Envision the cities of tomorrow that favor both an economic, social and environmental dynamic: this is a concept that has come to life in eco-neighbourhoods. Well-being, ecological integration, living environment, energy and mobility management, but also social diversity are at the heart of these projects. After a massive development in Europe, what is the future of this “green” approach?
Eco-districts in Europe
Two years ago, we were already talking about the first eco-districts, what about today?
With the constant demographic pressure, a large part of the ecological and social issues are at stake in our cities: mobility, diversity, energy transition, etc. Cities alone account for more than half of the global pollution and emit 70 percent of greenhouse gases.
The first eco-districts appeared at the end of the 1990s thanks to the growing interest in sustainable development and urban issues. It is in Northern Europe, which is often used as an example in the renewable sector, that the first eco-neighborhoods emerged, they were the precursors of the movement.
For example, the city of Berlin is one of the most eco-responsible in Europe. Public transport and the use of bicycles are widely encouraged, the waste sorting is well conducted and the green spaces represent 40% of its surface. An eco-village, in the north of the city, in Pankow, has been a model for a long time. With almost 650 homes, its special feature is the very low production of carbon dioxide, thanks to the photovoltaic panels placed on the roofs and to the buildings insulation’s optimization. But the ecological approach goes even further: waste sorting is well developed (household waste, reusable materials, compost, paper, glass) and rainwater is harvested, then conveyed to an infiltration pool that flows into the phreatic table. Since 1999, date of its creation, more than a million kilograms of CO2 have been saved up.
Eco-districts in practice
The environmental goal is the first aspect we think about to characterize a sustainable district. At first sight, the architecture expresses a sustainable development. The construction is indeed a crucial element, given that the building sector is the largest energy consumer in Europe.
Beyond reducing the ecological impact, the eco-neighborhood also has a social aspect. It is above all, a community approach, which brings together all the actors: local officials, associations, residents, constructors … As to find a solution to the evils of massive urbanization, eco-neighborhoods live through the application of these watchwords: density-ecology-mix.
In order to be fully efficient and not become a factor of social exclusion, eco-districts must blend into the existing urban fabric. Although they are part of an exclusively positive dynamic and constitute a lever for development, the actions carried out in terms of social mix, citizen participation and short circuit remain too compartmentalized and represent droplets lost in the ocean. In this sense, these neighborhoods’ today’s challenge is to fully enroll in urban renewal programs.
Eco-districts: a sign of cities in transition
Eco-districts are a real symbol of the ecological and sustainable policy’s progress, they also allow to experiment many topics. They show the will of a city to make a transition. As pilot sites for urban change, they are moving towards “a return to green” while joining connected cities projects, called “smart city”.
Public debates are regularly discussed on the theme of the city of tomorrow, to rethink the ecological impact of our cities. More connected, intelligent and reasonable, they will revolve around these new urban ecosystems, implemented for a “low carbon” economy.
The city of tomorrow is turned towards the creation of immaterial wealth. First by promoting short circuits and developing a logic of service and not only equipment, then by thinking about the residents’ living conditions. Eco-neighborhoods are therefore proving successful when they combine quality of life and connection, while being integrated in the community and innovative and mobile urban complexes.
Eco village take part in the future of the city and represent an interesting scale to test the sustainable city closer to the residents, putting them back in the heart of their environment and reflections.
To anticipate the 2050 climate challenge, eco-neighbourhoods play a crucial role. Today, the goal is to increase the number of eco-neighborhoods in the context of urban renewal and not just as city extension. Designed in their entirety, and not only from the ecological point of view, these neighborhoods work to live together, with respect for the people and the environment. Combining environmental responsibility and technological boom, eco-districts illustrate a societal choice, towards which to strive in order to have a democratized environmental quality.
