Wisa Majamaa

Viable urban redevelopments -- exchanging equity for energy efficiency

This research paper examines the potential of urban refurbishment projects to accommodate ambitious low-energy solutions. This can be made possible by aligning the interests of the community (energy conservation) and owner (increased value) through redeveloping the land owned by present residents being used as equity to finance the low-energy upgrades to existing dwellings. This holistic view of urban redevelopment is presented as a financial analysis model. In the paper a real-life case of the Siltamaki suburb in Helsinki, Finland, is presented and analysed. The approach used to interpret the case is the Public-Private-People Partnership (4P). It was found that the developed model allows several different scenarios to be presented for decision-making without compromising any of the stakeholders financial interests and, that owner-occupiers can, as a result, have new energy efficient refurbishment options. The originality of this paper lies in the way the owner-occupiers’ viewpoint is included in a refurbishment and redevelopment process.

A new customer‐oriented participation method for communicative planning

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the identification and engagement of future inhabitants in urban planning processes using a new “public–private–people partnerships (4Ps)” participation method, where public, private and people are in partnership. This form of participation gives new information, related to consumers’ residential choice, unlike those environments produced by using other participation methods.Design/methodology/approach – The empirical study is based in innovation theory where end‐users are primary stakeholders in the innovation process, and even innovators themselves. A case study of a new participation method based on a two‐phase internet questionnaire is used to research practical solutions in integrating end‐users into urban planning process.Findings – This paper demonstrates that the widely used theory of communicative action in planning and its aim of increasing citizens’ activity in planning and development processes can be developed to the stage that it also includes future inha...

Accountability and ecological sustainability challenges under NPM-based public sector-led urban development: four international comparative cases

ABSTRACT This paper compares four different public sector-led urban development institutional arrangements within New Public Management (NPM)’s framework. The cases come from three European countries – Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands – and the Australian state of Victoria. These four jurisdictions, though distant, share much in terms of urban development processes and actors’ responsibilities within these processes, as well as legislation concerning urban development. In the comparison, emphasis is placed on addressing public accountability and ecological sustainability. Ecological sustainability is important to the public sector and urban development has a significant role in achieving more ecologically sustainable built environments. It was found out that steering the development projects is relevant to sustainability issues. Accountability needs to be addressed when forming single-purpose organizational arrangements, but the paper concludes that the examined organizations have no flaws in accountability. In examining these cases, it is assumed that all four operate in governance environments dictated by NPM’s methods, and their success is thus evaluated in that framework. There is little evidence so far of international comparative urban development research combining values and results achieved; or comparing cases from different jurisdictions.