5 posts tagged “urban development”

Link: Cities: A Smart Alternative to Cars

This article claims "The best car-related innovation we have is not to improve the car but to eliminate the need to drive it everywhere we go."  Although we tend to think of cars as commodities and buildings as long-term investments, growth and renewal in urban areas gives us the opportunity to create people-friendly spaces served by excellent public transit systems.  As an example, multi-use development in Vancouver allows 40% of downtown households to be car-free.  In comparison, the long design cycle for car and their increasing lifespan suggests the car fleet in 2030 will be largely similar to what we have today.

Certainly, more fuel efficient cars will help, but compact urban development can provide both energy efficiency and increased quality of life even faster.  Changing the way we live can also prevent one of the downsides of efficiency: it tends to result in a drop in price as supply exceeds demand, which can have the perverse effect of actually increasing demand.

For a look at alternatives to cars for longer distances, check out the TreeHugger interview with Andy Kunz, New Urbanist.  He argues that tremendous amounts of money are poured into infrastructure for cars and aviation, increasing our dependence on non-renewable energy while being unable to keep up with demand.  The cartoon at the bottom of the page is excellent.

Thanks to Eileen Stephens for the pointer!

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Link: Rise of the Carbon-Neutral City (updated 2008/03/18)

This article contrasts a number of large scale, 'greenfield' carbon-neutral cities such as Masdar and Dongtan, with retrofit strategies such as Vancouver's focus on efficient public transit.  Although high-profile projects can provide a boost to innovative technologies and generate interest, the cost is high and the technology may not always be transferable.  The article highlights the importance of measuring the benefits achieved, such as reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. 

At the same time, there are advantages in scale - synergy between diverse elements can open up cost-effective opportunities for green design.  An example is the Dockside Green project in Victoria, BC - their Annual Sustainability Report: 2007 is a shining example of what is possible.  'Systems' solutions can deliver also unexpected benefits, such as Vancouver's public transit strategy.  The challenge is to adapt them to scales that make sense.

For a perspective on cities founded on ecological principles, see the TreeHugger post Ecocities of Tomorrow: An Interview with Richard Register.  Register talks of the vision as well as the challenge of changing how we live, the difficulties of turning green buildings into a green city, and describes three scenarios based on how we use the remaining oil that has fueled our development.

Thanks to Eileen Stephens for the pointer!

2008/03/18 TreeHugger did an interview with Richard Register, Peter Droege, Sahar Attia, Christopher Choa and Gil Friend on the theme Can Foster + Partners' Masdar City in U.A.E be Truly Sustainable?  The panelists expressed a range of opinions on several questions, such as the relationship of Masdar to broader issues of sustainability, its connection to the larger environment, the ability to meet the stated goals, and the concept of building cities from scratch.

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TreeHugger did an article on Aquaponics - The Urban Food Revolution, the combination of aquaculture and hyrophonics where the later uses and purifies the waste from the fish-raising part of the operation.  The process is "closed-loop" and therefore uses 10% of the water required for traditional farming.  The article includes a number of links for additional information:

::Urban Aquaponics, ::S & S AQUA Farm, ::Backyard Aquaponics, ::Practical Aquaponics

One commenter describes a plan to create an integrated system using a constructed wetland to purify greywater, a fish pond and a hydroponic greenhouse.  In addition to dramatically reducing water requirements, the system will enhance the habitat for local animals. 

Another commenter pointed out that managing the process requires a degree of skill and time.  This sounds like an opportunity to either design in the appropriate checks and balances, or introduce a technological solution that can do the monitoring and management.

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The November 8th issue of TIME included the article Need to Weed Your Roof? that described the different types of green roofs and referenced a BioScience paper which reported 50% reduction in building heat loss, a 25% reduction in air-condition and a 2 degree Celsius lowering of the 'urban heat island' effect.  The November 7th Epoch Times (Australia) article The Benefits of Greening Urban Buildings also listed extended roof life, water capture (reducing run-off), sound insulation and potential air quality benefits. 

The primary article Green Roofs as Urban Ecosystems: Ecological Structures, Functions, and Services is available in the November 2007 issue of BioScience.  It describes the history of green roofs, green roof vegetation, data on benefits measured in Ottawa and Toronto (listed above), and future research directions. 

CEOs for Cities is launching a 'kidsincities' program to "break the traditional pattern of family migration to the suburbs."  They charged the Institute of Design to research 'urban pioneers' who chose to raise their children in cities as well as 'tentative urbanites' and 'discontented suburbanites' who were not satisfied with their current environment.  The full report (6MB PDF) attempts to portray a realistic picture of the concerns, the potential of urban life and specific actions that cities can take.

Concerns about city living included safety, space and schools.  Many cities have made significant improvement in these areas.  Urban parents also find ways to address these issues locally.  CEOs for Cities is launching a Learning Networks initiative with leaders from New York, Chicago, Portland and Akron to convert the findings of the research into local action. 

Original reference from Treehugger: Is it Even Possible to Turn Tide of Migration Towards Cities for Young Families?

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