Sustainable growth and Smart growth overview

Sustainable Growth Indicators.

Sustainable growth indicators are often grouped into three main points of impact. The environment, the economy, and the population or society of a region are all evaluated factors in how to maintain sustainable growth. The following list of topics are often used to determine whether growth and development in an area is sustainable: population, human needs, renewable and non-renewable natural resources, environmental quality, ecosystem quality and stability, the economic and business sectors, natural or man-made disasters, global environmental problems, globalization, and new institutions. In March of 2004, the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s directory of “sustainable development indicators initiatives” included around 600 initiatives initiated by governments, outside organizations and individuals. Below is a Venn diagram showing how the three main areas of focus of sustainable growth overlap.

Portrayal of Sustainable Indicators and Benefits

http://saferenvironment.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/sustainability.gif

Smart Growth Principles.

Smart growth principles are development decisions based on improving or maintaining the welfare of a city or community. Growth is considered "smart" when developments and projects are designed to improve cities, giving citizens more choices, personal freedoms, and opportunities to enjoy where they live. Smart growth also encourages maintenance of the city’s natural environment. Smart growth follows along a list of general principles that are broad and up to interpretation as the city’s limitations are taken into account. An example of smart growth is the creation of compact and diverse building design to create a range of housing opportunities and choices with walkable neighborhoods. This decreases need for motorized transport, which would reduce air and noise pollution. Smart growth also encourages the preservation of open spaces, farmlands, or any other natural beauty found within the city. This can be achieved by mixing land uses, which is one of the main smart growth principles. This means that a city won’t become dominated by a business or commercial center or housing sprawl, but that housing, business, and nature coincide and balance out within the city limits to attract new, residents. Other smart growth principles include provision of various transportation choices and strong, direct development in the existing communities. Below is a picture of a proposed development in a city where smart growth can be implemented.

City Image after Implementation of Smart Growth Project

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/the_countrys_best_smart_growth.html

Sustainable Growth Indicators for Los Angeles

California is becoming a leader in Clean Technology(cleantech) and Los Angeles is leading the way by being:

No. 1 with the most cleantech companies in California. 

According to a report released by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in August 2010, Los Angeles County tops the state with 490 businesses and work places that specialize in five sectors of cleantech industry: low-carbon energy, energy efficiency, transportation, green buildings and carbon markets. The data includes both public and private sector employers and shows that the number is up by 60% from 2009..

A true solar city. 

Solar LA is the largest and most ambitious solar plan undertaken by any single city in the world. Initially unveiled by Mayor Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in late 2008, to create a network of residential, commercial and municipally-owned solar structures to replace more volatile fossil fuels, such as coal during peak energy demand.

Funding its own policy goals. 

The City of Los Angeles and the State of California have policies shaping the green economy in the region. Since 2008, the city has been investing more than $10 billion to drive the green economy and the cleantech industry. The mayor’s leadership, which has been called, “bold and visionary,” is backed by unified support of city policies and regulatory incentives.

Committed to collaboration. 

CleanTech Los Angeles (CleanTech LA) brings together business, government, and academia to grow the cleantech sector in Los Angeles. Founded in 2009, CleanTech LA works to promote sustainability and economic growth by connecting LA’s cleantech professionals, telling LA’s cleantech story to the world, and supporting collaborative research, technology commercialization and job creation. 

A magnet for cleantech investment. 

Investors love Los Angeles According to Ernst & Young, Southern California is a prime place to invest, second only to the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2009, Southern California received annual investment of $329.5 million. 

Forefront of research. 

Los Angeles is crawling with engineering schools and boasts one of the top clusters of research universities in the world. Alone, the city will be receiving nearly $40 million in DOE funds to accelerate scientific breakthroughs needed for a 21st century economy.” 

Green port. 

PortTechLA is a clean technology incubator located adjacent to the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. It is establishing a new technology-driven economic base for the San Pedro Bay port communities, and helping meet the environmental goals of the Ports’ Clean Air Action Plan. PortTechLA identifies, attracts and mentors companies with advanced technologies to enable sustainable port growth through environmental stewardship, as well as efficient and safe flow of international trade to and from ports.

Smart. 

The Smart Grid Demonstration Project provides $60M of federal matching funds for the development and demonstration of smart grid energy management solutions in LA. This five year project was awarded on a competitive basis and is the largest single award of its type in the country. The grant provides financial support for organizations that are innovative in their approach to applying and integrating existing and emerging smart grid technologies.

Vision for urban cleantech design. 

The Southern California Institute of Architecture and The Architect’s Newspaper extended an open invitation to re-imagine, re-invent and revolutionize LA’s urban fabric into shades of green. Entrants to the Clean Tech Corridor and Green District Competition were asked to move beyond industrial uses to create an integrated economic, residential, clean energy and cultural space through architectural and urban strategies..

Staying power. 

As the leader in fashion, aerospace, entertainment, health services, tourism and (moving toward a leading role in) clean technology, the world looks to Los Angeles to define the trends and the cool factor in manufacturing. As the city’s cleantech influence grows, other cities and states are looking towards Los Angeles (and California at-large) for inspiration, best practices and validation of both technologies and policies. While some trends may come and go, cleantech is a movement that is propelling cities like Los Angeles into leadership roles in the 21st century.

Sustainable Growth Factors: Service Projects, Energy, Transportation, Waste Disposal and Water.

Service Projects. 

Million Trees LA and revitalization of the LA river. The goals of Million Trees LA is to plant native or drought tolerant species on public property. This is progress towards a greener city. The Los Angeles River has been damaged throughout the years with concrete being added to the water. The goals are to save the river and 

develop features that will allow the residents to better appreciate the environment.

Energy. 

6% of LA’s power is renewable and the goal is to use 20% renewable energy by 2010. Establishment of solar farms in the desert. This will allow for solar energy to become more affordable and less foreign to use. LEED- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – This will allow to standardize a method of building more efficiently regarding carbon emissions and the use of energy.

Transportation. 

Los Angeles has minimized the cost of expanding freeway capacity over the past 15 years. However, there has 

been an addition of carpool lanes and allowing bikes to ride on the streets. Subway to the Sea.

Waste Disposal. 

Curbside Recycling, conversion of trash to ethanol production facilities.

Water. 

LA is largest consumer of electricity in California due to water. This is due to the arid climate. Water saving techniques have been implemented through the use of free mandated low flow toilets and showers. Also, irrigation systems in parks that are controlled by timers and save the most energy are being used today.

Smart Growth Principles in Los Angeles

A Smart Plan for Smart Growth. 

The state of California is trying to reduce greenhouse emissions to the 1990 level by the year 2020. This shift will cause a cut of 30% from the current projected emissions. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and positively affect global warming. A major way that this problem can be solved is through land use. The state hopes to make it possible to shorten the distance people drive so they will emit less gas into the air. This change will come as an addition to using alternative fuel sources.

Variety of Transportation Choices
Providing more choices within certain communities as an alternative mode of transportation is a way for the amount of traffic congestion to be reduced. The number of cars driving in a congested has increased from 35% in 1982 to 64% in 1997. The level of congestion has increased in almost every metropolitan area in recent years. Communities are trying to implant many different methods for transportation which include better opportunities for high quality transit services, better coordination with bike and car traveling, and better direct connectivity with congested travel areas.

Mix Land Uses
Smart growth entails people making better choices about where to locate certain entities in a community. The smart locations can provide the opportunity for people to walk or bike rather than use their cars. The use of public transport can be a viable option for those people living in close proximity. This type of set up within a community will not only help with the gas emissions, but it will also bring back the friendliness of the community as most people will be outside on the street interacting with their neighbors. Businesses will benefit tremendously as the will increase the volume of people coming into their shops which will increase the level of economic activity that takes place within that community.

Create a Range of Housing Opportunities
One of the smartest ways to grow a community is to provide many different opportunities for people with different income levels to live within the same neighborhood. The setup of the homes with that community can determine whether people will take advantage of the public transportation or other methods or smarter travel. The mixed income will allow for a strong support for local businesses as
well as the use of public transportation since all people will have the chance to take advantage of such an opportunity. No one type of home can satisfy all people’s desires for homes so a variety of styles and land sizes will make all people happy and allow the styles to differ within communities. All types of housing developments can find their way to grow in different types of communities based on the way that people respond to the setup of each individual community. Each community is unique and so the construction of the land must be different as well to accommodate all of these changes.

Which is the better choice?

Sustainable growth is a better choice than smart growth because sustainable growth takes into multiple factors. The three main factors considered in sustainable growth are the environment, the economy, and the population or society of a region. On the other hand, smart growth principles only focus on improving or maintaining the welfare of a community. Growth is considered “smart” when developments are designed to improve cities, ultimately allowing the population more choices and opportunities. For example, the creation of compact and diverse building designs to create a variety of housing opportunities would be a case of smart growth. Sustainable growth is ultimately a better choice because it not only focuses on the population that smart growth does, but it also focuses on the environmental and economic impacts of growth and development projects. In essence, it takes a holistic approach.

Resources

(2008, December 3). Los Angeles Boasts World’s Largest Solar Energy Plan. Retrieved from http://www.enn.com/energy/article/38778

(2011, January 20). Top 10 Reasons Los Angeles is a Leading Cleantech City. Retrieved from http://blog.cleantechies.com/2011/01/20/top-10-reasons-los-angeles-leading-cleantech-city/

Boyle, H., Bullard, K., Devinny, J., Hagekhalil, A., Mmege, H., & Vos, R. (2005). Sustainability Indicators for the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Integrated Resources Plan. Retrieved from http://acwi.gov/swrr/Rpt_Pubs/wef_session68/068_0330.pdf

Hsu, T. (2010, July 27). Wind Farm “Mega-Project” Underway in Mojave Desert. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/27/business/la-fi-windfarm-20100727

Krimmel, M. (2007, February 12). Transforming Los Angeles into a Sustainable City. Retrieved from http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/006049.html

Skelton, G. (2008, August 21). A Smart Plan for Smart Growth. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/21/local/me-cap21

Smart Growth Principles. Retrieved from http://www.smartgrowth.org/engine/index.php/principles/