Geography 2153 Fall 2013

Environment, Economy and Society

Sustainability and the City (Ch 13)
Jamie Baxter

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Outline Ch 13
Urbanization the rise of cities cities and sustainability environmental conditions and trends
Agricultural land Heat islands Noise Water and waste water

urban planning and energy urban planning and transportation urban planning and waste

Designing sustainable cities is simpler than implementing them?

Guest Lecture Jay Stanford and Jamie Skimming: "Sustainable Cities Adjusting how we use Todays Built Environment and Positioning for Tomorrow"
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Exercise
Design a sustainable city. Groups of 3 or 4 List the key features/criteria Rank those criteria and be prepared to share with the class (dont peek further in this lecture, for now)
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Tokyo

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Rise of Cities

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Urban Areas in Canada

urban area population of at least 1,000 and a density of 400 or more people per square kilometre.

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Urban Areas in Canada

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Urban GrowthOutwards

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Urban Environmental Conditions and Trends

Loss of agricultural land 20% of Canadas highcapability (Class 1-3) agricultural land is located within 80 km of the 23 largest cities
Constrained by the ocean at its borders, there is pressure for Vancouver to develop prime agricultural land towards the mountains
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Urban Environmental Conditions and Trends

Microclimate Heat island effect: temperatures are typically 1 to 2 degrees Celsius higher in the city than surrounding rural area
reduction in wind speed human produced heat rapid runoff of precipitation atmospheric pollutants heat storage and reradiation by buildings/streets
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Urban Environmental Conditions and Trends

Noise the silent environmental issue Sources
Use your imaginationbut consider indoor environments too
Western Gazette editorial article 2009

Impacts
tinnitus, hypertension, heart disease, annoyance, stress, aggression (secondary impacts)
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Noise
reduction
physical barriers (e.g. freeway noise barriers) vegetative barriers policies and bylaws

H.E.A.R.net
musicians raising awareness about music/concert induced hearing loss

Living noise barrier in Laval QC - $3million and willows dying highlights the challenges of balancing form and function

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Urban Environmental Conditions and Trends

Water supply and quality surface water supplies most Canadian cities improvements in wastewater treatment

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Urban Environmental Conditions and Trends

Water supply and water treatment
Secondary
aerobic biological processes e.g., activated sludge
Why so low?

Tertiary
Filtration Lagoons Nutrient (e.g., phosphorus, nitrogen) removal Disinfection (e.g., chlorine)
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Urban Environmental Conditions and Trends

Sustainable housing/buildings Energy Water use Land Proximity to transportation networks Construction materials
Novel materials like straw for wall insulation present unique challenges and opportunities for design and construction
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 hehoTO

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Energy
Monitoring
to chart progress and track the impact of various changes meant to reduce consumption various scales national to specific buildings

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Sustainable Transportation
Increase non-motorized vehicles Decreased emissions from vehicles
Smart choice for driving in the city?

Each of the 15 million cars/SUV/trucks on Canadas roads emits over 4 tonnes of pollutants annually into the Bostons big dig made motorized vehicles go underground atmosphere
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Sustainable Transportation
Walkable cities Emphasis on loop and lollipop street design in suburbs Can be far less walkable Encourages motorized vehicle use classic grid patterns more walkable

Cul-de-sacs may be perceived as safer quieter, but walkable?

See the walk score methodology here

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Solid Waste and the City

Waste hierarchy Ranked options for waste management In EU this is written into law 65% of 1995 level of organics by 2016 What are some challenges for satisfying the waste hierarchy

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Solid Waste and the City

Torontos 2012 budget $14.8 billion waste = 2.3%

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Waste Diversion
In 1994 Ontario Environmental Protection Act required that municipalities with popn > 5000 have blue box programs municipalities had difficulty funding Waste Diversion Act, 2002 industry now helps pay for program This sets a framework for diversion that is still developing

1994 this became law

Calgary blue bins dont appear until 2009but in a high tech way
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Waste Diversion
Waste Diversion Ontario not-for-profit organization funded by industry oversees Ontarios current recycling programs 25% total waste diverted from landfills 46% residential waste diverted from landfill 60% of waste is non-residential
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Torontos solution to diversion: fees

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Waste Diversion

US EPA Data food generally higher than paper by volume

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Waste Diversion Organics (Toronto)

Green bin facility North York

Landfill Greenlane near London

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Aerobic composting facility e.g., Arthur ON

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Waste Diversion
Organics Comprise largest fraction of prediversion waste stream Challenge: remove contaminants (e.g., plastics) and liquids

Toronto Green Bin Facility virtual fieldtrip- can deal with about 160,00 of 510,000 (31%) single family home green bins per year

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Guest Lecture
"Sustainable Cities Adjusting how we use Todays Built Environment and Positioning for Tomorrow
Jay Stanford Director, Environment, Fleet & Solid Waste at the City of London Jamie Skimming Manager, Air Quality City of London

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