Rooftop Farming

Building's rooftop are usually underused despite its potential as an open space. Green roofs benefits are today largely known: for its aesthetics, for controlling and retaining stormwater, for reducing heat island effects and improve air quality, reduce noise and heat in bellow spaces, and for contributing to the increase of biodiversity.

Moreover, rooftops can also be used for producing food. The concept of urban agriculture aims to reduce carbon footprint and increase sustainability levels by producing local food, and so, reducing the impacts in transport and the waste that occur in delivering and stocking.

Besides the concepts of vertical farms - which are more ambitious let's say - the use of rooftop as an extent to urban farming can securely be applied in urban centres. Of course in existing building eventually structural reinforcements need to be made, however  in many developing cities this innovations could be tested in large scale.

Source: McDonough, W 2014, Concept for Rooftop Farming, accessed 18 May 2014 < http://mcdonoughpartners.com/project/concept-for-rooftop-farming/>

Barcelona - sustainable urban planning

For the last three decades Barcelona has been regarded as a good example of urban planning, especially after the Olympic Games in 1992, when the coastal industrial zone was revitalized an until today is an example of waterfront area.

Continuing the urban development, the City has been trying to continue the legacy of environmental, economic and social sustainable development.

The main project was the waterfront, which open an industrial area to public use and the change impacted in the air and water quality. Continuing the project development, the 'Forum Park' was designed to treat city's sewage, just in front of the sea, and on the top of it people will be able to enjoy its gardens and open spaces. It also produces energy and the heat produced is used to make hot and cold water circulate in the subsoil of the district.

Another project going on is related to automobiles - in Barcelona they occupy up to 70% of public space - called 'supermanzanas' or super street blocks, island of 400 x 400 m of buildings in which cars can only entry in small streets circulating at 10km/h, cutting traffic by 25% and changing the life into the city by opening room for the creation of new public areas.

Lastly, the council is trying to mix the uses between commercial and residential in order to renew the neighborhoods, and improving the transport by setting up a single fare system as happens in other cities and by implementing the shared bicycle system.

Following the trend of developing/renewing sustainable cities, Barcelona is for the last three decades and still a good example of it.

Source: Colomé, J 2011, 'How Barcelona is aiming to become the leader in sustainable urban planning', Urban World: Urban Sustainable Mobility, Vol. 2 ,Issue 5, pp. 30-34.

China, from red to green?

Today, China is one of the most developing countries in the world and perhaps the biggest economic growth the world has ever seen. The big question is how to sustain such economic growth - around 10 per cent a year - without causing damages to the environment, and considering the impact of China's growth it can not only impact on their own country but in all planet, affecting all ecosystems and living species in the world.

In the most coal consumer country, in every two years, China adds the equivalent of the country of Brazil to its power grid.

How to do it sustainably? Or even, can it be done sustainably?

The PBS E2 series discusses how it is being done and the next steps to achieve China's sustainable development.

Source: PBS 2009, 'China: from red to green?', accessed 18 May 2014, < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu1t5CtcbEU&list=TLZs0Y9bpqVUlUb8v6ccCrpi81umKRUqU_>

Walkable cities

One of the ways to make people use less transport is to encourage them to walk. A simple task, but a challenge in urban centres. The attempt to achieve that by implementing exclusive pedestrian streets and improve the quality of public spaces through better design is now common in many central areas in cities all over the world. The trend of mixed-uses in urban areas is fundamental as facilities need to be in proximity with the user - what goes directly against the urban sprawl.

In Mumbai, 6 of 10 people walk to their destinations in the morning. The demand for space is huge, and despite that, private vehicles occupies most part of the public spaces. The conflict between pedestrians , cyclists and vehicles was so intense that the government decides to create lanes exclusive for pedestrians and series of footbridges. Transport improvements are still being discussed but a lot of pedestrian friendly public spaces are now seen along the city.

In Nairobi, sixty per cent of the population lives in slums and only a small part of the population can buy cars. Despite the urban planning of the city being based on vehicles, only a few have access to it, and consequently informal commerce have appeared in outer areas. The demand for walking spaces in the city moved the city council to implement safer urban environments with walkways along the main avenues. Although much still have to be done, a signal of change is now seen.

In many small size cities in developed countries it is easy to see improvements in the public areas and many pedestrian and cyclists-friendly streets. However, the effort and the pursue to provide a walkable and connected city is seem in many cities of the developing countries as well, where the challenge is unquestionably higher although the needs are the same.

Source: Phatak, V, Muchire, P 2011, 'On foot nm Mumbai, Nairobi and Mexico City', Urban World: Urban Sustainable Mobility, Vol. 2 ,Issue 5, pp. 5-6.

Renewable City Toolbox

The potential for renewable is immense. In urban centres, many efforts are being made to utilize all potential of the natural and renewable energy to reduce costs and improve efficiency and quality in urban environments. Especially in smaller developing cities where there is more opportunity to test new and innovative technologies.

In the book 'Renewable City', Droege sums up the tool that could be used given the source of renewable energy available.

- Solar energy - could be captured by photovoltaics and solar-thermal systems - largely used in commercial, residential or industrial buildings, or in rural areas as well.

- Wind energy - captured by turbines - for its size and impacts it could be used in remote areas or remote buildings. However in smaller scale it can also be used on the top of high rise buildings.

- Bio-energy - biofuels - used in power stations and for transport systems, causing less impact on the environment.

- Ocean energy - thermal, tidal power or wave energy - this source of energy can be largely used in coastal regions, however it is still not fully developed.

Source: Droege, P 2005, The Renewable City: A Comprehensive guide to an urban revolution, Wiley, Chichester.

Image Source: Kuat, H 2013, 'Alternative Renewable Energy Sources', accessed 17 May 2014 < http://technologygreenenergy.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/alternative-renewable-energy-sources.html>

Curitiba's Efficient Transport

One of the major examples of efficient mass rapid transit in the case of Curitiba, Brazil. Implementing bus exclusive lanes, the government has reduced transport fuel consumption to 1/4 bellow any other Brazilian city. This initiative has inspired other cities in South America, as Quito and Bogotá - cited in a previous post.

The intent of the three times Major Jaime Lerner - also architect and urban planner - was to protect the city centre from the trend of massive increasing of car ownership during the 70s. For that, there was a large investment in public transport infrastructure and the opening of exclusive bus lanes, connecting all areas of the city.

Also, lower speed streets, and pedestrian exclusive streets were opening, improving safety in central areas streets and encouraging people to walk. In business district, only local traffic is allowed and lots of streets are still dedicated to pedestrians.

After the 70s, the system was continuously improved and single fare systems were implemented allowing low-income people living in distant areas to use the system easily. The system today transport 36 thousand people per hour in one direction costing one hudred times less than a subway rail system. Considering that 70% of the total journeys are made using public transport, it is clear its success.

Text Sources: Galvao, R 2007, Jaime Lerner: o realizador de sonhos, Planeta Sustentavel, accessed 17 May 2014 < http://planetasustentavel.abril.com.br/noticia/cidade/conteudo_258392.shtml>

Droege, P 2005, The Renewable City: A Comprehensive guide to an urban revolution, Wiley, Chichester.

Macedo, J 2004, 'Curitiba', in Citites, 21:6, accessed 17 May 2014 < http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264275104001003>

Image Source: Dubiginski, D 2011, 'Onibus de Curitiba, accessed 14 May 2014 < http://www.onibusdecuritiba.com.br/expresso/>

Reducing Fossil Fuel in Transport

Transport has a large impact on the environment as it demands large amounts of land and energy, and pollutes the environment by burning fuel and splitting oil and other pollutants on the ground that affects directly the environment. Considering that, urban planning policies in many cities are trying to reduce fossil fuel in transport and its impacts.

Singapore - planning and pricing - The integration of land use and transport begun in the 70s with housing and settlement policies aiming to delivery affordable high-rise buildings in mixed use areas connected to mass rapid transit systems. Since then, the government introduced policies to reduce car ownership based on price, to encourage the use of public transport.

Quito - unifying transport systems - The government has invested in transport infrastructure creating trolley-bus corridors linked to a lines of regular buses. The trolley buses can accommodate 180 passengers and the regular buses 80, and the link between those saved time and money for passengers and contributed to reduce air pollution levels.

Bogotá - banking on buses - In one of the most densely cities, the government implemented a bus rapid transit to reduce congested streets - speed average of 10km/h in rush hours. Bus exclusive lanes were created 230km of a network of bicycle lanes, and also private cars were banned to circulate on central areas during rush hours.

Source: Droege, P 2005, The Renewable City: A Comprehensive guide to an urban revolution, Wiley, Chichester.