Sustainable Cities » Sustainable Urban Living

What is sustainable urban living?

Cities use huge amounts of water, energy and land, and they produce huge amounts of waste. If a city carries on like this, it can use up resources and damage the environment for people in the future.

The spec says that urban sustainability requires the management of resources and transport. In this lesson you will see how a city can do both.

Key terms:

• Sustainable urban living: a way of living in a city that meets people's needs today without harming the environment or the needs of future generations.
• Water conservation: using less water and wasting less of it.
• Energy conservation: using less energy, and using it more efficiently.
• Recycling: turning used materials into new products instead of throwing them away.
• Green space: areas of a city covered by plants, such as parks, gardens, trees and playing fields.
• Traffic congestion: too many vehicles on the roads, so traffic moves slowly or stops.

Conserving water

People in cities use water for drinking, washing, cooking, cleaning and flushing toilets. Much of that water is treated to a drinking standard, so wasting it wastes money and energy too.

Conserving energy

Most of the energy a city uses for heating, lighting and transport comes from burning fossil fuels, which adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Sustainable cities try to use less energy and to get more of it from renewable sources.

• Better insulation: thick walls, roofs and double or triple glazing keep heat in, so homes need less heating.
• Efficient buildings and appliances: LED bulbs and energy-saving appliances use less electricity.
• Local renewable energy: solar panels on roofs let buildings make some of their own electricity.

Waste recycling

Waste from cities is often buried in landfill sites or burned. This takes up land, can pollute air and water, and wastes materials that could be used again.

A sustainable city encourages people to reduce, reuse and recycle. Households sort paper, glass, plastic, metal and food waste into separate bins. Recycled materials need less energy than making new products from raw materials, and less waste goes to landfill.

Creating green space

Green space makes a city a healthier and more pleasant place to live.

Case study: Freiburg, Germany

Freiburg is a city in the south west of Germany, close to the Black Forest. It is often described as one of the greenest cities in Europe. It shows how all of these ideas can work together.

• Energy: Freiburg is known as a solar city, with solar panels on many roofs. In the Vauban district, built on the site of an old military base, many homes were built to very high insulation standards so they need very little heating. Some homes even produce more energy than they use.
• Waste: households separate their waste into different bins, so more of it can be recycled.
• Green space: the city keeps parks and green corridors and has the Black Forest on its doorstep. Many streets in Vauban are lined with trees and shared gardens.
• Transport: Freiburg has a large tram network, cycle routes and many car-free or low-traffic streets. In Vauban, most parking is in car parks on the edge of the district, so fewer cars drive through the streets.

Urban transport strategies and traffic congestion

Traffic congestion wastes time, harms business and makes air pollution worse. It is also a problem for people's health. Cities use several strategies to reduce it. The best plans mix them together.

• Public transport: buses, trams and trains carry many people at once, so fewer cars are needed. Bus lanes make buses quicker than cars in traffic.
• Park and ride: drivers park on the edge of a city and take a bus or tram into the centre.
• Cycling and walking: safe cycle lanes, bike hire and pedestrian areas make short trips by car less attractive.
• Charging or limiting vehicles: drivers pay to enter the busiest areas, which gives them a reason to travel another way.

Example: London

London has more people and more traffic than any other UK city. It uses many of these strategies.

• Congestion Charge: introduced in 2003, drivers pay a daily charge to drive in the centre of London. The aim is to cut the number of vehicles and raise money for public transport.
• Ultra Low Emission Zone: introduced in 2019, vehicles that produce too much pollution must pay to enter the zone, which also helps air quality.
• Public transport: an extensive network of Underground, rail, bus, tram and river services.
• Cycling: a cycle hire scheme and a network of cycle lanes.

Exam-style question

(a) State two features of sustainable urban living. [2 marks]

(b) Using an example you have studied, explain how a city has reduced traffic congestion. [4 marks]