Ecodesign for Cities and Suburbs from the University of British Columbia on EdX taught by Jonathan Barnett and Larry Beasley
There is an internet course based on this book, here is the syllabus. https://www.edx.org/course/ecodesign-for-cities-and-suburbs
Week 1: How the usual urban growth model operates and why it needs to change. • •
Three growth models that we can learn from: Vancouver, Helsinki, and Portland. The six axioms of Ecodesign The four urgent sets of issues that are at the heart of this course.
Week 2: Adapting to climate change and limiting global warming locally: • • • •
Ways to adapt to sea level rise, changing coastlines and storm surges; Adapting to other climate risks and to threats to global food supplies. Limiting global warming locally by using alternative energy sources. Prototypes for urban and environmental harmony – Stockholm’s Hammarby Sjostad, Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City, Vancouver’s Southeast False Creek Village.
Week 3: Balancing cars and other kinds of transportation, assuming, as we do, that the automobile is here to stay. • •
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Toronto’s Big Move and other balanced transportation systems – where the most energy-efficient mode for each kind of trip is also the most attractive. Transit-oriented development – how the Washington Metro is transforming suburban Tyson’s Corner; and how BRT could also restructure suburbs in places where rail transit is not economic. Cutting traffic related deaths – the Sweden and New York examples. Improving walkability and cycling.
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High-speed rail as the backbone of multi-city regional development.
Week 4: Making cities more livable and environmentally compatible. • • • • • • • •
The experiential perspective. Blind spots in development regulations which make places less livable, and spread out urban growth far more than is necessary; Relating regulations to nature. The power of neighborhood – history and current relevance of a key concept for urban and suburban structure. The benefits of mixed use and diversity – managing the mix for neighborliness. Ways to make housing more affordable. Making living in compact, urban places competitive with suburban lifestyles. The relationship of living and working in walkable places to overall health.
Week 5: Designing and managing the public realm. • • • • • •
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Social demands for public space; maximizing the experiential dimension. Economic demands for public space; maximizing quality, utility and value. People-oriented public space. Creating complete streets with primacy for pedestrians and green infrastructure. Managing the public realm as an active place, for safety and to serve people better. Recovering forgotten urban places and turning industrial waterfronts into parks and neighborhoods – Brooklyn Bridge Park, Battery Park City in New York, False Creek North in Vancouver. Re-creating a natural environment in urban settings.
Week 6: Implementing Ecodesign. • • • • • • •
Public and private, we all have a role in implementation; Public-private collaboration is essential for livable, sustainable cities. Implementing adaptation to climate change and reducing causes of global warming locally. First steps towards balancing transportation systems. Making regulations more discretionary and development management more transactional. Financing the public realm - leveraging the relationship between development rights and land values. Concluding discussion.