By 2030, 60% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities.
This urban growth is a reality, and we must address it with a sustainable approach. The adoption of green technologies in construction and urban planning is essential to ensure responsible growth.
From renewable energy to sustainable mobility and energy efficiency in buildings, we have the tools to build a better tomorrow.
Sustainable development. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 of the 2030 Agenda states: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” Which was reaffirmed and deepened in light of the New Urban Agenda of 2016, including the global commitment to sustainable urban development as a decisive step to achieve sustainable development in an integrated and coordinated manner at the global, regional, national, subnational level. and local, with the participation of all relevant actors.
The concept of a sustainable city proposes a path that combines the dimensions of development sustainability, the fair transition of labor forces and the generation of employment in accordance with low-emission economies, as well as the management of the environmental impacts of human activities.
These are cities that are also inclusive and safe for residents and resilient to the impacts of climate change. Improvement in management and planning, capacity development, territorial planning, development and access to resilient infrastructure, and adequate management of interactions between the city and the natural environment are some of the aspects that allow progress towards sustainable cities.
The main objectives to achieve are:
- 100% of the energy coming from renewable sources.
- Integrated water and waste recycling systems.
- Large green spaces integrated into commercial, industrial and residential development.
- Massive and integrated public transport that allows you to travel throughout the city in different means with a single rate.
- Smart green buildings that minimize the use of resources.
Developers and architects have important challenges ahead of us. Large housing complexes and private developments in suburban contexts are a sea of opportunities, because many variables can be managed, such as the generation and use of energy and other resources such as water, transportation, the percentage of absorbent land, the distance between houses and volumetrics according to good practice manuals.
The fight against climate change makes it essential that we act immediately to provide our buildings with efficiency in the aforementioned aspects and make them more sustainable.
* Hugo Torres is director of QE2 Construcciones and Co-founder of URBAN DNA Group.
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