Kamal Meattle, Promoter, GreenSpaces, and CEO, Paharpur Business Centre, writes about the need for broad based and environmentally sustainable development of urban areas.

Simple lifestyle changes could go a long way towards combating global warming. Cities should be viewed as human ecosystems. Achieving a balance between the development of the urban areas and protection of the environment with an eye to justice in employment and social infrastructure is sustainable urban development.

The concept of sustainable cities is derived from that of sustainable development. Development should be broad based and environmentally sustainable; seeking to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The idea is to create a city that performs well economically and conforms to the objectives of environmental sustainability.

The ecological impact of urbanisation has become a major justification for a new development paradigm: that of sustainable cities.

While planning for sustainable development of towns and cities in India, one factor which should be taken into account is the changes arising in the climatic conditions. Sustainable development should always represent a balance between the goals of environmental protection, economic development, hence, leading to human progress.

Implications
Commercial & Residential: India is yet to be built and make sure that new buildings are all energy efficient and green certified. Water, energy, waste management together with indoor air quality are very important verticals in any building to make it sustainable as well as environment friendly. Encourage lifestyle change; keep temperature in offices between 24-25 degrees C. Let the colour of green be white: encourage the use of white colour roofs and facades, and white colour vehicles, as they reflect light and heat.

Promote energy efficiency: Clean and efficient energy technologies are essential in all uses including vehicles, pumps, electric motors, automobiles, lighting, air-conditioning, production of cement, steel etc. We need carbon storage, alternative energy - nuclear, wind, photovoltaic, fuel cells, and biofuels, besides increase of forest cover. Regulatory measures are a must to promote energy efficiency in buildings. Encourage LEDs (light-emitting diodes), use only 4-5 star air conditioners, refrigerators, electric motors, transformers etc. Charge a high excise duty on energy inefficient products and zero duty on energy efficient ones. Use solar heating in all the buildings as far as possible.

LED lights are environment friendly, reduce electricity bills and improve the quality of working conditions at commercial establishments and public places. These lights consume 50 per cent less energy than the traditional sources. It is efficient than regular lightings, because a larger part of the energy into light then is lost as heat.

Water management and harvesting: Water could pose a larger threat than energy. Solutions lie in better management of water resources. Our policies should include efficient water usage and reduction of water wastage in transmission. Similarly, water harvesting should be compulsory for green areas and buildings.

Rainwater harvesting is harnessing life: It is essential because surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on groundwater. There are few techniques for rainwater harvesting, which are storage of rainwater on surface for future use. Structures used for the water storage are underground tanks, ponds, check dams etc.

Drip irrigation: It helps in using the water efficiently. Drip irrigation reduces water contact with crop leaves, stems, and fruit. Thus conditions may be less favourable for the onset of diseases. If water is scarce and expensive method of drip irrigation proves to be helpful because evaporation, runoff, and deep percolation are reduced and irrigation uniformity is improved, it is not necessary to "over-water" parts of a field to adequately irrigate the more difficult parts.

Promote use of energy from waste: Set up gobar (cow dung) gas plants in each village and use the methane gas for cooking and the residual material as fertilizer. Some of the gas can also be stored to run a fuel-cell electric generator for producing electricity at night for powering mobile telephone towers and LED and based electric lighting.

Role of environment
'The Supreme Reality of our Time is the vulnerability of our Planet.' Climate change is happening and humans are contributing to it.

Conservation and sustainable development strategies should be attempted and encouraged to control the climate change impact. We can reduce emissions by switching from coal-based energy to solar, hydro, nuclear, wind or geothermal (the earth's temperature is more than 200 degrees C about 2,000 metres below ground level).

Urban planning can and should give equal status to the environmental, social and economic consequences of every development. Resources such as land and materials can be reused and recycled. Sustainable development demands a shift from historic economic models, and the creation of a market that delivers long-term growth in a way that enhances the environment and social structures. Derelict industrial sites can be reused.

Principles of building sustainable urban areas should always follow; planning, designing, construction with refuse-reducerecycle and reuse the elements of construction.

Going green
LEED Rating System emerged as a successful rating system for green buildings. A green building is one which uses less water, optimises energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants, as compared to a conventional building. Sustainable development aims at effective protection of environment, Better quality of life for now and future generations and follow the 3 Ps of sustainability which is fit for planet, people and purpose.

Green buildings help reduce the energy use, carbon dioxide emissions, water use and solid waste. Buildings need to be green as building sector is the largest consumer of fossil fuels and natural resources. Buildings consume 40 per cent of the world's energy and account for 50 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Some sustainable design principles:

• Low impact material: Choose non-toxic/recycled material that need less energy to process
  
• Energy efficiency: Use manufacturing processes and produce products that require less energy. Consider quality and durability
  
• Healthy buildings: Creating buildings that are not harmful to their occupants neither to the larger environment. An important emphasis is on indoor environment/ air quality

Indoor air quality
Indoor air can be 10 times more polluted than outdoor air; therefore, the indoor air quality should be one of the major concerns while building green and sustainable area. High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants in the indoor air. Various sources for indoor air pollution can be incomplete combustion of the fuel used inside, tobacco products, building materials and furnishings containing insulation, damp carpet etc.

So, the quality of air should be pure and it should be free from pollutants. One can grow fresh air indoors, to keep healthy by the help of plants, according to studies done by TERI, NASA and IIT.

Green housekeeping
Use of environment-friendly housekeeping practices by using biodegradable chemicals, addresses health, hygiene and well-being of staff.

There may be some urban areas where environmental issues have already been dealt with, but there are many urban areas where these issues are still neglected.