Award for World Mode of Green and Intelligent Building (2022) at the Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (SCAHSA) went to Forest City in Johor, Malaysia. Given that the city has now won SCAHSA honours for six years running, this is a major accomplishment. SCAHSA awards municipalities for their cutting-edge sustainable development strategies. This piece examines Forest City as a case study for the value of sustainable urban planning for the future of cities.
Sustainable development has several advantages
Because of the importance of environmental issues like climate change and biodiversity loss, sustainable development is essential for the future of cities. Reducing carbon emissions, protecting natural habitats, and strengthening city resilience are all possible outcomes of incorporating sustainable development techniques into urban planning, design, and construction. Also, by encouraging green spaces and decreasing pollution levels, sustainable development can enhance people’s health and well-being. Cities may lessen their problems with traffic congestion, air pollution, and noise pollution by adopting eco-friendly modes of transportation including bike lanes and public transportation.
Sustainable development has the potential to improve economic conditions, decrease poverty, and strengthen community bonds. For instance, fostering environmentally responsible tourism in urban areas can help the economy flourish and provide new jobs. Furthermore, low-income areas are more vulnerable to pollution and natural disasters, although sustainable development strategies can lessen this load on the environment. Sustainable development can improve social cohesion by bringing people together in public areas and eliminating social and economic inequities by fostering equitable access to green spaces and enhancing access to public transit.
What Sustainable Development Means to Forest City
Forest City’s commitment to sustainable development was recognised when it was awarded the SCAHSA Global Modal of Green and Intelligent Building. The mixed-use development of Forest City spans 30 square kilometres and features natural elements including green roofs, green facades, and open areas. The city runs on renewable energy sources and recycles its rainwater. It’s admirable that the people of Forest City have found ways to coexist with nature despite living in a city. The city’s health, wellbeing, and biodiversity loss have all been reduced thanks to this integration, and climate resilience has been strengthened. Also, in order to lessen its carbon footprint and enhance its accessibility, Forest City has installed intelligent transportation technologies like an electric bus system and smart traffic control systems.
Conclusion
The success of cities in the future depends on sustainable development. It can aid cities in solving environmental issues, boosting health and well-being, boosting the economy, decreasing poverty, and strengthening social bonds. Forest City has accomplished a lot in terms of encouraging green and clever building methods and incorporating nature into urban settings. To produce sustainable and resilient urban settings, these efforts should be replicated in cities around the world.
