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International Master in Sustainable

Development and CR

GreenSphere: A framework of interventions for urban sustainability Flagship project in Valle Real Residential Executive Summary

2010-2011

STUDENTS Gorny, Hélène Noriega Casas, Daniela Tapia Regla, Alejandra

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INTERNATIONAL MASTER IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND CR GreenSphere: Executive Summary

EOI Escuela de Organización Industrial http://www.eoi.es

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Preface

Concerns over environmental issues and their impacts on the living beings are growing.

Climate change is a recognized man-made process that generates various reactions from

governments, corporations and society; which are gradually taking responsibility. The proportion of

population living in urban areas is increasing at a rate that is compromising the quality of life and

causing severe damages to the environment. As a result of the growing awareness regarding climate

change issues, the need for healthier and more environmentally friendly living spaces is significant.

The aim of this paper is to provide an understanding of the measures that can be applied in

communities enabling them to move towards sustainability. The interventions are structured in a

framework, further referred to as GreenSphere, which is applied to develop a pilot project for Valle

Real, a private residential area in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Chapter one introduces the theoretical background of green neighbourhoods. The possible

interventions and sustainable solutions (individual and collective) available in the market are

identified and a replicable framework of interventions is developed so that any other private

neighbourhood in Mexico and Latin America can follow it. This strategic approach will lead to

reduce the use of resources and increase the efficiency in communities.

In order to apply the framework and create a tailored GreenSphere project, the local

characteristics need to be analysed. Chapter two presents the local context in Mexico, introducing

the social, environmental and economic conditions of the country, the regulatory framework and

the financial instruments available to support a project of this kind.

Three elements facilitate the successful implementation of a project for urban sustainability:

political will and regulatory policies, sustainability driven citizen culture and financial viability.

Financial resources are one of the most important challenges to implement changes for creating

sustainable communities. This is the reason for choosing a high-income community as an example of

the application of the framework. In general, they tend to have a higher level of education and

awareness on environmental issues as well as the economic means to implement technological

solutions. In chapter three, the specific characteristics of Valle Real are described and the

suggested framework is applied to develop a specific project and a set of recommendations that

Valle Real’s administration can use as a road map for sustainability.

Mexico is an appropriate case for starting the implementation of green urban communities

because of its high proportion of urban population (78%)1; the replicability of such projects across

the country would have remarkable impacts.

1 The World Fact Book



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1. Green Neighbourhoods

1.1. Theoretical Background

1.1.1. Justification

In 2007 a report from the IPCC revealed that residential and commercial buildings

accounted for 7.95% of the total world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while OECD studies show

that cities contributed in 60-80%. In 2010, 50.5% of the world’s population was living in urban areas

with an annual growth rate of 1.85% expected for the next years until 2015.2 An immediate response

from society and the government is needed to address the environmental damage of urbanisation.

Adapting current lifestyles to make the urban areas sustainable will avoid high costs in the future,

when solutions will be urgent or mandatory.

The previous planning of the cities was mainly focused on accessibility and infrastructure of

public services to fulfil basic needs: roads, electricity, gas and water utilities and others. Until now,

the electricity system has been unidirectional; power plants generate the electricity and distribute

it to the cities. In this system there is significant potential to generate electricity in different points

of the urban developments, which has not yet been exploited. Green neighbourhoods promote the

decentralization of electricity production by encouraging homeowners to install their own

renewable energy systems; which also reduces the risk associated with cities relying on one energy

supplier.

Figure 1. Energy Generation and Distribution Grids

IEEE SMART GRID

2 The World Fact Book



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1. Zero carbon

2. Zero waste

3. Sustainable transport

4. Local and sustainable materials

5. Local and sustainable food

6. Sustainable water

7. Natural habitats and wildlife

8. Culture and heritage

9. Equity and fair trade

10.Health and happiness

1.1.2. Green Neighbourhoods: Concept around the world

From the pilot models and attempts to implement sustainable neighbourhoods, it can be

observed that each one has a different main focus and definition of a green neighbourhood.

Although some differences exist, they all intend to preserve the environment while increasing the

quality of life of their inhabitants creating welfare. This section covers several views of the concept

and details the issues on which they focus.

The Copenhagen Agenda for Sustainable Cities was created at the 51st International

Federation for Housing and Planning Conference, in Denmark in 2007. The agenda consisted of ten

principles aiming to encourage and strengthen the development of sustainable cities. In this

conference there were three challenges identified: the need for a new way of thinking, a new form

of planning and a new management style.

Steffen Lehmann3, in his article published in 2010 “Green Urbanism: Formulating a Series of

Holistic Principles” provides a conceptual model with fifteen universal principles that support the

GreenSphere framework. Lehmann’s principles are based on three main pillars of urbanism: energy

and materials, water and biodiversity and urban planning and transport.

One Planet Living is a global initiative developed by BioRegional and the World Wildlife Fund.

The concept is based on the integration of 10 main principles:

Other initiatives have a specific focus on health issues. Health is a social issue that can be

positively impacted by proper surrounding conditions and can be addressed when implementing

environmental solutions. Improving health conditions is an important driver that motivates people

to adopt a sustainable lifestyle. However, we cannot forget the economic incentives as a powerful

tool to drive changes in habits and behaviour.

Time, place and socioeconomic conditions are key aspects to the strategic planning of a green

neighbourhood. The greening of an urban area should maximise the return on investment increasing

3 Dr. Steffen Lehmann is Professor of Sustainable Design at the University of South Australia and Director of the Research

Centre for Sustainable Design and Behaviour (sd+b), in Adelaide. He also holds the UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Urban Development for Asia and the Pacific (2008-2010). He is the General-Editor of the Journal of Green Building. His latest books include: Back to the City, Hatje Cantz Publisher (Stuttgart, 2009) and The Principles of Green Urbanism, Earthscan Publisher (London, 2010).



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the length of its life cycle. Innovation is fundamental all along the process, from the design to the

implementation phases; in order to come up with alternative solutions, reduce future costly repairs

and increase the durability of the project.

1.1.3. Green Neighbourhood Definition

A green neighbourhood is a limited area where the houses and surrounding infrastructure is

adapted to support the environment, while integrating the society in the process of creating a

better atmosphere that ensures the highest possible quality of life. The intention is to achieve

independency of external inputs in order to satisfy the needs of the inhabitants as well as the

environment’s.

The different aspects that are considered in this project as key issues for a green

neighbourhood are: Energy, Waste, Water, Urban Landscaping, Building, Transport and Citizen

Culture.

1.1.4. Challenges and Benefits

In order to be able to implement the recommended interventions, three main requirements

ought to be fulfilled. The financial viability, the applicability based on local conditions and

regulatory framework; and the tangible benefits for the inhabitants of the condominium as well as

the citizen culture for them to commit to the project. Several challenges need to be addressed in

order to guarantee the success of the project:

Ecological and efficiency mechanisms as well as infrastructure transformation can imply

high initial investment costs. The financing instruments have to be available in order to be

able to wait for the long-term returns.

Developing countries tend to have bureaucracy that can delay legal procedures and permits;

however they are working hard to create sustainability related policies that can support

environmental projects.

The market for green products and services is still developing. An exhaustive research has to

be conducted in order to find suppliers for the interventions at the most competitive prices.

Promoting awareness and providing information to the community is key to combat

reluctance and scepticism. The inhabitants of the neighbourhood need to have clear

incentives to change their habits and apply green measures in their daily lives.

A strong citizen culture has to be developed through participatory approaches in order to

avoid disagreements and confrontations when taking collective measures that require group

consensus and commitment.

Aesthetic concerns have to be incorporated in the project. Establishing architectural styles

that are harmonious with the surroundings and creating clear guidelines for the



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implementation of new technologies can help avoid the rejection of interventions because

of their visual aspect.

Taking these situations into account, a deep investigation of the local context is crucial to

prevent negative results or failure of the project. The suggested solutions must be developed

according to the local conditions in order to promote sustainable lifestyles among communities. The

benefits will be measured using indicators such as carbon emission reductions, diminution of the

waste and consumed resources, energy and water savings and the creation of job opportunities. The

combination of these benefits will eventually generate economic paybacks that can be used as

incentives; together with the added value of the properties for being in a community where such

sustainable practices are applied. In order to evaluate the impact of the project, the outcomes will

have to be compared to the current performance of these indicators; therefore it is very important

to establish the baseline.

1.2. GreenSphere: A Framework of Interventions for Urban Sustainability

This section presents a framework that can be followed by any private neighbourhood or

residential as a road map for sustainability. It provides an outline of the stages of the greening

process and a description of the different interventions that can form part of the project. It is

intended as a reference guide to create holistic project in which the interventions are integrated

and applied in a systematic and adapted way. These interventions are based on the guidelines4

provided and the criteria required by institutes such as EarthCraft5, Enterprise Green Communities6

and LEED7 certification for neighbourhoods.

The interventions are categorized in seven broad areas that should be considered and

evaluated in any approach to sustainable urbanisation in general, but that particularly apply to

existing private condominiums. For established communities, the approach should be similar to

acupuncture; intervening in strategic elements to make the neighbourhood as sustainable as

possible.

4 For detailed information of the certification processes and requirements refer to the original institutional guides. 5 “Developed in 1999 by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Southface, EarthCraft is the Southeast’s standard

for green building, integrating building science with regional know-how. The EarthCraft Communities program is a certification system for sustainably planned and constructed communities. It offers holistic approaches to development for rural, suburban or urban projects.” (Earthcraft) 6 “Enterprise is an organisation in the US which provides financial support and technical expertise to enable developers to

build and rehabilitate homes that are healthier, more energy efficient and better for the environment on a cost-effective basis. They work with state and local governments to ensure their housing and economic development policies are smart and sustainable.” (Green Communities Initiative) 7 “LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally-recognized green building certification

system. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in March 2000, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.” (USGBC)

http://www.usgbc.org/About



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1.3. The Greening Project

The framework should be used to develop specific projects, according to the characteristics,

local context and particular needs of every neighbourhood. The suggested interventions provide a

reference to create a particular action plan with tailored solutions. A greening project includes

eight phases that ought to be planned and implemented with the community. These are the

different stages to follow:

1. Introduction: Explain the project, develop citizen culture, engage with different parties

involved and establish objectives.

2. Exploration: Explore and analyse local conditions. Research the possible interventions.

3. Identification: Detect resources available including people and financing instruments.

Evaluate the applicability of the interventions.

4. Design: Develop a plan with clear lines of action, targets and specific activities, define

indicators and measurement methods. Ensure the viability and approval of this plan.

5. Implementation: Obtain the financing and permits, execute the planned activities, contact

suppliers and perform the interventions.

6. Monitoring: Check the outcomes and the implementation of the interventions. Execute the

measuring plan.

7. Improvement: Make pertinent changes and adaptations.

8. Evaluation: Compare the expected impact with the actual impact achieved.

Introduction

Exploration

Identification

Design

Implementation

Monitoring

Improvement

Evaluation



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1.4. Interventions

1.4.1. Citizen Culture

Engaging the local community and the key stakeholders as well as strong leadership from the

directing board of the condominium will enable the support required for the decision-making

process. An "environmental coordinator" can be appointed to support, coordinate and monitor all

environmental initiatives within the community. Inform the residents on the environmental features

of the condominium, their economic and environmental benefits and their responsibility in reaching

the goal of becoming a sustainable community. Develop policies and incentives to ensure

participation and cooperation of the inhabitants in the different initiatives.

1.4.2. Energy

The goals are to move away from fossil fuels towards emission-free energy supply and reduce

consumption by promoting renewable sources of energy and increased efficiency. The use of on-site

renewable energy technologies (including solar photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal, wind, biomass and

geothermal) can also result in cost savings. The local conditions of the site and availability of the

technologies will be fundamental to decide which solutions are the most suitable in every case. A

mixture of renewable electrical generation should be combined with energy storage, smart metres,

smart grid and efficiency measures in order to have and integrated solution.

1.4.3. Waste

Sustainable waste management should be integrated into the operation of the condominium.

This includes a change in behaviour of all the residents towards a zero-waste community, through

the triple bottom line of waste: reduce, reuse and recycle. Recycling avoids the flow of usable

material into the waste stream. Efforts should start with waste prevention and awareness building

to reduce the waste produced in the community, followed by promoting the habit of separating the

different waste materials to enable their recycling. “Clean points” should be established inside the

neighbourhood and organic waste can be composted on site. Identify local recycling companies or

waste management cooperatives and handlers and develop agreements for them to collect and buy

the different waste materials.

1.4.4. Water

Water management will include different solutions for the common areas and for the houses.

Both approaches should address reducing consumption, promoting efficient use of water and

irrigation, rain water collection and recycling of waste water. Water conservation measures directly

translate into cost savings for residents. To conserve potable water in common areas the best

alternative is to use rainwater or treated wastewater (from the public utility or sourced on-site) for



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irrigation. Other recommendations include installing water conserving fixtures such as aerators and

dual-flux systems. Interventions to reduce water runoff minimize the risk of flooding and erosion as

well as maintenance costs resulting from fixing pavements. Rainwater can be harvested from the

whole area of the condominium, conducting it from non-permeable surfaces such as roofs and

pavements through gutters or ditches to storage tanks, cisterns or even an artificial lake.

When there is no public wastewater treatment infrastructure available for the condominium

to connect to; different alternative treatment systems could be contemplated. Constructed

wetlands, anaerobic biological treatment facilities, biological aerobic reactors and septic tanks are

some of the technologies available in the market. Depending on the water treatment process or

technology chosen, there can be great differences on the scale of the building work, the investment

costs, the durability of the system and maintenance required. It is always best to consult with an

expert on the matter.

1.4.5. Urban Landscaping

Open space and natural resources in residential areas improve quality of life and provide the

opportunity for inhabitants to value the environment. Common areas in condominiums serve to

integrate landscaping and create communal gardens that reduce the impact of urbanisation,

promote biodiversity and reduce the urban heat island effect8 while presenting leisure and

recreation opportunities. Vertical gardens, green roofs and urban agriculture9 should also be

considered to integrate nature in urban areas. The local biodiversity and regional characteristics

should be considered to preserve the original ecosystems so that less water and energy has to be

invested in the maintenance of the green areas. In any case, landscape and farmland should be

managed using organic fertilizers and herbicides, permaculture principles and an integrated pest

management system, avoiding noxious chemical substances that will affect the water quality and

soil health.

1.4.6. Transport

Enhance sustainable mobility inside the condominium by providing collective transport when

possible or promoting carpooling. Pedestrian and bicycle friendly environments encourage residents

to walk and cycle as alternative transportation reducing the use of motor vehicles, promoting

healthy lifestyles and fostering community interaction. Bike racks can be installed along street

sidewalks and close to the entrances of common use buildings, sports centres or convenience stores.

Other measures include electrical vehicles for services such as vigilance and maintenance.

8 The heat island effect occurs on urban areas where the local air temperatures increase due to the absorption of solar

energy by the buildings and pavements. 9 Local farms and vegetable gardens can bridge the urban-rural gap and push cities towards more ecological food production

systems.



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1.4.7. Building

New projects bound to be developed on available land should also be taken into account to

promote the use of regional and sustainable materials in new houses, reducing emissions generated

by their transport. The administration of the condominium can develop policies to encourage land

owners to build their houses considering bioclimatic principles and passive architecture design; that

reduce the consumption of resources and materials while reducing the energy bill.

Adapting an existing neighbourhood to be sustainable is far more complex than creating a

sustainable community from scratch, because several aspects might not have been taken into

account and which are difficult to change once everything is built. Innovative engineering and

creative solutions need to be developed and coupled with technology and behavioural practices to

create a holistic approach tailored to the specific context.

2. Local Context: An Overview of Sustainability in Mexico

Although Mexico is considered a developing country, its GDP is ranked number twelve and has

the 11th largest population10 in the world. Due to the debt acquired in the past, the financial and

economic structures weakened. The lack of a long-term strategy affected the environmental sector

performance and caused the over-exploitation of natural resources.

Mexico faces important environmental issues; scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities,

rural to urban migration, freshwater scarcity and pollution, deforestation and air pollution, among

others. The current president, Felipe Calderón11

has pledged a shift towards environmental

practices by creating a National Plan for Development to place Mexico on the right track towards

“Human Sustainable Development”12

. The topics covered by this strategic plan and the specific lines

of action can be directly related to the principles of green neighbourhoods. The political stance on

sustainability combined with the geographical and climate conditions create an interesting scenario

and incentivise investors and entrepreneurs to start green projects.

Most of Mexico’s energy comes from oil and natural gas, which is also the main source for

electricity production. There is a small percentage produced with coal and nuclear energy, the rest

are in fact renewables, most importantly hydro, biomass and geothermal. Recently, renewable

sources of energy are being highly promoted in Mexico. The goal for 2012 is to achieve an 8% of the

electricity production from renewables (excluding large hydroelectric plants) and several policies

have been passed to achieve this objective. The Global Environmental Facility, the United Nations

10 The World Fact Book 11 Felipe Calderón was awarded Champion of the earth 2011 by the UN Programme, for his political leadership in

sustainability. 12 Described as an atmosphere where everyone can improve his capabilities and where opportunities can be expanded for present and future generations.



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Development Program (UNDP) and the World Bank have supported several initiatives in the country

to complete projects that would be based on the use of renewables for the country’s development

through important loans.

Section 2.2 explains the current environmental and social conditions of Mexico in order to

outline the challenges and identify the opportunities that make it the perfect scenario to develop

green neighbourhoods. It presents an overview of the policies that have been adopted, the

environmental performance indicators, the climate conditions and the potential for renewable

energies, the natural resources available and the country’s performance in terms of waste, water

and transport management. The citizen culture is also analysed to determine the habits and

behaviours that need to change to become sustainable.

The development of a green economy in Mexico has confronted with two main problems: the

shortage of public sector resources allocated for the financing of green projects and the lack of

interest from the banking sector in this type of investment13. Section 2.3 goes over the financial

system and economic conditions of the country, as well as the housing market and urban

development strategy.

Section 2.4 introduces the institutions managing housing in Mexico and the main private and

public financial instruments available for households to bear with the initial investment of a

greening project. The general characteristics, requirements and application process of every

financial tool are also explained.

Among the different types of credits proposed by INFONAVIT14, the most suitable for

households to finance a greening project in a neighbourhood, would be a green mortgage. Since

February 2011, INFONAVIT has launched a New Scheme for Green Housing that now applies for, not

only the purchase of new homes but also for used houses, remodelling, expansion, and construction

in the beneficiary’s own land. This loan is directed to purchasing ecological houses or performing

changes through the implementation of eco-technologies that reduce the energy, water and gas

consumption, therefore contributing to the efficient and rational use of local natural resources.

3. A GreenSphere Project for Valle Real

Today, urban areas are booming and thus need, more than ever a complete shift to adopting

sustainable and eco-friendly practices. Inhabitants are the key actors and must therefore be placed

at the centre of this transformation. Greening a neighbourhood also requires a complete analysis of

key variables, location and land specificities. Obviously, this conversion will not be achieved

overnight but step-by-step. This process, encompassing various actors and a plethora of possible

13 Alejandro Garduño, advisor to the Mexican Ministry of Treasury. 14 Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores, in charge of providing mortgage credits to workers.



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actions can appear as complex, hence the idea of creating a roadmap for neighbourhoods willing to

go green.

Valle Real is a private neighbourhood with a suitable context to implement a successful

greening project. It is a high-income condominium situated in Mexico, where the recent

environmental policies create instruments and incentives to promote the adoption of sustainable

practices, and whose inhabitants and management team are willing to initiate a greening process.

Valle Real was built in 1987 in the outskirts of Guadalajara, to be a residential area for

medium-high income society. The condominium had more success than planned, many high-income

families started to move to this kind of urban complex to have greener spaces and higher security.

Nowadays, the lots and houses in Valle Real are among the ones with highest added value for the

investment, in Guadalajara. Many factors contribute to make Valle Real to be considered a symbol

of the status and high acquisitive power of their residents. It has a capacity of 2400 houses; from

which 1850 are already build and 162 are currently under construction. The number of inhabitants

of the condominium is around 9250, considering that the average family consists of five members.

Annex 1 of the complete report includes images of different features of the condominium.

The blocks and houses are surrounded by green areas and recreational parks, to which all the

residents have access. Within the condominium there are different divisions that could be

considered as small condominiums; some of them even have increased security at their entrance

and the physical environment also varies; different landscapes or house sizes. There is a main street

that integrates all the small divisions, which also communicate the three entrances to Valle Real.

The median of the main street is wide for the residents to walk or exercise, and in the last year a

cork runway was built for runners. This street is a long-term concession from the local government

and there have been some requests from neighbouring communities and companies to open the

main street for public access to cut distances and avoid traffic jams when moving around the zone.

Due to the long distances that need to be travelled to get to the city centre, residents of

Valle Real depend completely on the use of their private vehicle. Vehicles inside the condominium

are not allowed to go faster than 40 km/hr. Internal security moves within Valle Real mostly in

electric golf cars, but also in trucks and cars.

The management of the condominium is handled by an internal council formed by some

residents and external people as staff. The services that in a public neighbourhood are commonly

provided by the government such as public lighting, streets cleaning, gardens irrigation and waste

collection are completely managed by the residential administration as if they were autonomous.

Chapter 3 includes the description of Valle Real and presents the GreenSphere project

proposal. This part describes the recommended interventions divided by sector of actions: citizen



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culture, energy, waste, water, urban landscaping, transportation, and building. Each intervention is

detailed, taking into account the local conditions and the particularities of the condominium.

This condominium will be a pilot project, the flagship for sustainable neighbourhoods in Latin

America. The management council of the condominium will be provided with a concrete set of

proposals that they can apply themselves or by using the services of recommended professionals.

Annex 2 of the complete report provides a list of possible suppliers that offer products and services

for the recommended interventions. Given the lack of data regarding the operative system and the

residents’ consumption information, certain interventions do not go further into detail and

therefore will have to be developed in joint collaboration with a team of experts.

Palm Trees in Median

Median, road and Streetlamp

House Facade

Air View of the Condominium

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