How can people sustainably build cities?

 Sustainable management of cities

• Environmental management

- Physical environment (e.g., reduce water pollution, minimise air pollution)

 - Hazards (e.g., use of better-quality building materials, land-use planning)

• Improve quality of life

- Providing safe housing

- Providing a variety of transportation modes

- Considering the needs of different groups (i.e., the elderly, persons with disabilities)

Environmental management

Cities have large environmental footprints  with high level of pollution. Pollution reduces the quality of the physical environment and sustainability so there is a need for management strategies to regulate use of natural resources and minimise the negative environmental impact from human activities.

Strategies to manage the physical environment 

Reducing water pollution through water treatment ponds in Kranji. 

Drains are set up around the farm plots in Kranji farms to channel the water which may be mixed with nutrients from the farm when it rains into the water treatment ponds. The water is then purified by cattails and fragrant pandan in the water treatment ponds.  This help to reduce water pollution which might otherwise take place in Kranji reservoir as shown by the greenish water in the photo below. The nutrients washed into the reservoir encouraged the growth of algae and results in eutrophication. 

Reducing air pollution through laws

Since 2013, China has adopted the  Air pollution Prevention and Control Action plan for Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. Each city has also set limits on air pollutions for industries and vehicles, which are two of the causes of heavy smog.

• License plate lottery policy limits the number of new vehicles that can be registered.

• Vehicle restriction rule limits the use of private cars to selected days in a week according to the last number of their  license  plates. This help to relief traffic congestion too.

Strategies to manage hazards 

Use better quality building materials to withstand the threat of hazards and reduce collapse of buildings, infrastructure damage, injuries and death.

 E.g. Mori Tower in Tokyo, Japan  - oil-filled shock dampeners allow the building to counter the force caused by tremors or high winds.

Land use planning to manage hazards 

E.g. Building restrictions along the coasts of Long Island, New York City, USA

• Planning agencies may disallow the use and construction in unsafe locations to prevent hazards from occurring e.g. flooding

Improving quality of life

1.  Providing safe housing

When housing supply is insufficient or too expensive, people may resort to building their homes at locations without obtaining permission.

These are referred to as squatter settlements and they can be found in unsafe locations such as steep slopes and along railway tracks.

The quality of life among squatter settlers is poor. Provision of safe housing makes a city a sustainable place to live in for many generations.

2.    Providing a variety of transportation modes

This refers to the way in which people and goods move from one location to another over land, air & water.

Travelling around the city is easier because people have more transportation options.

Traffic congestion can be reduced when people have more transportation options.

Environmental pollution can be reduced as fewer cars on the roads can lead to less fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Opening of the Punggol coast MRT station helps to improve travel time
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/new-punggol-coast-mrt-station-opens-passenger-service-to-begin-at-3pm

3. Considering the needs of different groups (inclusiveness)

To ensure a good quality of life for the elderly and persons with disabilities, cities need to be designed with their needs in mind.

Singapore adopts a Universal Design concept for buildings in public areas.

-       Pedestrian paths are at least 1.8 metres wide

-       Tactile warning on the ground near traffic crossing aid the visually handicapped and elderly pedestrians

-       Warning indicators are provided at traffic crossings to remind users to be careful when crossing roads

The aim is to create a built environment that is safe and accessible for everyone.