Background

The Future City Game in Obninsk as a model for an energy effective city was run on 13th July, 2011 as part of the International Innovation Forum ‘Energy Efficiency and Safety’ held near Obninsk during a summer camp of young professionals in the energy sector and supported by Ministry of Energy of Russian Federation, ROSATOM, the International Association of Young Nuclear Power Engineers, as well as the International Association for Corporate Education (MAKO).

MAKO was the organiser of the game and some other educational programmes in the summer camp.

Obninsk (Russian: О́бнинск) is a city in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located 100 kilometres southwest of Moscow, population – 104,798 (2010). Obninsk is a major Russian city of science.

The first nuclear power plant in the world for the large-scale production of electricity opened here on June 27, 1954; it also doubled as a training base for the crew of the Soviet Union's first nuclear submarine, the Leninsky Komsomol, or K-3. In 2000, Obninsk was awarded the status of First Science City of Russia. The city is home to twelve scientific research institutes. Their main activities are nuclear power engineering, nuclear methods and radiation technology, the technology of non-metallic materials, medical radiology, meteorology, and ecology and environmental protection.
According to the instructions set by the game’s methodology, the organisers of the game identified and selected the participants of the game, who were mainly representatives of the nuclear power engineers participating in the summer camp, but each team also had representatives of Obninsk city administration, including city planning, transport, environment, public utilities etc.

There were 8 teams of 5 participants representing the above-mentioned sectors. The structure of the game was modified by giving a specific topic to each of the teams: 1) housing, 2) office, 3) public buildings and public spaces, 4) culture and arts, 5) education, 6) surroundings/ environment, 7) public transport and 8) enterprises
 

Objectives

The aim of the game was to generate ideas about how to transform Obninsk (the so-called ‘city with limited access’) into a city that is environmentally friendly for residnets, businesses and entertainment.

Partner organisations
International association for corporate education (MAKO, the Customer): One of the co-organisers of the International Innovation Forum. Involved in preparing the local dossier, selecting participants for the game, ensuring logistics, as well as coordinating public relations activities and providing a guest Games Master from Latvia.

Obninsk City administration: Partner involved in preparing the local dossier, selecting participants from the city administration, development and promotion of the ideas elaborated during the game.

British Council in Russia: Providing the game methodology.
‘Knowledge and Innovation Society’ NGO: Providing additional competence and new approaches to working with Future City Games audiences (additional slides on effective presentation techniques, innovation culture, examples of FCG ideas in Latvia and abroad).

Themes - global changes

Economy: dominance of Asian  countries in the world economy; labour market skill mismatch; too rapid development; fast development of new technologies; stability of global financial system; energy adequacy of business sector needs; impact of natural disasters on the economy; creation of artificial demand; exclusion of small business from the market.

Culture: mix of culture; disappearance of culture/ethnic elements; virtual culture – the same value?; cultural impunity; national culture vs global culture; aggressive philosophy of religions; language barriers; how to keep language and culture; acceptance of other cultures/identities; corporate culture as dominant; decreasing identity from cultural perspective; dramatic differences in cultures and religions, cultural racism; a large amount of information in the education system; massive conflicts.

Environment: use of ‘green’ transport; insufficient utilisation of waste; pollution; greenhouse effect; rise in sea level; shift of climatic zones; increasing amount of waste; threat of natural disasters; coastal urban floods; insufficient identification of the planet's resources; acceleration of growing consumption; harmony with environment; pollution.

Social: threats of terror; policy of consumption; competitiveness of education systems; social exclusion; availability of information in less developed areas; illnesses; different communication forms between generations; mix of nations; new models of families; aging Western European countries; health of people; social inequality; migration is changing social capital in the world.

Themes - local changes

Economy: missed scientific and technical opportunties; lack of own source of energy; insufficient collaboration between local entrepreneurs; undeveloped local economic chains; old approach to working hours; undeveloped and out-of-order infrastructure; luck of government support for business infrastructure; low wages of bus drivers; lack of tangible development projects.

Culture: lack of information on how cultural resources are used; culture of newcomers; rural way of thinking vs. urban way of thinking; there is no environment on which to build the culture; noise; unsuccessful integration of culture; luck of relation between culture and economic engines; identity of culture; unexploited historical and existing potential; deficiency of culture management; degradation of culture heritage; lack of coordinated activities; maintaining local identity.

Environment: dense buildings in the city; lack of playgrounds and parks, and challenges in other public utilities; pedestrian safety; deterioration of the housing stock; increasing number of vehicles; ‘green’ education and philosophy, social responsibility towards environmental resources; climate changes in the area; garbage; environmental impact of dense traffic; no recreation area; inappropriate use of courtyard areas; environmental degradation of the city; old bus fleet.

Social: outflow of skilled personnel and migration to Moscow and other cities; lack of an integrated approach to problem solving; degradation of social environment; migration of youth and qualified workforce; insufficient social benefit system (inappropriate to inhabitants needs); social exclusion; police action (security); lack of local social identity; lack of cooperation between the generations; insufficient capacity of local social infrastructure.
 

Winning idea

Okkama Centre
The authors of the idea offer to arrange the centre, which would include both the physical infrastructure and the mental resources needed for ‘green’ thinking in the 21st century.

Okkama Centre would include all the necessary services needed for residents, and at the same time it would be a new approach how to educating society and encourage ’green’ thinking and action. The name of the project comes from Occam's Razor, which holds that “Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily”.
 

Winning ideas from the other teams

Smart office
The team offers to build energy-efficient multi-storey office complexes because of the large number of small innovative enterprises in the city, lack of land for construction and limited energy in a fast-growing industrial area. The project would offer an efficient use of a limited urban area, solve issues of limited energy resources, and create a more attractive environment for new innovative start-ups.

Smart city
The aim of the project is to create a positive image of programmes for energy efficiency in the city, forming the new generation’s understanding of the rational use of energy as a lifestyle, as well as obtaining an additional independent power source. The activities would include the installation of energy accumulation elements like dance floors, elements on roads, railways, shopping malls, fitness centres, nursery schools, public squares, parks and other public places. The project provides independence from traditional energy sources and electricity networks, and can be connected to network facilities as an alternative source of energy, and also provide electricity to remote areas of the city.

Educational transformer ‘Nursery school – school – university’
The building consists of four buildings connected by a common room (nursery school – school - university – connecting corridor). Transformation is possible given the current spatial needs of the garden, school or university. In the common area: communal kitchen, dining room, a gym with swimming pool, assembly hall. The implementation of constructive social energy associated with communication with children, teenagers and adults. The use of energy-efficient technologies. This gives an opportunity to develop a new concept of an educational institution.

Energy development - science of the peace atom
Version of an integrated solution – building near Obninsk nuclear power plant of small capacity (100 MW) with reactor facilities designed not only to generate energy, but also for scientific research. Potential benefits: creation of a national network of small capacity nuclear power plants – ROSATOM’s project (minimal risks for co-investor); ‘long money’, with a high level of income after ROI); the possibility of associated businesses: heat selling research and development, educational tourism,  reduction of tariffs for consumers in Obninsk, sale of surplus electricity to third partners, more working places etc.

Green Roof
The project will help treduce heat loss and the cost of heating buildings in winter; reduce cooling costs of buildings by 15-19% by natural evaporation of moisture; can reduce the amount of water that falls to the ground as precipitation, snowmelt, etc.; contribute substantially to reducing air pollution and enriching it with oxygen; to purify rainwater; absorb noise; an effective agricultural space. A green roof is a key component in the development of energy-efficient homes being protected from weather and climate impacts; green roofs last several times longer than normal ones; it is easy to cover the increased initial cost of planting.

Skyline Dynamic Tower
The idea is to build an energy-efficient tower with the following technical parameters: power 0.3MW wind turbines (48 turbines hidden low-noise between floors), total power: 1200MW/h; height of 420m; 80 floors. Energy production up to five times more than consumption, using wind, solar, hydro and geothermal energy, full turn floor for ninety minutes. Other parameters: heat pumps for geothermal energy, glazing of transparent solar panels, as well as on the roof; collecting rain water and discharging it into the turbine for power generation; building height justified for wind energy; using the advanced storage devices, and a powerful system of water supply and sanitation; system of environmental recycling; the highest seismic resistance due to design.

“ОБНИми” (‘Embrace’) transport company
The authors of the idea offer to re-organise the bus park in Obninsk City. Long-distance routes would be developed; service centres established on routes, petrol stations and bus wash for drivers; advertising on buses and at bus stops; selected fares for the length of the route; renting places on the bus.