Archive for July, 2007
Sustainable City & Model - Urban agriculture in Rosario, Argentina
Posted in Models, Movements by fedwards on July 13th, 2007
Urban agriculture is renown for producing fresh fruit and veg while greening urban centers. Popular in the West as community gardens and rooftop gardens, urban gardening takes on a new significance in the developing world where it also returns an ability to look after one’s self and retain self-dignity when times turn for the worst. This article below, sourced from the S-DEV Geneva 05 Conference website, by Valeria Román, outlines a successful urban agriculture model in the town of Rosario, Argentina.
“Before they buy, people sometimes ask me how often you need to water the plants. I’m thrilled that people are interested in what I do”, says María Eva, 53 years. She had been jobless before she started selling aromatic herbs at a large market in Rosario, Argentina’s third largest city located 300 km northwest of Buenos Aires.
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Tags: energy, Food, Urban Design and Built Form, Water
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Sustainable City - Barcelona
Posted in Models, Movements, Visions by fedwards on July 13th, 2007
A story by Adrian Muller on Worldchanging discusses the environmental pros of this Spanish city. For a taste of the article read the extract below.
“Across the world, Barcelona is widely recognized as a best practice example for city planning and management, urban solutions, environmental programs, preservation/growth of green areas, transportation and regeneration. This model has repeatedly received different international awards and has been replicated in different cities. Throughout this article, which will be published in two parts, we will look at the different tools, models and ideas that have made Barcelona one of the European cities with the best quality of life, and a place where living green is convenient to citizens.”
The article then discusses aspects of transport and waste disposal. At the end of the post are peoples’ comments, which further elaborate on the positive and negatives features of this city. For the full story, check out the WorldChanging website here.
Tags: energy, Resource, Urban Design and Built Form
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Resource - Guide linking climate change and urban development
Posted in Research by fedwards on July 12th, 2007
This guide, Climate Change Adaptation by Design - A Guide for Sustainable Communities by Robert Shaw, Michelle Colley and Richenda Connell (Town and Country Planning Association, London, 2007), illustrates how adaptation can be integrated into the planning, design and development of new and existing communities. It aims to help planners, developers, architects and urban designers in the public and private sectors develop better understanding of climate risks, demonstrate effective climate adaptation strategies and consider the role of the planning system, communities, other stakeholders and delivery bodies.
Check out the AdaptNet website for other related reports and research.
Tags: climate change, Resource, Urban Design and Built Form
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Resource - The Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems
Posted in Research by fedwards on July 11th, 2007
In 2002 Johannesburg/Paris-UNESCO launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems - the largest and most comprehensive encyclopedia ever published on sustainable development. This web-based tome has contributions from more than 5,000 scientists, to be regularly updated and made available for free to universities in the least developed countries. It aims to provide the knowledge base required for sustainable development in all its myriad aspects, from ecological issues to human security. For more information visit the UNESCO website and the EOLSS website.
Tags: Resource
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Model - Christie Walk eco co-housing project, Adelaide, Australia
Posted in Models, Research by fedwards on July 10th, 2007
Christie Walk is an eco co-housing demonstration housing project located in Adelaide, Australia. Initiated by Urban Ecology Australia, the site is 2000 square metres, numbering 27 households with approximately 40 residents. Key features of the property include water and energy conservation, material reuse and recycling and people-friendly public space. These aspects include local, shared food production gardens and rooftop gardens, on-site storage of stormwater, passive solar/climate responsive design, solar hotwater and energy sources.
For more details about the design, a virtual tour of the property and research, visit the Urban Ecology Australia website.
Tags: Carbon-neutral, energy, Food, Resource, Transport, Urban Design and Built Form, Water
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Movement & Network - Solar cities Australia
Posted in Movements, Research by fedwards on July 9th, 2007
Solar Cities is an innovative program designed to demonstrate how solar power, smart meters, energy efficiency and new approaches to electricity pricing can combine to provide a sustainable energy future in urban locations throughout Australia. The Solar Cities is a $75.3 million initiative announced in 2004 implemented by the Department of the Environment and Water Resources. This project has so far conducted trials in Adelaide, Townsville, Blacktown and Alice Springs.
For more information about the Solar Cities project, visit http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/solarcities/.
Tags: Carbon-neutral, climate change, energy, networks, Resource, Urban Design and Built Form
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Resource - Virtual Tours of Green Buildings
Posted in Models, Visions by fedwards on July 9th, 2007
The website, Virtually Green, takes you on a virtual tour of green building models around the world! The site allows you to survey the building while providing details that cover:
Why it was built…
What it’s made of…
Key design concepts…
The builder’s work…
What it’s like inside…
It’s an excellent resource for architects, builders, funders and materials and equipment manufacturers. All it needs is more green building examples! The website address is http://www.virtuallygreen.com/.
Tags: Carbon-neutral, energy, Resource, Urban Design and Built Form
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Network - The Sustainable Cities: PLUS Network
Posted in Movements by fedwards on July 8th, 2007
The Sustainable Cities: PLUS Network is another international sustainable cities movement that helps cities to commit to building on their existing planning process by applying a long-term lens and a systems approach. In addition, each Network member identifies at least one immediate demonstration project that shows how it is implementing its vision or moving to become more sustainable. PLUS Network cities participate in regular peer exchanges which give them opportunities to share their work and learn from one another’s experiences and innovations about particular issues. In addition to peer exchanges and workshops, the full Network membership meets face-to-face every two years in a Biennial Conference. The next Conference is scheduled for 2008.
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Tags: networks, Resource, Urban Design and Built Form
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Provocation & Model - McDonald’s fries fuel fleet
Posted in Models by fedwards on July 6th, 2007
The article “First Fries, Than Vans: McDo To Recycle Oil“, from Planet Ark World Environment News, describes how McDonald’s in the UK plans to convert it’s British delivery fleet to run on biodiesel supplied from their own recycled cooking oil. This move to reuse their own waste across the UK suggests that in fact, McDonald’s, as a large, uniform corporation, could become a good commercial model for sustainability. Visit the article here for more details. And feel free to place your comments about this conundrum - can McDonald’s become green? - below.
Tags: energy, Food, Provocations, Resource, Transport
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Visions & Research - Outcomes from the International Competition for Sustainable Urban System Design
Posted in Models, Movements, Research by fedwards on July 5th, 2007
The outcomes of the International Competition for Sustainable Urban System Design (IC-SUSD) were delivered as part of the 22nd World Gas Conference 2003, held in Tokyo, Japan. This competition, supported by the International Gas Union, presented the proposals from nine teams designated from eight countries for their new sustainable urban designs and their evolutionary processes for the next 100 years. Subject cities had to be existing with populations of over 100,000. This visionary process resulted in well-considered, detailed plans that could offer excellent recommendations to the future of sustainable cities.
Go to the 22nd World Gas Conference 2003 website for more details. In addition, the entry for Goa, India, was also published in the journal, Environment & Urbanization. See Revi, A. et al (2006) Goa 2100: the transition to a sustainable RURban design, Environment & Urbanization, 18(1):51-65.
Tags: Carbon-neutral, energy, Resource, Transport, Urban Design and Built Form
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