critical infrastructure for sustainable communities chris ling ann dale: canada research chair in...
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Critical Infrastructure for Sustainable CommunitiesCritical Infrastructure for
Sustainable Communities
Chris Ling Ann Dale:
Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Communities
Royal Roads University
What is Infrastructure?What is Infrastructure?
The set of structural elements that supports the day to day function
and influences the direction of society
What is Sustainable Infrastructure?What is Sustainable Infrastructure?
The designing, building, and operating of these structural elements in ways that do not do not diminish the social, economic
and ecological processes required to maintain human equity, diversity and the
functionality of natural systems.
Why do we need it?Why do we need it?
The importance of sustainable infrastructure to a community and its capacity for innovation is similar to the foundation the human skeleton plays in the overall structuring, functioning and health of the body.
The Ecological ImperativeThe Ecological Imperative
Meeting the challenges of Climate Change:
• Retrofitting buildings with standard technology = 30% GHG saving
• Retrofitting with leading-edge technology = 60% GHG saving
Could save up to 1/5 of current energy consumption
The Social ImperativeThe Social Imperative
• Liveability and Quality of Life
• Impact of the built environment on health and well-being
The Economic ImperativeThe Economic Imperative
• Lower maintenance costs
• Lower energy costs
• Lower health care costs
• Drive for innovation
• Competitive edge
Source: Evan Hill (2005)
The ResearchThe Research
• Trans-disciplinary team:
• Public and private sector
• Expertise in economics, planning, forestry, systems dynamics, community participation and geography
• Additional expertise bought from practitioners, decision-makers, researchers and from civil society
• Case studies from infrastructure innovation in Canada
• Survey of planners
• 6 E-dialogues
OutcomesOutcomes
• A website to enhance literacy for public infrastructure.
• 20 case studies – dynamic and interactive
• Database of innovators
• Integrated Community Sustainability Planning Tool
• Series of community checklists for Sustainable Infrastructure
Website: http://crcresearch.royalroads.ca/sustainableinfrastructure
Website: http://crcresearch.royalroads.ca/sustainableinfrastructure
Case studiesCase studies
Sectors:
• Energy
• Transportation
• Waste Management
• Land Use Planning
• Governance
Demonstrating:
• Integrated Planning
• Transformation and Innovation
• Transferability
Sustainable Infrastructure Case StudiesSustainable Infrastructure Case Studies
Land Use PlanningLivability as Part of Sustainable Development
Long Term Planning
TransportationMass Transit as a Tool to Encourage Sustainable Communities
New Mobility HUBs in Toronto
Transit-oriented Residential Development at Mt. St. Hillaire
WasteGreen Bin Programs
Storm Water Management
Sustainable Infrastructure Case StudiesSustainable Infrastructure Case Studies
EnergyA Microgeneration Strategy for Canada
Deep Water Cooling
Municipally Sponsored Use of Energy Performance Contracting
Renewable Energy on PEI
Wolfe Island Wind Power, Kingston
GovernanceEcoperth
Quest Food Exchange
The Use of Mid-term Objectives and Implementation mechanisms
United we Can community initiative
Key findingsKey findings
• The legal system does not best serve sustainable imperatives.
• Planning usually far too short term – needs to be 100 years +
• Champion based progress – lack of institutional support
• 19th and 20th Century governance structures are not suitable for 21st Century imperatives.
• Fundamental gridlock in almost all Canadian communities.
• Disconnect between federal, provincial and local government; between large, medium and small communities; between business and research communities; between the planning system and on-the-ground implementation
• Lack of vision - particularly at the Federal level.
The problem of “lock-in”The problem of “lock-in”
• Magnitude of investment in current infrastructure is huge – e.g. Ottawa = $112 Billion
• One unsustainable historical infrastructure choice is intrinsically tied and has led to others – e.g. a 1950s suburb is a complex relationship between lot sizes, storm pipes, sewers, roads, parks etc etc – a change in one means a change in all.
• Current planning process are also part of this relationship
• The cost of change of each individual component is likely modest – the cost to change all, is huge.
• With short-term perspectives this is not affordable for most communities.
Key findings – the positiveKey findings – the positive
• 700 decision makers: Something must be done!
• Near unanimous agreement – investment in sustainable infrastructure is a necessary and sufficient condition for the ecological, social and economic well being of out communities.
• There are many examples of Canadian innovative sustainable infrastructure choices, in all sectors of infrastructure.
• The problem is not one of example, technology or even cost, the problem is one of planning and governance.
Known
Complex
Chaos
Waste ManagementEnergy
TransportationLand Use Planning
Governance
Entrenched Silos (strong centre weak edges)BarriersBest Practices / Case Studies
Linear Solutions (strong centre, strong edges)Reduce, reuse, recycleCost/benefit analysesPrototypes
Cross domain connections(weak centre, strong edges)Worldview linkagesSustainability @ CAS???
No patterns, no relationships(weak centre, weak edges)Crisis challenges all knowns, knowables, complexitiesEmergencies @ emergents
KnowableKnowable
Infrastructure Learning
SummarySummary
Locked in technology
and processes
Isolated innovations and innovators
Flexible sustainable processes
A variety of local solutions appropriate to local conditions supported by processes
Un-supportive system Sustainable solutions
Using market mechanisms to stimulate greater innovation and adoption
Using market mechanisms to stimulate greater innovation and adoption
Without the internalization of environmental costs sustainable infrastructure will never be a political priority
Recommendation:
Municipal government implement comprehensive water pricing
Provincial and Federal governments implement a carbon pricing system
Money raised invested in sustainable infrastructure
Necessity of Innovative FinancingNecessity of Innovative Financing
The investment required is too pricy for a tax-based system, private financing must be sought to support communities
and spread the risk of innovation
Recommendation:
Governments implement programs to explore and disseminate the knowledge
of alternative financing techniques
Reducing uncertainty and riskReducing uncertainty and risk
Most communities in Canada are so far from being sustainable, fairly radical changes are required, needing
state-of-the-art and the innovative. But most communities so not have the capacity to manage this risk
Recommendation:
The federal government lead and broker partnerships for continuing pilot projects
for leading edge solutions
Mechanisms to alleviate risks are considered e.g. subsidized insurance
Reducing uncertainty and riskReducing uncertainty and risk
Most communities in Canada are so far from being sustainable fairly radical changes are required. But most communities so not have the capacity to manage this risk
Recommendation:The federal government lead
and broker partnerships for continuing pilot projects for leading edge solutions
Mechanisms to alleviate risks are considered e.g. subsidized insurance
Reducing uncertainty and riskReducing uncertainty and risk
Most communities in Canada are so far from being sustainable fairly radical changes are required, needing
state-of-the-art and the innovative. But most communities so not have the capacity to manage this risk
Recommendation:All levels of government should implement asset management, life-cycle analysis and full cost accounting with ongoing periodic reviews of sustainable infrastructure investments.
Regulatory regimes provide lee-way for investors willing to incur risks by moving to leading edge and proven state of the art technology investments
Policy congruence and alignmentPolicy congruence and alignment
Policies, codes, and standards for sustainable infrastructure development vary enormously across and between
governments, and often are simply inconsistent. Initiatives at community levels are often stymied. Planning is
disconnected from actual implementation.
Recommendation:
Infrastructure Canada convene a series of regional planning round tables to
identify inconsistencies, and to begin comprehensive policy congruence and
realignment between municipal, provincial and federal levels.
Comprehensive Planning TechniquesComprehensive Planning Techniques
Comprehensive long term planning for sustainability in Canadian communities is not common, and when in place,
rarely linked to decision-making bodies and governance structures. Present planning at best only touches on the
costs associated with sustainable development.
Recommendation:
The Government of Canada disseminate knowledge on sustainable infrastructure
innovations and planning techniques; including techniques to enhance the
sociological and economic and environmental attributes of sustainability
and cost forecasting.
Innovative Financing TechniquesInnovative Financing Techniques
Innovative financing options are a key for communities trying to redirect less sustainable infrastructure choices to
more sustainable ones: The encouragement of e.g.
Recommendation:
• Energy performance contracting
• Utilities provide funds to businesses to implement improvement, reclaiming funds with on-bill surcharging.
• Built/Own/Operate/Transfer public/private/partnerships to finance sustainable larger infrastructure
investments
Innovative Financing TechniquesInnovative Financing Techniques
Innovative financing options are a key for communities trying to redirect less sustainable infrastructure choices to
more sustainable ones.
Recommendation:
Federal and Provincial governments encourage
municipalities to sponsor the wide-spread use of energy performance contracting to
finance improvements in energy and water use of buildings.
Community ChecklistsCommunity Checklists
For each of the five infrastructure sectors, what are the questions that a community needs to ask?
• Energy – focus on energy savings
• Waste – focus on composting and storm water
• Transport – focus on Transit Hubs
• Land use planning - focus on long-term and limits to growth
• Governance – policy alignment
Energy savingsEnergy savings
Basic Information and Initial Decisions• Is there support within your community for energy saving investments, and
how is this support being articulated?
• Are you aware of how much can be achieved through planning for energy savings?
• Have you examined case studies and best practices to get a feel for what can be done?
• Have you undertaken an energy audit of your facilities?
• Do you intend to undertake energy-savings investments in-house or are you going to contract out?
• Are your plans for energy savings linked to a broader sustainability plan?
Energy savingsEnergy savings
Implementation
• Do you have a list of reputable energy-savings suppliers?
• For energy saving, are you aware that employee and tenant awareness programs may be just as important as investment in equipment?
• Has consideration been given to green building standards in the planning and construction of new buildings?
GovernanceGovernance
Basic Information and Initial Decisions• Have you prepared an inventory of your guidelines, regulations,
standards, bylaws, zoning requirements?
• Is your municipality aware of any overlap and duplication between local, provincial and federal responsibilities that may affect the development of sustainable infrastructure?
• What are the barriers to concrete implementation of sustainable infrastructure?
• Have you assessed your community’s engagement to climate change and sustainability?
• What are other communities doing, and who are the leading edge communities in planning and implementing novel plans for governance?
• What is the most appropriate planning timeframe for implementing sustainable community development?
GovernanceGovernance
Implementation
• Have you considered how to address the whole issue of sustainability and how to govern it?
• Do you have a template or plan to introduce sustainability within your community, and appropriately govern it?
• Have you aligned policies, zoning, bylaws, regulations and standards to achieve optimal sustainable infrastructure implementation?
• Do you have readily available material describing the long term advantages of pursing sustainability within your community?
• Have you developed a process to ensure community engagement, and political commitment and support?
Integrated Community Sustainability Plans for Canadian Municipalities
Integrated Community Sustainability Plans for Canadian Municipalities
The development of a template to support
integrated community sustainability planning
“I believe many planners, certainly those properly
credentialed, have been practicing the planning
approach that is advocated in this [tool] for many years...
Whether the decision-making frameworks have embraced
these is another matter.”
Opportunity
“I think the biggest barrier is that we generally do not have good processes or structures in place in our communities that allow us to develop community visions or plans in a systematic way.”
“We have separated humans from other beings and from
nature.”
What is it about?
“Sustainability, I believe, is not an end state. Consequently, a static plan cannot purport to provide the ultimate prescription for sustainability.
What is the template about?What is the template about?
EngagementEngagement
IntegrationIntegration
Tools and TechniquesTools and Techniques
Reconciliation
Dynamics
Guidance
“planning at too large a scale often bogs down because of differences
in interest OR if you have a common interest but no authority.
Planning at too small a scale often means that the plan is great but the
power/authority to implement change is lacking.”
Principles
“at what level do we decide to plan, on the scale of a neighbourhood or a region, and in reality, are not cities just a system of embedded neighbourhoods if diversity is respected”
PrinciplesPrinciples
Integration: linking sustainability and planning policyIntegration: linking sustainability and planning policy
Inclusion: early and full engagement of the communityInclusion: early and full engagement of the community
Scale: moving beyond municipal boundaries and short term policies
Governance: proactive planning rather than reactive planning
“Please don't encourage people not to be visionary or
utopian --how else will be move out of our present
predicament.”
The approach
“I think that the base planning would be done at a 100 year time scale, at a geographic scale that included a city and it's hinterland.”
The stepwise approachThe stepwise approach
Engage with the communityEngage with the community
Understanding the placeUnderstanding the place
Creating a planCreating a plan
ImplementationImplementation
“Looking at the embedded links in the Integrated
Community Sustainability Planning tool … all attempt to engage the whole community
in the planning process -- as a first step of integration.”
Engaging
“Planning strategies can begin with a single building, say a house…From house to street to block to neighbourhood similar themes can be developed…with synergy kicking in to support [the] district.”
Engaging the communitygetting people involved
Engaging the communitygetting people involved
Representation: who is the community – what are the stakeholders?Representation: who is the community – what are the stakeholders?
Principles of engagement: to engender a open, collaborative and inclusive processPrinciples of engagement: to engender a open, collaborative and inclusive process
Use of tools: many existing resources to help the processUse of tools: many existing resources to help the process
Learning from others: use the experience of other communitiesLearning from others: use the experience of other communities
“We are trying to create a structure plan whereby density increases and
forms are connected to transportation infrastructure, energy opportunities, amenities (existing or
potential) etc…like streets that function as parks, like parks that
function like farms, etc.”
Understanding
“but what about protecting agricultural land and natural spaces from the development/growth frenzy?”
Mapping the communityunderstanding the place
Mapping the communityunderstanding the place
Green and community mapping: what matters, and where?Green and community mapping: what matters, and where?
Land use and landscape planning: how to manage growth and changeLand use and landscape planning: how to manage growth and change
Systems approach: making space for natural systems and developing within the carrying capacity of the region
Systems approach: making space for natural systems and developing within the carrying capacity of the region
“we cannot create community until we first
envision it”
Creation
“As we ponder scale of place -- what about time scale? These days we are taking up more place space but seem to have less and less time to allocate to whole systems thinking and planning – it is just urgent -- no time for importance.”
Creating a planframeworks for development and change
Creating a planframeworks for development and change
What is the community vision?What is the community vision?
Timeframe: long-term vision linked to short term cycles and goalsTimeframe: long-term vision linked to short term cycles and goals
Scale: links to neighbouring jurisdictions, nested systemsScale: links to neighbouring jurisdictions, nested systems
“I have observed over the years that much good work is done at the community or OCP planning level… only to be completely ignored at the implementation phase”
Creation
“in my area. . . people are wanting to create rural co-housing, small eco-villages etc and are running smack into zoning regulations that were designed [for] a large extended family that farmed the land . . . times have changed but underlying thinking… has not”
Creating a planframeworks for development and change
Creating a planframeworks for development and change
Institutional needs: is the municipality in a position to deliver on the plan?Institutional needs: is the municipality in a position to deliver on the plan?
Identify strategic areas: what does the plan need to focus on?Identify strategic areas: what does the plan need to focus on?
Commitments and outcomes: what are the resource and reporting implications of the plan?
Commitments and outcomes: what are the resource and reporting implications of the plan?
“The recently completed regional plan placed a moratorium on development while policies were established and now the document itself is poised for implementation.”
Implementation
“a large barrier to integrated planning is the … weak position of Planning relative to the larger power of the politicians, Engineering Dept and Parks Depts (and the even weaker positions of environmental planning or social planning sections – if they exist at all)”
Implementing the planThe ICSP needs to be the primary operating
document for the municipality
Implementing the planThe ICSP needs to be the primary operating
document for the municipality
Policies bylaws and regulations: do these line up behind the ICSP – or are they contradictory?
Policies bylaws and regulations: do these line up behind the ICSP – or are they contradictory?
Legal authority: Is the plan enforceable by law?Legal authority: Is the plan enforceable by law?
Monitoring: is there a robust cycle of evaluation to ensure that short term action move the community towards the long term vision?
Monitoring: is there a robust cycle of evaluation to ensure that short term action move the community towards the long term vision?