May 16, 20195 min read

Are cities waking up?

Updated: Jan 24, 2020

Green buildings are becoming a thing now/ Photo by Gabor Molnar on Unsplash

Whether or not we believe it, the climate is changing, and it is changing irregularly. Amongst many problems, carbon dioxide emissions are thought to be the major culprit, and we are struggling to keep a lid on it. According to a recent article in Nature[1], urban areas only account for 0.4-0.9% of the earth's land surface, but yields about 70% of global CO2 emissions. The fifty largest cities in the world emit a combined 2,600 megatons[2] of CO2, which is more than the individual emissions by certain countries like Japan and Russia. So, if we are to fix the problem, it is evident that the solutions have to come forth from cities.

Green spaces in cities

One way to wither climate change is through sustainable architecture. Amid growing sustainability, some communities across the world are innovating by welcoming nature back into their concrete jungles. Green spaces, passive building designs, and more trees can make a whole load of difference in the imminent future as well as in the long run. Having more trees and green spaces do not just bring climatic balance, but it also improves air quality, reduces noise pollution, cools the environment, and even relaxes the mind.

A paper[3] published in 2015 studied the impacts of indoor plants on human behavior. In the study, 24 young male adults around 25 years of age were selected, and divided into two categories, one of which carried out a computer task, while the other group transplanted an indoor plant. Then they switched between the tasks, and psychological and physiological evaluations were carried out. The results showed that the indoor plant transplanting made the test subjects feel more comfortable, soothed, and natural than the computer task.

Getting involved with nature releases stress/ Photo by Tom Ezzatkhah on Unsplash

During photosynthesis, plants and trees consume carbon dioxide and emit oxygen as a by-product. An acre of forest can absorb as much as 2.5 tons[4] of carbon dioxide annually, and it's estimated that 100 million trees could reduce about 18 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. While this is crucial, it is not our only solution to this problem. But planting a tree instead of felling one definitely helps the cause.

Sustainable architecture

Sustainable architecture is effectively changing our perception of how cities should look like. Even in the wake of the century, we were viewing the value of a city through the count of skyscrapers and marvels of architecture it beheld. But somehow, things are beginning to change as more and more people realize that the power to change the future vests in their hands. Cities are evolving for the better as buildings and streets become smarter and energy-aware. The city of Vancouver[5] is doing exactly this by working as a collective. A green city action plan was put forward, which focuses on the conservation of resources, reduction of carbon footprint, better living conditions, and several other sustainable goals. Numerous green terraces and urban farms have been erected as a result, and by doing so, the city expects to run on 100 % renewable energy very soon.

Another way to innovate prudently is through passive building designing. In a passive designed[6] building, nature provides ventilation, cooling as well as heating. This is achieved through solar roofs that power the building, open spaces within the walls for cross-ventilation, and insulation that prevents energy from leaking out, thus, conserving maximum energy. Cities like Seoul[7] are doing their part by implementing passive building designs to reduce the dependence on conventional energy sources.

Biophilia[8] is a term popularized by the famous American biologist, Edward Osborne Wilson in 1984 in his book biophilia. The biophilia hypothesis or BET implies the innate tendency of humans to seek connections with nature and other living organisms. Wilson strongly believes that because we co-evolved with nature, our brains carry a need to be around nature to be happy and healthy. From this concept, a new term called biophilic cities has emerged and its taking shape across the globe. Biophilic design[9] elements include green roofs, green walls, day-lit interior spaces, house clusters amidst green areas, city tree canopy, green streets, urban creeks, and riparian areas, and much more.

'Supertrees' of Singapore/ Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Cities like Toronto have already got policies in place for green roofs, with lower emission goals set for 2030, while cities like Baltimore, Chicago, and Montreal are greening the alleys and grey lands. Tree planting campaigns like 'the million trees initiative'[10] have popularized the reforestation frame of mind in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Melbourne, while Copenhagen, the European green capital[11] of 2014, is planning to become the first carbon-neutral city in the world by 2025. Singapore is another city that is leading by example in the conservative use of natural resources. It ranks second, behind Tampa, Florida, on the Green view index[12], a measure of tree canopies in cities, calculated using google street view panoramas, by MIT.

And what now?

Nature is a relaxing place to be in. It is fundamentally vital than all the artificial achievements of humanity, and we have never been in more of its aid today. And hence, it is lucky that our cities are changing, they are waking up from a slumber, which has lasted long. And ironically, they now look for answers in the very thing they forgot while hustling to become the best, NATURE.

Are cities waking up?

Green spaces in cities

Sustainable architecture

And what now?

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