3.2.1 Section A: Urban Issues and Challenges - Freiburg Case Study on Sustainability Flashcards
What goal did Freiburg set up for sustainability and when?
- in 1970 the German city of Freiburg set a goal of urban sustainability
- while environmental concerns where important, the new approach had to consider also how the inhabitants were affected social and economically
What does social planning involve?
- social planning takes into account people’s needs
- it is important that people take part in decision making on things that will affect their lives
- there is also a need to provide affordable homes
How do people in Freiburg get involved with social planning to make the city more sustainable?
- people in Freiburg are involved in urban planning at both local and city level
- possible sites for buildings are discussed and recommendations are made to the council
What have people done in Freiburg do to help the city be more sustainable?
local people can invest in renewable energy resources e.g. in 1 district they have invested £5 million+ in 9 windmills, 8 solar energy systems (one at the football stadium), a hydro-electric plant, and an energy conservation scheme at the local school
What does economic planning involve?
- providing people with employment
How many environmental businesses are there in Freiburg and how many people are employed in them?
10,000+ people are employed in 1500 environmental businesses in the city (Freiburg’s solar valley)
How many people are employed in the solar technology industry in Freiburg and what do they do?
1000+ people employed in the solar technology industry producing advanced solar cells and the machinery to make them
How many people does the solar factory in Freiburg employ and what do they make?
solar factory employs 250 people making solar panels
How is Freiburg’s solar valley important internationally?
- many solar institutions have their HQs in Freiburg, and the city hosts major European solar energy conferences
- the Institute for Solar Energy Systems conducts research and has developed new systems for solar cooling and air conditioning
How can people get training to work in the solar panel industry in Freiburg?
A Solar Training Centre provides training in the skills needed for the new solar technology
What does environmental planning involve?
- ensures that resources are not wasted and the environment is protected for future generations
- one of the key strategies for making cities more sustainable is to reduce the amount of waste produced by re-using and recycling as much as possible
- also involves the use of brownfield sites
How many corks does Freiburg recycle each yr?
1 million+ corks recycled each yr
What % of packaging waste is recycled in Freiburg each yr?
88%+ of packaging waste recycled
How many community collection points for recycling in Freiburg are there?
350 community collection points for recycling
How does Freiburg provide renewable energy for ______ houses?
- a biogas digester for organic food and garden waste which is collected
- provides energy for 28,000 homes from burning waste
By how much did Freiburg reduce its annual waste and in how much time?
reduced annual waste disposal from 50,000 tonnes to 14,000 tonnes in just 12yrs
What is the amount of non-recyclable waste per head (per year) that Freiburg has and what is Germany’s average?
90kg per head of non-recyclable waste per year (Germany’s average is 122kg)
What was the inner city district of Vauban in Freiburg built on?
on the site of a former army barracks
How many people does the district Vauban in Freiburg house and in what type of housing?
it now houses 5500 people in low energy buildings
How is greenery retained in the district Vauban in Freiburg?
- all existing trees have been retained, with green spaces between the houses providing play areas for children
- green roofs covered in vegetation that allows water to soak through which is then collected and reused
Where is Freiburg located?
- in SW of Germany in Europe
- Germany bordered by France on West and by Switzerland to the South
- Freiburg close to these bordering countries
- W of Munich and 280km away
- SW of Berlin and approx 650km away from it
- not near any bodies of water
- located close to the Alps
What does Freiburg’s water system allow?
Freiburg’s water system allows rainwater to be retained, reused or to seep back into the ground
What encourages inhabitants of Freiburg to use water sparingly?
Financial incentives of inhabitants to use water sparingly
What do financial returns investors receive in Freiburg?
financial returns investors received free football season tickets
What encourages people to compost their waste and use textile nappies?
financial rewards are given to people who compost their green waste and use textile nappies
What does water conservation involve in the Vauban district in Freiburg?
- collecting rainwater for use indoors
- green roofs
- pavements that allow rainwater to soak though
- unpaved tramways
- drainage wetlands
How does Freiburg want to be powered in 2050?
plans to be 100% powered by renewable energy in 2050
How does Freiburg have a sustainable energy supply?
- energy saving
- efficient technology
- use of renewable energy sources
How many trees have been planted in Freiburg and what effect does this have?
44,000 trees have been planted in parks and streets - reduces global warming as trees taken in CO2 reducing GHG effects, interception of rainwater reducing flood rick, people more in nature which improves mental health
What % of Freiburg is forested and what effect does the have?
40% of the city is forested - reduces global warming as trees taken in CO2 reducing GHG effects, interception of rainwater reducing flood rick, people more in nature which improves mental health
What % of trees are nature conservation and what % of trees are allowed to grow wild in Freiburg and what effect does this have?
56% of trees are nature conservation of which 50% is managed and 6% allowed to run wild - environmental sustainability creates new habitats and protects habitats from logging
What types of trees and shrubs are planted in the parks and what effect does this have?
only native trees and shrubs are planted in the 600Ha of parks - (environmental sustainability) don’t have to adapt and less risk of endangerment and extinction of animals
What % of wood is used for timber in Freiburg and how is this done sustainably?
40% of wood from city’s forests is used for timber but 75% grows back within a year - selective logging only specific trees are cut down giving smaller younger trees a chance to grow taller
What is the River Dreisam allowed to do in Freiburg and what does this allow?
River Dreisam allowed to flow unmanaged to provide natural habitats for flora and fauna - (economically sustainable) as river doesn’t have to be constantly dredged which costs money
Traffic congestion:
a traffic blockage
Social reasons we need to reduce traffic congestion:
- noise pollution
- may cause respiratory disease - asthma, lung cancer
- greater risk of accidents
Economic reasons we need to reduce traffic congestion:
- more money needs to be spent on fuel due to higher journey times
- people later to work - less productive for the economy
Environmental reasons we need to reduce traffic congestion:
pollution - more GHG’s released increasing the GHG affect which contributes to global warming
What was % of pedestrians in 1982 compared to 2000 (est.) in Freiburg?
- 1982: 35%
- 2000 (est.): 24%
What was % of cycle traffic in 1982 compared to 2000 (est.) in Freiburg?
- 1982: 15%
- 2000 (est.): 27%
What was the % of public transport in 1982 compared to 2000 (est.) in Freiburg?
- 1982: 11%
- 2000 (est.): 20%
What was the % of motor vehicles in 1982 compared to 2000 (est.) in Freiburg?
- 1982: 39%
- 2000 (est.): 29%
How often does Freiburg update its ITS?
Every 10yrs
Why do people use the tram network in Freiburg?
efficient, cheap and accessible public transport
What are the fares like for the tram network in Freiburg?
low fares allow unlimited travel in the city and surrounding district
How many km does the tram network in Freiburg cover?
covers 30km and connected 168km of city bus routes
What can people use to go on public transport?
tickets for concerts/sports, events etc. valid for public transport
What % of the population lives within ___ of a tram stop and how often does a tram arrive at a stop?
70% of population live within 500m of a tram stop with a tram every 8mins
How many km of cycling paths are there and how many cycle spaces are there?
400km of cycling paths with 9000 parking spaces inc. ‘bike and ride’ facilities at railway and bus stations
What restrictions are there on parking spaces in the Vauban district in Freiburg and how much does on parking space cost?
restrictions on car parking spaces, in Vauban district each one costs £20,000
In Freiburg’s transport plan how many tram journeys does it want to be increased by in one yr and how many car journeys does it want to reduce?
tram journeys increased by 25,000+ in one yr, car journeys reduced by 30,000
What is Freiburg’s car density and how does it compare to other German cities?
compared with other German cities Freiburg has a low car density with 500 cars per 1000 residents
What has happened as a result of Freiburg’s transport plan?
tram journeys have increased by over 25,000 in one yr, while car journeys reduced by nearly 30,000
What are the incentives/rewardsfor following traffic management in Freiburg?
- low fares allow unlimited travel in the city and surrounding district
- tram network covers 30km and is connected to the 168km of bus routes
- any ticket for a concert, sports or other event is also valid for use on public transport
- 70% of the population live within 500m of a tram stop with a tram every 8mins
What are the punishments for not following traffic management in Freiburg?
- restrictions on car parking spaces in Vauban district
- each one in the Vauban districts costs £20,000
What has happened as a result of traffic policies in Singapore?
- 45% less traffic and 25% fewer accidents in the city centre
- 2/3 of daily journeys are now all on public transport
- traffic on the roads into the city centre has reduced by 40%
- car ownership has declined by nearly 1% since 2000
What are the incentives/rewards for following traffic management in Singapore?
- development of an overhead railway system and efficient bus network
- advanced electronic monitoring and control of traffic signals to keep traffic flowing
- financial incentives for only using cars on weekends
What are the punishments for not following traffic management in Singapore?
- electronic road pricing on major roads
- quota system to reduce the number of car owners
- high petrol prices
- high vehicle registration fees and strict requirements for obtaining a driving license
- Government car sharing schemes
- restricted entry to the city during rush hrs
How many cars does Beijing have?
5 million cars
What is the traffic like in Beijing?
- city centre is often grid locked
- congestion is predicted to get worse as number of cars on the roads continues to grow
What was the world’s worst traffic jam that Beijing has had?
- 2010 in Beijing
- 100km+ long and lasting 11 days
What have the restrictions for traffic management in Beijing resulted in?
- 20% drop in car use
- 12% drop in use of car parks in the city centre
- building and widening roads has also resulted in an increased car use at the expense of cycling
What are the incentives/rewards for following traffic management in Beijing?
expansion of the public transport system - 30 new metro lines and a rapid bus transit network to be built in 2020, the metro currently only serves 1/2 of Beijing’s population
What are the punishments for not following traffic management in Beijing?
- limiting car sales - only 20% of people who apply to own a vehicle are allowed to do so
- restrictions on vehicle use - cars are banned from the city one day a week based on number plate system, non-residents can’t bring a car into the city
- increased parking fees - congestion charge and pollution tax introduced to help improve air quality
Sustainability:
meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of tomorrow
Social Sustainable Strategies:
- conserving cultural, historical and environmental sites
- involving local communities and providing a range of employment
- providing green spaces
- reducing the reliance on fossil fuels - rethink transport options
- recycling water to conserve supplies
Economic Sustainable Strategies:
involving local communities and providing a range of employment
Environmental Sustainable Strategies:
- minimising the use of Greenfield sites by using brownfield sites
- conserving cultural, historical and environment sites and buildings
- keeping the city waste within the capacity of local rivers and oceans to absorb them and making ‘sinks’ for the disposal of toxic chemicals
- reducing the reliance on fossil fuels - rethink transport options
- recycling water to conserve supplies
- providing green spaces
