Building the Ecological City

Book excerpt: If the modern city is a monument to anything, it is a monument to man's inefficiency. Our cities are plagued by problems of congestion, waste, and pollution that deplete natural resources, damage the environment and reduce the quality of life of citizens.The irony is, as this fascinating new study shows, that it doesn't have to be like this.Building the ecological city describes the problems we face and puts forward solutions to the question – how can we build cities that provide an acceptable standard of living for their inhabitants without depleting the ecosystems and bio-geochemical cycles on which they depend?The book suggests and examines the concept of urban metabolism in which the city is characterized as a set of interlinked systems of physical flows linking air, land and water. A series of chapters looks at the production and management of waste, energy use and air emissions, water supply and management, urban land use and air quality issues. Within the broader context of climate change, the book then considers a range of practical strategies for restoring the health of urban ecosystems from the restoration of 'brownfield' land to productive use through to improving air quality and making better use of water resourcesBuilding the ecological city is a major contribution to better urban management and planning for both citizens and the environment and is an invaluable sourcebook for urban and national planners, architects and environmental agencies. - Authoritative review of the environmental impact of modern cities - Seeks to identify a viable model for urban living in relation to all the resources – land, air and water, upon which cities depend but currently tend to deplete or destroy - Essential reading for urban planners, architects, local and national government officers, environmental agencies worldwide and students of ecology and environmental sciences