Many of our customers and communities are experiencing increasing urbanization and wonder how it could affect their businesses and neighborhoods. As populations swell in urban areas, businesses and municipalities will need to collaborate and innovate to create sustainable cities.

By 2030, Sixty Percent of the Global Population Will Live in Cities

According to the United Nations, around the world, nearly 50 percent of the population — or 3.5 billion people — already live in urban centers. Over the next decade or so, that number is expected to grow to 60 percent, and reach 75 percent by 2050. Almost all that growth will occur in emerging and developing markets.

Cities today make up only three percent of land area, but account for 60 to 80 percent of energy consumption and 75 percent of carbon emissions. The World Economic Forum links rising urbanization to potential environmental and social risks like water crises, failure of critical infrastructure, underemployment and social instability. To ensure the well-being of urban residents now and into the future, as well as guarantee the continued habitability of our global environment, cities will need to be resilient.

As TrendOne describes, “Concepts for ecological cities will minimize the impact of environmental damage caused by urban centers as well as increase people’s quality of life. The city residents themselves will reshape their own urban surroundings by blurring the distinctions between the city and countryside—be it through Urban Gardening or by integrating country practices into their urban lives.…New living concepts are emerging in all kinds of shapes and styles.”

How Can Southwire be Part of the Solution?

Population density in cities also offers an opportunity for efficiency gains and innovation to reduce resource and energy consumption. Both new construction and retrofitting existing infrastructure to support modern living or working needs are sources of significant investment in our cities.

Southwire is already hard at work developing products that will usher in a new era of modern, urban living. Our solutions contribute to sustainable cities in two ways: 1) they enable the power and transportation infrastructure cities will rely on, and 2) they help builders and contractors to navigate tighter urban spaces. Recently, we launched several innovative product offerings suited to improve the efficiency and safety of urban areas around the globe.

• SOLONONplus™ low-smoke, non-halogen cross linked polyolefin cable (LSZH XLPO) was engineered as a solution for the transit and railway markets, offering a fire resistant, low smoke product to the transportation industry.
• Super Sunlight Resistant – SSR™ PV cable, developed in response to customer needs for enhanced UV protection on photovoltaic (PV) wire slatted for above ground solar installations. Extensive laboratory testing on the product has proven its longevity for color retention as well as superseding elevated tensile and elongation trials.
• The Tappan™ Fire Alarm Cable in a SIMpull® CoilPAK™ Wire Payoff earned a 2016 NECA Showstopper Award. The durable, fully-encased package helps eliminate broken spools and protects the wire, which is manufactured in accordance with stringent fire safety codes and regulations.
• The MC-PCS Duo™ Cable—a 2015 NECA Showstopper winner—won the Electrical Construction & Maintenance magazine’s Product of the Year 2016 Award. This product, specifically designed for use with energy efficient LED lighting, combines power conductors and 0-10 volt dimming control conductors into one cable, reducing labor and installation costs.
• The SIMpull™ Reel™ maneuverable payoff empowers a single person to safely and efficiently maneuver a 6,000-pound reel through tight spaces on a job site and pull off the reel right beside electrical equipment/conduit.

To learn more about how Southwire is innovating for sustainable cities, see the Technology & Innovation section of our Sustainability Report.

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