, it really does.
Turn to the City Development section to find out what the Mayor thinks about sustainable development in an economic downturn
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