There are more sustainable efforts being implemented across the world, and sustainable infrastructure in particular has a big impact on and is changing the world.
Sustainable infrastructure adds to the traditional approach of urban infrastructure by including a sustainability component.
How does sustainable infrastructure work and what are its goals?
The focus of sustainable infrastructure is environmental progress and economic development. With sustainable infrastructure, the environmental goals include, but are not limited to the following: less pollution, reduced carbon emissions, increased efforts to combat climate change, reduce chances of drought, etc.
In addition to economic development, job creation, improved quality of life of citizens, and a more efficient use of financial resources are all intended benefits of sustainable infrastructure.
Sustainable infrastructure examples around the world
There are many projects and examples of sustainable infrastructure around the world, but here are just a few.
- Singapore – Advanced water purification and recycling processes
Singapore developed a technique for recycling wastewater that requires a four-stage treatment process. The water is then drinkable and makes better use of a necessary resource.
- Copenhagen – Intelligent transport
Copenhagen invested heavily in its public transport system to provide for its citizens and visitors, and its investment will also help to meet the city’s goal to be a carbon-neutral city by 2025. The intelligent metro ring, called Cityringen, is expected to carry more than 240,000 passengers a day and is a fully automated line.
- Athens – Iconic Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, financed by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, is a meeting place also intended to illustrate the rebirth of the city. It was built with sustainability in mind and has won some prestigious awards for environmental sustainability, such as the European Solar Prize for 2017 for its solar energy efforts, and Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the highest LEED certification level.
- Masdar – ‘Zero-carbon’ desert city
Masdar is a planned city located outside of Abu Dhabi. Buildings are to be wrapped by solar panels, the transport system will be electric, water will be recycled, and water will be re-purposed.
- Vancouver, British Columbia – Eco-friendly landscape
Vancouver is a city of urban buildings and an above average rating of walkabilitywith locals opting to walk or bike to work. This is a city that got sustainable infrastructure right in terms of the layout of the city for functionality as well as its eco-friendly landscape.
- Brazil – Mato Grosso do Sul State Road Transport Project
The Mato Grosso do Sul State Road Transport Project was a sustainable approach to erosion control, rehabilitation and surfacing for state road, and institutional strengthening of the road. This project was highlighting in a World Bank report in regards to how environmental sustainability was improved for a road project.
With the technology, knowledge, awareness and overall requirement for more sustainable measures nowadays, sustainable infrastructure is meeting a need for improved infrastructure alternatives. These are just a few examples of sustainable infrastructure projects around the world and there are more to come.
