SOLAR POWER
Leading most green city lists, the world’s northernmost capital is blessed with natural power from waterfalls, volcanoes, geysers and hot springs. So it is no surprise then that the city houses the largest geothermal heating system in the world. Reykjavik takes full advantage of these to provide the city plenty of hot water and electricity which has decreased its dependence on fossil fuels. The city aims to be completely free of fossil fuel dependence by 2050 with the implementation of hydrogen-fuelled transit, electric
Malmo, Sweden Relatively obscure in comparison to its sister city, Stockholm, Malmo is making waves for its green initiatives. As a country that is already a leader in green electricity solutions, the bulk of Sweden’s electricity is derived from nuclear and hydropower. Malmo pioneered the use of renewable resources and neighbourhoods across the city like Western Harbour and Augustenborg were given eco-friendly facelifts. Western Harbour operates solely on renewable energy derived from the sun, wind, hydropower and biofuels while Augustenborg is famous for its botanical roof gardens. These roof gardens add insulation and vegetation to urban neighbourhoods, keeping houses warmer in winter and cooler during the summer months resulting in reduced energy costs. The world’s first emissions-free train is also proud to call Augustenborg its home. Additionally, an impressive 70% of waste that is collected in Malmo is recycled at its numerous recycling plants.
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All stories by Gregory Basil; Photographs Thinkstock.com
Reykjavik, Iceland
cars and buses that run on both methane and electricity. The city is also strongly advocates the use of public transport, cycling and walking. The Nordic lands are famous for its fresh air and Reykjavik intends to maintain this. An Air Quality Action plan was approved in March 2009 to improve the quality of air in the city even though pollution levels for PM10, ozone and NO2 are way below the limit. This elaborate plan details short-term measures, forecasts as well as a warning system and mitigation measures that will be taken in the event pollution levels exceed the set limits.
M A R C H
As the world experiences a seismic shift towards the concept and necessity of sustainability, we take a look at cities that have long jumped on the green bandwagon and are now leading the way in showing the rest of us how to earn those ecocredentials too.
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urgeoning skyscrapers, traffic jams, pollution and overcrowding – these are just some elements that make up a city. These days, however, cities are going through a paradigm shift to include a crucial element that dramatically changes the way they operate – sustainability. It is very challenging for cities to turn ‘green’ but many of them have taken active measures in carrying out their day-to-day operations in a manner that is more environmentally friendly. With the earth’s natural resources depleting at an alarming rate, better planning and an infrastructure that supports sustainability is imperative. Some cities have been at it for decades with green living a common practice while others are just now taking baby steps. We take a trip across the globe and look at cities that have jumped on the green bandwagon. These places epitomise what it means to truly be an Emerald city, not just one that is seen through green-tinted spectacles.
Known for its gothic architecture, this Spanish city is one of the world’s leading green cities. In Barcelona, a whopping 37% of outings are taken on foot. And outings that are taken on vehicles are still environmentally friendly as they are mostly run on electric, biodiesel or ethanol. Barcelona is also big on solar energy. It is one of the most successful solar-powered cities in the world thanks to its strategic location and weather that allows it an average of seven hours of sunshine a day. Also, sustainability regulations in the city necessitate solar panels to be fitted on all large buildings allowing these buildings to heat 60% of its own water. The city has managed to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by up to 440 tonnes a year thanks to its sculptural solar array that has a surface area of 10,500 m2 which is angled at 35° for maximum efficiency. Situated at Barcelona’s Forum Esplanade, it is the largest solar array in Europe. Spain’s second largest city is also very proud of its recycling initiatives. There are bins dotted all across Barcelona which are colour-coded for easy drop-offs. Not stopping there, planners began supplying citizens with corresponding bags to make recycling even easier. This proved to be a great success as the city, in 2006, recorded one third of its total waste as being recycled.
>>SOLAR POWER
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FEATURE GREEN CITIES 2 0 13 M A R C H 32
THE WORLD’S EMERALD CITIES
Barcelona, Spain
>> nuclear and hydropower
GREEN CITIES 34 46
The eighth largest Canadian city is a major tourist draw and boasts a community that is diverse, both ethnically and linguistically. It is also Canada’s greenest city with 90% of its power supply coming from renewable sources. Vancouver’s strategic location on the mainland of British Columbia, surrounded on three sides by water makes it an ideal source for wind, solar, wave and tidal energy. The city also boasts the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan which covers areas like water management, waste management and greenhouse gas reduction. Although the city’s population has increased by 27% and jobs have grown by 18%, the city is confident that it will be able to bring its greenhouse gas emissions down by 20% more than what it pledged during the Kyoto Protocol. Vancouver was also the first city in North America to implement the greenest building code. It is now working towards neighbourhoods that will provide residents easy access to work and recreational activities. This move will see the reduction of motorised vehicles and an increase in pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
Curitiba, Brazil Its name means ‘Pine Nut Land’ and Curitiba is Brazil’s eighth most populous city. But unlike its more celebrated sister cities of Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo that are renowned for heavenly beaches and equally heavenly bodies, Curitiba is renowned for being the green capital of Brazil. The city comprises 16 parks, 14 forests, more than 1,000 green public spaces and approximately 1.5 million trees dotted along its highways and city streets. While it cannot be denied that poverty is still a main concern in Brazil, Curitiba has come up with an ingenious way to stave off hunger. Residents are encouraged to bring in cardboard boxes, glass, old clothing and scrap metal which will then be exchanged for fruits and vegetables that were purchased from local farmers. This programme has resulted in approximately 90% of Curitiba’s residents recycling two thirds of their waste. The city has also become much cleaner; the rate of pollution and disease has dropped and residents are now more civic conscious and healthy.
Sydney, Australia Sydney first organised Earth Hour in 2007 and in subsequent years, many cities across the world have adopted this one-hour blackout to raise awareness on global warming. Now, Australia’s most populous city has embarked on a master plan christened ‘Sustainable Sydney 2030’ which aims to make the city green, global and connected. It is targeting a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70 % compared to the levels in 2006. To facilitate this, the city will adopt a method called trigeneration. Trigeneration is locally produced energy for cooling, power and heating simultaneously. It runs on natural gas and is much more energy efficient than a coal-fired power station as the produced gas is about 40 % cleaner, translating into more efficient power supply. Another project that is part of the Sustainable Sydney
2030 plan is the introduction of the decentralised water system. Because quality water is oftentimes used for washing and showering, it has resulted in approximately 26 billion litres of storm water runoff every year. Enter the decentralised water system. This system is a water recycling initiative that will run alongside the existing water networks. The water in the system will also be treated and filtered but is not for consumption. Instead this helps preserve drinking water.
Portland, USA Portland in the state of Oregon has topped the list as the greenest city in the US for years now with its harmonious blend of urban and outdoor spaces. The city has approximately 92,000 acres of green areas which include around 120 kilometres of biking, hiking and running trails. Additionally, an urban-growth boundary was
enacted which contains urban landscapes while protecting 25 million acres of forests and farms. Four years ago, the city adopted a climate action plan that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 % by 2050 against the levels set in 1990. It was the first American city to do this. Always known for pushing its green initiatives, The City of Roses has a system of buses and light rail transit that effectively reduce pollution and traffic, while a quarter of its commuters are known to cycle to work. Portland is proud to house more than 50 buildings that either meet or exceed the US Green Building Council standards for sustainability. The city also satisfies all of its energy needs via renewable sources, including one-of-a-kind parking meters that are solar-powered.
>> light rail transits
2 01 3
The Colombian capital is well-known for its high crime rate and drug lords. Now there is one more entry to the list, albeit a more positive addition – green city, thanks to the efforts of its former mayor, Enrique Penalosa, who introduced bicycle lanes and a new bus system in the city. The CicloRuta is a 300-kilometre long bicycle lane and is the longest bicycle lane in the developing world. The TransMilenio, meanwhile, is the new bus system in Bogota that runs on express bus lanes and significantly cuts both travel time and traffic congestion. In a city that’s home to about eight million, it is definitely a welcome relief for its citizens. Because of the TransMilenio’s efficiency, more than 7,000 private buses are off the roads as more commuters began using the new service, directly reducing fuel emissions. Since 2001, the new bus line has managed to reduce carbon emissions by a whopping 59%! February 1 each year is known as ‘Car-Free Day’ in Bogota where citizens are not allowed to use their cars in the city. An increase in petrol tax and restricted entry for cars into the city during peak hours has also seen peak hour traffic being reduced by up to 40%. By 2015, Bogota aims to eliminate private cars traffic completely during peak hours.
>> Sustainable Sydney 2030
Vancouver, Canada
M A R C H
M A R C H
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Bogota, Colombia
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FEATURE
>> bicycle lanes
Like many cities in third world countries, Kampala faces many challenges including poverty and pollution but it is not going to let these issues stand in the way of its green growth. The city has put into practice steps that will help reduce its carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions. In the works are plans to start imposing a traffic congestion fee in the city. Commuter taxis will also be removed from the streets and replaced with a comprehensive transportation system that will help rid the roads of traffic jams and pollution. Kampala has a naturally lush surrounding but tree-planting initiatives are, nevertheless, being actively carried out throughout the city. Kampala has also put in place a set of bylaws that support urban agriculture to enable inhabitants to farm within city limits. This sparked a revolution not only in Kampala but also throughout Uganda with the government adopting its own urbanagriculture policy.
>> bicycles
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M A R C H
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Bangkok, Thailand Closer to home, the Thai capital often conjures up images of stunning temples and foreign men looking rather jolly with their local catch than that of environmental sustainability. But behold, this vivacious city has a lot up its green sleeve. In 2007, a five-year green strategy was introduced. This strategy includes recycling used cooking oil to make biodiesel, reducing emission from vehicles and making buildings within the city more energy efficient. The City of Angels already has the BTS Skytrain which is an alternative mode of transportation to help curb traffic congestion in the city. It also has a subway system which is integrated with a light rail system. To further its green efforts, taxis and buses now run on liquefied petroleum gas. Bangkok also takes pride in its eco-trails with waterways and bicycle tours that enable tourists to see the city in a more environmentally
>> wind farm
The United Arab Emirates is famous for going to extremes, what with the tallest building in the world, the world’s only seven-star hotel, built on reclaimed land, and an entire city in the shape of a palm right smack in the middle of the Persian Gulf, just to name a few. UAE isn’t exactly synonymous with sustainability either but the Emirates is set to change that with Masdar City. Located in Abu Dhabi, the city will run completely on solar energy, geothermal and renewable energy sources and is set to become the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste and fossil fuel free city upon its completion in 2025. Every aspect of the city has been designed to reduce energy demand and will include lush parks and green oases. Masdar will also have water features along the city that will evaporate and cool the air. Apart from a light rail transit system, there will be no vehicles above ground. Thus, streets will be narrowed resulting in more shade and lower temperatures. The city will not use automobiles that emit any fossil fuel but rather a large scale, zero emission transportation system that will consist of a subway featuring personalised, driverless electric vehicles that will carry both people and cargo. The ground level light rail transit
Copenhagen, Denmark The Danish capital is much celebrated not just for its delectable pastries alone. It is home to about 1.7 million people who commute mostly by bicycles and in 2000, a metro system was introduced to make public transport around Copenhagen even more efficient. Copenhagen is also home to a massive wind farm beyond its coastline that supplies about 10 % of Denmark’s electricity. Within the city, the wind farm powers around 32,000 homes and caters to approximately 3 % of the capital’s energy needs. In 2006, Copenhagen was awarded the European Environmental Award for its efforts in keeping its harbour waterways clean after officials invested in a water quality warning system to keep a close watch on pollution levels. The award was also bestowed to Copenhagen for its leadership in environmental planning.
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Masdar City, UAE
system and a subterranean metro high-speed train will keep the city dwellers well connected. The ingenious design of the city is aimed at reducing electricity and water demand and smart buildings and appliances will monitor its water and electricity consumption. Masdar is expected to use 80 % less water than a comparable regular city. All waste is recycled or turned into energy. Waste water will be treated and used for irrigation around the city’s landscape and extra power that is produced by the city will be exported to power grids. A sustainable city in the heart of the desert, Masdar is unique in every way and will be a benchmark for green cities across the world.
M A R C H
friendly way. While Bangkok’s ‘green-ess’ may not be as impressive as other cities across the world, its efforts and progress are commendable for which it certainly deserves a pat on the back.
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FEATURE GREEN CITIES
Kampala, Uganda
Malmo, Sweden Relatively obscure in comparison to its sister city, Stockholm, Malmo is making waves for its green initiatives. As a country that is already a leader in green electricity solutions, the bulk of Sweden’s electricity is derived from nuclear and hydropower. Malmo pioneered the use of renewable resources and neighbourhoods across the city like Western Harbour and Augustenborg were given eco-friendly facelifts. Western Harbour operates solely on renewable energy derived from the sun, wind, hydropower and biofuels while Augustenborg is famous for its botanical roof gardens. These roof gardens add insulation and vegetation to urban neighbourhoods, keeping houses warmer in winter and cooler during the summer months resulting in reduced energy costs. The world’s first emissions-free train is also proud to call Augustenborg its home. Additionally, an impressive 70% of waste that is collected in Malmo is recycled at its numerous recycling plants.
20 13
All stories by Gregory Basil; Photographs Thinkstock.com
Reykjavik, Iceland
cars and buses that run on both methane and electricity. The city is also strongly advocates the use of public transport, cycling and walking. The Nordic lands are famous for its fresh air and Reykjavik intends to maintain this. An Air Quality Action plan was approved in March 2009 to improve the quality of air in the city even though pollution levels for PM10, ozone and NO2 are way below the limit. This elaborate plan details short-term measures, forecasts as well as a warning system and mitigation measures that will be taken in the event pollution levels exceed the set limits.
M A R C H
As the world experiences a seismic shift towards the concept and necessity of sustainability, we take a look at cities that have long jumped on the green bandwagon and are now leading the way in showing the rest of us how to earn those ecocredentials too.
B
urgeoning skyscrapers, traffic jams, pollution and overcrowding – these are just some elements that make up a city. These days, however, cities are going through a paradigm shift to include a crucial element that dramatically changes the way they operate – sustainability. It is very challenging for cities to turn ‘green’ but many of them have taken active measures in carrying out their day-to-day operations in a manner that is more environmentally friendly. With the earth’s natural resources depleting at an alarming rate, better planning and an infrastructure that supports sustainability is imperative. Some cities have been at it for decades with green living a common practice while others are just now taking baby steps. We take a trip across the globe and look at cities that have jumped on the green bandwagon. These places epitomise what it means to truly be an Emerald city, not just one that is seen through green-tinted spectacles.
Known for its gothic architecture, this Spanish city is one of the world’s leading green cities. In Barcelona, a whopping 37% of outings are taken on foot. And outings that are taken on vehicles are still environmentally friendly as they are mostly run on electric, biodiesel or ethanol. Barcelona is also big on solar energy. It is one of the most successful solar-powered cities in the world thanks to its strategic location and weather that allows it an average of seven hours of sunshine a day. Also, sustainability regulations in the city necessitate solar panels to be fitted on all large buildings allowing these buildings to heat 60% of its own water. The city has managed to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by up to 440 tonnes a year thanks to its sculptural solar array that has a surface area of 10,500 m2 which is angled at 35° for maximum efficiency. Situated at Barcelona’s Forum Esplanade, it is the largest solar array in Europe. Spain’s second largest city is also very proud of its recycling initiatives. There are bins dotted all across Barcelona which are colour-coded for easy drop-offs. Not stopping there, planners began supplying citizens with corresponding bags to make recycling even easier. This proved to be a great success as the city, in 2006, recorded one third of its total waste as being recycled.
>>SOLAR POWER
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FEATURE GREEN CITIES 2 0 13 M A R C H 32
THE WORLD’S EMERALD CITIES
Barcelona, Spain
>> nuclear and hydropower
GREEN CITIES 34 46
The eighth largest Canadian city is a major tourist draw and boasts a community that is diverse, both ethnically and linguistically. It is also Canada’s greenest city with 90% of its power supply coming from renewable sources. Vancouver’s strategic location on the mainland of British Columbia, surrounded on three sides by water makes it an ideal source for wind, solar, wave and tidal energy. The city also boasts the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan which covers areas like water management, waste management and greenhouse gas reduction. Although the city’s population has increased by 27% and jobs have grown by 18%, the city is confident that it will be able to bring its greenhouse gas emissions down by 20% more than what it pledged during the Kyoto Protocol. Vancouver was also the first city in North America to implement the greenest building code. It is now working towards neighbourhoods that will provide residents easy access to work and recreational activities. This move will see the reduction of motorised vehicles and an increase in pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
Curitiba, Brazil Its name means ‘Pine Nut Land’ and Curitiba is Brazil’s eighth most populous city. But unlike its more celebrated sister cities of Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo that are renowned for heavenly beaches and equally heavenly bodies, Curitiba is renowned for being the green capital of Brazil. The city comprises 16 parks, 14 forests, more than 1,000 green public spaces and approximately 1.5 million trees dotted along its highways and city streets. While it cannot be denied that poverty is still a main concern in Brazil, Curitiba has come up with an ingenious way to stave off hunger. Residents are encouraged to bring in cardboard boxes, glass, old clothing and scrap metal which will then be exchanged for fruits and vegetables that were purchased from local farmers. This programme has resulted in approximately 90% of Curitiba’s residents recycling two thirds of their waste. The city has also become much cleaner; the rate of pollution and disease has dropped and residents are now more civic conscious and healthy.
Sydney, Australia Sydney first organised Earth Hour in 2007 and in subsequent years, many cities across the world have adopted this one-hour blackout to raise awareness on global warming. Now, Australia’s most populous city has embarked on a master plan christened ‘Sustainable Sydney 2030’ which aims to make the city green, global and connected. It is targeting a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70 % compared to the levels in 2006. To facilitate this, the city will adopt a method called trigeneration. Trigeneration is locally produced energy for cooling, power and heating simultaneously. It runs on natural gas and is much more energy efficient than a coal-fired power station as the produced gas is about 40 % cleaner, translating into more efficient power supply. Another project that is part of the Sustainable Sydney
2030 plan is the introduction of the decentralised water system. Because quality water is oftentimes used for washing and showering, it has resulted in approximately 26 billion litres of storm water runoff every year. Enter the decentralised water system. This system is a water recycling initiative that will run alongside the existing water networks. The water in the system will also be treated and filtered but is not for consumption. Instead this helps preserve drinking water.
Portland, USA Portland in the state of Oregon has topped the list as the greenest city in the US for years now with its harmonious blend of urban and outdoor spaces. The city has approximately 92,000 acres of green areas which include around 120 kilometres of biking, hiking and running trails. Additionally, an urban-growth boundary was
enacted which contains urban landscapes while protecting 25 million acres of forests and farms. Four years ago, the city adopted a climate action plan that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 % by 2050 against the levels set in 1990. It was the first American city to do this. Always known for pushing its green initiatives, The City of Roses has a system of buses and light rail transit that effectively reduce pollution and traffic, while a quarter of its commuters are known to cycle to work. Portland is proud to house more than 50 buildings that either meet or exceed the US Green Building Council standards for sustainability. The city also satisfies all of its energy needs via renewable sources, including one-of-a-kind parking meters that are solar-powered.
>> light rail transits
2 01 3
The Colombian capital is well-known for its high crime rate and drug lords. Now there is one more entry to the list, albeit a more positive addition – green city, thanks to the efforts of its former mayor, Enrique Penalosa, who introduced bicycle lanes and a new bus system in the city. The CicloRuta is a 300-kilometre long bicycle lane and is the longest bicycle lane in the developing world. The TransMilenio, meanwhile, is the new bus system in Bogota that runs on express bus lanes and significantly cuts both travel time and traffic congestion. In a city that’s home to about eight million, it is definitely a welcome relief for its citizens. Because of the TransMilenio’s efficiency, more than 7,000 private buses are off the roads as more commuters began using the new service, directly reducing fuel emissions. Since 2001, the new bus line has managed to reduce carbon emissions by a whopping 59%! February 1 each year is known as ‘Car-Free Day’ in Bogota where citizens are not allowed to use their cars in the city. An increase in petrol tax and restricted entry for cars into the city during peak hours has also seen peak hour traffic being reduced by up to 40%. By 2015, Bogota aims to eliminate private cars traffic completely during peak hours.
>> Sustainable Sydney 2030
Vancouver, Canada
M A R C H
M A R C H
2 0 13
Bogota, Colombia
3 5
FEATURE
>> bicycle lanes
Like many cities in third world countries, Kampala faces many challenges including poverty and pollution but it is not going to let these issues stand in the way of its green growth. The city has put into practice steps that will help reduce its carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions. In the works are plans to start imposing a traffic congestion fee in the city. Commuter taxis will also be removed from the streets and replaced with a comprehensive transportation system that will help rid the roads of traffic jams and pollution. Kampala has a naturally lush surrounding but tree-planting initiatives are, nevertheless, being actively carried out throughout the city. Kampala has also put in place a set of bylaws that support urban agriculture to enable inhabitants to farm within city limits. This sparked a revolution not only in Kampala but also throughout Uganda with the government adopting its own urbanagriculture policy.
>> bicycles
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M A R C H
2 0 13
Bangkok, Thailand Closer to home, the Thai capital often conjures up images of stunning temples and foreign men looking rather jolly with their local catch than that of environmental sustainability. But behold, this vivacious city has a lot up its green sleeve. In 2007, a five-year green strategy was introduced. This strategy includes recycling used cooking oil to make biodiesel, reducing emission from vehicles and making buildings within the city more energy efficient. The City of Angels already has the BTS Skytrain which is an alternative mode of transportation to help curb traffic congestion in the city. It also has a subway system which is integrated with a light rail system. To further its green efforts, taxis and buses now run on liquefied petroleum gas. Bangkok also takes pride in its eco-trails with waterways and bicycle tours that enable tourists to see the city in a more environmentally
>> wind farm
The United Arab Emirates is famous for going to extremes, what with the tallest building in the world, the world’s only seven-star hotel, built on reclaimed land, and an entire city in the shape of a palm right smack in the middle of the Persian Gulf, just to name a few. UAE isn’t exactly synonymous with sustainability either but the Emirates is set to change that with Masdar City. Located in Abu Dhabi, the city will run completely on solar energy, geothermal and renewable energy sources and is set to become the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste and fossil fuel free city upon its completion in 2025. Every aspect of the city has been designed to reduce energy demand and will include lush parks and green oases. Masdar will also have water features along the city that will evaporate and cool the air. Apart from a light rail transit system, there will be no vehicles above ground. Thus, streets will be narrowed resulting in more shade and lower temperatures. The city will not use automobiles that emit any fossil fuel but rather a large scale, zero emission transportation system that will consist of a subway featuring personalised, driverless electric vehicles that will carry both people and cargo. The ground level light rail transit
Copenhagen, Denmark The Danish capital is much celebrated not just for its delectable pastries alone. It is home to about 1.7 million people who commute mostly by bicycles and in 2000, a metro system was introduced to make public transport around Copenhagen even more efficient. Copenhagen is also home to a massive wind farm beyond its coastline that supplies about 10 % of Denmark’s electricity. Within the city, the wind farm powers around 32,000 homes and caters to approximately 3 % of the capital’s energy needs. In 2006, Copenhagen was awarded the European Environmental Award for its efforts in keeping its harbour waterways clean after officials invested in a water quality warning system to keep a close watch on pollution levels. The award was also bestowed to Copenhagen for its leadership in environmental planning.
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Masdar City, UAE
system and a subterranean metro high-speed train will keep the city dwellers well connected. The ingenious design of the city is aimed at reducing electricity and water demand and smart buildings and appliances will monitor its water and electricity consumption. Masdar is expected to use 80 % less water than a comparable regular city. All waste is recycled or turned into energy. Waste water will be treated and used for irrigation around the city’s landscape and extra power that is produced by the city will be exported to power grids. A sustainable city in the heart of the desert, Masdar is unique in every way and will be a benchmark for green cities across the world.
M A R C H
friendly way. While Bangkok’s ‘green-ess’ may not be as impressive as other cities across the world, its efforts and progress are commendable for which it certainly deserves a pat on the back.
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FEATURE GREEN CITIES
Kampala, Uganda
