Each Level Treated as an Ecosystem

Effective planning and esgin can substantially reduce these resource inputs and outputs, so that at each scale the impact on the broader environment is reduced. Thus, for example:

At the level of the individual building:
* energy use can be minimized by effective draught-proofing, insulation and heat retention in the walls and floors;
* solar gain can be maximized by facing the main rooms towards the southwest, south or south-east, and making windows on the south side larger;
* water from the roof can be collected for flushing the toilet-- thus greatly reducing demand for ‘purified’ water from the mains;
* organic waste from kitchen and garden can be recycled through a compost heap.

At the level of the neighborhood:
* sewage can be treated by natural reed-bed pond systems that require no energy input and cost less to construct than conventional centralized systems;
* allotments can be provided close to homes, with community-based composting schemes;
* local shopping and neighborhood facilities such as clubs, pubs, churches and primary schools can be clustered in locations that reduce the distance needed to walk or cycle;
* safe routes to school can be provided to encourage walking and cycling —direct and convenient avoiding main roads well supervised by residents a local office center or ‘telecottage’ can offer a full range of telecommunications and support services to encourage home/locality-based work.

At the level of town or city:
* energy can be supplied by a combined heat and power (CHP) plant which both satisfies local electricity demand and provides hot water for a district heating system serving all buildings;
* water and biofuels from the surrounding area (e.g. streams, wood) can be used to fuel the CHP plant;
* a wide range of jobs and services can be provided in locations that are well served by public transport and cycling/walking routes, reducing the proportion of motorized trips and the level of greenhouse emissions.

Articles under this Sustainable Development topic have been lifted from Part IV- Planning for Sustainability by Hugh Barton, from the book: Investigating Town Planning- Creating Perspectives and Agendas, edited by Clara Greed.