Whether it is much more green spaces or a trustworthy public transport scheme, there are lots of things that can be done to make sure that cities end up being more sustainable at this point in time.
One among the main goals of sustainable living practices is sometimes to employ less power, or to utilise the same amount of energy much more effectively: this is both advantageous for the planet, as less emissions will be created, and for the individual, as it will help saving on things like utility bills. A nice thing that might be implemented is sustainable architecture: by developing houses with energy-saving in mind, this purpose is easily attained, with genuine estate figures like Frank Zweegers contemplating this approach to urban sustainability. Building homes with great insulation will mean that less heating will be needed in winter, as the house will stay effectively warmer, and viceversa in summer. In place of utilising artificial light, having major windows that are cleverly oriented will provide lots of natural light, which makes the living experience much more pleasant.
One among the main characteristics of sustainable cities is the ease of movement: personal cars are not an efficient way of travelling around an urban centre, contemplating the density of vehicles and the traffic and pollution that it can cause. Alternatively, a nice and dependable public transport system is one of the staples of sustainable urban living: not just will it be faster, as more individuals will be able to travel utilising the same vehicle (and therefore lowering the range of cars on the road), but it will have exciting environmental results, as public transport is beginning to employ more and more electric powered vehicles. Figures like Heidi Alexander work with huge metropolitan transportation networks, and are obviously aware of all the perks that each specific means of travel has.
If you look at any proposals for new urban projects, one thing that you will hopefully see in a lot of cases is the presence of green spaces. Something as straightforward as having trees on the side of a street has been proven to assist maintain a nice temperature during hotter days, and as we are possibly all aware, trees help make the air we breathe cleaner. These are only one or two the countless reasons why many smart city ideas involve more plants. While parks will usually be popular, a couple of sustainable ideas for the future have implemented small gardens in residential buildings, for instance on rooftops: this would allow men and women who live in apartments to retrieve some individual green areas, and even grow some fruit and vegetables or herbs. There have even been vertical implementations of gardens, as seen with developers like Lars Huber. Having plants that assist bee pollination, such as lavender, is also a renowned idea that can help the planet.