By Susan Jarvis
February 6, 2006

Sustainability, in its simplest terms, is using no more than you take. When applied to urban development and planning, it incorporates the “four e’s- social equity, environment, education and economic development.” During the Sustainable Development Task Force Meeting, Redmond (WA) Mayor Rosemary Ives facilitated discussion, which included presentations on rapid transit bus systems and green buildings.

George Darido, from Booz Allen Hamilton and Michael Baltes, from Mitretek System provided an over view of Bogota’s TransMilenio Bus Rapid Transit System and explored how it played a central role in Bogota’s urban renewal. As mayors are well aware, traffic gets worse rather than better with economic development and with that in mind, the TransMileno system became the backbone of Bogota’s urban renewal project, with 70.5 acres of public space developed as part of Phase I. The TransMileno system is a trunk and feeder system, with a combined headway of 13 seconds along the busiest routes. In Washington (DC), the average wait time for the Metro is almost two minutes.

TransMileno currently moves 1,050,000 passengers per day. It has potential, as transportation alternative in the United States would depend on a comprehensive reorganization of road based transit systems, system permanence, operational and cost effectiveness and demand from passengers. Most importantly, when designing any transportation system, it is a defining vision of the city, not only of its transportation system. As former Bogotá Mayor Enrique Penalize said, “The way cities are built affects how people will live for hundreds of years to come.”

Green Buildings and the green market, are the most important trend in architecture, began Greg Katz from the US Green Building Council. While initial construction costs range $3-4 per square foot above standard building costs, green buildings reap substantial savings on the back end, including a 33 percent reduction in energy costs and 32 percent reduction in water use. The added benefits of natural light and improved indoors air quality leads to healthier occupants, and higher work production and lower health care costs.

Green design, according to Kara Strong, 2005 Chair of the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment, encompass design and construction practices which reduce or eliminate the impact of buildings on the environment in five areas, sustainable site planning, water and water efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable energy, conservation of materials and resources and indoor environmental quality. The LEED certification program provides a standard in the industry. “It is a third party verification which eliminates ‘green washing’, promotes the green design concept and ensures that standards are met,” continued Strong.

Before the task force adjourned, Ives acknowledged and thanked Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle for his hard work in the arena of sustainable development and his leadership on the issue. Ives said, “Your leadership and examples from your community enlightened many of us on how to incorporate the four E’s into our community development plans - I want to thank you for all of your tremendous work.”