EcoDensity

The EcoDensity Initiative was officially launched in 2006 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in conjunction with the World Urban Forum.[1] It was an unprecedented planning effort and a response to deconcentration of urban land use due to urban sprawl. The initiative used density, design and land use as catalysts towards livability, affordability and environmental sustainability. The program aimed to reduce car reliance, deliver more efficient urban land use, improve green energy systems and build a resilient and adaptable community. In high-density urban areas, utilizing the existing infrastructure and transit and community amenities tends to lead towards a more sustainable and livable state.[2][3][4] Accordingly, EcoDensity was designed to strategically enhance densification with the primary aim of efficiently structured neighbourhoods, denser urban-patterns and increased affordable housing.[5][6]

Etymology

The "eco" in EcoDensity stands for both ecology and economy (affordability). "Density" in urban planning refers to upward or more compact construction, as opposed to urban sprawl.

Urban context of Vancouver

Vancouver is located on the West Coast of Canada. It is the largest city in the region with an increasing population in the metropolitan area.[7][8][9] Apart from the highly densified central business district (CBD), more efficient land use strategy was needed in less dense suburban neighbourhoods.[10][11] The urban development in Vancouver started in the 19th century mainly shaped by automobile-based infrastructural development.[12] As a result, urban sprawl has led to the dominance of single family homes in suburbia and high-density residential development in the downtown core.[13][14]

Urban sustainability

Since the early 1990s, an urban sustainability approach has significantly shaped the way Vancouver has responded to its growing problem, thus it has become a globally recognized eco-city.[15][16][17][18] "Vancouverism" is a new kind of city living[19] that incorporates deep respect for nature. As such, it is characterized by environmental awareness and successful urban planning with a path of urbanization that is unique in North America.[20][21] The EcoDensity Initiative aimed to facilitate greater housing affordability and diversity through strategic densification that focused on environmental sustainability, affordability and livability.[22][23] Part of this status could be attributed to the natural setting of the city between the Georgia Straight and the Coast Mountains, which invokes a strong sense of environmental consciousness and environmental protection.[24] Since the 1960s, Vancouver's strong community spirit manifested through citizen activism and traditional planning culture resulted in a strong trust between communities and the Council.[25][26]

Consequences of the eco-density approach

Intended consequences

The proclaimed aim of the EcoDensity Initiative was to increase density in low and medium dense urban areas along transport corridors.[27] Well-designed, mixed-use attractive neighbourhoods have the potential to increase density and stimulate active modes of travel, as well as catalyzing the development of sustainable communities.[28] With that in mind, in denser neighbourhoods, requirement for investment in infrastructure tends to be lower. In relation to the demand and supply situations and other contextual conditions, an extra supply of housing has the potential to lower property costs and as such is a way forward to achieve affordable housing. Furthermore, the Initiative aimed to deliver sustained growth and enhance livability.

Unintended consequences

The EcoDensity policy was widely unpopular. The political leadership backed by the development oriented agenda was not united to sustainability rather than used eco-density as a label to greenwash their program.[29][30] In all, the traditional planning culture involving various stakeholders turned into a hegemonic strategy because of the massive opposition.[31] Without a community-centred bottom-up approach neighbourhood associated the concept as "green overcrowding", "greenwashing", or "density without amenity".[32] This was due to neither EcoDensity nor related policies were designed to provide affordable housing rather than to moderate future price increase.[33][34][35] This resulted in the breakdown of a historical trust between residents and the Council.[36] Yet due to inadequate management and planning surrounding municipalities are growing faster than Vancouver does.[37][38] Indeed, ignoring community concerns, failing to effectively increase density and being governed by pro-developer and ideological perspectives, eventually eco-density has become a cautionary narrative that cities should avoid and can learn from.[39][40]

Overview

Vancouver's EcoDensity Initiative combined density, design and land use as a response to deconcentration of urban land use due to urban sprawl.[41] It aimed to achieve a more sustainable urban form through the intensification of existing neighbourhoods. Specifically, to increase density in low and medium dense areas along transport corridors in an environmentally friendly way that reduces the ecological footprint of the city.[42] Consequently, eco-densification has the potential to strengthen urban sustainability measures; however, its inherently narrowed scope and unintended consequences pertains to limitations.

Results

The EcoDensity Initiative spawned laneway houses[43] and increased density along the Canada Line rapid transit line, part of the SkyTrain system.[44] In 2012, Sydney and other Australian cities adopted EcoDensity principles into their urban planning program.[45]

References
  1. "EcoDensity. How Density, Design, and Land Use Will Contribute to Environmental Sustainability, Affordability, and Livability" (PDF). Cit of Vancouver. Cit of Vancouver. 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  2. Xue, Jin (2014). "Is eco-village/urban village the future of a degrowth society? An urban planner's perspective". Ecological Economics. 105 (September): 130–138. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.06.003.
  3. Latouche, S. (2009). "Farewell to Growth" (PDF). Cambridge: Polity Press. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  4. "Vancouver Ecodensity Charter: Green Liveable Cities". Danish Architecture Centre. Danish Architecture Centre. 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  5. Rosol, M. (2015). "Social mixing through densification? The struggle over the Little Mountain public housing complex in Vancouver". Die Erde. 146 (2–3): 151–164. doi:10.12854/erde-146-13.
  6. "Getting Serious About Affordable Housing: Towards a Plan for Metro Vancouver" (PDF). CCPA. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  7. "Metro Vancouver grows by 150,000 residents [online]. Metro Vancouver". Metro Vancouver. Metro Vancouver. 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  8. "Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future" (PDF). Metro Vancouver. Metro Vancouver. 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  9. Boddy, T. "INSIGHT: Vancouverism vs. Lower Manhattanism: Shaping the High Density City". ArchNewsNow. ArchNewsNow. p. 2005. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  10. Lee, M.; Villagomez, E.; Gurstein, P.; Eby, D.; Wyly, E. (2008). "Affordable EcoDensity: Making Affordable Housing a Core Principle of Vancouver's EcoDensity Charter" (PDF). Policy Alternatives. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives to Vancouver City Council. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  11. "Downtown Vancouver (DVBIA): Neighbourhood Profile [online]. Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association" (PDF). Downtown Vancouver. Downtown Vancouver. 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  12. "Introduction & Background [online]. Geography Department. University of British Columbia". UBC Geography Department. University of British Columbia. 1999. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  13. Rosol, M. (2013). "Vancouver's EcoDensity Planning Initiative: A Struggle over Hegemony?" (PDF). Urban Studies. 50 (11): 2238–2255. doi:10.1177/0042098013478233. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  14. Bogdanowicz, J. (2006). "Vancouverism: With An Abundance of Planning Lingo Attempting to Describe the Process of Vancouver's Urbanism, the Following List of Definitions Summarizes the Many Elements Comprising the City". Canadian Architect. Canadian Architect. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  15. McCann, E. (2011). "Urban policy mobilities and global circuits of knowledge: Toward a research agenda" (PDF). Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 101 (1): 107–130. doi:10.1080/00045608.2010.520219.
  16. Roy, A.; Ong, A. (2011). Worlding cities: Asian experiments and the art of being global. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 182–204.
  17. Khirfan, L.; Jaffer, Z. (2013). "Sustainable Urbanism in Abu Dhabi: Transferring the Vancouver Model". Journal of Urban Affairs. 36 (3): 482–502. doi:10.1111/juaf.12050.
  18. Brunett-Jailly, E. (2008). "Vancouver: The sustainable city". Journal of Urban Affairs. 30 (4): 375–388. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9906.2008.00407.x.
  19. "Urban planning, sustainable zoning, and development". City of Vancouver. City of Vancouver. 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  20. Bogdanowicz (2006). "Vancouverism: With An Abundance of Planning Lingo Attempting to Describe the Process of Vancouver's Urbanism, the Following List of Definitions Summarizes the Many Elements Comprising the City". Canadian Architect. Canadian Architect. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  21. Berelowitz, L. (2006). "The State of Play in Creating a More Sustainable City. Dream City: Vancouver and the Global Imagination" (PDF). Concert Properties. Concert Realty Services Ltd. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  22. "Learning from Vancouver: Gentle Density" (PDF). Isthmus Research. Isthmus Research. 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  23. "EcoDensity. How Density, Design, and Land Use Will Contribute to Environmental Sustainability, Affordability, and Livability" (PDF). City of Vancouver. City of Vancouver. 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  24. Affolderbach, A.; Schulz, C. (2017). "Positioning Vancouver through urban sustainability strategies? The Greenest City 2020 Action Pla". Journal of Cleaner Production. 15 (October): 676–685. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.234.
  25. Sarkissian, W. (2013). "Vancouver's EcoDensity Policy: Reflections on Australian Planning's Cultural Cringe and Cultural Imperialism". Wendy Sarkissian PhD. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  26. Ross, J. (2014). "Panic on Love Street: Citizens and Local Government Respond to Vancouver's Hippie Problem, 1967-68". BC Studies. 180 (Winter 2013/14): 11–41.
  27. "EcoDensity. How Density, Design, and Land Use Will Contribute to Environmental Sustainability, Affordability, and Livability" (PDF). City of Vancouver. City of Vancouver. 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  28. Dieleman, F.; Wegener, M. (2004). "Compact City and Urban Sprawl" (PDF). Built Environment. 30 (4): 308–323. doi:10.2148/benv.30.4.308.57151.
  29. Condon, P. (2013). "Whose City Is It, Anyway". TheTyee. TheTyee. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  30. Bula, F. (2005). "Vancouver's chief city planner to step down". The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  31. Rosol, M. (2013). "Vancouver's EcoDensity Planning Initiative: A Struggle over Hegemony?" (PDF). Urban Studies. 50 (11): 2238–2255. doi:10.1177/0042098013478233.
  32. Sarkissian, W. (2013). "Vancouver's EcoDensity Policy: Reflections on Australian Planning's Cultural Cringe and Cultural Imperialism". Wendy Sarkissian PhD. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  33. Rosol, M. (2015). "Social mixing through densification? The struggle over the Little Mountain public housing complex in Vancouver". Die Erde. 146 (2–3): 151–164.
  34. Quastel, N.; Moos, M.; Lynch, N. (2012). "Sustainability as density and the return of the social: The case of Vancouver, British Columbia". Urban Geography. 33 (7): 1055–1084. doi:10.2747/0272-3638.33.7.1055.
  35. Lee, M.; Villagomez, E.; Gurstein, P.; Eby, D.; Wyly, E. (2008). "Affordable EcoDensity: Making Affordable Housing a Core Principle of Vancouver's EcoDensity Charter" (PDF). Policy Alternatives. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives to Vancouver City Council. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  36. Rosol, M. (2013). "Vancouver's EcoDensity Planning Initiative: A Struggle over Hegemony?" (PDF). Urban Studies. 50 (11): 2238–2255. doi:10.1177/0042098013478233.
  37. Bogdanowicz, J. (2006). "Vancouverism: With An Abundance of Planning Lingo Attempting to Describe the Process of Vancouver's Urbanism, the Following List of Definitions Summarizes the Many Elements Comprising the City". Canadian Architect. Canadian Architect. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  38. Berelowitz, L. (2006). "The State of Play in Creating a More Sustainable City. Dream City: Vancouver and the Global Imagination" (PDF). Concert Properties. Concert Realty Services Ltd. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  39. Rosol, M. (2013). ". Vancouver's EcoDensity Planning Initiative: A Struggle over Hegemony?" (PDF). Urban Studies. 50 (11): 2238–2255. doi:10.1177/0042098013478233.
  40. Lehmann, S. (2016). "Sustainable urbanism: towards a framework for quality and optimal density?" (PDF). Future Cities and Environment. 2: 8. doi:10.1186/s40984-016-0021-3.
  41. "EcoDensity. How Density, Design, and Land Use Will Contribute to Environmental Sustainability, Affordability, and Livability" (PDF). City of Vancouver. City of Vancouver. 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  42. Dieleman, F.; Wegener, M. (2004). "Compact City and Urban Sprawl" (PDF). Built Environment. 30 (4): 308–323. doi:10.2148/benv.30.4.308.57151.
  43. "Laneway housing to increase density in Vancouver". BC Living. BC Living. 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  44. Frances (2008). "What happened to the EcoDensity debate?". CTV News. CTV News. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  45. "Vancouvers EcoDensity strategy is good for Sydney". Urban Taskforce. Urban Taskforce. 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
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