Technological Institute of the Philippines

Quezon City
Architecture & Drafting Technology Department

AR413A PLANNING 2
ASSIGNMENT #6
"Conservation Development and Green Urbanism "

Submitted by:
Coronado, Nerinel M.
AR41FA1
Submitted to:
Arch. Lawrence Dolores II
Instructor
Submitted on:
July 31, 2014 (Thursday)

Significance of the Study:

Today we live in the world that is polluted and not really healthy environment to live in. We
experience climate change, animals and other species get extinct, and other horrifying things that
are the consequences/effects of our wrong practices and doings that we unconsciously do in our
everyday lives. Development of housing/architecture in a piece of land, forest and other habitats
were animals and other species live, affects the environment. And these is our problem as future
architects and inhabitants of the future generation, that is why a solution is needed and it is
Conservation Development and Green Urbanism.

Conservation Development as defined in the study, is a controlled-growth land use

development that adopts the principle for allowing limited sustainable development while protecting
the area's natural environmental features in perpetuity, including preserving open space landscape
and vista, protecting farmland or natural habitats for wildlife, and maintaining the character of rural
communities. I think that Conservation Development should essentially be exercised in our country
because some forests here are turned into residential areas and some species, it may be an
animal or plant

are destroyed and worst become extinct because of this incautious action.

Another solution is Green urbanism, the practice of creating communities beneficial to humans and
the environment. This is also essential and we should apply this concept/philosophy in our cities
today because we badly need it, for us to have a healthy liveable environment/surrounding.
The study made me aware of the possible solutions to lessen pollution and extinction of
species which are effects of development in terms of buildings/architecture. Someday I want to be
part of these solutions, I'll be an advocate of Conservation Development and Green Urbanism, I'll
follow the principles about it so that there will be sustainable development in our country.

References:

Green Urbanism: Lessons of European Cities by Timothy Beatley

Living in the Environment by Miller Jr., Tyler G

http://www.philstar.com/modern-living/614693/green-urban-design

Conservation Development
Definitions

is an approach to the design, construction, and stewardship of a development that achieves functional protection of
natural resources, while also providing social and economic benefits to human communities. CD includes a wide
range of project types, ranging from rural ranches, to suburban conservation subdivisions, to large master-planned
communities.
also known as conservation design, is a controlled-growth land use development that adopts the principle for
allowing limited sustainable development while protecting the area's natural environmental features in perpetuity,
including preserving open space landscape and vista, protecting farmland or natural habitats for wildlife, and
maintaining the character of rural communities. A conservation development is usually defined as a project that
dedicates a minimum of 50 percent of the total development parcel as open space.

This type of planning is becoming increasingly more relevant as "land conversion for housing development is a leading
cause of habitat loss and fragmentation". With a loss or fragmentation of a species' habitat, it results in the endangerment of

a species and pushes them towards premature extinction. Land conversion also contributes to the reduction of agriculturally
productive land, already shrinking due to climate change.
Effective conservation of biological diversity on private lands will require changes in land-use policy and development
practice. Conservation development (CD) is an alternative form of residential development in which homes are built on
smaller lots and clustered together and the remainder of the property is permanently protected for conservation purposes.
Conservation development seeks to protect a variety of ecological resources and services such as biodiversity, productive
farmland, ecosystem services, scenic landscapes and historic and cultural resources. This is achieved by identifying the
ecologically sensitive and valuable areas. The protected lands can be under an easement to prevent development on it.
Housing is then built around the protected areas. Density, lots sizes, types of housing and amount of protected area is
dependent on the type of conservation development.

Types Of Conservation Development (According to Miller Jr., Tyler G.)

Conservation Buyer Projects

- a land trust buys the property and places the ecologically important areas under a conservation easement. They then
resell the land, including the easement, to a conservation buyer. The buyer cannot build on the easement, but may do so on
the remaining, unprotected portion. This technique usually results in a few houses being built on the piece of land, resulting
in a low density.

Conservation And Limited Development Projects

They are often carried out by land trusts, and occasionally by conservation-minded developers or landowners. Real estate
is developed for sale on an open market, and the profit is used to finance conservation of the nearly land.

Conservation Subdivisions

- are the third and best-known type of conservation development. This is a development that "sets aside a major portion of
the site as conservation land" and clusters housing on the remaining portion. The houses are built on lots smaller than
usual, meaning the density of the development nears the maximum allowed by zoning. Unlike conservation and limited
development projects, a homeowners' association manages the protected land. These associations may lack knowledge
and have different goals regarding the lands' management, which may result in a less than ideally managed conservation.

Conservation-Oriented Planned Development Projects

These are large-scale development projects found in suburban and exurban areas. The scale of the projects means large
tracts of land can be protected. They typically have densities nearing the zoned maximum and feature of a mix of housing
types and land uses.
Advantages

it can protect species and ecosystems, preventing further habitat fragmentation and loss. By surveying the land and
identifying the primary conservation areas where ecosystems are most at risk, communities are created without
huge disruption to the environment.
provides for secondary conservation areas, which provide corridors for animals to hunt, mate and travel through.
Wildlife friendly native species could be introduced, while invasive species are monitored and controlled.

Storm water management systems are also used to "promote natural flow patterns and infiltration"

Economic Advantages

allows developers to make themselves distinct in a competitive housing market

homes in these developments tend appreciate faster than their conventional counterparts.
fewer public costs on maintenance and infrastructure, protecting open space without losing tax revenues, and
avoiding the loss of ecological services like landscape stabilization, flood control and clean water.
reduced demand for public green space since it has been provided free of charge by the development.

Social And Recreational Advantages

With the smaller lots that accompany these houses, homeowners are likely to move into public green space and
engage with their neighbours. Community events such as picnics or parties are more common. The protected green
space also provides excellent recreational activities, such as hiking, jogging, or simply observing nature. It's hopeful
that with this experience, people can reconnect with nature and develop a land ethic.

Disadvantages

perceived risk by both developers and homebuyers.

the possible elimination of desired sites to build homes.
pushes sprawl further from the city and contributes to a more fragmented rural area.

Implications
This type of planning is becoming increasingly more relevant as "land conversion for housing development is a leading
cause of habitat loss and fragmentation". With a loss or fragmentation of a species' habitat, it results in the endangerment of
a species and pushes them towards premature extinction. Without biodiversity, we lose the many benefits we derive from it,
including economic and ecological services, genetic information, and recreational pleasure, just to name a few. Land
conversion also contributes to the reduction of agriculturally productive land, already shrinking due to climate change.

Green Urbanism
Green urbanism is the practice of creating communities beneficial to humans and the environment. Applied, green urbanism
focuses on identifying small-to medium scale catalytic interventions that can be applied to urbanized locations to connect
urban and nature processes, which in aggregate can lead to an overall shift towards sustainable neighbourhoods, districts,
and regions.
To elaborate on what the vision of green urbanism, there are several important design qualities or characteristics. Cities that
exemplify green urbanism are :

Cities that strive to live within their ecological limits, fundamentally reduce their ecological footprints, and
acknowledge their connections with and impacts on other cities and communities and the larger planet.

Cities that are green and that are designed for and function in ways analogous to nature.

Cities that strive to achieve a circular rather than a linear metabolism, which nurtures and develops positive
symbiotic relationships with and between its hinterland (whether that be regional, national, or international).

Cities that strive toward local and regional self-sufficiency and take full advantage of and nurture local/regional food
production, economy, power production, and many other activities that sustain and support their populations.

Cities that facilitate (and encourage) more sustainable, healthful lifestyles.

Cities that emphasize a high quality of life and the creation of highly liveable neighbourhoods and communities.

The Makati skyline is an oasis of modern towers set in a

sea of green.

Principles of Green Urbanism

Aspects needed to achieve sustainable development and encouraging best practice models, as follows:
Principle 1: Climate and Context
Based on climatic condition prior to selected city, every sustainable design project needs to maintain a complexity within
biodiversity, eco-system or neighbourhood layout. Enhance the opportunities offered by topographies and natural settings
and use of the buildings envelope to filter temperature, humidity, light, wind and noise.

Principle 2: Renewable Energy for Zero CO2 Emissions

Transform city districts into local power stations of renewable energy sources including solar PV, solar thermal, wind onand-off-shore, biomass, geothermal power, mini-hydro energy and other new technologies. Some most promising
technologies are in building integrated PV, urban wind turbines, micro CHP and solar cooling.
Principle 3: Zero Waste City
Waste prevention is way better than the treatment or cleaning-up after waste is formed. So cities should adopt zerowaste urban planning in line with the manufacturing of metals, glass, plastics, paper into new products and better
understanding of nutrient flows is needed to control global nitrogen cycle.
Principle 4: Water
Cities can be used as a water catchment area by educating the inhabitants in water efficiency, promoting rainwater
collection and using waste water recycling and storm water harvesting techniques. In terms of food yielding level, less water
needed and drought resistant crops can be developed.
Principle5: Landscape, Gardens and Biodiversity
Introduce inner-city gardens, urban farming/agriculture and green roofs to maximise the
resilience of the eco-system through urban landscape thus to mitigate UHI effect. Plants can be used for air-purification and
narrowing of roads for urban cooling. Moreover, preserving green space, gardens and farmland, maintaining a green belt
around the city is necessity to absorb CO2.
Principle 6: Sustainable Transport and Good Public Space: Compact and Poly-Centric Cities
An integration of non-motorised transport, such as, cycling or walking and bi-cycle or pedestrian-friendly environment
with safe bicycle ways, eco-mobility concepts and smart infrastructure that is electric vehicles, integrated transport system
of bus transit, railway and bike stations, improved public space networks and connectivity and a focus on transport-oriented
development (Green TODs).
Principle 7: Local and Sustainable Materials with Less Embodied Energy
City construction by using regional, local materials with less embodied energy and applying pre-fabricated modular
systems.
Principle 8: Density and Retrofitting of Existing Districts
The city is with retrofitted districts, urban infill, and densification/intensification strategies for existing neighbourhoods.
Principle 9: Green Buildings and Districts, Using Passive Design Principles
The city, here, applies deep green building design strategies and offers solar access for all new buildings.
Principle 10: Liveability, Healthy Communities and Mixed-Use Programmes
The prime concern of the city is for affordable housing, mixed-use programmes and a healthy community.
Principle 11: Local Food and Short Supply Chains
High food security and urban agriculture by introducing eat local and slow food initiatives.
Principle 12: Cultural Heritage, Identity and Sense of Place
A sustainable city with high air quality, no pollution for good health, fosters resilient communities having public space
networks and modern community facilities.
Principle 13: Urban Governance, Leadership and Best Practices
The city applies best practice for good urban governance through combined management and governance approaches
and sustainable procurement methods, such as, environmental budgeting.

Principle 14: Education, Research and Knowledge

The city with education includes technical training and up-skilling, research, exchange of experiences and knowledge
dissemination for all in sustainable urban development.
Principle 15: Strategies for cities in developing countries
Particular sustainability strategies are needed for cities in developing countries, such as, train local people to empower
communities, creating new jobs and diversifying new job structures to harmonize the impacts of rapid urbanisation and
globalisation.