Week 7.2 - Out of sight, out of mind

An issue which threatens to continually hinder the quest for cities to become more sustainable is the notion of 'out of sight, out of mind.' Even though cities are the primary contributors to green house gas emissions, the effects of their actions are felt elsewhere first and often hardest. The recent IPPC report illustrates the need for a united approach to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Without immediate action, consequences will be later exacerbated, and in regards to Australia, these include, but are not limited to, loss of mountain ecosystems and native species, the decline of fresh water resources and reduction in agricultural production.

Seemingly disconnected from urban life, aforementioned facets come back to haunt urban dwellers through the health and economic impacts of heatwaves, floods and bushfires. Coffee for instance, is a product expected to suffer by the increase of global temperatures. With forecasts of between 2-2.5 degrees of warming, changes in rainfall patterns and the spread of plant diseases and pests, suitable growing land will contract significantly. This disruption to production will effect processes of supply and demand, and ultimately increase the price of a latte in inner city cafes.

Arup, R, Wood, A, 2014. Temperature rise could hit coffee drinkers in the hip pocket. Sydney Morning Herald, 31 March. 6.

Comment, 2014. Inaction on climate change is no laughing matter. Sydney Morning Herald, 01 April. 14-17.

Week 7.1 - Moral imperative

The Industrial Revolution (1760-1840) signalled a number of unsustainable processes whose adverse effects are to be felt most strongly three centuries on. In terms of climate change, global temperatures are projected to warm by an average of 4 degrees by 2100, and in turn, negatively impact on population health and social stability. Aforementioned facets dictate the need to curb emissions, explore renewable energy resources/ carbon store initiatives, and implement design mechanisms capable of sustainably mitigating such increases. Economic considerations see that we are inclined to neglect such initiatives, yet in doing so, we create problems for future generations that will continue to impede the facilitation of sustainable cities. With awareness on the issue as strong as ever, our generation have a moral imperative to reverse the unsustainable practices of our predecessors for the sake of our offspring. Failure to do so will have dire implications, with forecasts that people will be unable to work during the hottest parts of the year, and in turn, potentially cut global productivity by 40% in the warmest months from 2100 onwards.

Snow, D, 2014. Climate could make humans extinct, warns health expert. The Sydney Morning Herald, 31 March. 6.

Week 6 - Urban Consolidation: Sydney

Metropolitan planning strategies that pursue a consolidation agenda do so in order to facilitate a sustainable future. This is due to the fact that consolidation, as opposed to sprawl, is seen as a panacea for reducing carbon emissions, protecting biodiversity, increasing the utilisation of public infrastructure, and enhancing social cohesion. However, through an analysis of the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy (NSWDOP, 2005) and its review, Sydney Towards 2036 (NSWDOP, 2010), it is evident that urban consolidation is hard to implement in retrospect. At sites identified for increased densities, the state government has encountered local resistance, which can be seen through NIMBY (not in my backyard) protests in established suburban areas such as Ku-ring-gai.

This resistance is born out of the desire to still live out the ‘great Australian dream,’ the notion of owning a home of one’s own on a suburban quarter acre block. Coupled with failed attempts at consolidation in the past, traditional notions of consolidation e.g. taller buildings overlooking/ overshadowing smaller ones, have been seen as the antithesis of this dream, and help to explain why Australian’s, in comparison to the rest of the world, have been slow to adopt such planning policies. Relatively speaking, this problem is unique to Australia, as being such a large continent; everyone feels they are entitled to their own block. A look to Western Sydney is able to reveal the spatial articulation of this dream, and illustrate the powerful grip it still holds over Australians.

As a consequence, it is the notion of sustainability, now seen as a common ground for humanity, which will be integral in facilitating the necessary shift towards consolidation. However, as this paradigm shift is still evolving, this stipulates the need for consolidation to first and foremost take place in areas where it can be justified under the guise of gentrification. As seen through development at Green Square and Wentworth Point, low density areas traditionally used for industrial purposes meet this criteria. Furthermore, due to the fact that they are often run down and/ or underutilise, they provide the perfect circumstance for strategic master planning to facilitate sustainable, utopian communities.

In light of this, a look to both developments are able to reveal a common shortcoming in that they are not readily accessible by public transport. This is particularly worrying, as the degree to which consolidation can be considered sustainable is directly proportionate to the degree to which an efficient public transport network can reduce the reliance on private vehicle ownership, and in turn reduce congestion and carbon emissions. The notion of transient orientated development (TOD) is often promoted as a panacea to implement these criteria, and refers to the process of increasing urban densities around a centralised transport hub. As a consequence, mechanisms implemented in retrospect are in contradiction to the very nature of TOD, with both precincts electing to deal with the issue of accessibility in lieu of population growth. Such propositions are short-sighted, driven by economics and serve to counteract positive externalities associated with efficient land use planning within the precincts themselves.

Johnson, L, 1997. Western Sydney and the desire for home. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 32, 2, 115-128.

Ruming, K, 2012. Multiple Suburban Publics: Rethinking Community Opposition to Consolidation in Sydney. Geographical research: Institute of Australian Geographers, 50, 4, 421-435.

Bucolo, S, 2003. Transient orientated Sustainable Urban Developments - Enhancing Community Consultation through Web Based Virtual Environments. Proceedings of the 1^st international conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques in Australasia and South East Asia, 1, 1, 271-272.

Week 5.3 - Development firms

Driven by the goal to be net positive by 2030, property development firm Mirvac are beginning to question traditional motifs of building design. Why does a building have to consume energy, why can't it produce energy? Why does a building have to consume water, why can't it collect water? Why can't a building re-use and recycle all of its outflows? A major competitor, Lend Lease, is taking a similar approach. Their large mixed-use development building in London's Elephant and Castle area, due for completion in 2025, aims to do so with net-zero carbon growth. As touched on in the previous post, such thinking has far reaching benefits that transcend initial environmental and economic objectives associated with 'being green.'

In the case of the Elephant and Castle Development, dwellings will be constructed from cross-laminated timber, a sustainably sourced and highly insulating material. Subsequently, heaters are rendered surplus to requirements, and the money saved will be used to install plumbing which will utilize grey water for toilet flushing. Aforementioned facets of design help to attract tenants by appealing to their moral obligation to be sustainable. Of even greater benefit, however, is the developments intention to influence the behaviour of people living in it and using it. It will improve public transport links, encourage bicycle use, and a rainwater catchment will be used to maintain a park in the middle of the development, the largest created in central London for 70 years.

http://www.mirvac.com/About/News/This-Changes-Everything/

Bleby, M, 2014. Lend Lease in 'green' project. Australian Financial Review, 20 March. 54. 

Entry 5.2 - Roles of Organisations

Utilising the same strand of thought as implemented by Copenhagen, organisations are  starting to realise the tangible benefits associated with sustainability. This is relevant to the relationship between sustainability and cities, as the inflows and outflows of large scale organisations largely contribute to the overall urban metabolism of a city. Due to associated implications, sustainably innovative organisations are typically more productive, and similarly, more profitable due to the fact that 'being green' is marketable. In recognition of this facet, leading organisations are starting to adjust traditional approaches to appeal to consumer conscious. 

As sustainability is widely accepted as a new common ground for humanity, innovative organisations will seek to be associated with buildings that impute their core business objectives, linked to sustainability in some way. In terms of building design, flexibility is an associated facet as it allows the function of the building to change without requiring additional embodied energy. So to natural lighting, which, in accordance with flexibility, produces spaces rich in amenity and ultimately conducive to creating a harmonious working environment. In sum, as organisations play an integral role in forming the underlying fabric of a city, by adjusting their corporate business practice to account for sustainable objectives, this allows the overall fabric of the city to follow suit.

Week 5.1 - Copenhagen

Worldwide, the political and environmental climate dictates the moral obligation for humanity to be sustainable. As a consequence, cities who recognise this facet are the ultimate beneficiaries, and are able to enjoy rewards which transcend initial ecological concerns. Copenhagen is a case in point. Due to a transport network which places a heavy emphasis on public transport and cycling, Copenhagen is on track to become the first carbon neutral capital city in the world by 2025. This would be an extraordinary feat, considering they only began to take sustainable action in 2005.

Changes to infrastructure have revolutionised the way residents commute, as citizens are able to cycle short distances to public transport networks, hop on and off with their bikes, before continuing on to their next destination. Due to its efficiency, this method is more popular than driving a car. By reducing CO2 emissions, this action gives rise to a multitude of reactions that can be tied back to economic benefits. Cleaner air and extensive cycle networks leads to improved health, reducing government funding for public health care. Furthermore, improved health and reduced congestion leads to increased production which, in turn, provides the funds necessary to facilitate further sustainable initiatives. In Copenhagen, an example of this was their initiative to improve their marine environment by cleaning the water in their harbour. Due to the fact that 'being green' is marketable, such actions contribute to the process which has seen an increase in tourism and real estate prices.

http://www.slideshare.net/halloliver/copenhagen-solutions-for-sustainable-cities-2012-export-catalogue

Week 4 - Ecological Footprint... Being realistic

For the first time ever, my participation in SUSD0001 has led me to calculate my ecological footprint. Entering relatively detailed information on the EPA website, in about 15 minutes it became apparent that if everyone lived like me, we would need 4.1 planet earths to sustain such a lifestyle. The degree to which I am conscious of my ecological footprint probably extends to being wary of water and electricity usage around the house. Sure, any action is better than nothing, however from calculating my ecological footprint, and then trying to reduce it, becomes apparent that even the staunchest of eco soldiers would struggle to live a sustainable existence in an urbanised world.

In short, my unsustainable lifestyle is characterised by commuting approximately 20km by car per day, eating meat daily and travelling 20 air hours per year. This lifestyle is a direct outcome of the westernised/ globalised culture I am immersed in, whereby such patterns of living are considered the norm. As a consequence it is likely that I, along with the majority of others, will continue living in an unsustainable manner until a significant paradigm shift dictates otherwise. This is due to the fact that once people become accustomed to certain luxury's they are unlikely to give them up. In experimenting with the ecological footprint calculator, the most startling realisation is that by giving up meat, I could reduce my footprint by 42%. However, due to the aforementioned facet, I am unlikely to do so.

In addition, it is hard to realistically implement change when associated benefit seems disproportionate to sacrifice. It is not always the case that by making a major lifestyle change, e.g. by becoming a vegetarian, that a proportionate reaction will ensure. By switching my primary mode of transport from car to public transport, I would only be reducing my ecological footprint by .1 planets. As a result, the exponential increase in travel time sees that I am not prepared to make this sacrifice. Similarly, by forgoing the luxury of air travel, I am only reducing my ecological footprint by .3 planets.

Even if I was to make a series of major sacrifices to substantially reduce my ecological footprint, I cannot realistically reduce my way of living to sustainable levels. Furthermore, It would be hard to commit to making such a sacrifice considering that individual action is not going to effect the situation at large. People who endeavour to live a sustainable existence do so with noble intentions, and many are content with their way of life, but as rates of consumption continue to increase, it is akin to swimming against the tide. As mentioned previously, any action is better than none, and on a large scale, small actions can have a big effect. However, established institution see that large scale sustainable living is unrealistic in the current urban climate. Paradoxically, people are almost better off to continue living in their current manner in order to speed up the introduction of the inevitable paradigm shift that will signal the widespread use of renewable energy resources. It is only then that sustainable living can be implemented on a large scale.

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/Ecologicalfootprint/calculators/personal/introduction.asp

Week 3.3 - Land Use Planning

Land use planning is an overarching management strategy integral to the facilitation of sustainable cities. Regardless of a cities size or density, the effectiveness of its productivity is directly proportional to the effectiveness of its planning. Subsequently, in order to effect the physical, environmental and economic benefits associated with well-planned urban density, high-quality development needs to take precedence over high quantity.

In the past, building to maximise returns without accounting for liveability has proven to be detrimental to density. Contributing to urban sprawl, this process has proved to be counterproductive to allowing people to move around easily between home and work - one of the most important factors of good land-use planning. In Sydney, increasing density around railway stations would go a long way to rectifying this deficiency, reducing car dependency and more appropriately utilising our fleet of double-decker trains.

Thistleton, R, 2014. Freeways don't solve city traffic woes. Australian Financial Review, 20 March. 57.

Week 3.2 - Renewable Energy

In the near future, the world is due for a quantum shift in relation to its primary energy resource. The rate of global oil consumption is unsustainable, and as it is a non-renewable resource, this action, or lack of, neglects bigger picture issues. A more strategic approach is needed in relation to investing into renewable resources, even if it is currently less economically feasible. In Australia, the long term viability of our cities is dependent upon government initiatives to overhaul traditional systems and infrastructure in order to utilise the indefinite amounts of sun, wind and wave energy unique to our massive content. Such decisions require significant amounts of funding, however delaying action only serves to delay the inevitable. We shouldn't have to wait until we are forced into action when the writing is already on the wall. The government will have to 'bite the bullet,' so to speak, at one point or another, and the early it does so, the greater the long term benefits.

Week 3.1 - In Retrospect

Amongst my group, talk has centred around a focus point for our assignment, specifically whether or not it is possible to implement sustainable mass urban transport retrospectively. The general consensus was that implementing this proposal in theory would undoubtedly differ to reality whereby economics and politics would come into play. The previous post is a prime example of how Sydney will attempt to implement sustainable mass urban transport retrospectively. At a cost of $1.6 billion, The Light Rail Network deals with a problematic issue in the heart of the city, however it is well documented that Sydney's overall transport issues run much deeper, with various urban demographics subject to slow and unreliable service. Furthermore, it emphasises the importance of a master plan for the city at large, as the success of this addition (the degree to which it is sustainable) is dependent upon how seamlessly it can integrate with existing and proposed infrastructure.

http://www.sydney2030.com.au/vision-in-2030/strategic-directions

Week 2.3 - Light Rail Network

News closer to home centres around the introduction of the CBD and South East Light Rail Network. Any addition to Sydney's abysmal public transport service is welcome, however is this infrastructure a stop-gap solution or of long term benefit? The light rail service will replace a large number of busses who frequent the CBD, freeing up pedestrian networks and resulting in reduced congestion and carbon emissions. For the first time, the infrastructure will provide viable public transport for large crowds attending sporting fixtures at the SCG & SFS. The service can accommodate 5 times more commuters than a bus, ensuring more efficient transport within a high-traffic precinct. As a result the project should prove to be both an environmental and economic success. Time will tell. 

http://www.sydney2030.com.au/vision-in-2030/strategic-directions

Week 2.2 - Increasing Urban Demographic

Currently around half the worlds population live in urban cities, with that figure expected to rise by 20% by 2050. Yes this is a worrying figure, but does it need to be? Can humanity make the necessary adaption's within 35 years so that Co2 emissions from cities do not disproportionately outweigh those from rural settings? In established cities, it is optimistic to say they could, however it is realistic in cases where effective action is already underway, e.g. Copenhagen who have expectations to be carbon neutral by 2025.

It is apparent that the key resource in this process is time, as drastic changes cannot be expected to happen overnight. However, as innovative cities lay the blueprint for change, this process can only improve as others follow. There is a great deal of optimism for master-planned cities, e.g. Masdar City, and great scope for developing cities (under the condition that strict planning conditions are adhered to). If they are, there is potential for the increasing urban population to be offset by a decline in per-capita carbon emissions. 

http://www.slideshare.net/halloliver/copenhagen-solutions-for-sustainable-cities-2012-export-catalogue

http://masdarcity.ae/en/

Week 2.1 - An Integrated Approach

First entry! Where to start? This week my research into the intersection of sustainability and cities has begun through the transport paradigm. Initial research begun through this paradigm as the driving requirement for the group assignment was to establish an individual focus point within the intangibly large subject area of sustainable cities. Through this investigation it soon became apparent that the intersection of sustainability and cities consists of a variety of overlapping paradigms that are impossible to analyse independently of one another. As a consequence, in order to improve cities both sustainably and equitably, an integrated approach is required whereby the various paradigms of transport, housing and population growth are considered as a whole and not individually.