23 June 2011
Institute to Study Auckland’s Future As World’s Most Liveable City

A global think-tank has chosen New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, to study its liveability and explore new ideas to contribute to its goal of becoming the world’s most liveable city.

The Global Cities Institute of professional technical consultancy AECOM will work with Auckland Council and the highly regarded New Zealand Institute to develop thought-provoking ideas designed to challenge and inspire Auckland’s 30-year vision.

The goal for Auckland to become the world’s most liveable city is driven by its mayor Len Brown and is a key element of a 30-year council plan being developed to guide the city’s future.

The Global Cities Institute will draw on AECOM’s world-wide planning, design, engineering and management specialists to examine three important areas considered crucial to Auckland’s future, including integrated transport, future growth opportunities and sustainable options for higher density living.

Auckland has been rated the 10th most liveable city in The Economist’s 2010 World’s Most Liveable Cities index and the 2010 Mercer Quality of Living Survey ranked the city in 4th equal place in the world. It is also considered one of the world’s greenest cities with more than 4,219 parks covering 16 per cent of its land area.

Auckland is set to grow significantly over the next two decades and is projected to become home to almost 40 percent of New Zealand’s population by 2031 as half a million additional people settle in the city.

AECOM’s Institute leader and Chief Innovation Officer, Joe Brown, said the Institute was committed to exploring innovative and integrated approaches to urban improvements.

“Auckland’s scale, and impressive assets and ambitions provide a useful case study for many other cities hoping to combine growth with improved liveability,” Mr Brown said.

Each year, the Institute partners with a new city to explore urban issues of common interest. Previous cities chosen by the Institute include Beijing (China) and Phoenix-Tucson (United States).

For more information on AECOM’s Global Cities Institute go to http://globalcities.aecom.com/

ENDS

About AECOM AECOM is a global provider of professional technical and management support services to a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government. With approximately 45,000 employees around the world, AECOM is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves.

AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering solutions that create, enhance and sustain the world's built, natural, and social environments. A Fortune 500 company, AECOM serves clients in approximately 125 countries and had revenue of US$7.3 billion during the 12 months ended 31 March 2011. More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.

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