?? Policies and Planning for Making Cities Sustainable

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????? Policies and Planning for Making Cities Sustainable

·?????? Jit Kumar Gupta

Sustainability is neither a slogan? nor a marketable commodity. Context, role and importance? of sustainability has not been fully? understood , appreciated and followed by human beings, communities and nations in its day to day living. Initially, planet earth was a? much better? place to live, till all communities ?and societies respected the principle of need? as the essence and governing mandate of human living. Ever since human living? has migrated to? Greed? and has been led and dictated by consumerism , the role , relevance and context of sustainability has been brought in to? effectively meet the? challenges posed by? large consumption of resources and restore the balance . Sustainability has accordingly emerged as a marketable commodity, which is being monetized by all developed nations and MNCs for promoting and marketing their products/business in developing countries and communities.

Sustainability, as? principle of? creation? and operation of? planet earth, remains the essence? of life and livability. Looking holistically, Sustainability as an essence and principle, has been embedded by nature, in all products, processes and procedures governing life on this universe/planet earth. Accordingly, sustainability needs to be understood, appreciated, studied, analyzed and adopted? to make value addition to ecology, environment and human living on this earth. Sustainability, is known for its capacity, capability and quality for ??creating space and environment for conserving, preserving and making optimum use of available resources besides making planet earth great place to live. Sustainability remains the only mantra/cardinal principle? to achieve the objective/goal? of, nobody is left behind.

?Sustainability can be made a distinct reality only when we work? with nature and make optimum use of nature’s? renewable resources. Sustainable? projects are defined as the projects ,which include and involve self-sufficiency and inclusivity as the basic principle? in the project planning , formulation and execution. These projects which ?have genesis in working with nature and making ?making optimum use of ?natural resources, involving ??panch-maha-bhutas- Prithvi, Agni, Jal, Vaayu and Akaash; which remain the? basic constituent of tehis universe including what exist on the planet earth.

? All sustainable?? projects have genesis in making optimum use of land resource; minimising energy consumption? and use of? water; ensuring optimum use of available renewable resources; generating minimum waste and? creating optimum living conditions for the users by leveraging sun , space and greenery,? for meeting the basic requirement of? thermal comfort? in human living besides that of, heating, cooling and ventilation

Since all real estate projects are known to be large? consumers of energy, water , resources and generators of waste, accordingly, it becomes important that all these projects are made sustainable. Sustainable projects? besides saving? energy and resources are also? known to be cost-effective over the entire life-cycle of the project by reducing the? life-cycle operational cost of buildings. In addition, sustainable? buildings are known to make people, happy, healthy and more productive besides making human living more qualitative. Sustainable projects are known for its distinct advantages? of creating win-win situation for both users, tenants and occupants besides overcoming the? challenges of? global warming, climate change, rising temperature and? increasing carbon footprints.? Preserving planet earth remains a distant dream without making the real estate projects sustainable and embedding sustainability in all aspects of projects- planning , designing, construction, management, through entire life-cycle of? existence.

?Despite distinct advantages, making projects sustainable? remains? a? difficult and cumbersome for reasons of existence of?? irrational legal and regulatory framework ,which would need rationalization and redefinition to make sustainable projects a distinct reality. In addition, human beings also need to understand and appreciate that,?? major crisis and development ills, facing humanities, communities and nations are? in reality the outcome of? human greed and psyche of consumerism, which need to be controlled, regulated and managed , effectively, sincerely and efficiently.

Cites and Civilizations are known to be? promoters, sustainers and drivers of human growth? and development. Rapid climate change , rising temperature, global warming, increasing carbon footprints and prevailing pollution, have placed? humanity , communities and cities ?in a? space, which poses? greatest threat and challenge to? mankind.? Overcoming the prevailing crisis facing humanity, calls for making? human settlements ?and built environment? more livable, sustainable and qualitative,?? Globally, human settlements are known for their? positivity and negativities. Cities? are known to be promoters of economy, prosperity, employment, infrastructure etc. But cities also showcase pronounced? adversities , involving consumption of energy ?and ?resources?? besides generations of? colossal waste. Problems related to? global warming? and climate change can be? attributed to? the? manner, cities and buildings are being planned, designed, constructed, operated, governed ?and managed. Looking at the entire context of Urban development prevailing in India, approach should ?focus on;-- Defining, dissecting and understanding role, importance and relevance of cities in the context of globalization and liberalization of economies; Issues related to Physical, Social, Environmental dimensions emerging out of the rapid? and unplanned growth and development of urban settlements; In addition, focus of rationalizing cities should ?include various policies/ planning options ?which can be leveraged to make?? cities ?sustainable and livable? besides making them carbon neutral . The options defined and strategies ?would include and involve;

·?????? Understanding fabric, structure, strength and weaknesses of the city

·?????? Understanding role and relevance of SDG in making cities carbon neutral

·?????? Redefining approach to physical planning with preference going for Regional Planning ;

·?????? Planning for Compact , Sustainable and Smart Cities;

·?????? ?Planning and Designing? Carbon Neutral Buildings

·?????? Making Nature integral part? of the Urban planning/Built environment;

·?????? ?Rationalizing Mobility- Planning for people rather than vehicles ;

·?????? ?Cooling Cities- ?Increasing Green spaces

·?????? Leveraging? State of Art Technologies- in planning, development, management of cities/ delivery of services.

·?????? Promoting Good Urban Governance

·?????? Avoiding multiplicity of planning and development agencies.

·?????? Creating a single unified authority equipped with appropriate? resources; manpower, financial, technical and technical.

·?????? Creating an appropriate legal framework for planning, development and governance.

·?????? Making cities inclusive and people centric ?

·?????? Involving communities

·?????? Preserving valuable heritage

·?????? Ensuring? efficient, effective, qualitative and quantitative delivery to all residents

·?????? Providing for? basics-universal education, healthcare, housing , employment, food and quality of life.

* Ar. Jit Kumar Gupta???????????????????????????? ??? ????????????????????????????

? Founder Director; College of Architecture, I.E.T, Bhaddal???

???????? #344, Sector 40-A; Chandigarh- 160036

?????? Email; [email protected]

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