photo credit: phototouring
Cities represent the pinnacle of human achievement, and we are becoming increasingly urban to the extent that we have well crossed the 50% urbanization mark in the last decade. Cities are increasingly becoming big consumers of energy. There is a never-ending demand of energy for construction and running of housing and amenities, commercial and shopping spaces, and the ever so demanding knowledge production centres of the cities. All of them consume substantial amounts of energy. Similarly, transport and mobility needs in the ever so connected ‘global’ world consume energy and carbon to match the footprints of Industries. There have been disparate and sometimes conflicting attempts to mitigate the energy deficit and climate change that we face as a globe and more efforts are needed to address the energy and environment issues at not just the Federal/National level, but also at the local level.
It is therefore essential to start with an integrated outlook to the energy efficiency of cities. We need smarter spaces, spaces that function 24 hours, with minimum embedded energy and long service lives, accommodating multiple uses in different times and arranged in a fashion that avoids reliance on cars and polluting motorized transport. We need smarter grids, to cope with oblique curves in energy demand, cross-fed by renewable energy sources like solar energy to avoid peaking loads and hence less reliant on polluting small power plants. We also need an outlook to overall management of energy, especially in the municipal sector, whereby big heads like pumping, lighting, district heating/cooling (if applicable), sewerage and solid waste disposal can be less energy intensive. We need convergence between energy governance and democratic local governance, bringing the issues of energy to the mainstream of public debate. We need to see the world as one, where no city can waste at the expense of others and where a network of connected minds come together to tackle global problems of energy and environment.
Lets remember that we continue to consume and waste in the way we have been; there will be no earth to support us!
What is your one big idea for cities in 2012? Submit a blog post to info@theurbanvision.com along with a bio & Pic.
Tag Archives: eco cities
Part 1:Ecologically Sensitive City Planning , Ulhas Rane …
Part 1:Ecologically Sensitive City Planning , Ulhas Rane ,Partner, Envirodesigners
Part 2 :Ecologically Sensitive City Planning , Ulhas Rane ,Partner, Envirodesigners
About the Speaker:
Ulhas has post graduate qualifications in Environment & Ecology & Sociology. He is a passionate naturalist, educator and researcher. Apart from professional projects with emphasis on Landscape & Environmental Design, he has several research papers and publications to his credit. He has been a senior faculty in many prestigious institutions.
About the Program:
Building Livable Cities is a multi city investigation on ideas that can make Indian cities Livable . As part of the initiative , symposiums took place across 5 cities – Bangalore , Mumbai , Delhi , Chennai ,and Ahmedabad between Oct 18-22 ,2010. For more info log on to http://www.theurbanvision.com/blc
Urban Form and Sustainability: B.R. Balachandran
About the Speaker:
B. R. Balachandran, is the founder of Alchemy Urban Systems . He is Architect and Urban Planner and has been one of the core team members of Environmental Planning Collaborative (EPC), Ahmedabad for ten years. Mr. Balachandran has been involved in preparation of Development Plans and other town planning projects for several cities in India. The Development Plan and Town Planning Schemes that were prepared for the earthquake-devastated city of Bhuj under his leadership have resulted in a total transformation of that city. He has also been involved in many other pioneering efforts in urban reform during and after his tenure at EPC. Moreover, over the years, the promoters of Alchemy Urban Systems have developed a wide range of relationships in the urban planning profession and its related fields, thus enabling them to access a broad spectrum of professional services to support their work.
About the Program:
Building Livable Cities is a multi city investigation on ideas that can make Indian cities Livable . As part of the initiative , symposiums took place across 5 cities – Bangalore , Mumbai , Delhi , Chennai ,and Ahmedabad between Oct 18-22 2010. For more info log on to http://www.theurbanvision.com/blc
Energy Management in Water Supply Systems: Pradeep Kumar
About the Speaker:
Pradeep Kumar is the India Head ,Alliance to Save Energy which promotes energy efficiency worldwide for economy, environment and security.Pradeep has more than 14 years of experience in the field of public and private sector energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate change mitigation programs. His technical expertise includes preparation of techno-economic feasibility studies, project assessment, design and development of performance based contract projects; investment grade energy audits; preparation of EE bid documents, training & capacity building, and evaluation of proposals. His expertise covers energy efficiency and CDM programs in water supply and street lighting systems, buildings, SME cluster, and energy efficiency procurement, He is also one of the foremost experts in measurement and verification (M&V) of energy & cost savings and created replicable financing models for energy efficiency projects.
Pradeep is well networked with key government departments and donor agencies including public and private sector stakeholders. He has been instrumental in providing strategic and technical advice to various government and international development agencies in India and developed two statewide municipal energy efficiency programs in India covering more than 200 municipalities’ including water utilities. He has conducted various EE and M&V training programs for decision & policy makers, engineers, managers, finance personnel and EE project implementers.
Pradeep has been working on various international development programs in association with agencies such as; USAID, IRG, REEEP, The World Bank and IFC. He is a Certified M&V Professional (CMVP) by AEE, USA and has published many papers on energy efficiency, M&V and carbon financing.
Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Kumar has worked on various renewable energy and waste energy management projects. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and post graduate in Energy Engineering.
About the Program:
Building Livable Cities is a multi city investigation on ideas that can make Indian cities Livable . As part of the initiative , symposiums took place across 5 cities – Bangalore , Mumbai , Delhi , Chennai ,and Ahmedabad between Oct 18-22 2010. For more info log on to http://www.theurbanvision.com/blc
Building Livable Cities: Principles of Sustainable Transport
About the Speaker:
Chris joined ITDP as a full time staff member in 2008 after being involved as a consultant since 2004, focusing on transportation projects in Africa and India. In Cape Town and Accra, he performed greenhouse gas assessments of proposed BRT systems. In Johannesburg, he helped the city apply for certification of the Rea Vaya BRT system under the Clean Development Mechanism. Before joining ITDP, Chris worked for the Transportation and Land Use Coalition (now Transform) in Oakland; the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, also in Oakland; the City of Berkeley’s Planning Department; Meyer, Mohadddes Associates, Los Angeles; and Delin Consult in Accra.
Chris received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental policy from the Earth Systems Program at Stanford University. He currently resides in Ahmedabad where he helped develop a public transport demand model and operation plan
for the city’s BRT system.
About the Program:
Building Livable Cities is a multi city investigation on ideas that can make Indian cities Livable . As part of the initiative , symposiums took place across 5 cities – Bangalore , Mumbai , Delhi , Chennai ,and Ahmedabad between Oct 18-22 ,2010. For more info log on to http://www.theurbanvision.com/blc