Truly sustainable living?
Environmentally sustainable, socially inclusive and economically viable. Self-sufficient and sustainable cities home and abroad.
Summary: Self sufficient and sustainable cities and communities such as The Park in South Africa and Ashwicken in Norfolk require many disciplines effectively working together. From these concerted efforts, such communities can make significantly positive impacts on environmental, social, and economic factors.
Why this is important: Self-sufficient communities can can be insulated from global commodity and energy price volatility. Longer term sustainability thinking can have benefits for biodiversity and the local economy too.
The big theme: We are used to the traditional investment world being divided along industry or sector lines - silos really. Sustainability illustrates how interconnected themes and ultimately industries are. A holistic approach is necessary to enable an effective transition. Smart Cities are a good example of interconnected thinking. This is escalated when we consider what is needed to create truly self-sufficient and sustainable living communities. Multiple disciplines from material science, engineering, IoT, natural capital and agriculture as well as health & well-being will need to be brought to bear.
The details
Summary of a story from SmartCitiesWorld:
Net zero sustainable cities developers Urb have unveiled designs for a sustainable and smart city in South Africa. The project, called 'The Parks' will aim to produce 100 percent of its water, food and energy on site and house 150,000 people. The 1,700 hectare site will comprise mixed use hubs with medical, retail, educational and entertainment as well as 40,000 residential units. The site is designed to promote “social sustainability and an active lifestyle” and housing will cater for “all income levels” without segregation, aiming to “increase community cohesion” according to the project website.
