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Concepts in Sustainable Cities Green urbanization is one of the requirements of sustainable cities
2024-08-15
Assistant Instructor Saif Sa’ad Mansour
Upper Euphrates Basin Developing Centre / University of Anbar
All countries with all their human spectrums, economic ranks and social classifications seek to reach sustainable cities, and this is a lofty demand and has indispensable steps and principles, it is very important for everyone to know researchers, communities and governments that building sustainable cities is not just an option, but rather a necessity, and sustainable cities are those cities that were designed and established in accordance with the requirements and standards of sustainable development, and with the increasing environmental and economic challenges, the need to provide and create rules that ensure the achievement of sustainability in cities has emerged, and we will learn in this article about one of these principles and requirements, which is the term "green urbanization", This concept is relatively recent, as the emergence of this term is associated with the growing interest in environmental awareness and the need to blend environmental principles in the planning and development of cities and urban areas. Green urbanization is an essential part of green development, balancing economic growth and environmental protection. Green urbanization is known as a holistic approach to planning and developing cities and urban areas in ways that focus on environmental sustainability, reducing environmental impact and enhancing the quality of life for residents through a range of environmental initiatives and practices, this approach seeks to integrate nature into urban infrastructure to provide sustainable and healthy cities by designing cities using environmentally friendly technologies, such as renewable energy and green construction.
Green urbanization is one of the requirements of sustainable buildings because it enhances environmental, economic and social efficiency, and the importance of green urbanization is highlighted in a group of factors, perhaps the most prominent of which is that it contributes significantly to reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality in cities by integrating plants and green spaces into infrastructure, reducing urban temperature and improving natural rainwater drainage, and therefore these measures help in the process of climate change and reduce the need for energy used for heating and cooling.
The green urbanization approach can be achieved by following two directions:
The first (green development): Green development is a comprehensive method that seeks to achieve economic and social development in ways that preserve the environment and reduce the negative use of natural resources, this approach includes the use of environmentally friendly technologies and practices, such as renewable energy and sustainable resource management, in a way that develops economic growth while preserving the environment for future generations.
To reach the integration of green urbanization and green development, there are some steps:
Environmental design:
Green development seeks to operationalize the principles of environmental design in all aspects of urban planning. This includes the use of sustainable building materials, building design to improve energy efficiency, and reduce waste. These efforts are supported by green urbanization that promotes the use of natural plants and techniques to improve the city's ecology.
Green infrastructure:
Green infrastructure includes the creation of a range of green spaces, such as gardens and parks, as well as the use of green roofs and walls (vertical walls) in buildings. These elements enhance biodiversity and help reduce the impact of heat and soften weather, contributing to improved air and water quality.
Recycling: It is very important to adopt the principle of recycling and reuse to reduce waste and resource consumption, as green urbanization contributes to achieving this principle by encouraging the reuse of materials and recycling waste of all kinds (domestic, agricultural and industrial), which reduces pressure on natural resources and preserves the environment.
The second trend of green urbanization is (low environmental impact development):
Low-impact development: It is an approach that aims to reduce the environmental impact of human activities as much as possible, as this approach urges the use of technologies and practices that conserve natural resources and reduce pollution and waste, to achieve economic and social development in ways that preserve the environment and ensure its sustainability for future generations.
To get integration between green urbanization and low-impact development: There are some steps:
Implementing sustainable urban planning:
Sustainable urban planning focuses on designing cities in ways that reduce environmental impact including creating large green spaces, encouraging public transport and bicycles, and developing environmentally friendly infrastructure. Green urbanization reinforces this trend by integrating plants and natural techniques into urban planning.
The use of clean energy:
Green urbanization urges the use of renewable energy such as solar and wind energy in the design of buildings and infrastructures as well as low-impact development that relies on these sources to reduce carbon emissions and achieve energy efficiency.
Sustainable construction:
Green urbanization involves the use of environmentally friendly building materials and building technologies that conserve energy and reduce waste. Low-impact development supports this trend by encouraging the use of recycled materials and designing buildings that consume the least resources.
In conclusion, green urbanization is an essential part of green development, as it contributes to achieving a balance between economic growth and environmental protection, by integrating the principles of green urbanization into urban planning and development, both green and low-impact environmental impact, as green urbanization aims to transform existing cities from consumers to producers, thus enabling us to create sustainable urban environments that provide a high quality of life and preserve natural resources for future generations.
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