Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Development at city
level
Sustainable Strategies
Shabari Shaily
MSc Advanced Sustainability of Built Environment
4/25/2011
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Contents
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 2
Interpretation ..................................................................................................................................... 2
VISION ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
STRATEGIES ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Implementation of Sustainability........................................................................................................ 5
CASAS QUE CANTAN, Mexico: Straw bale Community Building ......................................................... 6
Potential aspects ............................................................................................................................. 9
CiBoGa Site Groningen: Environmental Quality in Urban Sprawl ..................................................... 10
CONCLUSION......................................................................................................................................... 14
References ............................................................................................................................................ 16
AIM
The aim of this report is to critically evaluate steered sustainable development policies
employed in various regions and through the study of two influential projects that endeavour
to accomplish sustainability in the region, conclude the opportunities and guidelines to
evolve in the future developments.
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INTRODUCTION
The past few decades have seen a major transformation in our cities
and way of living as never witnessed before. With the advent of
technology, knowledge base and human advancements, we have
explored boundless possibilities to reshape our surroundings and the
space we live in. However, this revolution to change the built form
sparked back in 19th century. Ebenezer Howards’s Garden city
movement played a remarkable role in shaping our civilizations and the
thought process that backed up the planning policies. The town-
country magnet concept was a considerate way to redevelop the urban
environment and maintain a balance between city and country. It has
been quoted in Wheeler and Beatley (2004) that, “Howard’s search for
a balance between city and country life is still central to the task of creating more sustainable
communities, but the emphasis has shifted.”
At the turn of 19th century, the issues concerning our habitat changed majorly. As opposed to high-
density city regions of the past with poor infrastructure and insufficient basic amenities, we now
have low-density automobile dependent suburbs infiltrated with a different set of issues (Howard
1898). Therefore, various researchers opine that there is a need to redevelop garden city concept to
find the solutions for the high-density industrialised towns with urban sprawl altogether (Wheeler
and Beatley 2004). Such an urban transformation process termed as Sustainable development
attempts to survive the growing societal needs for generations to come. The late 20th century ideas
like Ecotopia, gained much popularity later when envisioning of sustainable community came into
being. However, there have been much opposition to its Utopian framework, which is believed to be
all but impossible to achieve (Callenbach 1975).
The ideation of environmentalism, feminism, civil rights and various other awareness levels, led to a
conscious attempt and belief that there is a possibility to change human actions with public
participation (Miller and Roo 2004). This enthusiasm to modify our actions for a better future is what
replicated in the Brundtland commission report ‘Our Common Future’. It endeavours to establish an
understanding within planning society to set certain goals concerning intergenerational and intra
generation equity while formulating policies to develop our cities and urban spaces (Elkin, McLaren
and Hillman 1991).
Interpretation
Amidst the vagueness of the terminology ‘Sustainable development’, different enterprises interpret
it to suit their own goals and opportunities. Adams (1990) cites Illich advocating that development is
the means by which certain establishments try to follow a methodology that they are accustomed to
and well aware of its expertise to gain profit by working in an institution that they have power to
control and sustainability is one such tool. It has also been suggested in various texts that
sustainable development is intensively vulnerable and flexible due to the ease it inherits to attach
varied definitions to it by different stakeholders (Adams 1990).
However, there is an underlined idea that is grafted in each of these definitions to establish key
concern in terms of social, economic, and environmental equity. Friberg and Hettne(1990) suggest
that moving beyond the primary definition of development, the four basic principles of sustainable
development are culturally defined community, self-reliance, social justice, and ecological balance.
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These principles thoroughly wrap the indispensable idea of sustainability, which is further
demonstrated in two case studies based in Mexico and United Kingdom.
Another level of interpretation takes to political podium of capitalism and socialism, where a conflict
between the blue and red strategy encourages finding a common ground of green strategy, which
explicitly discourages capitalism but follows a micro-revolution approach by developing small
neighbourhoods and gradually transforming larger regions. This concept is suggested in Adams
(1990), that implies a new dimension to sustainable development that is to formulate strategies and
framework to create sustainable ‘communities’ enriched with social justice and economic stability
while maintaining a harmless character for the environment.
VISION
To take the sustainable development movement forward, a substantial and rooted vision is essential
to define our policies and steps vital to achieve the goals. Various influential texts have envisaged
the vision to develop sustainability as an indicator to assist designers, planners, architects and
developers to be able to analyse the urban environments, understand the historical trends and thus
conceive future possibilities (Maclaren 1996). To achieve this, it is emphasised that a constructive
politics can lead to intergenerational equity in terms of human and ecological needs.
‘Our Common Future’ encouraged a similar idea that we must design new approaches to manage
our environmental resources that in turn will ensure secured human development. It also stated that
since environmental stress is a result of ever-growing human needs and decreasing resources, there
is a need to balance the two sides of the coin (Wheeler and Beatley 2004). The economic growth is
intertwined with the network that humans form with the environment and all three components
shall be taken into consideration while forming any policy that may influence our society extensively.
Briefly, the report released by Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland in 1987
summarised the much widely used definition of Sustainable Development as follows (The
Brundtland Commission 1987):
1. the concept of ‘needs’, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which
overriding priority should be given; and
2. the idea of limitations imposed by the state if technology and social organisation on the
environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.”
Further to Rio declaration was Agenda 21, which initiated the Human settlement programme that
aimed to achieve Sustainable Urban Development. The programme laid following objectives in its
chapter 7 that took upon the crisis case of industrialisation and consumerism affecting our habitat
and leading to housing poverty in many countries (United Nations 1992):
The UN Conference on human settlements in Istanbul, Turkey had its main agenda to establish
strategies to ensure settlements and urban living spaces that are safer, healthier, equitable, liveable,
sustainable and productive. The conference document also encouraged the idea of public
participation as one of the key strategies to attain a democratic and significant approach towards
sustainable development. This further led to the concept of ‘communities or neighbourhoods’.
Through the Sustainable Communities Plan issued by Deputy Prime minister of England, a novice
plan of action was introduced to form objectives by the government to develop sustainable
neighbourhoods that improve the quality of life while catering to housing shortage and basic
facilities that enhance human living conditions (CABE 2004). The highlight was to augment the
construction techniques and professional skills to implement the ideas on ground level.
Such process is denoted in various texts as ‘ecological neighbourhood renewal’ (Miller and Roo
2004). It is defined as the implementation of responsive measures in a physical neighbourhood as a
solution to breathing economic, social and environmental pressures that negatively affect the spatial
qualities. This is the point of difference between the old school concept of garden city and post
modernistic sustainability. The neighbourhood renewal scheme took shape during post-war town
planning initiatives that mainly concerned quantity such as in Dutch Planning Policies. Later the
emphasis gradually shifted to quality when the quantity was achieved (Miller and Roo 2004). Since,
sustainable development encourages resourceful land use design; the existing outdated structures
were restored to state that is more efficient.
STRATEGIES
Most of the present sustainable community development projects take their cue from the strategy
proposed for post-war town renewal scheme. It differentiates between the two ideologies where
environmental factor finds a significant place in one of the frameworks. The research on
neighbourhood renewal projects have also surfaced the participation factor specifying that to
identify region specific problems and possibilities, the local authorities must engage natives and local
institutions in the decision making (CABE 2003). This is considered an essential feature of any
sustainable development scheme.
Nonetheless, apart from public engagement another major factor is ecology that shall govern the
strategy formulation throughout the process. Although, the traditional approach focuses upon the
social and economics of urban spaces and eliminates the environmental dynamic, which is merged
within planning policies in the recent decades under the terminology of sustainable development.
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However, this difference of approach can have major implications on the outcome of a design
process considering the present scenario.
The following chart reproduced from Miller and Roo (2004) illustrate the difference between the
traditional and ecological approach for neighbourhood renewal process.
Existing
Neighbourhood
Living
Working PROBLEMS
Recreation
Traffic Social Environmental
Economical Degradation
Physical Local and Global
It is significant to examine the two projects since both have a similar vision to attain sustainability in
an urban space but have different approaches. In addition to this, to analyse the strengths and
weaknesses of the strategy followed, the same is evaluated against a proposed guideline essential
for thriving accomplishment of sustainable goals.
Implementation of Sustainability
Bus (2004) proposes a holistic methodology in order to implement the design measures on ground
to achieve ecological community development. It poses eight major questions at four different
stages that define the execution plan. The Mexico case study effectively follows the schematics
however, due to certain unavoidable inconsistencies and political reasons; the outcome does not
strictly adhere to the vision of sustainable development.
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The following chart illustrates the cited ecological methodology specifying posed questions at every
stage and the performance efficiency of the case study projects as per these guidelines are further
elaborated.
Integral Analysis
•Which themes need to be addressed to realise ecological neighbourhood
renewal?
•Which environmental indicators will be used?
The researchers of ecological methodology stress upon the social aspect of planning process. In
addition to this, the researchers also emphasise upon the ubiquitous role of local administration
nevertheless, they pose the question if local government shall be the initiator for any urban renewal
project in all cases (Bus 2004).
Hence, the budget was affordable and promoted learning within the inhabitants through organised
workshops to teach straw bale building techniques and other construction methods essential for
that region.
Integral Analysis
The texts suggest that in order to cover the environmental dynamic in a broader sense of a
sustainable development project, then knowledge and resource sharing by every stakeholder is the
key. Moreover, underpinning of the issues to be addressed under the initiative and the indicators
that will direct the progress of the same is also essential. In the studied project of Mexico, shared
responsibility to build the houses was one of the main face values. Considering the assessment of
problems to derive the responsive solution, the local group of woman realised the housing poverty
in the region and wanted to find an affordable solution. The funding raised accommodated $500 per
house and delivered a sufficiently habitable space covering 5000 sq.ft. over a period of two years.
The key goals were:
Another negative aspect was that the zoning ordinances were not considered. Although the project
was a success eventually it is vital that building regulations must be taken into consideration in the
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design process because the posed constraints are likely to exist in most planning projects and thus
develop an understanding to work within challenging environment.
Dependency issue
The Casas Que Cantan project encountered an impending dependency issue on resources and
funding. In the case of intermittent supply of funds or technical expertise frequently witnessed, the
building work would face a sudden unexpected halt that largely affected the overall performance.
Therefore, Bill Steen of ‘The Canela Project’ strived to overcome this issue and find a competent
solution. The continuity in the community efforts were much appreciable and were further
enhanced through a church instituted with a separate branch for development in foreign countries
that provided finances to avail necessary tools, machinery and transport. This support further
evolved into Casas Que Cantan Cooperative formed by 15-20 local builders as a legal entity to
enhance the prospects to avail funds and assistance. The learning process and knowledge gained by
the locals and proved reliability of good construction details reflected the squeeze of the project
success.
THE
NETHERLANDS
CIRCUS
DISTRIBUTION SITE
GASWORKS SITE
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Introduction
Groningen is a municipal province in the Netherlands and with a population of 1, 90,000 it is by far
the largest city in Northern part of the country. The Groningen city plan significantly focuses on
CiBoGa site. The high density and uncontrolled urban sprawl issues permeate the urban spaces. The
local authority has laid down the goal to promote sustainable urban development in the city region
and due to the CiBoGa site’s critical location, the structure plan Stad van Straks also strives to
formulate strategies for optimum use of available spaces while encouraging high quality urban
culture that marks the city character (Maare and Zinger 2004).
After the approval by the State, the market parties were invited to play the financier role and
suggest the investment plans with possible benefits. This enabled the engagement of consultation
engineers to carry out the soil remediation process. The project manager took the lead within the
consultation bodies to implement the formulated strategy and keep a balance between different
policies and development divisions. One of the major challenges was to attain the support of existing
companies and enterprises on the site, which was successfully acquired through sound financial
policy, framed in collaborative manner with different stakeholders and thus reach a win-win
situation. Various other stakeholders from academia to practise were involved and consulted at
different levels to find solutions to certain issues.
Integral Analysis
At this stage, the development and design team strived to define the theme of the project goal and
indicators to show the progress toward the accomplishment of goals. To lay out the same it is
necessary to understand the site potential and forces inherited by its immediate surroundings.
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With respect to the island formation between the old residential suburbs and urban services, there
is a physical connectivity but not spatially. The CiBoGa project aims to define this link through
conscious design process and implementing spatial design strategies that merge with the urban
setting but simultaneously resolve the underlying issues. The local authority identified following
issues in the Groningen region through an intensive research:
Social security: Due to absence of a proper link between the residential and public
infrastructure, the daily commute route was considered unsafe and hence comprehended as a
major driving factor to frame planning policy.
Traffic congestion: It is another major problem in Groningen due to its high auto mobility
growth. Moreover, excessive numbers of cars are bound to drive through bottleneck routes
that lead to congestion and unmanageable traffic.
Housing typologies: The local structure plan aimed to construct 40% of housing stock in existing
urban area by 2010 to direct the migration inward instead of outward sprawl.
Ecological issues: excessive soil contamination with PAH, cyanide chromium etc. due to gas
works and other chemical companies that existed on site in the past. Additionally, air and water
quality required monitoring as well since soil contamination by the underground water tanks
affected the water quality too; and huge parking spaces with improper exhaust and ventilation
system led to elevated pollution levels. The project framework also emphasised upon bio-
diversity through different policies that thrived to provide better opportunities for birds and
bats that subsist in the local ecosystem.
Land use: Because of constant neglect of the site, an unplanned growth occurred over the
years. Therefore, it was essential to frame a feasible urban land use plan that can carry the
proposed infrastructure.
Integration: considering the local environmental policy, smooth merger of environmental
regulations within the regeneration plan is always significant. Even a slight conflict may lead to
major complexities and project failure. Therefore, for the Groningen local authority,
implementing environmental standards in a densely populated urban region was critical and
hence it was stressed upon throughout the design process.
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High density: While developing a populated urban region was the goal of the project, other
crucial issues of odour, noise, soil and dust accompanied high-density spaces. Therefore, the
defined policies must direct the expertise to balance between the two sides of the coin of a city
neighbourhood development.
Small-scale social and cultural functions with work premises combined with 1000 homes.
Over 1300 parking spaces with only 500 for residents with .5 parking space/dwelling as
parking standard
8000m2 retail area on Circus site and a development along Boterdiep car park
20,000m2 of business/offices premises with business amenities.
The ground level contamination was eradicated through remediation process and was replaced with
underground car parking. However, due to excessive car smoke accumulation underground
mechanical air extractors were installed with an outlet at a suitable location on site. To reduce on
ground parking, residents are charged along with car-pooling facility that reflects in their future
behaviours. A close-knit network is formed with special attention to cyclists.
The approach also enhance the opportunities to achieve urban quality life through informed
decision making processed through various steps: integrating environmental dynamics into the
physical planning, analysing the existing legislations and regulations to find possibilities offered by
them at all levels and lastly, if feasible and utterly necessary then slight deviation from this
regulations to attain environmental goals is acceptable.
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After the urban district park was completed, a green space was left isolated from other hard
landscape areas. Therefore, another proposal was put forward to design an ecological corridor
between the city centre and public gardens that will eliminate the possibility of disturbed ecosystem
and hence assist the movement of birds and bats through the region. The housing stock is designed
to comply with energy standards and a combined heat and power system for a neighbourhood
potentially contributes to maintain sustainable character of the overall renewal project. Both
present and future technological and social changes are taken into consideration for the housing
typology design for sustainable means. Waste collection points, water consumption, and building
materials also reflected the vision established in the very beginning of the initiative.
The consultation team in collaboration with local authority did further research in housing stocks to
develop better energy efficient alternatives such as bio-mass energy and explicit research on ecology
through urban form that entailed extensive knowledge database for future references and to take
this vision of sustainability forward in other parts of The Netherlands.
CONCLUSION
From its introduction to the world forum in the 1972 in an excerpt from the book ‘Limits to growth’,
sustainable development has travelled across nations through varied document, declarations and
summits like Agenda21 and Rio conference, aspiring to amalgamate social, environmental and
economical dynamics of the system into a sound policy driven progress that attempts absolute
equality. Human civilisations are the focus of the sustainable development agenda (Adams 1990). As
a responsive strategy to climate change issues and degrading human conditions in terms of basic
amenities and shelter, there is an urgent need to re-evaluate our planning policies, execute vital
alterations, and explore potential imperatives.
Diversified researches surface the fundamental concern that our cities and towns are inevitably
growing in area and population but fail to cater the proportionately increasing demands. The
imbalance in development across continents where the developed countries have unrestricted
mounting consumption, the developing world is still struggling to feed their 70% population. Despite
the conflict over the depleting resources, and more stress upon renewable energy alternatives,
there is an inequity of resource distribution amongst different countries (Elkin et al 1991).
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With these piling issues, there is a serious concern being raised in various governmental and non-
governmental panels. Economists have to strive towards integration of environmental aspect in their
work (Pearce and barbier 2000). The idea of late 19th and early 20th century is reiterated and policy
frameworks across the nations are adapting themselves to promote sustainability in every aspect
from food to shelter. In such scenario, initiatives like Casas Que Cantan, Mexico and CiBoGa
Groningen are lessons to be learnt by the planners and other stakeholders involved in the system
that have the authority to influence our strategies in every possible way. Although, it is believed that
there are contextual variations between countries there are certain fundamental strategies that are
likely to prove beneficial in every region and any context (Gehl 1980). In the process of attaining
sustainability in communities, the need to stimulate the physical environmental is essential.
Both the projects discussed in this paper had different issues and hence employed diverging
approaches. While in Mexico, the social character was dominant, spatial design was more or less
underrated, with aggravated interest in individual shelter design. Contradictorily, environmental and
economic forces drove Groningen Local authority and public participation played a trivial role in the
process as apparent. In the CiBoGa site, there were conflicts within different standards and policies,
which were a challenge, and at certain instances, the project failed to overcome the same. For
example, the traffic noise is already crossing the threshold limits of the Noise Nuisance act and with
the redevelopment plan that will involve planned parking garages, it is expected that the traffic will
increase two-folds that will result in increased traffic noise levels and anticipated to cross the
defined 5dB(A) standards (Maare and Zinger 2004). Therefore, even though the project thrives to
attain low traffic density region on site, the project development itself will lead to standard
violation. To eliminate this matter, planning policy will have to incorporate efficient noise barriers
between the residential and urban areas.
On the other hand, the Mexico project had no involvement of government, which resulted in a more
challenging environment especially to acquire finances. Their motive was to depart from charity-
based developments to self-reliance and hence the strategies adopted to engage local inhabitants
were constructive (Kennedy 1992). The project had the potential to grow more viably in presence of
local authority’s support that was regrettably lacking.
Overall, the four pillars of sustainable urban development defined by Elkin et al. (1991) as futurity,
environment, equity and participation are meticulously approached in both the projects. The
solicitous stance of developers, city planners and policy makers is constantly supporting the political,
economic and social systems to perform better for civilisations to come.
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