Working Groups

  • Animateur: Wout Broere (Netherlands)
  • Vice-Animateur: Vishaweet Ahuja (India)
  • Tutor: Pal Kocsonya (Hungary)
  • Report presented by Wout Broere.

The meeting of the Group has gathered ten participants from USA, Netherlands, China, Hungary, Australia, Russia, and Italy.

The first report of the Group has been published in April 2012:

  • 1. To highlight common Urban Problems.
  • 2. To give an overview of which Underground Solutions can be used to solve these problems.
  • 3. Aspects to be considered during the Decision Making Process in order to include underground solutions.

"ISOCARP welcomes this extremely timely and interesting report from ITA-WG20 on 'Urban Problems, Underground Solutions.' It is a very valuable resource for urban planners and all those working on urban problems and potential solutions, and will give them ample food for thought." Shipra Narang Suri, Ph.D. Vice-President, ISOCARP, and Manfred Schrenk, Vice- President and Treasurer, ISOCARP.

Urban Problems

  • Crowding and lack of space (for work and recreation)
  • Aesthetic qualities and image of the urban environment
  • Traffic congestion
  • Aging infrastructure and distribution of resources
  • Safety, security, and protection against natural disasters
  • Flooding
  • Environmental conditions such as noise and air pollution
  • Sewage conveyance and treatment
  • Synergy effects of the above

Underground Solutions

  • Road and rail tunnels
  • Parking
  • Drinking water storage and production
  • Storm water relief
  • Energy and goods distribution
  • Short and long term storage
  • Recreational facilities, leisure and shopping
  • Office space and housing

Decision making process

  • The impact on environmental quality
  • Aesthetical issues
  • Social and legal influences
  • Reduction in travel times
  • Energy saving
  • Possible increase in property values

The Way Forward

  • Collecting exemplary projects of underground construction
  • Highlight the benefits of going underground
  • Influence of underground infrastructure on property values
  • Provide a solid basis for the calculation of benefits of underground construction in a cost-benefit analysis
  • Interact with ITACET and ITACUS