Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
replicable' (2013: 17). At a particular historical moment a group of talented, creative
and innovative technocrats and professionals came together and remained together
for a considerable time, implementing changes that were largely unchallenged because
they did not have to contend with the unpredictable vagaries of democratic
participation. Sustainability takes time and Lerner had this time. Ingenious marketing,
city branding and by consistent political campaign, promises have helped create a
collective urban imaginary among Curitiba's citizens which has clearly informed the
city's success.
Environmental design and the sustainable community
Environmental design seeks to create spaces that will enhance the natural, social,
cultural and physical environment. The relationship of people to place, their identi-
fication with specific neighbourhoods, and their use of particular spaces for social,
political and cultural activities may be influenced by design and may be renewed
through environmentally sensitive planning processes. Designers must understand
social psychology, human behaviour and ecology. Café society, culturally vibrant
street life, pedestrianized shopping precincts, crime prevention and community safety
through natural surveillance, the construction of children's play areas, accessible
street furniture and resting places for the elderly and infirm, and open public spaces
that support the practice of social and political democracy are all aspects of good
environmental design, as they promote and support social sustainability. Environ-
mental design is therefore about helping to fashion human experience through a
created physical space. Many see the high-density compact city as a solution to many
environmental problems, combating suburban sprawl by building at higher densities,
encouraging walking, cycling and social interaction, and discouraging car use,
aided by congestion charging, fewer parking facilities and the provision of reliable
public transport systems, particularly light rail and trams (Jenks
et al
., 1996; Williams
et al
., 2000).
Architects and engineers may exploit solar and wind power, choose environmentally
sound building materials, recycle old brick and concrete as aggregate, install double
or triple glazing, insulate effectively, use natural ventilation to provide thermal comfort
and healthy air circulation, design roof gardens or even turf roofs, allow for the
recycling of grey water, minimize noise pollution through effective sound absorption,
and be open to unconventional built forms. However, without co-operation between
architects, engineers and planners, a great deal of environmental design will never
be seen. In many parts of Europe, wood has become the sustainable building material
of choice, this going far beyond the visible tokenism of external cladding. As a result,
craft traditions have been revived, with carpentry enjoying renewed popularity.
Computer technology, including computer-aided design, combined with glue-laminated
timber technology, has enhanced the possibilities of timber engineering and con-
struction, with many keynote designs consciously emulating natural forms, as with
'the core' at the Eden Project in Cornwall. So long as forest sources are managed
sustainably, the fit between wood construction and sustainable development is near
perfect. In energy terms, timber uses 190kWh per cubic metre compared with 8,500kWh
for steel and 11,000kWh for plastics (Lowenstein and Bridgood, 2007). The 'passive
houses' developed in Sweden, Denmark and Germany are designed to need no active
heating - they can be kept warm 'passively' using internal heat sources such as the
