Building the Ecological City - Rilegato

White, Rodney R.

9780849313790: Building the Ecological City

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0849313791 ISBN 13: 9780849313790

Casa editrice: CRC Press, 2002

Our cities are plagued by problems of congestion, waste, and pollution that deplete natural resources, damage the environment, and reduce the quality of life for their citizens. The irony is, as this fascinating new study shows, it doesn’t have to be like this. Building the Ecological City describes the problems we face and puts forward solutions to the question – how can we build cities that provide an acceptable standard of living for their inhabitants without depleting the ecosystems and bio-geochemical cycles on which they depend?

The book suggests and examines the concept of urban metabolism which characterizes the city as a set of interlinked systems of physical flows linking air, land, and water. A series of chapters looks at the production and management of waste, energy use and air emissions, water supply and management, urban land use, and air quality issues. Within the broader context of climate change, the book then considers a range of practical strategies for restoring the health of urban ecosystems from the remediation of ‘brownfield’ land to improving air quality and making better use of water resources.

A major contribution to better urban management and planning for both citizens and the environment, Building the Ecological City is an invaluable sourcebook for urban and national planners, architects, and environmental agencies.

Le informazioni nella sezione "Riassunto" possono far riferimento a edizioni diverse di questo titolo.

Contenuti:

Contents

Introduction

Cities for the New Millennium

Metabolism: How Urban Ecosystems Work

It isn't Waste Until You Waste It
Energy and Emissions to the Air
Cities and the Hydrological Cycle

Pathology: What's Gone Wrong?

Urban Land: Asset or Liability?
The Air We Breathe and the Climate We are Changing
The Water We Use and Abuse

Health: Restoring Urban Ecosystem Health

Restoring Urban Land to Productive Use
Clearing the Air
Water – Our Most Precious Resource

Conclusions