Greener Development?

Question

I have always wondered about other people's opinions on highrise development. Instead of sprawling complexes and cookie cutter developments wouldnt highrise residential and commertial buildings reduce the footprint? Instead of using 100 acres use 10 and leave the rest as open space? Let me know what you all think. And be considerate of others please no negative comments.

Answer 1

Yes - more concentrated development means less energy is wasted transporting people and resources around.  People like having houses with yards though - I know, I'm one of them.

Answer 2

I think the same way and I have told others about that, because it makes sense.  With highrise development the area is optimized and there is also space for green areas with lots of trees.  There must be a balance between the imprevious surfaces and the green areas with plants, trees and so much green that will help the water cycle and also the groundwater, besides that trees around the buildings will create also more oxygen, wich we all can benefit.

Answer 3

This is a massive subject area but the short answer is NO. High rise development is not a greener option. High rise housing has been a key indicator in many studies of socio-economic deprivation. High rise housing was in the past been seen by local authorities as a solution to over development of green spaces and has failed miserably. Many of the high rise buildings were council built and owned or were.

This high rise housing has had a massive negative impact on whole communities and on every aspect of a person's life and life chances: From crime rates, to health; including diet, activity, lifestyle choices (ie smoking, alcohol consumption etc) Birth rates, still birth and mortality rates, family size. Air quality, water quality, poverty, social exclusion, access to services and social networks. Level of crime and security. Likelihood of offending. Employment, unemployment, benefit claims, training, transport, education, facilities, amenities and teenage pregnancy.  British Architects still suffer the stigma from the design failures of these buildings and cringe if you try to discuss it with them.

A good model of green development is one that includes all aspects of a person's life within a short walking distance including: employment, leisure, opportunities for recreation, sustainable services, water, sewage treatment, electricity production, raising the natural landscape onto the roofs of a city to produce food etc etc etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoRjz8iTV...

Answer 4

Yes it would work real well to coral several thousand into one space,  That way the next 747 to hit, can really get our attention.  has it ever occur ed to you that you can contain the entire US population in a space the size of Kansas?  But why would you want too?  I would see the how west coast burn to an ember, with you global warming before I would give up My yard. my lawnmower, leaf blower, for-wheeler and pool.  You want to live in a box, go for it.

Answer 5

The only problem is that even if you made it like an inverted pyramid and everyone on the planet lived in it, there still isnt enough open space left to feed all the people inside.  We need to reduce our footprint in other ways than the square footage of our living space.  If the whole world is your "living" room, then square footage doesn't mean much anymore.

Answer 6

hey al gore is that you again what are you doing now did you forget to take your medication again

Answer 7

I have always wondered just the opposite. The US is a big country yet everyone seems to live crowded together in big cities with millions of acres of land empty. This does not make sense and reduces everyone's standard of living and life expectancy.  I will ask a question. Why is this?

Answer 8

Yes that makes much more sense and these buildings can use Geo thermal energy for cooling and heating.  and have a roof garden.  Solar panels can be set up on the south side of the building which help in the collection of power for electrical use.

Answer 9

PERMACULTURE ANSWER

URBANISATION IN A SUSTAINABLE ,AUTOSUFICIENT & HEALTHY MANNER

They did some experiments with rats in highrise building conditions and after the 3rd story they began to get weird

by the time they were on twenty they went insane and ate their own babies .

this gives you some idea what the bosses must be like in the penthouse offices

So 3 stories is a reasonable healthy hight for humans they have discovered BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH

so we cannot put to many people on top of each other

technically it is an impossible task to ensure a continues supply of good air for everybody

and the mental effects are drastic ,

but we can blend people into and under the landscape

--------------------------------------...

there is an Architect who designed a city in China that blended totally into the landscape ,the farmland ending on top of all the equal level roofs ,with the farmers moving about on bridges

All the rooms would have the sun at least once a day,The city to utilize all their own byproducts as gas for cooking or compost

With solar energy to power the lot

The land above would produce all the food and meat for the city

A totally autosuficient concept ,with argiculture build in in a sustainable way.

Very technical and advanced

it is talked about on this youtube at the end

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoRjz8iTV...

--------------------------------------...

So the answer is urbanisation incorporated with agriculture

Agro urbanization,coupled to Agro forestry.

food and animals with in forests

and people hidden 3 levels underneath the farms ,all housing having what is called living roofs(have done some myself with pasture and goats on the roof ,and seen many of these) ,with pasture and  vegetables ,this would also keep the dwellings cool.

IN THE PAST

Montezuma looked out of his window one day and saw all his peasants in huts of adobe as a blemish on his panorama ,and he ordered the people to hide themselves beneath beautifull flowers (deoderant was not so big in those days),and so the central Americans were motivated to build living roofs ,turning their village in to a garden with themselves hidden with in ,So the idea is by no means original

Babylon was doing very similar things using sophistcated building methods and stone

This concept can spread into the country with out depleting it

leaving room for expansion

--------------------------------------...

Permaculture ,is less technical but the same principals are included

It is a collection of sustainable ideas from around the world coupled to present level of knowledge

ideally suited for those who want to get back to the country and build a autosuficient situation for themselves and the family or a comunity .

People plant rather for the quality of life and to feed their families, than for the market ,so the motivation and the manner are totally different from ordinary agriculture .

Although the basic concept of Permaculture also applies to Organic and sustainable farming,

Utilising soil manegement ,and mulching

The utilisation of space is more concentrated ,thinking in cubic and vertical terms instead or merely horizontal on the plain ,

Having many principle to follow such as utilizing all resoures and following and enhancing energy flows ,

for example the ditch around the house catches the rain water and leads it through the chicken house where it cleans and picks up the manure to deposit it in the vegetable patch

Permaculture means permanent agriculture

a concept put forward by Bill Mollisson in the 60`s

Which offers practical solutions for energy systems ,infrastructure ,inteligent design in housing,

animal shelter ,water systems and sustainable agricultural practises.

With the world and it`s history as it`s source

From the chinampas of Mexico to the teraced gardens of the Andes.

From the dessert whadis to the steppes of Russia.

Covering all climatic conditions temporal, dessert, humid and dry tropics.

with chapters on soil ,Water harvesting and land design,Bio diversity

Earth working ,Spirals in nature,Trees and water ,utilising energy flows,

Strategy for an alternative nation

The Permaculture designers manual by Bill Mollison,which cost about 40 dollars.

and is the best all round book you can get,on Environmental design,.(tagiari publishing, [e-mail])

this book also has many gardening tips,bio-gas,companion planting and ideas for structures ,how to cool down houses in hot climates ,how to warm up houses in cold climates with out using technology but rather by design.

Some other writers that are on the internet are

david Holmgren

Larry Santoyo

Kirk Hanson

Masanobu Fukuaka has written ,

One-Straw Revolution

The Road Back to Nature

The Natural Way of Farming

other permaculture links in Yahoo are

choosing a site

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

counter acting erosion

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

water harvesting

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

biodiversity

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

the rippling effect

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

organic pest control & growing your own food

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...