Green Technology, Sustainable Design - Case Study Example

Order # 152197 Green Technology Sustainable development is the development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability offuture generations to meet their own needs. (sustainable-development.gov.uk).Sustainable development, entails using natural resources in ways beneficial to human beings, while maintaining their availability to support biological diversity and continuing human use in the future. In the creation of the outdoor recreation the following are the principles in Sustainable Development: Living within environmental limits- respecting the environment resources and biodiversity. This will help improve the environment and ensure that the natural resources needed for life are unimpaired and remain so for future generations. Ensuring a Strong, Healthy and Just Society- meeting the diverse needs of all people in existing and future communities, promoting personal well-being, social cohesion and inclusion, and creating equal opportunity for all. Achieving a Sustainable Economy- Building a strong, stable and sustainable economy which provides prosperity and opportunities for all, and in which environmental and social costs fall on those who impose them (polluter pays). And efficient resource use is incentivised. Using Sound Science Responsibility - Ensuring policy is developed and implemented on the basis of strong scientific evidence, whilst taking into account scientific uncertainty (through the Precautionary Principle) as well as public attitudes and values. Promoting Good Governance - Actively promoting effective, participative systems of governance in all level of the society , engaging peoples creativity, energy and diversity. Encourage human activities, practices and land uses that support ecosystem that maintain and enhance biodiversity. Sustainable Building Design Sustainable design balances human needs with the carrying capacity of the natural and cultural environments. It minimizes environmental impacts; it minimizes importation of goods and energy as well as generation of waste. Sustainable design is an ecosystematic approach that demands an understanding of the consequences of our actions. One of the best ways to describe sustainable building is to compare it with other forms of resource based development. As an example in the creation of resort, only few of them can provide or can sustain a harmonious relationship with the environment. The long term objective of sustainable design is to minimize resource degradation and consumption on a global scale. They should to example to heighten environmental awareness. Sustainable design must seek to use the building or non building as an educational tool to demonstrate the importance of the environment in sustaining human life. It should connect humans with their environment for the spiritual, emotional and therapeutic benefits that nature provides. Sustainable building design must promote new human values and lifestyles to achieve a more harmonious relationship with local, regional, and global resources and environments. The design increases public awareness about the appropriate technologies and the cradle to grave energy and waste implications of various building and consumer materials. The sustainable building design nurture living cultures to perpetuate indigenous responsiveness to and harmony with, local environmental factors. It can relay cultural and historical understanding of the site with local, regional and global relationships. Sustainable Planning Sustainable planning for the development of an outdoor recreation entails the: community participation, environmental protection, natural resource conservation and local economic development. Community participation includes the following plans a) Reflects the values of the surrounding community by harmonizing with existing buildings in materials, design and density. b) Ensures that infrastructure will exist to serve neighborhood needs. c) Should have adequate public transportation, public restrooms, bicycle parking, drinking fountains, and attractive street furniture and light standards. d) Plan for the safety of the pedestrian, cyclists, and children at play outdoors with lighting and traffic calming; place and maintain landscaping so that pedestrian do not feel threatened at night, and design for the types of retail businesses that stay open late near major transit stops so that people waiting for public transport won't feel vulnerable. e) Plan open spaces and development opportunities to provide for recreation for people at all stages of life, particularly for children, teenagers and the elderly. f) Maximize green space and make its design appropriate to the community to be served, with a balance between natural areas, landscaped parks, community gardens, and sports fields. g) Select public art that reflects the aesthetics, values and talent of the local community. h) Provide indoor public meeting space in which local people can discuss issues of importance to the community. Environmental protection as a key part of all new development: a) Clean up any existing pollution hazards b) Provide for an appropriate drive through space for occasional organized collection of household hazardous waste. c) Reduce global warming impact and use polluting fuels d) Prevent pollution of air, water, and soil e) Minimize biowaste impact Resource conservation and preservation of biodiversity a) Energy conservation- maximize renewable energy resources and minimize power use from conventional power generating sources for street lights, traffic controls, and other civic infrastructure b) Water conservation - reduce unnecessary use of potable water with gray water systems and rainwater collection techniques. c) Materials conservation - building materials should come from the renewable resources and or recyclable. d) Preservation of biodiversity - design and manage open spaces for wildlife. Favor cultivation of native species over introduced exotics . Maintain or restore wetlands, creek and ponds in their natural condition. Local Economic developments ensure opportunity for all: a) Maximize the employment of people of all skill levels with situations honoring human rights, workers rights, and environmental protection. b) Create adequate, non-polluting jobs in every neighborhood. c) Expand educational opportunities. Sustainable Tourism Development The increasing demand for ecologically oriented tourism provides a prime opportunity for applying the attributes of Aesculapia. The Aesculapia based building design could establish a right of passage to place human activities in harmony with local, regional, and global resources. The following are criteria or standards that a sustainable tourism development should strive to meet: a) Provide education for visitors on wildlife, native cultural resources, historic features, or natural features. b) Involve indigenous populations in operations and interpretation to foster local pride and visitor exposure to traditional values and techniques. c) Accomplish environmental restoration. d) Provide research and development for, and/or demonstration projects of, ways to minimize human impacts on the environment. e) Provide spiritual or emotional recuperation f) Provide relaxation and recreation g) Educate visitors that knowledge of our local and global environment is valuable and will empower their ability to make informed decisions. Natural Factors Sustainable design seeks harmony with its environment. To balance the human needs with environmental opportunities and liabilities the checklist below should be considered in choosing the site. Capacity - Every site has a carrying capacity for structures and human activity. A detailed site analysis should determine this capacity based on the sensitivity of site resources and the ability of the land to regenerate. Density - Setting of facilities should carefully weigh the relative merits of concentration versus dispersal. Natural landscape values may be easier to maintain if facilities are carefully dispersed. Climate - Environments for tourism developments range from rain forest to desert. The characteristics of a specific climate should be considered when locating facilities so that human comfort can be maximized while protecting the facility from climatic forces such as violent storms and other extremes. Slopes - In many park environments steep slopes predominate, requiring special setting of structures and costly construction practices. Vegetation - It is important to retain as much existing native vegetation as possible to secure the integrity of the site. Natural vegetation is often an essential aspect of the visitor experience and should be preserved. Site selection should maintain large habitat areas and avoid habitat fragmentation and canopy loss. In some areas such as the tropics, most nutrients are held in the forest canopy, not in the soil - loss of canopy therefore causes nutrient loss as well. Plants occur in natural associations (plant communities) and should remain as established naturally. Views - Views are critical and reinforce a visitor experience. Site location should maximize views of natural features and minimize views of visitor and support facilities. Natural Hazards - Sustainable development should be located with consideration of natural hazards such as precipitous topography, dangerous animals and plants, and hazardous water areas. Site layout should allow controlled access to these features. Access to Natural and Cultural Features - Good setting practices can maximize pedestrian access to the wide variety of onsite and offsite resources and recreational activities. Low impact development is the key to protecting vital resource areas. Traditional Activities - Setting should be compatible with traditional agricultural, fishing, and hunting activities. Some forms of recreational development that supplant traditional land uses may not be responsive to the local economy. Energy and Utilities - Conventional energy and utility systems are often minimal or nonexistent in potential ecotourism areas. Setting should consider possible connections to offsite utilities, or more likely, spatial needs for onsite utilities. The potential exists for alternative energy use in many places, particularly solar- and wind-based energy systems. Good sustainable setting considers these opportunities. Separation of Support Facilities from Public Use Areas - Safety, visual quality, noise, and odor are all factors that need to be considered when setting support services and facilities. These areas need to be separated from public use and circulation areas. In certain circumstances, utilities, energy systems, and waste recycling areas can be a positive part of the visitor experience. Proximity of Goods, Services, and Housing - Tourism developments require the input of a variety of goods and services and often large staffs for operation. Setting should consider the availability of these elements and the costs involved in providing them. Checklist for Sustainable Building Design Base on the above criteria and standards the following are the checklist for sustainable building design in outdoor recreations; a) The ecosystem and cultural context should dominate. Respect the natural and cultural resources of the site and minimize the impacts of any development. b) Exemplify appropriate environmental responsiveness. Visitors should be oriented about the resource and appropriate built response to that environment. Interpret how development works within natural systems to effect resource protection and human comfort and foster less consumptive lifestyles. The primary experience of the site and the primary design determinant should be the resources c) Establish rules of conduct and appreciate natural environment d) Create a "rite of passage" e) Use the simplest technology appropriate to the functional need, and incorporate passive energy-conserving strategies responsive to the local climate. f) Use renewable building materials to the greatest extent possible. g) Avoid the use of harmful, energy intensive, environmentally damaging , waste producing and hazardous materials . Use cradle to grave analysis in decision making for materials and construction techniques h) Optimize the use and flexibility of spaces so overall building size and the resources are minimized i) Strive for minimal environmental disruption, resource consumption, and material waste, and identifying opportunities for recycling of construction debris. j) Provide equal access to the full spectrum of people with physical and sensory impairments while minimizing impacts on natural and cultural resources. k) Allow future expansion or adaptive uses with a minimum demolition and waste. l) Make it easy to occupants to recycle waste. Those responsible for the development of parks and tourism related and outdoor recreations development Reference: 1. http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/what/index.htm 2. Hart, Leslie & team. Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design. http://www.nps.gov/dsc/dsgncnstr/gspd/toc.html 3. Audubon International, Principles for Sustainable Resource Management, revised February 2005 4. Sara Farnum & Zack Berman " Sustainable Practices of State Park Systems Read More