Towards a sustainable built environment
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There is no reason why these criteria should not form the basis of future planning,
even if achievement of the end goal can only come far into the future. The fragmented
development process that exists to date could be replaced by a measured ‘holistic’ or
‘systems’ approach, which would transform the above criteria into a master plan that
would ensure the integration of existing communities with all future changes.
The zoning system commonly used in planning, which segregates residential and
commercial functions, is no longer regarded as sustainable as it isolates these
functions, causes more travelling and is insensitive to environmental features. Instead,
the current focus is on providing a broad spectrum of services within a community,
integrating all sectors of the built environment. In addition, alternative spatial strategies
are being suggested. These strategies attempt to rethink the relationship between
elements of the urban landscape (such as parks, open spaces, streets and views) and
transport, food supply and infrastructure in order to enhance well-being and reduce
consumption of resources.
Whilst change is inevitable, areas of special character or historic interest need to be
maintained. This is not just from a cultural perspective but also because demolition
and rebuilding is generally more energy intensive than refurbishment. Such areas will
require assessment or benchmarking to provide a platform for future development.
A hierarchy of development areas can then be devised, starting with renovation,
regeneration and brownfield development and, if necessary, moving towards
development of greenfield sites. There is often a trade-off between the expense and
difficulty of making existing property energy efficient and the cost of demolition and
rebuild. However, the destruction of historic environments often represents a loss to
the very communities we are trying to encourage.
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) (adopted in most countries to a greater or
lesser degree) legislates for the assessment and mitigation of the environmental
consequences of a development proposal. It is currently associated with larger
projects, although its remit is likely to be broadened to include all developments.
Matters requiring consideration include:
• affordable housing
• flood defence
• highways and transport schemes
• recreation
• security
• health facilities
• education
• recycling
• employment and training.
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