Sustainable Cities, Part 1 of 6

Cities and developers across the globe recognize that they can increase asset value and attract business/people through sustainable development. Sustainable development includes improving esthetics, mobility, the environment, and energy systems. The US census determined that 80% of the population now lives in cites, up from 40% one hundred years ago. The Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program reports that approximately 50% of the buildings that will exist in 2030 have yet to be designed. This represents a tremendous opportunity to apply sustainable development concepts.

Unless cities and developers are provided with alternatives to the current energy production, distribution, and supply system; fossil fuel energy consumption will surge by 34 quads while renewable sources increase by only 3 quads over the next 23 years according to the US EIA Annual Energy Outlook. This continued emphasis on fossil fuels is expected to increase carbon emissions by over 2200 million metric tons over this same period.

Through partnerships with private sector, universities, and governments; companies can finance, design, and build more efficient, smarter, and esthetically pleasing local energy systems. Archimedes said "give me a lever long enough and I can move the world". Cities and developers can provide this lever by integrating sustainable energy models and practices into community development and redevelopment projects. This includes efficient land use design, technology ready infrastructure, transit oriented development, and green space, just to name a few. Michael Phillips and Robert Gnaizda in a famous land use design study determined that low density development uses 85% more energy and 70% more water than higher density development of equal size.

Cities and developers can create sustainable energy systems that increase asset value. This includes lowering costs by improving asset utilization, providing secure power to critical facilities, improving esthetics, and utilizing generation sources with a lower emissions and carbon footprint.

This video provides examples of actions that cities and developers can implement today to build sustainable energy systems that improve local economies.

John F. Kelly
Principal at Intelligent Power Partners
jkelly@ippconnect.com

Please visit www.necsc.us for additional guidance on sustainable community development or www.ippconnect.com

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Alternative
• energy
• sustainable
• sustainability
• solar
• fuel
• cell
• resource
• biodiesel
• ethanol
• green