Sustainable Urban Makeover
Through Green & Smart Infrastructure
Our annual conference dedicated to the sustainable development of Romanian cities and regions is already at its 14th edition and has consolidated its position as a top event for the business environment, urban development & architecture and the public administration.
Encouraging the sustainable development of the country, promoting measures to increase the attractiveness for new investments and stimulating the country’s competitiveness are essential factors for us.
Cities of Tomorrow offers a platform for the exchange of ideas, concepts and know-how between the public and private sectors, with the ambition of creating the proper context for partnerships and projects leading to concrete actions and results.
Cities are currently undergoing a profound transformation. Climate change, demographic pressure, economic competitiveness, and the demand for a high quality of life are redefining the way urban spaces function.
Urban Renaissance reflects this necessity — not merely for incremental adjustments, but for a comprehensive transition grounded in green and smart infrastructure.
Green infrastructure — from energy-efficient buildings and sustainable mobility to urban green spaces and climate adaptation solutions — is becoming the foundation of modern urban development.
At the same time, smart infrastructure enables cities to operate more efficiently through digitalization, data-driven decision-making, and integrated systems that enhance public services and resource management.
Urban Renaissance ultimately means creating more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready cities — better places to live, work, and invest, both today and for generations to come.
EDITIONS
PARTICIPANTS
TOPICS
SPEAKERS
EXHIBITORS
SOCIAL MEDIA
INTERACTIONS
ROUNDTABLES
MEDIA APPEARANCES
Professor Vicente Carabias is a Professor of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) School of Engineering and the Deputy Head of the ZHAW Institute of Sustainable Development, where he coordinates the Sustainable Energy Systems and Smart Cities research group. Prof. Vicente Carabias is also a coordinator of the ZHAW Platform Smart Cities & Regions for the implementation of Smart Sustainable Cities. Since completing his Master Studies in Environmental Sciences at the ETH Zurich in 1996, he has been involved in sustainability research, services, and teaching (Technology Foresight) at ZHAW.
In addition, from 2019 on, he supports part-time the transformation of the City of Winterthur as the Smart City Responsible. The City of Winterthur was one of the first Swiss cities to adopt a Smart City strategy in 2018. He manages WinLab, the Urban Living Lab of the City of Winterthur, which offers the systematic testing of social and technological innovations in public-private-people partnerships and he is the contact person for WinLab collaborations in applied research and innovation development.
He has been working at the Graz Executive Office for Urban Planning, Development and Construction for 20 years (since 2005). His areas of activity are: expert for European and national funding programs and projects with a focus on integrated urban development, promotion of understanding of municipal challenges and needs on all administrative levels (whole-of-government approach), Strategic networking with other European and Austrian city administrations, scientific institutions, intermediaries, Co-authoring of strategic papers and positions for intergrated urban development and the urban dimension in the EU cohesion policy.
Christian Nußmüller strives professionally and privately to contribute to a livable Graz.
He sees horizontal and vertical collaboration on equal footing, transparency and the creation of “win-wins” as the key for every societal progress.
Before joining the City of Munich as Head of Urban Development Planning in 2018, Arne Lorz held various leading positions in the cities of Duisburg, Trier, and Saarbrücken, always with a strong focus on innovation, strategic thinking, and interdisciplinary, integrated projects. For him, a key factor for successful urban development has consistently been the transformative power of cities and their communities, which fosters resilient and sustainable structures and processes that make urban environments truly livable. He is convinced that urban development requires a strong commitment to professional values and expertise, combined with active participation and dialogue with the public and relevant stakeholders.
Dr. Jochen Lang has been Head of the Directorate for Housing and Urban Renewal at the Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing in Berlin since 2022. He oversees housing policy, funding for construction and modernization, public housing companies, rent regulation, and Berlin’s urban development funding programmes. A political scientist by training, he began his career as an academic researcher and policy consultant in regional, technology, and labour market policy. In 2001, he joined the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development as a policy advisor, later becoming Head of Division for the Coordination of Urban Development Funding in 2008. In 2014, he moved to the Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing in Berlin, leading the Directorate for Housing, Housing Construction, Urban Renewal and the Social City. From 2018, he served as Head of the Directorate for Interdepartmental Coordination at the Berlin Senate Chancellery.
As part of our event CITIES OF TOMORROW, we’re excited to invite you to the next energy-focused event in Cluj-Napoca! In partnership with Energynomics, we’re hosting a two-day event dedicated to the most pressing topics in the energy sector.
Join us on September 23 for the Energy Transition Conference, where we’ll explore key themes such as energy efficiency and the practical steps needed to shape the smart cities of the future. The event will bring together local authorities, industry experts, technology providers, and decision-makers from both the public and private sectors.
On the second day, AHK will host in a roundtable discussion focused on energy communities — a key element in accelerating Romania’s green transition and empowering local actors.
Let’s build smarter, greener cities — together!
10:00 – 11 :30 – Roundtable disscusion
11 :30 – 13 :00 – Networking & Lunch
13 :00 – 14 :30 – Site visit
