SUSTAINABLE LIVING
This module introduced the environmental issues and provided some in-depth understanding of the complexities and influences that built environment caused to the natural environment. The module's intent is to instill environmental literacy and understandings of policies related to sustainable design and practices. We developed the awareness of local and global environmental issues and explored the various sustainable practices and trends in built environment.
PROJECT 1 - Sustainable System In A City
Cities and towns have become the primary human living space. Since 2007, more than half of the world’s population has been living in urban areas and the figure is estimated to exceed 70 per cent by 2050. Building sustainable cities requires investment in
(a) renewable energy sources
(b) efficiency in the use of water and electricity
(c) design and implementation of compact cities
(d) retrofitting of buildings and increase of green areas
(e) fast, reliable and affordable public transportation
(f) improved waste and recycling systems.
Cities are diverse in terms of their size, structure, spatial form, economy, wealth, local resources availability and ecological impact.
In a group of 4, we are to understand the definition of the sustainable city, the word sustainability has come into such common usage that it sometimes seems ubiquitous. At the outset, this leads to the need to answer two principal questions with regards to niche of sustainable cities in a local context. First, what is a sustainable city? And secondly, why is it important that cities become sustainable?
PROJECT 2 - Sustainable City Ideas
The future of our cities will ultimately depend on the way we choose to shape our cities today. Their fate will be about how we as citizens live our lives, show respect towards all life on Earth and contribute to solutions that create a better world. They include a host of solutions from engaging in urban experiments and asking local authorities to enhance sustainability action to urban gardening and switching to bicycles. Each of those choices matters and together they make a large impact if each of us embraces responsibility for the cities we inhabit.
In this assignment, student will be conversant and expected to illustrate and transform concepts and ideas of the future sustainable city, the word sustainability has come into such common usage that it sometimes seems ubiquitous.
We were required to use any framework/concepts to our proposal with any consideration to the followings:
1. Economic Sustainability : Growth Development Productivity
2. Social Sustainability : Equity Empowerment Accessibility Participation Sharing Cultural Identity Institutional Stability
3. Environmental Sustainability : Eco-System Integrity Carrying Capacity Biodiversity
4. Ecomasterplanning framework (Red, Blue, Green, Grey Infrastructures)
Highlighting selected issues in year 2030, 2040 or 2050 in cities and give proposal to solve the issue.
This module, Sustainable Living made me realised the importance of quality of our lives, which is related to our ecosystem and natural resources in this corporate world. It is taking into account everything, going green to the environmental focus in the long-term. This module had equip me with different knowledge and skills to participate in this rapidly expanding profession in the future. Through the lectures, I understood different type of sustainable cities and their performance index, which some has achieved sustainability in different categories. I have also gained knowledge on Malaysia’s Smart City Framework lives through case study method through series of videos (precedents) and explores on cities of Malaysia and international contexts, focusing on a particular theory and framework pertinent to sustainable living, in this case we can start applying the little things that could help the society to achieve it into our daily lives.
With the help of this module alongside together with design studio, it benefits us as future architects to propose smart, green cities and use available technologies to ensure that structures generate minimal harmful effects to the ecosystem and the communities. We should take sustainability seriously as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.