Sustainable
Development
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Self-sufficient Urban Community that re-establishes
Balanced Resource Exchange with Nature Introduce ideas and methods for reducing long-term costs of healthcare, energy, food, operation & maintenance, crime prevention, etc. Provide affordable housing with 2nd units and home-based occupations. Create a caring and vibrant community, reminiscent of traditional villages; centralized public amenities and increased density. Harmonious integration into surrounding urban context and possible expansion. Orient buildings and roads for best sun and wind exposure. Achieve sustainable population density for efficient use of land, infrastructure and services. Propose a community-based land management system. Preserve important natural features, such as creeks and trees. Create a mini forest for noise barrier, temper climate, clean air, harvesting wood, animal and bird habitat, etc. Create a hobby farm and garden plots for a community food base, in conjunction with an educational pioneer village. The lagoon may contribute with the “catch of the day”. Fresh produce delivered daily to the village market. Facilitate public transportation and walking, bicycling and cross-country skiing. Allow convenient walking between various areas and core. Cover all parking for comfort, low maintenance and for added green space. Use renewable and clean sources of energy (solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, biochemical) to achieve energy self-sufficiency and reduce pollution; co-generate electricity with windmills, hydro turbines, photovoltaic panels and clean back-up generators. Off-peak surplus electricity to be used to produce hydrogen from water. The forest and hobby farm will supply raw materials for ethanol. For improved water and air absorption benefiting plant life, use only permeable paving, such as natural stone and prefabricated units made of concrete or recycled materials, instead of continuous asphalt and concrete. Rooftop “rain gardens” collect rainwater, limiting the need for storm drains. Collect storm water and snow in the multi-purpose lagoon (storm water management and irrigation, potential hydro, fishing, sports and recreation, etc). Develop on-site recycling and waste treatment system. Introduce individual responsibility for collecting recyclables; these may be used as supply materials in school workshops. Use gray water for toilets, and vertical bio-treatment wetland technology to clean sewage. Introduce systematic composting for gardening. Incorporate energy efficiency in all buildings; thermal mass, solar heating and provisions for photovoltaic. Propose a variety of housing types: single and semi-detached, townhouse, low-rise terraced walk-up, high-rise apartment. Incorporate principles of flexhousing and barrier free access (universal design), healthy housing, energy efficiency and self-sufficiency. Use green-roofs for reclaiming and returning to nature the ground
occupied by buildings and roads.
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