• #35 - Yannick Back: The answers are beyond the "clouds" - the water-energy link for climate adaptation in a world of data ubiquity
    Nov 11 2024

    Yannick Back, Research Fellow at the Unit of Environmental Engineering, Innsbruck University shares an alternative way of looking at planning for urban heat mitigation, which is the intrinsic link between water and energy fluxes. We discuss how Yannick has harnessed the power of remote sensing (both aerial and satellite data sets) and geographic information systems to develop new ways of assessing and mitigating urban heat in cities. We also hear Yannick's take on what is needed for alpine areas and the world to adapt to the challenges of climate change.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    1:59 Guest Intro and Ice Hockey
    5:16 Austria, not to be confused with Australia
    11:46 Getting into urban heat
    18:33 How a geographer integrates with engineers
    26:41 The rapid fine-scale approach and thermal comfort
    35:20 Adding computational fluid dynamics
    38:59 Surface energy fluxes - an alternative perspective to heat
    45:27 Is there a “magic” number for urban heat mitigation?
    50:31 The essential ink between water and energy
    54:07 Key future challenges for alpine regions
    55:58 The global data availability question
    58:37 Yannick’s future research plans
    1:00:34 Urban climate models vs. data ubiquity
    1:02:51 Q&A Start
    1:03:13 What inspires you?
    1:05:18 Key event, person, book
    1:07:57 If you had a magic wand?
    1:11:04 Biggest challenge in career to date
    1:14:59 Time management
    1:17:08 Advice for young researchers
    1:17:52 Where can people reach you?
    1:18:58 Final Message
    1:21:39 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • #34 - Denise Mitrano: A world of plastics from macro and micro to nano - should zero plastics be the long-term goal?
    Oct 28 2024

    Denise Mitrano, Assistant Professor in the Environmental System Science Department at ETH Zurich sheds some light into the topic of plastics pollution, from macro and micro to nano. Trained as an analytical chemist, we hear how Denise is using her skills to better understand how we can quantify, replace and reduce the sources for better environmental and human health protection. We also reflect on the role that science needs to play in future legislation around environmental protection and some tips on being an academic in a very dynamic discipline.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    1:59 Guest Intro and getting out of your comfort zone
    6:25 Discovering environmental chemistry and nanomaterials
    13:17 Contaminants of emerging concern
    16:16 Denise’s journey to Switzerland
    18:00 Plastics 101
    24:53 Two historical examples of plastics management
    27:23 Can we create a plastic-free world?
    30:36 Denise’s Research Pillar 1 - Analytical
    34:40 Denise’s Research Pillar 2 - Transport and Fate
    41:23 Metal-doped Microplastics
    47:39 Denise’s Research Pillar 3 - Policy and Regulation
    51:43 Denise’s Future Research Trajectory
    57:43 Q&A Start
    58:00 What inspires you?
    58:56 If you had a magic wand?
    1:01:16 Key event, person, book
    1:02:59 Time management
    1:05:07 Biggest challenge in career to date
    1:07:44 Advice for young researchers
    1:08:44 Where can people reach you?
    1:09:07 Final Message
    1:09:45 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • #33 - Bill Hunt: America's evolving stormwater management, our innate connection to water and walking your "Camino"
    Sep 30 2024

    Bill Hunt, Professor and Extension specialist at North Carolina State University, USA shares with us his journey from a love of hydrology to creating major impact in America's stormwater management. We cover his achievements in the field of stormwater green infrastructure, his current activities in ancient Roman engineering and hear his wisdom on life lessons he has learnt along the way and our vital connection to water. Life is a journey and Bill's incredible advice can help you find our own path to walk.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    1:59 Guest Intro and Hurricane Season
    4:43 Our first meeting
    6:26 The engineering or economic studies debate
    12:31 Your interest as a child foretells your future
    18:58 What is an Extension Specialist?
    23:25 Humility led to insights on mosquitos in stormwater wetlands
    28:56 The growing to do list around water quality
    32:41 How diverse is stormwater management in the US?
    38:01 The versatility of bioretention systems
    42:10 Tips on maintenance of stormwater green infrastructure
    46:41 Bill's PhD bioretention system after 20 years
    48:42 Bill's recent book on stormwater green infrastructure
    51:16 From stormwater to ancient Roman water management
    56:43 Our connection to water
    1:01:22 Finding your calling
    1:03:58 Tackling inequalities in cities
    1:09:15 Q&A Start
    1:09:36 What inspires you?
    1:12:12 Key event, person, book
    1:14:47 If you had a magic wand?
    1:17:50 Biggest challenge in career to date
    1:26:03 Time management
    1:28:52 Advice for young researchers
    1:30:24 Where can people reach you?
    1:31:41 Final Message
    1:34:15 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • #32 - Luis Angel Sañudo Fontaneda: Partnering with nature in Spain's journey to Sustainable Drainage and Climate Adaptation
    Sep 16 2024

    Luis Angel Sañudo Fontaneda, Associate Professor at the University of Oviedo, Spain, brings us on a journey through Spain's history in adopting Sustainable Drainage Systems and how its dynamic policies have shifted towards climate adaptation and sustainability. We look into the marvel of pervious pavements and swale systems, an engineering-focussed start to the Blue-Green Infrastructure journey and reflect on the challenges of being an academic trying to change the world.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    2:00 Guest Intro and Academic Conferencing
    7:26 A series of fun coincidences and an announcement
    9:27 Spain, Cantabria, Geography and Climate
    12:52 Spain's History in SuDS and Luis' entry
    21:30 Pervious Pavements 101
    36:18 Getting into Swales
    41:41 Receptivity towards SuDS in Spain
    47:04 Luis' next SuDS endeavour
    49:43 Q&A Start
    50:06 What inspires you?
    51:42 Key event, person, book
    58:28 If you had a magic wand?
    1:07:19 Time management
    1:11:14 Advice for young researchers
    1:12:43 Where can people reach you?
    1:13:27 Final Message
    1:14:34 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • #31 - Neil Armitage: Reflections, from a canoe chute and litter traps to Day Zero and South Africa's Sustainable Drainage
    Aug 12 2024

    Neil Armitage, Emeritus Professor from the University of Cape Town reflects on his journey from engineering through to academia and the human side of sustainable drainage systems. We reflect on South Africa's integrated urban water management challenges and have fun picking at terminology around SuDS, WSUD, LIDs and the like. We see what Neil is up to at the moment and look back at the major lessons he has learnt.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    1:59 Guest Intro and the Canoe Chute Story
    9:05 Choosing Water Engineering by elimination
    12:42 From Zimbabwe to Cape Town
    14:44 The PhD and a more impactful side project
    19:49 Neil’s greywater and sanitation chapter
    23:45 Terminology around sustainable drainage
    30:58 The Future Water Research Institute at Uni Cape Town
    33:13 Cape Town Day Zero Drought
    39:18 Stormwater harvesting for drought-proofing?
    41:54 Creating change in South Africa with community
    48:41 Summarizing the concept of SuDS
    49:32 A stormwater engineer’s greatest ally
    51:40 Gravity sucks
    56:15 Neil’s current endeavours
    1:05:07 Q&A Start
    1:05:19 What inspires you?
    1:07:34 Key moment, book, person
    1:11:18 If you had a magic wand?
    1:12:39 Time management
    1:18:28 Advice for young researchers
    1:20:00 Where can people reach you?
    1:20:45 Final Message
    1:22:07 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • #30 - Tobias Baur: From tropical Singapore to Europe - the "ABC Waters" of sponge cities and climate adaptive design
    Jun 3 2024

    Tobias Baur, Professor in Landscape Architecture at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST), Rapperswil and former partner at Studio Ramboll-Dreiseitl, sheds some light on Singapore's Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters Program, the country's journey in water management, and how sponge cities have evolved from stormwater to climate adaptation in recent years in Asia and Europe. We discuss the important role that interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral collaboration played in ensuring a successful renaturalisation of an urban stream in the flagship Bishan Ang Mo Kio Park project and the challenges going forward.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    1:59 Guest Intro and Reflections on Singapore
    5:04 Early inspiration for water in landscape design
    9:00 Singapore's early water management leadership
    12:15 The ABC Waters Programme
    15:46 The Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park Project
    27:20 Tobias' other projects around Singapore
    31:58 Back in Europe and comparisons with the tropics
    36:14 Sponge Cities in Switzerland
    40:06 The role of the landscape architect and designer
    42:34 Q&A Start
    42:54 What inspires you?
    44:10 Key event, person, book
    44:40 If you had a magic wand?
    46:16 Biggest challenge in career to date
    48:20 Time management
    50:00 Advice for young researchers
    51:05 Where can people reach you?
    51:36 Final Message
    52:02 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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    53 mins
  • #29 - Katrin Pakizer: Grassroots movements, policy instruments and timing for transforming water, biodiversity and underground management
    May 27 2024

    Katrin Pakizer, Research Associate from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science & Technology (Eawag) joins us to discuss how to create transformative change and to transition cities towards more sustainable natural resources management from the lenses of water infrastructure, biodiversity and all the many infrastructures and resources beneath our feet. We look at the challenges that we are likely to face in future in these areas due to climate change and what changes have to happen in institutions if we want to succeed in being more sustainable.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    1:59 Guest Intro and fascination with Lichen
    5:58 What came first, social sciences or nature
    7:55 Katrin's journey to decentralized water systems
    14:42 Creating transformative change 1: Grassroots movements
    20:28 A 101 on housing cooperatives in Switzerland
    23:17 Creating transformative change 2: Policy instrument mixes
    28:41 Creating transformative change 3: Timing and sequencing
    40:39 Katrin's current endeavours in biodiversity
    45:16 Underground resources governance
    52:35 The road ahead for Katrin
    54:10 Q&A Start
    54:30 What inspires you
    56:55 If you had a magic wand
    59:22 Key moment, book, person
    1:01:24 Biggest challenge to date
    1:07:23 Time management
    1:12:10 Advice for young researchers
    1:14;32 Where can people find you
    1:15:00 Final message
    1:15:22 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • #28 - Alexa Delbosc: A social psychology toolkit for changing transport planning, built environment and future mobility
    Apr 30 2024

    Alexa Delbosc, Associate Professor at the Monash University Institute of Transport Studies, Australia demonstrates how social psychology concepts and thinking can be applied to transport planning. We explore a variety of topics including dehumanization of cyclists, changing lifestyles of millennials, the impact of the pandemic on transport, work from home culture, the built environment considerations, egocentric anchoring in planning and new ways of thinking about the city, especially with the uptake of micromobility.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    00:00 Intro
    1:59 Guest Intro and Ornithology
    4:53 From animal behaviour to human behaviour
    7:56 Cars vs. Cyclists
    10:03 The Dehumanization Scale
    12:00 Addressing the contested road space
    16:25 Millennials and changing perceptions of the city
    23:54 The pandemic and its impact
    26:53 Work from home culture and transport
    29:46 Impact of the built environment and the third space
    31:32 Egocentric anchoring and other key social psychology concepts
    35:07 New ways of thinking about cities
    36:42 Is collective design the solution?
    40:00 New challenges in micromobility
    43:39 Where is transport planning heading to?
    46:47 Diversification of transport
    50:26 Q&A Start
    50:43 What inspires you?
    52:52 Key event, person, book
    53:31 If you had a magic wand?
    55:42 Biggest challenge in career to date
    57:30 Time management
    1:00:21 Advice for young researchers
    1:01:50 Easter Egg: Alexa’s D&D Campaign
    1:03:28 Where can people find you?
    1:04:06 Final Message
    1:04:30 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 6 mins