Sustainable urban infrastructure is key to the continued success of cities. It provides cost-effective climate-resilient infrastructure services while simultaneously offering multiple co-benefits for its citizens.
Research that improves local jobs and public health outcomes while supporting long-term sustainable development is also covered under this research topic. This includes water/wastewater treatment plants, electricity grid, transportation networks, building design, telecomms/telecommunications networks as well as transport/telecommunication services and building design.
1. Resourceful water management
With urban populations increasing worldwide, sustainable infrastructure is vital to meeting climate targets and creating resilient economies. This research synthesis offers a verifiable and reproducible method for tracking prevailing themes related to sustainable urban infrastructure by electronically scanning 995 papers for co-occurrence of keywords related to it.
One essential component of effective water management plans is using green infrastructure systems. These include permeable pavements that reduce urban heat island effects and stormwater management systems that allow harvesting and reuse of stormwater runoff. Green infrastructure practices also offer environmental benefits like restoration of natural ecosystems and reduced energy consumption; CDOT’s Sustainability Guidelines can be utilized as a tool to advance sustainability within public right-of-ways.
2. Resourceful energy management
Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals and moving toward a low carbon economy will require substantial infrastructure investments; however, according to estimates by Global Infrastructure Hub there remains an estimated multi-trillion dollar funding shortfall.
Cities can make their infrastructure investments more sustainable by creating nature-based infrastructure (NBI), which offers cost-effective climate-resilient infrastructure services at reduced costs while simultaneously producing numerous co-benefits to people and the environment.
Numerous initiatives and tools are helping to advance the use of natural built infrastructure (NBI) in urban infrastructure planning. Notably, the International Living Future Institute’s Cities with Nature campaign raises awareness about urban biodiversity’s benefits to cities while encouraging them to incorporate it into their infrastructure plans. Furthermore, blended finance could spur private investment in NBI as well as other sustainable infrastructure solutions.
3. Resourceful transportation
Cities can significantly decrease greenhouse gas emissions by adopting alternative forms of transport. For instance, Copenhagen boasts over five times as many bikes than cars and many commuters utilize cycling superhighways to reach work – this reduced vehicle count allows people to travel farther distances faster while decreasing congestion and pollution issues in the city.
Nature-based infrastructure (NBI) is an urban solution consisting of natural ecosystems like parks and green roofs as well as engineered structures like water-retaining walls or wetlands with services like stormwater management, air filtration or temperature regulation. To be most effective, research on NBI should incorporate economic and social considerations; this would identify effective strategies for using it during urban infrastructure planning or project evaluation.
4. Resourceful buildings
As global urban population is expected to increase from its current 7.0 billion people today to an expected 8.0 billion people by 2050, there is an urgent need for infrastructure that provides economic, social and environmental (ESE) benefits – something traditional approaches of infrastructure provision tend to overlook in favor of physical structures alone. This calls for a paradigm shift away from providing physical structures without considering their socioeconomic aspects of city life.
Resource-efficient buildings use less energy and water while simultaneously improving occupant comfort. Their design may include features to decrease heat islands, promote natural ventilation, and incorporate green spaces such as gardens or parks into their plans.
Multiple papers exploring the relationship between UGI and SD demonstrate the necessity of taking an integrative approach that considers all three pillars of sustainability rather than simply one or the other. Therefore, further research on measuring and valuing UGI, including ES is warranted.
5. Resourceful waste management
Recycling and composting can help cities reduce waste production, but in order to achieve true sustainability they must address its underlying causes such as industrial development or consumption patterns – this can be difficult when dealing with limited resources and budget.
The URBANET study finds that business is an indispensable ally in helping cities realize their ambitious sustainability visions, as evidenced by WBCSD Urban Infrastructure Initiative (UII), an innovative global project showing how businesses can mobilize private financing and expertise to accelerate sustainable UGI.