MILUNET – Multifunctional Intensive Land Use in Europe

How cities plan and use their land for (re)development can make a major contribution to meeting this sustainability challenge. Multifunctional Intensive Land Use(MILU), where the urban fabric, green space and water is used intensively for a number of functions, and at different times of day, offers an important opportunity to realise sustainable (re)development. However, not all land use combinations are technically possible, nor desirable from a safety or health point of view. Many legal, financial and construction complications can arise. And yet, MILU projects already exist in different parts of Europe, and beyond. The key is to learn from these success and failures in order to help others meet the challenge of sustainable urban development. MILUNET is a network dedicated to transfer of knowledge on the subject through generation, collection and exchange of experiences. Partnership will jointly identify opportunities and barriers to effective MILU regional policies and instruments, and thus build up a body of common expertise which will widely be disseminated. Activities are centred around bi-annual workshops in different regions in Europe. MILUNET members are European authorities at national, regional and local level, public bodies focussing on stakeholders participation, business development, technology, information management and MILU research. A selected number of organisations from heavy urbanised areas outside Europe participate through an Innovation Board, while partner 17 will link MILUNET with projects in industrialising and undeveloped countries. Lead partner is Habiforum, a public organisation in the Netherlands focussing on MILU, experienced in organising ‘Communities of Practice’. 3 theme groups will address ‘Red’: the urban fabric and its infrastructure; Green’: green spaces and urban-rural relations; ‘Blue’: water systems. Focus of the network is the integration of sectoral policies emphasising cross-cutting issues: Governance (planning, partnerships, finance, regulations, etc.); Technology (systems management, construction technologies, architectural concepts, etc.); People and Environment (participation, quality of life, risks, resource use, etc.). The network builds on existing experiences in an already loosely organised IFHP-milu network. MILUNET will professionalise and structure the existing network activities. This is complemented with an interactive communication strategy, for which the worldwide web is an important tool. MILUNET delivers regional workshops, case study description and analysis, policy reports, an online database, publications, a Summer Course and a final World Congress upon which MILUNET will continue as a self sustained legal entity.