GIEL Topic 2.1 (sustainable urban neighborhoods)

development

• Refers to the economic, social and political process, which results in an improvement of standard of living 

• Countries can be classified by their level of development 

  • economic indicator : gross domestic product (gdp) per capita

  • social indicators : life expectancy and adult literacy rate

sustainable development

• Refers to meeting the needs of the present population by achieving high standard of living for all and ensuring the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

• Economy, environment and society 

  • affects each other (connected), so if one is overlooked the rest may be risked

economic sustainability

• Achieved by ensuring that a neighbourhood has a high enough population density, which helps to support local businesses and keep transport and infrastructure costs low

• Local businesses r able to sustain themselves due to sufficient demand for their goods and services

• Residents can be employed at these places, earning income and increasing standard of living

• Buildings and objects r usually located close to each other, so residents do not need to travel far → keeping transportation costs low

social sustainability

• Achieved by ensuring residents feel included and have a sense of shared identity 

• Can be fostered by having shared community spaces to promote regular social interactions 

• Population size in urban neighborhood kept small → facilitate regular interactions among residents

• Problems faced by local residents are day to day mundane issues which can be resolved fast and locally 

→ example : residents network was set up to promote neighbourhoodliness and community cohesiveness amongst residents

environmental sustainability

1. ample protection for nature

2. having facilities that support waste minimization and recycling

3. energy and water efficient design approaches for buildings and landscape

env sustainability : ample protection for nature

• Wildlife wld be able to thrive in urban spaces and human-wildlife coexistence can be fostered

• Concerted efforts should be made to protect existing native species, habitats and ecosystems + reestablish species that once existed 

  • example : the national parks board has developed multiple strategies aimed at safeguarding sg’s habitats and ecosystem for long term sustainability (implementation of species conservation and recovery programmes)

• Biodiversity in neighbourhoods can be maximised by having a wide variety of habitats instead of just a large uniform area of grass

• Types of plants should vary in species 

env sustainability : facilities supporting waste minimization and recycling

• Conveniently located recycling facilities and infrastructure (blue recycling bins around estates) can encourage residents to recycle

• High population density in neighbourhood ensures adequate waste can be collected and recycled in an economically viable manner 

• Waste recycling can be encouraged through neighbourhood-scale recycling activities organised by residents/town council 

env sustainability : energy and water efficient design

• Buildings and landscaping may be designed to be energy and water efficient to minimise use of resources

• Example : smart technology and eco friendly features cna be installed 

  • under the large scale HDB green towns programme, cool paint is going to be used in neighbourhoods to lower temperatures by up to 2 degrees celsius, reducing energy consumption 

  • water harvested from rain is used for block washing of void decks and corridors to reduce overall water consumption