How to assess urban sustainability, criteria and tools

Urban sustainability and its evaluation

Climate change has earned a prominent place in political agendas. However, too often this stardom does not come with a translation efficient in objectives nor are policies and programs adopted congruent to reach them and more, if we talk about the evaluation and sustainability indicators urban of cities. finding tools valid and easily understood to measure the impact of urban interventions in sustainability and their environmental consequences in the city has become almost a nightmare for modern urban planners.

We have to start avoiding just this…

Assessment tools urban

A tool called RFSC (Access from HERE) has given light from Europe to begin to understand the urban criteria that our city has and its shortcomings. It is a guiding tool guidance to promote sustainability in the European cities through an evaluation on 30 items or key points based on the Leipzig Charter on cities sustainable European.

Two main features differentiate this tool RFSC for the evaluation of traditional ones. The first has a shared character at the level European and focused on cities from which it follows that we can compare cities using the same language and criteria. And secondly, the synthesis of the results with reference to other tools.

We want to show an outline of the tools of territorial evaluation and urban spaces best known for take a broad perspective:

Evaluation criteria urban

The tool presents a multi-pronged approach interactions and evaluation criteria where 5 were defined main dimensions that are represented with 30 objectives (Self-assessment or checklist) for a European vision of the sustainable cities of tomorrow. (Remember that in the article of indicators of urban sustainability HERE offers a PDF document with a template for the evaluation)

Dimension spatial

• The sustainable development of urbanism and the land use.
• Ensure spatial equity of urban land.
• Increase and define the resilience of cities. (He concept of resilience)
• Preserve and enhance the architectural appearance and cultural heritage
• Promote high quality and functionality of spaces public and the living environment.
• Alternative development and sustainable mobility.

Dimension of the Governance

• Ensure the strategic dimension of the territory.
• Sustainable financial administration of the city.
• Continuous evaluation process.
• Increased participation in the city.
• Strengthen governance.
• Facilitate development and communication.

Dimension Social

• Ensure social inclusion.
• Ensuring social sustainability and equity intergenerational.
• Construction of a housing supply for all.
• Protect and promote health and social well-being.
• Improve inclusive education and training.
• Promote cultural and leisure opportunities.

Dimension economic

• Stimulate green growth and the economy circle.
• Promote innovation and smart cities.
• Ensure connectivity.
• Develop employment and a local economy of resilience
• Encourage sustainable production and consumption.
• Promote cooperation and organizations innovative

Dimension environmental

• Mitigate climate change.
• Protect, restore and enhance biodiversity and ecosystems.
• Reduce pollution.
• Adapt to climate change with prevention.
• Manage natural resources sustainably avoiding waste.

Once the evaluation is done, it will throw us a graphical and easy to understand sustainability diagram which will also help us to exchange experiences between cities. An example of the diagram…

A free tool that can certainly be useful for many cities in our country. two articles of reference are necessary to complete the information.

• Ecological guidelines in the sustainable city
• Assessment of transportation development in the city

Sustainability criteria applied to planning urban travel in a fine line where many times we we "misled" the main objective and the drift of urbanism in recent times it is not a sensitive issue that is perceived by the population as a serious environmental problem or despite the evident and repeated excesses and speculative practices, but we must be aware and Be prepared for future adversities. Both the commented tool as the following manual HERE of criteria to consider in the sustainable city of the Government Vasco or the sustainable cities planning report from UN Habitat, represent two items of importance for the study of the city.