FEM 3335
Sustainable Cities
Assoc Prof Dr Sharifah Norazizan Syed Abd Rashid, APPM
Department of Social & Development Science
Faculty of Human Ecology
Universiti Putra Malaysia
sharifah@putra.upm.edu.my
Content
• Sustainable Cities
- Why the focus on cities?
- Definitions and Basic Principle
- What makes a city sustainable?
• Urban 21 Conference –Quality of Life
• New Concepts
Compact City; Eco City; Healthy City; Safe City
• Practice
Why the Focus on Cities?
• The majority of the global population live in cities in
2008 and predictions suggest that the figure will
have reached 70% by 2050.
• Furthermore, cities are currently responsible for up
to 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions but only
take up 2% of the world's land area.
• This shows that the scale of the sustainability
challenge in the urban built environment is vast,
tackling it is vital to creating long-term, systemic and
sustainable change.
Ref: Eugenie Birch and Susan Wachter
Global Urbanization
Basic sustainability
principles
In the Sustainable Society, Nature is not subject to
systematically increasing...
1
…concentrations of substances from the Earth’s crust.
2
…concentrations of substances produced by society.
3
…degradation by physical means.
4
… people are not subject to conditions that systematically
undermine their capacity to meet their needs or the needs of
future generations.
Sustainable City
Being a sustainable city means "improving the
quality of life in a city, including ecological,
cultural, political, institutional, social and
economic components without leaving a burden
on future generations...."
Urban21 Conference, Berlin, July 2000
Pillars of Sustainable City
" Economy, ecology and social cohesion are the pillars
of a sustainable city. These must be in balance and
therefore require an integrated approach. Dialogue is
the basic principle for achieving this for Local Agenda
21."
Sustainable City
Cities have become the focal points as major
consumers and distributors of goods and services.
However, many cities tend to be large consumers of
goods and services, while draining resources out of
external regions that they depend on. As a result of
increasing consumption of resources, and growing
dependencies on trade, the ecological impact of cities
extends beyond their geographic locations.
Problems and Pressures of
Cities
• Cities are increasingly becoming the engines of
national economic growth and the magnets for new
residents flooding in from rural areas. Globalization is
having a significant effect on cities, forcing them to
compete for international business with other cities
worldwide and within their own countries.
• As a result, the sustainability of cities is under
pressure. Decision-makers at all levels are faced with
the task of how to resolve urban problems from
transportation to waste management, from drinking
water supply to the preservation of urban green
space
A city is only considered to be
sustainable when:
• It follows a development path where the present
progress does not take place at the expense of
future generations (i.e. bad planning, debt,
environmental degradation, etc. does not export
present problems to the future).
• There is an equilibrium between different issues. In
other words, the goal is an across-the-board
development, instead of handling issues one by one.
SUSTAINABLE BALANCE
•
•
•
•
Environmental Integrity
Economic Vitality
Community Well Being
Cultural Enhancement
PEOPLE, PLANET, PROSPERITY AND
PRESERVATION
The concept of Sustainable
Cities
• http://blog.cunysustainablecities.org/tag
/architecture/
• http://www.urbanlab.com/h2o/
• http://growingwater.com/
• http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com/
• http://www.livingcityblock.org/
What Are the Major Population
Trends in Urban Areas?
• Urbanization continues to increase steadily and the
numbers and sizes of urban areas are growing
rapidly, especially in developing countries.
Economy
URBANIZATION
Population
Half of the World’s Population
Live in Urban Areas
• Urbanization
• Urban growth
 Natural increase
 Immigration from rural areas
• Pushed from rural areas to urban areas
• Pulled to urban areas from rural areas
cont
• Four major trends
– Proportion of global population living in urban
areas is increasing
– Number and size of urban areas is mushrooming
• Megacities, hypercities
– Urban growth slower in developed countries
– Poverty is becoming increasingly urbanized;
mostly in developing countries
Urban Areas in Crisis
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Severe air pollution
Water pollution
50% Unemployment
Deafening noise
Overcrowding
Traffic congestion
Inadequate public transportation
slums (barrios), squatter settlements, ghettos, etc
 What progress is being made?
Global Outlook: Satellite Image of
Major Urban Areas Throughout
the World
What Are the Major Urban Resource
and Environmental Problems?
• Most cities are unsustainable because of high levels
of resource use, waste, pollution, and poverty.
• But – what’s the alternative?
Urbanization Has Advantages
• Centers of:
– Economic development
– Innovation
– Education
– Technological advances
– Jobs
• Environmental advantages
Urbanization Has
Disadvantages
•
•
•
•
•
•
Huge ecological footprints
Lack vegetation
Water problems
Concentrate pollution and health problems
Excessive noise
etc
Inputs
Outputs
Energy
Solid wastes
Food
Waste heat
Water
Raw
materials
Manufactured
goods
Money
Information
Air pollutants
Water pollutants
Greenhouse
gases
Manufactured
goods
Noise
Wealth
Ideas
Permanent damage
begins after 8-hour
exposure
Noise Levels (in dbA)
0
10
20
30
85
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
Quiet rural
Rainfall
Vacuum
Lawn
Rock music Earphones Boom
at loud level cars
area
cleaner
mower
Normal
Quiet
Thunderclap
Chain
Average
Air raid Military
Whisper
conversation
room
(nearby)
saw
factory
siren
rifle
Normal
breathing
Life Is a Desperate Struggle for
the Urban Poor in Developing
Countries
• Slums
• Squatter settlements
• Shantytowns
• Terrible living conditions
• What can governments do to help?
Global Outlook: Extreme
Poverty Forces
Hundreds of Millions to
Live in Slums
Mexico City
Extreme example
• Urban area in crisis
– Severe air pollution
– Water pollution
– 50% Unemployment
– Deafening noise
– Overcrowding
– Traffic congestion
– Inadequate public transportation
– 1/3 live in slums (barrios) or squatter settlements
• What progress is being made?
Cities Can Grow Outward or
Upward
• Compact cities
– Hong Kong, China
– Tokyo, Japan
– Mass transit
• Dispersed cities
– U.S. and Canada
– Car-centered cities
Motor Vehicles Have Advantages
and Disadvantages (1)
• Advantages
– Mobility and convenience
– Jobs in
 Production and repair of vehicles
 Supplying fuel
 Building roads
– Status symbol
• Disadvantages
– Largest source of outdoor air pollution
– Accidents: death and injury
– Helped create urban sprawl
– Traffic congestion
Reducing Automobile Use Is Not
Easy, but It Can Be Done
• Full-cost pricing: high gasoline taxes
• Difficult to pass in the United States
 Strong public opposition
 Mass transit: not an option in most cities
 Dispersed nature of the U.S.
• A tax shift?
cont
• Raise parking fees
• Tolls on roads, tunnels, and bridges into major cities
• Car-sharing
• Charge a fee to drive into a major city
Some Cities Are Promoting
Alternatives to Car Ownership
• Bicycles
• Heavy-rail systems
• Light-rail systems
• Buses
• Rapid-rail system between urban areas
TRADE-OFFS
Bicycles
Advantages
Disadvantages
Affordable
Little protection in
an accident
Produce no
pollution
Do not protect
riders from bad
weather
Quiet
Require little
parking space
Easy to maneuver
in traffic
Take few
resources to
make
Impractical for
long trips
Can be tiring
(except for electric
bicycles)
Lack of secure
bike parking
TRADE-OFFS
Mass Transit Rail
Advantages
Disadvantages
Uses less energy
and produces
less air pollution
than cars
Expensive to build
and maintain
Requires less
land than roads
and parking
areas for cars
Causes fewer
injuries and
deaths than cars
Reduces car
congestion in
cities
Cost-effective only
along a densely
populated corridor
Commits riders to
transportation
schedules
Can cause noise
and vibration for
nearby residents
TRADE-OFFS
Buses
Advantages
Disadvantages
Can be rerouted
as needed
Can lose money
because they need
low fares to attract
riders
Cost less to develop
and maintain than
heavy-rail system
Can get caught in
traffic and add to
pollution
Commits riders to
transportation
schedules
Can greatly reduce
car use and air
pollution
Noisy
TRADE-OFFS
Rapid Rail
Advantages
Disadvantages
Can reduce travel by
car or plane
Expensive to run and
maintain
Ideal for trips of 200–
1,000 kilometers
(120–620 miles)
Much more energy
efficient per rider
than a car or plane
Must operate along
heavily used routes
to be profitable
Causes noise and
vibration for nearby
residents
Potential Routes for High-Speed Bullet
Trains in the U.S. and Parts of Canada
How Important Is Urban Land
Use Planning?
• Urban land-use planning can help to reduce
uncontrolled sprawl and slow the resulting
degradation of air, water, land, biodiversity, and
other natural resources.
Conventional Land-Use
Planning
• Land-use planning
– Encourages future population growth
– Economic development
– Revenues: property taxes
– Environmental and social consequences
• Zoning
– Mixed-use zoning
Smart Growth Works
• Smart growth
– Reduces dependence on cars
– Controls and directs sprawl
– Cuts wasteful resource
Europe : Compact Cities
SOLUTIONS
Smart Growth Tools
Limits and
Regulations
Protection
Urban growth boundaries
Greenbelts around cities
Preserve existing open space
Buy new open space
Buy development rights that prohibit
certain types of development on land
parcels
Public review of new development
Taxes
Zoning
Tax land, not buildings
Tax land on value of actual use (such as
forest and agriculture) instead of on
highest value as developed land
Limit building permits
Encourage mixed use of housing
and small businesses
Concentrate development along
mass transportation routes
Tax Breaks
Planning
For owners agreeing not to allow certain
types of development (conservation
easements)
For cleaning up and developing
abandoned urban sites (brownfields)
Ecological land-use planning
Revitalization and New Growth
Environmental impact analysis
Revitalize existing towns and cities
Integrated regional planning
Build well-planned new towns and
villages within cities
Promote high-density cluster
housing developments
State and national planning
Preserving and Using Open
Space
• Urban growth boundary
– U.S. states: Washington, Oregon, and
Tennessee
• Municipal parks
– U.S. cities: New York City and San Francisco
• Greenbelts
– Canadian cities: Vancouver and Toronto
– Western European cities
Central Park, New York City,
USA
How Can Cities Become More
Sustainable and Livable?
An ecocity allows people to: choose walking, biking, or
mass transit for most transportation needs; recycle or
reuse most of their wastes; grow much of their food;
and protect biodiversity by preserving surrounding
land.
New Urbanism Is Growing
• Conventional housing development
• Cluster development
• New urbanism, old villageism
– Walkability
– Mixed-use and diversity
– Quality urban design
– Environmental sustainability
– Smart transportation
Example of planning housing
development that gives priority and
safeguard the natural landscape – the
creek, rivers and pond are maintained.
Creek
Undeveloped
land
Marsh
Typical housing
development
Fig. 22-18b, p. 605
Cluster
Creek
Cluster housing
development
Pond
Cluster
The Ecocity Concept: Cities for
People Not Cars
• Ecocities or green cities
 Build and redesign for people
 Use renewable energy resources
 Recycle and purify water
 Use energy and matter resources efficiently
 Prevent pollution and reduce waste
 Recycle, reuse and compost municipal waste
 Protect and support biodiversity
 Urban gardens; farmers markets
 Zoning and other tools for sustainability
Science Focus: Urban
Indoor Farming
• Rooftop greenhouses
 Sun Works: designs energy-efficient greenhouses
• Growing Power and Will Allen
http://www.growingpower.org/
• Hydroponic gardens
• Skyscraper farms
• Ecological advantages and disadvantages
• Growing localvore and organic food movement
 http://www.foodfightthedoc.com/foodfight.html
Greenroofs – EPA Building in
Denver
China’s Vision for an Ecocity
• 2008: Dongtan, China, ecocity
• Carbon neutral city: use renewable resources for
energy
• Reduce the need for cars, or use electric- or
hydrogen-powered cars
• Public transportation
The Ecovillage Movement Is
Growing
• Ecovillage movement
 Eco-hoods
• 1993: ecovillage in Los Angeles, CA, U.S.
 What is making it work?
 http://www.laecovillage.org/
• Other ecovillages
 Success stories
Towards Healthy City Concept
• Today environments have designed out
physical activity
• Excessive high energy food intake
• Insufficient physical activity in daily life
• Diminished social interaction
Background to Healthy
Cities
The international Healthy Cities movement was
first conceived in Canada in 1984 as a result of
the Healthy Toronto 2000: Beyond Health Care
symposium, and was launched in Europe in 1986
by the World Health Organization (WHO). The
movement has since spread across the globe and
now involves more than 3,000 municipalities.
Health Determinants
in an urban setting
Social
Environment
Physical
Environment
Life-style
Physical Environment
Physical, chemical and biological systems
Housing, streets, and physical layouts
Geography, landscape and climate
Architecture
Ecological footprint
Social Environment
Culture, social and religious
norms
Social structure, cohesion and
participation
Traditional and formal social support
networks
Economic opportunities, system and
structure
Participation in economy and decision
making
Behaviour
Healthy lifestyle
Social mindedness and
consciousness
Self esteem happiness
Aspiration, ambition,
dynamism
Living in a city: health and
quality of life
People live longer and healthier lives if:
They breath clean air and drink safe water
They live in safe and comfortable housing
They have health supporting behaviour and
easy access to health care services
They have meaningful jobs and income.
They have security
They have friends and feel they belong to their community
They can make choices for their lives.
They have a peaceful home
They have trees, plants and feel they relate to the
architecture.
WATER
SUPPLY
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
SANITATION
HEALTHY CITY
CONCEPT
INCOME
GENERATION
SOCIAL
SERVICES
HEALTH
SERVICES
The Aims of Healthy City
Initiatives
• Improve health and environmental services
• Make people partners
• Strengthen social support network
• Stimulate economic development
• Put health at center of city social and political agenda
CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTHY
COMMUNITY
Healthy
Optimism, hope and 'we are in this together’
"We can do it
Value intangibles like vision and values
tangibles
Consensus building
Collaboration
Focus on the future
Interdependence
Broad community participation
Leadership renewal
Think and act in long term
Listening
Reconciliation
Win-win solutions
Politics of substance
Diversity and involvement
Challenge ideas
Problem solvers
View challenges as opportunities
victims
Unhealthy
Cynicism
'Nothing works'
Emphasis only on
Polarisation
Confrontation
Debate the past
Parochialism
Few do everything
Same old faces
Short term thinking
Attacking
Hold grudges
Win-lose solutions
Politics of personality
Exclusion
Challenge people
Blockers and blamers
See themselves as
THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT
FACTORS AFFECTING SAFETY
•
PEOPLE KNOWING EACH OTHER
•
PEOPLE ACTING TOGETHER
(According to Jody Kretzmann)
A Safe Environment
• A safe environment is the foundation of a healthy
city
• Environment sustainability = health for people •
Characterised by walkable neighbourhoods, local
food production, quality open space and mixed
local landuses
• Sustainability policy is well entrenched in planning
policy and practice
Conclusion
Advantages of Sustainable Cities
By promoting sustainable urban form and function,
cities become healthy, viable communities for citizens.
Efficient urban form also helps protect the hinterland
ecosystems that cities depend on. In many ways, the
advantages to sustainable communities are underlined
in the characteristics and definitions of urban
sustainability. A good quality of life, natural open
spaces, reduced waste, equality, access, lower crime,
sense of community, clean air and water quality, and
environmental diversity are just a few beneficial
characteristics previously mentioned.
cont
The most important advantage of a sustainable city is
that it follows such a development path that allows
for an integral and long-term development without
compromising future generations.
Thank You