Eco-districts: can they accelerate urban climate planning?

Abstract

Despite signing the Mayors Climate Change Agreement, few US cities have made significant progress in either climate mitigation or adaptation. For the most part, European cities have been more effective, albeit with assistance from the European Union and their national governments. Several of the most successful European cities have implemented eco-districts, which have offered many lessons for overall sustainability planning. Using Malmö, Sweden as a case study, we ask how planners and elected officials learned from implementing an eco-district, focusing on experimentation with new technologies and approaches to planning. We identify how "double-loop learning", a term coined by Argyris and Shön, was at play in changing planning practice. As eco-districts are catching on in North American cities, there is much to be learned from European practice.

Implementing energy policies in urban development projects: The role of public planning authorities in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands

“…First, the introduction of energy targets at project-level and the successful 'eco-district experiences' (Fitzgerald & Lenhart, 2016) accelerated the municipality's climate planning, leading to an enactment of a first coherent climate change policy in 2016 (Gemeente Rijswijk, 2016). Second, all private developers in RijswijkBuiten adopted the zero-energy building standard and the leasing-model.…”

Energy sustainable cities. From eco villages, eco districts towards zero carbon cities

“…Fitzgerald and Lenhart describe eco-districts as "a missing link between building scale and city or regional scale planning and implementation." [16]. Over the last two decades model eco-districts have been born in EU, with significant examples of: Vauban in Freiburg, Western Harbour in Malmö, Hammerby Sjöstad in Stockholm.…”

“…Over the last two decades model eco-districts have been born in EU, with significant examples of: Vauban in Freiburg, Western Harbour in Malmö, Hammerby Sjöstad in Stockholm. Freiburg was awarded the Academy of Urbanism's European City of the Year Award in 2010, Malmö gained, among many others awards: a 2010 United Nations World Habitat Award for the revitalization of Augustenborg and in 2012 Malmö was a finalist for the European Green Capital designation [16]. Three of the most significant Northern European eco-districts (mentioned above), were built on post-industrial wasteland.…”

“…Most of the heat for the district is delivered by community heat pump installation from natural underground reservoir. Bo01 Eco-district is equipped with 10 cold and warm wells in an aquifer with temperature of 10-11°C located in the ground at a depth of 40-70 meters [16]. The heat production is supported by 1400 m 2 of solar collectors, connected to residential area heating system.…”

“…The district comprehensive heating system produces 5,800 MWh of heath, 5,000 MWh cooling and 6,300 MWh electricity, which means it supplies 85,000 m 2 of living space. 2 MW wind turbine, placed in the northern part of the harbor and 120 m 2 photovoltaic solar panels on the buildings supply the Bo01 Ecodistrict in electricity [16,18]. Rainwater drainage system, treated as a public space, includes waterfalls, gutters, artificial ponds for storage and to purify rainwater.…”