Editing Sustainable cities

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[[File:Fukuoka green roof.jpg|thumb]]

Over half of the world's population already live in urban areas, making sustainable cities a key part of a sustainable planet Earth.

A '''sustainable city''', '''ecocity''' or '''ecopolis''' is a entire city that is created with the intent to minimize use of [[energy]], [[water]] and imported [[food]], and minimize impact from its waste [[heat]], [[air pollution]] and [[water pollution]]. Richard Register coined the term "ecocity" in his 1987 book, [http://worldcat.org/oclc/15055352&referer=brief_results ''Ecocity Berkeley: building cities for a healthy future''.] Another leading figure to envisioned the sustainable city was [[architect]] [[Paul F. Downton]], who later founded ''Ecopolis Architects''.

== What is a sustainable city ==

A sustainable city can feed and power itself with little reliance on the surrounding countryside, and creates the smallest possible [[ecological footprint]] for its residents. This is friendly to the surrounding environment, with negligible [[pollution]], low-impact land use, and alleviation of [[climate change]]. 

The first thing to consider in how sustainable a city can be is its physical layout. Sprawling means more transport cost, more cost and energy used for [[infrastructure]], and more difficulty in ecological processing of water and [[wastewater]].

== Practical achievement ==

These ecological cities are achieved though various means, such as:

* Different [[Agriculture|agricultural systems]] such as agricultural plots within the city ([[suburbs]] or [[City centre|centre]]). This, in order to reduce the distance food has to travel from [[Food miles|field to fork]]. Practical work out of this may be done by either small scale/private farming plots or through larger scale agriculture (eg [[Vertical farming|farmscrapers]])
* [[Renewable energy]] sources, such as [[wind turbines]], [[solar panel]]s, or [[bio-gas]] created from [[sewage]]. Cities provide [[economies of scale]] that make such energy sources viable.
* Various methods to reduce the need for [[air conditioning]] (a massive energy demand), such as low lying buildings that allow air to circulate, [[Natural ventilation|natural ventilation systems]], an increase in water features, and green spaces equaling at least 20% of the city's surface. This counters the environmental heating caused by factors such as an abundance of tarmac and asphalt, which can heat city areas by up to 6 degrees Celsius during the evening.
* Improved [[public transport]] and an increase in pedestrianisation to reduce car emissions. This requires a radically different approach to city planning, with integrated business, industrial, and residential zones. Roads may be designed to make driving difficult.
* Optimal building density to make public transport viable but avoid the creation of [[urban heat island]]s.
* Solutions to decrease [[urban sprawl]], by seeking new ways of to allow people to live closer to the workspace.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} Since the workplace tends to be in the city, downtown, or urban center, they are seeking a way to increase density by changing the antiquated attitudes many suburbanites have towards inner-city areas.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} One of the new ways is on how this is achieved is by solutions worked out by the [[Smart Growth]] Movement.{{Fact|date=January 2008}}
* [[green roof]]s
* [[green transport]]
* [[sustainable urban drainage systems]] or SUDS
* [[Energy conservation|energy conservation systems/devices]]
* [[xeriscaping]] - garden and landscape design for water conservation

== Present and planned sustainable cities ==

{{Main|List of sustainable cities}}

=== Present Eco-cities ===

* [[Växjö]], Sweden<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20170106230930/http://www.unep.org/GC/GCSS-IX/Documents/Swedish-1A.pdf Växjö, a eco-city in Sweden]</ref>
* [[Hammarby Sjostad]], Sweden<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080820171814/http://www.cooltownstudios.com/mt/archives/001143.html Hammarby Sjostad as an eco-city]</ref>

=== Planned Eco-cities ===

* [[Dongtan]], China
* [[Guangdon]], China
* [[Sanya]], China<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20160306081129/http://postcarboncities.net/node/993 Sanya as eco-city]</ref>
* 3 more to be determined eco-cities planned by Arup in China<ref>[http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,,1635188,00.html]</ref>
* [[Stockholm]], Sweden<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20090704195712/http://www.iclei-europe.org:80/index.php?id=4332 Stockholm eco-city by 2050]</ref>
* [[Whyalla]], Australia<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg16021566.800-from-steel-city-to-ecocity.html City of Whyalla as a eco-city]</ref>
* [[White Bay, New South Wales|Sydney White Bay]], Australia<ref>[http://abc.net.au/news/items/200706/1944303.htm?nsw Sydney's White Bay area as an eco-city]</ref>

Today, still few real life examples of sustainable cities exist. On a small scale, [[green buildings]] such as the [[Melbourne]] city council building in [[Australia]] produce much of their own energy supplies. Many [[shanty town]]s in the underdeveloped world already practice the principles of an ecopolis: efficient power use, recycling, private agriculture, and pedestrianisation. The planned development of [[Sociópolis]] in Valencia,{{W|Valencia (city in Spain)}} [[Spain]] will provide low-rise [[affordable housing]] integrated into traditional agricultural zones and irrigation systems. Perhaps the most ambitious project is a planned extension in the [[Chongming]] district of [[Shanghai]], referred to as [[Dongtan]]. Dongtan is being designed with the specific aim of minimizing the eco-footprint of its residents, and includes plans to become self-sufficient in energy and water production.

=== Population density and Green Manhattan ===

The article [[Green Manhattan]] argues that densely packed city dwellers have a smaller footprint than those in leafier, more natural looking settings. [[Population density]] actually facilitates sustainable design in [[housing]] and [[transport]]. With their [[apartments]] backing against each other (great [[insulation]]), nowhere to park a [[car]] ([[trains]], [[buses]] and feet can work well in a dense city) and using [[elevators]] as a regular form of transport, their daily energy use is greatly reduced.

=== Green urban design ===

Certain movements in urban design, or [[urban planning]], recognize the role of density, and value of development nodes around transport hubs. In particular, [[transit-oriented development]] (or the very similar concepts of [[New Urbanism]] a.k.a. Traditional Neighborhood Design) turn many standard practices of car-centered urban planning on their head.

=== Transport ===

While the individual chooses what mode of transport to use, the design of the city and the policies of the government have a huge impact on how commuters choose to travel.

Public transport, cycling and usage is enhanced by:

* Walkable environments (density, to reduce distance, and pleasant leafy streets with an even line of building fronts near the street). A good coverage of public transport stops helps.
* Adequate investment - recognizing the many benefits to the community, in air quality, health, reduced congestion, and reduced stress levels.
* Efficient entry, exit and transfers. Poorly designed systems lead to delays and fiddling with tickets, which is tiring for commuters.

=== Municipal water and sanitation ===

[[File:Porous pavement.JPG|thumb|[[Permeable pavements]]|right]]

Larger scale and community measures on water include:

* [[Stormwater]] management through green space, and [[permeable pavements]], as well as green roofs. See [[Reducing runoff]].
* Treatment and reuse of [[greywater]] and even [[blackwater]] - this raises important [[health]] issues, however and caution should be taken.

=== Green city government ===

Some city governments have developed a name for their green policies. For example:

* [[Portland, Oregon]], which makes green house designs available to their residents (and encourages their use through cheaper, expedited approval.
* Cities which ban the burning of rubbish (which has already been done in most Western cities{{Verification needed}}) have cleaner air.

In general the adoption of policies to create [[incentives]] for sustainable behavior is an effective way to create a sustainable city.

=== Green coated grey policies ===

[[Policies]] restricting density, especially where based on arbitrary measures of floor space to land area, do not encourage good [[design]], and on the contrary encourage waste of space, through [[roads]] and [[landscaping]] (arguably decorative but not usable). Resisting change, perhaps due to [[NIMBYism]], encourages growth in the same unsustainable patterns that threaten us with [[climate change]] and dropping [[quality of life]].

== Ecocities ==

Attempts to build sustainable cities from the ground up, i.e. [[Ecocities]], have been made, for example [[Bahía de Caráquez]]. On a smaller level, [[Ecovillages]] are a similar idea, while [[Transition Towns]] aims to transform existing communities.

== Personal choices ==

There are many individual choices to make as well, to be a green city dweller - see '''[[Sustainable city living]]'''.

== Notes and references ==

<references />

== See also ==

* [[Earthship]]s, together with its company [[BioTincture]], is examining a different route to be used for the developing world (other than developed world) for creating sustainable cities.
* [[Ekistics]]
* [[Megacity]]
* [[Metropolis]]
* [[Zero energy building]]
* [[Sustainable landscape architecture]]
* [[Green design]]
* [[Ecovillage]]
* [[Carfree Cities]]
* [[Vianova]]
* [[Arcology]]
* [[Urban Renewal]]
* [[Dongtan]]

== External links ==

* [[Wikipedia:Eco-cities]], [[Wikipedia:Sustainable city|Sustainable city]]
* [http://www.ecocityworldsummit.org/index2.htm Ecocity Summit 2008], April 22-26, San Francisco, California.
* [http://www.ecocitybuilders.org Ecocity Builders] founded by Richard Register.
* [http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/297-Which-way-China- Which way China?]Herbert Girardet, 2006 October 2nd, chinadialogue. Discusses the emergences of ecocities in China.
* [http://www.alphagcorp.com/mediacenter_News.aspx?PGID=124 eco-friendly homes gaining popularity in india]
* [http://www.ithacahours.com/losangeles.html Los Angeles: A History of the Future]
* [http://www.zonneterp.nl/english/index_uk.html Zonneterp-project (eco-neighbourhood)]
* [http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com Sustainable cities information]
* [http://transitiontowns.org/ Transition Towns, a organisation building sustainable cities]
* [http://cleanslate.editboard.com/Discussion-c1/Topics-f2.htm A proposal for a clean-slate city-state.]
* Pearce, Fred. "Ecopolis Now". ''New Scientist Magazine''. 17 June 2006. [http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/mg19025561.600-ecocities-special-ecopolis-now.html (subscription required)
* Paul Downton: [http://web.archive.org/web/20130301014550/http://ecopolisnow.com:80/ Ecopolis Now]
** "[http://web.archive.org/web/20080516234523/http://www.ecopolis.com.au/index.html Ecopolis Architects]".
* Sociopolis Master Plan (2005-2007) [http://www.guallart.com/01projects/sociopolismasterlan/default.htm]
* Arup: [http://web.archive.org/web/20090719075733/http://www.arup.com:80/eastasia/project.cfm?pageid=7047 Dongtan Eco-city, Shanghai, China]
* Register, Richard. [http://worldcat.org/oclc/69599381&referer=brief_results ''Ecocities: Rebuilding cities in balance with nature'']. New Society Publishers, Gabriola, BC. 2006.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20200610201834/http://www.urb.im/ urb.im], for just and inclusive cities.

{{Page data
| keywords = Sustainable cities, Urban planning, Sustainability, Landscape, City
| sdg = SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities
}}

[[Category:Sustainable cities]]
[[Category:Urban planning]]
[[Category:Sustainability]]