|
How do we design sustainable cities? Environmental concerns
often surpass the best intentions of individuals and our
current challenges are a result of the industrial revolution
and increased urbanization of populations from the preceding
century. In the past, the race for progress and development
disregarded any plan for sustainable living in the future.
But we are living in the era of this “future” now,
and in the effort to combat mounting environmental catastrophe
new eco-designs for urban spaces are being created by designers
and planners around the world.
Ten Eco-city Precepts
Eighty percent of the world’s population lives in cities.
This is why it’s essential that the health of the environment
be considered in terms of how populated spaces are designed
to interact with it. Yet conceptualizing the relationship
between ecology and urban centers can be a daunting task.
Promoting sustainable activity requires examining the physical
and emotional well being of a society while maintaining the
infrastructure that supports cities.
Industry, transportation, waste management, water systems,
energy, climate control and social programs must be factored
in. The following list devised (published by ecocity.org)
by the European Union lists ten key issues that reflect what
most eco-planning organizations are incorporating in their
planning:
Resource Budgeting
Energy Conservation and Efficiency
Renewable Energy Technology
Long Lasting Built Structures
Proximity Between Home and Work
Efficient Transportation Systems
Waste Reduction and Recycling
Organic Waste Composting
A Central City Metabolism
A Supply of Staple Foods from Local Food Sources.
Urban Ecology and urban design are key terms for ways to
look how urban planning is changing to create sustainable
human settlements. The following profiles outline what some
companies and organizations are doing to accomplish this.
Urban Ecology
Urban Ecology Australia defines an ecologically sound city
as one that is in balance
with nature. Urban Ecology Australia is a non-profit educational
association working to
transform human settlements into sustainable and equitable
ecocities. They are United
Nations accredited and Australia’s only federally recognized
community based urban
environmental organization.
One of their projects, Christie Walk, in Adelaide, Australia,
is a medium density housing development.
Christie Walk incorporates ecologically sustainable and community
geared design. Features include a community garden, a rooftop
garden, onsite water storage, passive solar/climate responsive
heating, cooling and humidity control, solar hot water, and
power from photovoltaic solar cells.
The key issues that they focus on are:
Water and energy conservation.
Material reuse and recycling.
Healthy, people-friendly public spaces.
Ecodesign
Ecodesign company, MBDC, in Charlottesville, Va., transforms
the old “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra. William
Mcdonough, one of the founders of the company, believes that
the old concept of production should be renovated to the
point where factories are so safe that environmental regulations
should no longer be applicable. Among the concepts is what
he calls “upcycling” (a term coined with colleague
and mentor Michael Braungart) as opposed to what he refers
as “downcycling,” our current recycling practice.
If products are made without toxic residues and metal-catalysts
then they can be reintroduced into the production system
without harmful byproducts. Right now many of the products
that we think of as recyclable, like many paper products,
are produced using toxic systems of production. To recycle
products means not only a loss in material, but also a re-introduction
to an already toxic system.
Products that Mcdonough proposes can actually go back to
the soil without toxic byproducts. An example is “paper” made
from plastic resins and organic fillers that can be recycled
infinitely. With the Rhoner textile plant in Switzerland,
they designed upholstery fabric that can be composted into
garden mulch. This is what Mcdonough refers to as a ‘cradle-to-cradle’ cycle
where materials are circulated in closed loops without damage
to the environment.
In addition to advancing sustainable products, MBDC also
promotes ecological design of structures that use natural
lighting, air circulation and sustainable energy. Some of
their clients include The Ford Motor Company, The City of
Chicago, Herman Miller, BASF, Nike, PepsiCo, Steelcase, and
Shaw Industries.
Preservartion and Heritage
Canadian organization Heritage Canada is taking a slightly
different approach to urban ecology. They are looking at
the preservation of the current landscape and neighborhoods
to promote healthy and sustainable human settlements. By
preserving old neighborhoods using community development
and renewable resources urban spaces can build upon cultural
heritage.
Their mission: “Saving heritage buildings saves natural
resources. Sustainable community development is only possible
if older buildings are reused.”
Like the above mentioned organizations, Heritage Canada
believes in looking to natural resources as a framework for
sustainable living. This means using local resources to restore
older buildings while using sustainable materials to build “environmentally
sensitive infill” housing.
These are just a few of the projects occurring in different
parts of the world that are incorporating environmentally
sustainable objectives into urban planning. For more information,
visit these websites.
http://www.advocacyaction.org
http://www.mbdc.com
http://www.urbanecology.org.au/
Do you have a comment or feedback on
this article? Email
us and let us know what you think.
|
