Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
For each indicator, target levels are thus defined, and to these levels cities will
have to refer in fighting against climate changes. Another further objective is the
definition of initiatives finalized at making concrete such 'convergence'. To reach
this target experimentations in all cities involved in the project have been devel-
oped in a coordinated manner.
Each city indeed is developing a pilot project for the definition of a 'sustainable
district', involving groups of the main stakeholders. Such groups are connected at
trans-national level to exchange operational solutions identified in each pilot area.
The considered path will create a common model implementing principles and the
identified measures, so as to edit methodological guidelines to sustainable districts.
The guide will provide solutions to a large number of problems concerning the
sustainable urban development, so as to prevent the risks deriving from climate
changes.
2.1.3
Cities of the World
In the US the alliance with the big innovation players has brought positive con-
sequences for the smart growth of many urban settlements: in Seattle, Washington
State, the partnership with the fellow citizen Microsoft has allowed the inhabitants
to trace on-line their own Energy residential Energy consumptions (Nextville
Editorial Staff
2013
), contributing in this way to the attainment of energy saving
targets set by the Climate Action Plan while in the close city of Portland the
partnership with IBM has allowed to analyse the data of different urban phe-
nomena to evaluate the possible interconnections and integrated actions for
improving the urban environment and the quality of living.
Among the Asian cities
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probably Singapore
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is the smartest especially for what
concerns the transportation system with a modern metro (System Mass Rapid
Transit) in continuous development, connecting all parts of the city and the sur-
rounding areas in all directions. The opening of the tunnel of the Singapore's
Circle Line, a fully automatically operated metro line is a recent event of a never
ending work of reinforcement. The public transportation system in Singapore is
efficient and well organized and allows reaching any point of the city.
Since not so long has started its operation the new line connecting the city to the
airport of Changi. In each station S.M.R.T. it is possible to buy a one-way ticket at
the automatic distributors or using the Ez-link card, easily rechargeable at all the
metro stations. It is a large expense to buy and drive a car in Singapore because
the government with many measures controls the number of vehicles circulating in
the state, in order to limit the air pollution and avoid traffic congestion. The large
import taxes, the registration taxes and the payments for licenses put a severe
constraint that limits as a matter of fact the number of citizens that in Singapore
can own a car. The toll system (congestion pricing) called Electronic Road Pricing
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