The following is a guest post by Ray McNeal, Real Estate and Environment Blogger:
The number of people living in cities worldwide
is expected to nearly double by the
year 2050, increasing from 3.6 billion in 2011 to more than 6 billion. This
rapid growth will surely present challenges, but it will also provide huge
opportunities for the public and private sectors to work together to develop
more connected and efficient cities. In addition to environmental sustainability,
well-planned urban areas could mean improved public health, job growth, a reduction in excess spending, and an increased
economic appeal for investors.
The issue is that resources – limited land, water,
electricity, and transportation – must increase dramatically in order to
support population growth, putting serious additional strain on the
environment. To ensure success, public sector urban planners and private sector
developers are already working to get ahead of some of the challenges that come
with supporting a mass migration to cities, finding ways to stretch resources
and make more efficient use of limited space.
Plan Bay Area 2040 is a
prime example of a forward-thinking initiative created to prepare for expected
growth in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Bay Area as a whole is expected to
see significant growth in jobs and housing over the next 25 years, with the majority
concentrated within its three central cities – San Jose, San Francisco, and
Oakland. As part of the initiative, officials from each central city meet
regularly with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) to discuss progress in developing a
transportation and housing plan that reduces dependence on cars and makes
efficient use of land. MTC Commissioner Mark
Luce considers it an historic step forward in
serving future generations. Advocates of Plan Bay Area
acknowledge that decisions regarding land use are ultimately local, but that the
creation of a joint initiative will lead to smarter, more eco-friendly cities
able to reach the common goals of each region.
The private sector is also making efforts to be
more environmentally responsible in urban development. At the Urban Land Institute’s
2014 fall conference, real estate developer and Tishman Speyer President and
co-CEO Rob
Speyer addressed the need to look beyond the obvious
solution of LEED Certification, focusing instead on how individuals make use of
structures within cities. “Buildings don't exist in a vacuum, and the behavior,
and the lifestyles of the people that live and work in our buildings? That's
what's really going to determine the future of the environment,” said Speyer.
Tishman Speyer is the owner of Rockefeller
Center in New York City, and Speyer often cites the structure as an example of
a “happy building” – one
that makes the best possible use of space in a crowded city. Aside from a green
rooftop, it also provides the opportunity for shopping, entertainment, and
office space in one central location and cuts down on the need for
transportation that can drain the environment.
Multi-city transit systems and buildings
designed to serve more than one purpose are two pieces to the solution in
supporting rapid urbanization. Developers and urban planners are headed in the
right direction, but must continue their focus on developing well-connected and
efficient cities.
