Urban Planning must be accompanied by sustainability concept. Here where we should stand and understand that city is more than the sum of its parts. It is a whole living thing that is constantly changing, evolving and morphing into an ever more Eco-Friendly and welcoming entity which can be achieved through innovative sustainable solutions such as following:
SUSTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Census population doubles which requires more housing spaces, yet our goal to meet the needs of the present without compromising with the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable Housing means “housing which contributes to community building, to social justice and to economic viability at a local level” (Morgan and Talbot, 2001, p. 321). Morgan and Talbot argue that sustainability should be the main principle to design housing and one of the important dimensions of the housing quality. Also Development of Sustainable Housing refers to not only the development of building but also layout of the housing areas since Quality of Dwelling life is not just simply concerned with having a roof over one’s head and a sufficient amount of living space, but also with social and psychological satisfaction. Affordable Housing has become a commonly used term for summarizing the nature of the housing difficulty in many nations. He identifies six elements of measuring housing expenditure to an income ratio to measure housing affordability.
ZERO-CARBON CITIES
There is a need for Zero-Carbon Cities which are urban areas powered by renewable energy techniques and technologies. A zero-carbon city runs entirely on renewable energy; it has no carbon footprint and will in this respect not cause harm to the planet. Most cities throughout the world produce energy by burning coal, oil and gas, unintentionally emitting carbon. Almost every activity human does involves burning one of these fossil fuels. To become a zero carbon city, an established modern city must collectively reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to zero and all practices that emit greenhouse gases must cease. The aim of a zero-carbon city is reducing carbon emissions from buildings, reducing waste, transport, materials and food emissions by 50% globally. It can be achieved by the following steps: Reducing energy-use wherever possible in the buildings and transportation sector. Increase Renewable Energy Resources by adding as much renewable energy as possible. Offsetting any CO2 emitted through purchasing carbon credits. Developing distributed power and water systems. Increasing photosynthetic spaces as a part of green infrastructure Improving Eco-Efficiency. Developing cities without slums.
GREEN ROOFS
Green Roofs (roofs with a vegetated surface and substrate) provide ecosystem services in urban areas, including improved storm-water management, better regulation of building temperatures, reduced urban heat-island effects, and increased urban wildlife habitat. Just imagine if this technology was applied on every building within your city, it comes with unlimited benefits as following: Storm Water Management and Water Retention since Green roofs can help with controlling the storm water runoff which is major problem in many cities. They have the ability to retain water at a rate of 50-90% depending on the design of the roofs. Improvement of Micro-climate as rain water evaporates, it humidifies the air above it, making the air cooler. This reduces the ambient temperature of the air above rooftops, improving the micro-climate. Since the rooftop becomes cooler, the efficiency of the building’s AC units are improved. Dust and Toxic Particles Binder where air pollution is a common phenomenon in all major cities. Green roofs can play a vital role in filtering the air pollutants, improving the quality of air. When the air flows, the foliar surface of green roof reduces the speed of air flowing above it. This filters 10-20% of dust particles from the air, thus, helping to purify the air. Protection from Noise Pollution as green roofs can be of great advantage when it comes to noise pollution. Urban areas are mostly subjected to sources of loud sounds and noises particularly because of buildings being located under flight paths, adjacent to night clubs, markets, malls, and fairs and so on. Info-graphic Case Study (New York City applied Green Roofs)
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
Transport has a major impact on the spatial and economic development of cities and regions. The attractiveness of particular locations depends in part on the relative accessibility, and this in turn depends on the quality and quantity of the transport infrastructure. The concept of sustainable transportation promotes a balance between transportation’s economic and social benefits and the need to protect the environment. In further articulating this idea, the Center for Sustainable Transportation has defined a sustainable transportation system as one that: Allows individuals and societies to meet their access needs safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health, and with equity within and between generations. Is affordable, operates efficiently, offers choice of transport mode, and supports a vibrant economy. Limits emissions and waste within the planet’s ability to absorb them, minimizes consumption of non-renewable resources, limits consumption of renewable resources to the sustainable yield level, reuses and recycles its components, and minimizes the use of land and the production of noise. Depending on modern-technology we can convert current polluting transportation into an environmentally friendly one.
Conclusively, urban planning is a concept that is of great importance to any society that seeks development and as such should be treated with great importance.
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