Category FAQs Search : Sustainable Development Goal
Question: What are the characteristics of green urban planning in sustainable city?
Answer: 1. Public transportation
Cities that focus on sustainability must address transportation head-on, as motor vehicles are responsible for 75% of carbon monoxide pollution in the U.S. today. Cost-efficient and accessible public transportation takes cars off the road, reducing harmful emissions generated by daily driving commutes and errands.
Here are some public transit examples sustainable cities have enacted:
Electric trolleybuses
Metro systems
Underground railways
Maglev trains
Another great way to improve public transportation and encourage greener practices is to incentivize alternative travel by reserving certain lanes for buses, electric cars and carpooling. The future of transportation is tackling greener public transit with new technology such as hyperloop and smart roads.
2. Walkable and bikeable neighborhoods
One of the best ways to reduce carbon emissions throughout a community is to have citizens ditch transit altogether. Walking and biking are great alternatives to encourage, and city leaders can do so by approving infrastructure changes, passing laws to protect cyclists and making smart urban planning decisions.
Take Copenhagen, where bicycles outnumber cars more than five to one, and 42% of residents bike to work. This bike culture was achieved through city management: Cycling superhighways were created across the city by a series of paths and bridges designed specifically for bikers.
Walk and bike-friendly infrastructure includes:
Pedestrian bridges
Bike path networks
Connected urban grids
Shared micro mobility
3. Vehicle charging stations
An electric vehicle produces zero tailpipe emissions compared to a typical passenger vehicle, which produces 4.6 metric tons annually. For cities hoping to become carbon-neutral, vehicle charging stations for electric or other alternatives must become commonplace.
Cities can incentivize charging station construction by teaming up investors from the private sector with public servants. Urban planners can work with developers to map out charging station locations that suit both drivers and local homeowners. After all, installing charging stations on random street corners could result in property value loss and increased congestion.
Another eco-friendly vehicle that requires newly constructed refill stations is a hydrogen-powered car. Powered by hydrogen and oxygen, these cars can run twice as long as an electric vehicle before needing a refill (rather than a charge). Yet today, only 376 refueling stations exist worldwide.
4. Solar farms
The switch to clean energy is essential for cities to become sustainable. Solar farms can improve air quality in a city while also providing renewable energy to citizens and municipal facilities.
Solar energy also creates well-paying jobs and stimulates economic growth. The U.S. added 110,000 net new clean energy jobs in 2018, outnumbering fossil fuels nearly three to one.
City-funded solar farms allow residents who can’t harness solar energy on their own property to gain access to solar power. It also allows municipal buildings to transition to renewable energy. Fayetteville, Arkansas, is working to run 100% of local government buildings on clean energy by 2030.
5. Green buildings
Thirty percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings. One solution? Green buildings, which reduce CO2 emissions by 32%. They also require less maintenance and have cheaper water and electric bills. These cost benefits, along with additional tax incentives, have allowed green building construction to become widespread without the use of government mandates.
Here are some popular ways green buildings address these areas:
Smart heating and cooling systems
Natural building materials
Enhanced ventilation and insulation
Solar panels
Green roofs
In order for a city’s infrastructure to be truly green, all municipality buildings should be LEED certified. The U.S. Green Building Council awards LEED certification to buildings that address energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction and more.
(Source: The zebra, 24 Mar 2021)
Source Link: https://www.thezebra.com/resources/home/what-is-a-sustainable-city/