Page 43 - A U4SSC deliverable - Guidelines on tools and mechanisms to finance Smart Sustainable Cities projects

Box 11: Visualizing a way to the future

Recommendation 4: map the four types of urban development projects

This tool can be used during the process of developing a list of transformation projects to better
understand what exists, and what is still needed for transforming the city.

Most transformation projects in urban development relate to one of four sectors. The first is mobility.
This comprises projects which aim to build roads, railways, ports, airports and all infrastructure
needed for people and cargo to move from location “A” to location “B”. The second is utilities.
These types of projects include those connected with energy, water and wastewater, solid waste,
gas, telecom, and Wi-Fi networks. The third is social infrastructure. This covers education, health,
security, sports, arts, public spaces, green spaces and, in some cases, social housing. The fourth
relates to real estate, and usually accounts for the majority of projects which are able to generate
returns for investors (known as “cash-positive” projects). This sector consists not only of projects
transforming retail, services and housing but also logistics and industry. Cities and regions directly
associated with oil, gas and mining exploitation or agriculture can also include these activities in
the fourth sector.

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