CitiesGoGreen - Promotional Issue - (Page 9)

Integrate sustainability During the recent Globe 2008 conference in Vancouver, BC, Mazyar Mortazavi, a says. Rather, we need to understand the ecological footprint of the city and the relationships between the design Flyby How can cities respond most effectively to the 2030 Challenge? Core Question Working Conclusions The four pillars of sustainability. j Leadership is essential. A successful program requires political champions and leaders in multiple sectors. Find them. Get them talking to each other and to the public. k Integrate sustainability early on into operational, development and growth patterns. principal of Toronto’s TAS DesignBuild, put forth the model that sustainability includes four parts: the social, cultural, and economic environments as well as the physical environment. Only when these strands weave together can sustainability become integrated into the fabric of the community. In addition to environmental benefits, projects must build on and contribute to the culture of the place and the people living there, must increase the well-being of the neighof the built environment and density, transportation, walkability, and other systems. Many Globe 2008 presenters agreed it is essential to consider how a city’s systems work and move toward integrated solutions. Stephen Antupit, Urban Strategies Designer for Mithun Architecture in Seattle, says it’s about promoting smart growth from the ground up. He sees the key as integrating smart planning early, putting the right projects in the right place at the right time. l Think systems, not projects. m Collaborate and partner across sectors. Link interests and capabilities toward shared goals. n Measure, measure, measure. Clearly define the present situation. Set realistic, numeric goals which get you where you want to go. Track progress. o Develop codes and incentives which steer design and construction as desired. p Educate developers, builders, and building department staff in new expectations and standards. q Remember what Brent Toderian, Director of Planning for Vancouver, BC, says: “If you’re not changing business as usual, you’re failing.” This article is intended to be part of a conversation. We invite you to offer your own responses to the core question above or to any part of the discussion at www.CitiesGoGreen.com. Sustainability is achieved by focusing on the pattern of growth and development, not by focusing on projects. borhood and the city, and must be economically viable or profitable, often through public/private partnerships. Only then will sustainability become an integral part of how things happen. Collaborate and partner Collaborate and partner across all sectors. Cities need open, inclusive dialogs with community members, and active partnerships with the private and nonprofit sectors. The city of Carbondale, CO, for instance, partnered with the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE), a nonprofit devoted to promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency and green building in the region. CORE has helped the city create numerous partnerships, as well as fund several projects. The 2030 Challenge The 2030 Challenge is the creation of Ed Mazria, AIA. It is a developmental path aimed at preventing the worst climate change consequences by keeping us below critical CO2 thresholds. The 2030 Challenge has been adopted by numerous national organizations, states, cities and counties. The two 2030 Challenge goals are: u Eliminate coal as a power source. Burning coal negates all other positive measures. Coal Moratorium Now tracks developments. Think systems, not projects Vancouver’s Toderian provides the overview: “Sustainability is achieved by focusing on the pattern of growth and development, not by focusing on projects.” We can’t measure a city’s ‘greenness’ by counting the number of vegetated roofs, he April 2008 Flyby continued next page .com http://www.epa.gov/dced/ http://www.citiesgogreen.com http://www.architecture2030.org http://www.aspencore.org http://www.aspencore.org http://www.aspencore.org http://www.architecture2030.org/current_situation/stop_coal.html http://www.architecture2030.org/current_situation/coal.html http://cmnow.org http://cmnow.org http://www.citiesgogreen.com

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CitiesGoGreen - Promotional Issue Contents In Motion Conversations with Mayors Feature Article: How Can Cities Respond to the 2030 Challenge? Fast Forward

CitiesGoGreen - Promotional Issue

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