Sustainable urban infrastructure refers to engineered facilities and utilities designed for sustainability purposes, with focus areas including energy, water, metabolism, e-city connectivity and urban resilience as key areas of consideration.
Building with nature can reduce both costs and environmental impacts of infrastructure while offering numerous other advantages. For instance, Fargo-Moorhead’s project to divert floodwaters is providing multiple services including flooding prevention, carbon sequestration, and reduced temperatures.
Seattle (USA)
Seattle has much to teach other cities when it comes to reinventing urban infrastructure. Seattle is pushing the envelope when it comes to sustainable building construction, energy use management and waste disposal systems.
Reimagining the relationship between nature and infrastructure. For instance, the city’s gas works park signifies this change – from when industrial structures were seen as intrusions on the landscape to being valued opportunities to promote urban biodiversity.
Rethinking how public funds are distributed also comes into play here, such as Seattle’s Sustainable Building Policy which mandates new and major renovations of 5,000 square feet or more to comply with key performance requirements such as water and energy efficiency, waste diversion and community benefit. Furthermore, job training programs for sustainable building science support job-training programs as well as tracking metrics. Seattle also partners with Interweave and S2 – two community-led sustainability accelerators which assist local organizers prioritising initiatives while creating equitable economic regions – to assist local organisers prioritise initiatives and create equitable and sustainable economic regions.
Medellin (Colombia)
Columbian city Medelln has earned international attention for its groundbreaking sustainability initiatives, such as its metrocable system that links hillside communities to the rest of the city. Green transportation initiatives are just one example of many efforts taken to mitigate climate change effects and protect fragile ecosystems in this “city of eternal spring.”
Medellin’s river restoration projects have helped increase water supply and reduce flooding while creating recreational spaces for its residents. Furthermore, Ruta Recicla tree planting program creates employment for locals while decreasing harmful PM2.5 particulates that contribute to health concerns.
Waste management has seen significant progress within the city, reducing overall waste generation and expanding recycling infrastructure. Unfortunately, Pradera landfill continues to fill rapidly; further opportunities exist in terms of incorporating circular economy principles into municipal plans.
Cairo (Egypt)
Egyptian capital can serve as a model of sustainable urban development in the Middle East and North Africa region through several initiatives, including policy reforms, education programs designed to build local expertise, investments in green technologies and community engagement mechanisms.
Sustainable practices must reflect Cairo’s cultural context for them to be successful, meaning adapting LEED-ND and BREEAM-Communities metrics accordingly. LEED-ND encourages compact cities that reduce land consumption and can maximize infrastructure efficiency, which may necessitate strategies promoting walkability while decreasing car dependence – this may mean adopting strategies like LEED-ND to suit Cairo.
LEED-ND and BREEAM-Communities both emphasize the value of community participation in sustainability initiatives. Engaging residents as custodians of their environment by including them in sustainability efforts gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility over their city’s future, and helps ensure sustainability standards are integrated into new buildings and infrastructure designs and construction processes.
Bangkok (Thailand)
Bangkok, as one of the world’s most congested cities, prioritizes infrastructure projects that reduce congestion and enhance public transportation access. Alongside developing new public transit systems, Bangkok will build green pathways, renovate existing roads to support sustainable travel, install solar panels on buildings as well as introduce micromobility solutions like electric scooters, public vans, public boats or tuk-tuks that promote sustainability in this fast-paced metropolis.
Although our city has taken great care to accommodate for rapid urbanization and unplanned expansion, its rapid urbanization has resulted in an excess of infrastructure and public utilities that exceeds its capacity. Therefore, prioritizing quality public facilities while revising development strategies to reach its goals.
Thai cities require greater fiscal autonomy to overcome the limits imposed by central government funding, in order to attract private investments for infrastructure development and ensure they can align their urban planning strategies with national objectives while satisfying local aspirations and adapt to an ever-changing climate.