Planning for Sustainable Urban Development Using Alternative Energy Solutions

The concept of sustainable development has recently generated significant attention within urban governments. What is sustainable development? What aspects of “sustainable development” agendas have implications for urban areas and for planning? Can energy conservation and energy efficiency be tools to implement sustainable activities in urban areas? By what means might they be achieved? There is an active debate concerning the role of sustainable development as an overarching guide to urban planning. What examples are there of urban areas that are using sustainable development concepts to reduce energy usage? This article considers the definitions of urban sustainability, explains the origins of sustainable development, and explores the view that urban sustainability may indeed provide a theoretical base for urban development. Sustainable urban development will be discussed and considered as an emerging theory for urban development. In addition, this article will explore sustainable development as an overarching theoretical strategy and urban policy framework for addressing urban problems. The underlying causes and effects will be considered. Specific policies for sustainable urban development will be discussed. An alternative that dovetails with urban sustainability might include a scheme in which energy conservation techniques, alternative energy, and improved energy efficiency fill a significant role. Recent North American and European examples of sustainability in planning and urban development are offered to demonstrate applications of the theory. The author will conclude that sustainable development is a viable approach to addressing urban concerns. Improved energy efficiency is suggested as a viable concept for implementing sustainability with unique benefits for urban areas.