Green Urban Development: A methodology to calculate site and infrastructure related GHG emissions

Abstract

The built urban infrastructure which includes the various types of residential and commercial buildings, the parking and public transport network, water and electricity networks, and delivery mechanisms determine the energy use and carbon emissions of our city.At Building level, controlling resultant GHG emissions could be done through measures such as better insulation, more efficient heating and cooling systems, and the installation of rooftops solar photovoltaics. IFC’s EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) certification has addressed the need for a mass market tool to identify such opportunities and provides third-party validation of achievement of resource efficiency in buildings. EDGE certification rewards developers who implement strategies to reduce energy and water use in their buildings and embodied energy in materials.At Precinct level, dense, mixed use urban developments that are close to public transit nodes give people convenient, less polluting transportation options while maximising resource use and improving their access to more job opportunities and higher quality of life. To encourage such “Green Urban Developments,” IFC is piloting a new concept to quantify urban strategies such as location, transportation options, achievement of optimum density, overall configuration, planning, and layout to reduce waste all the while ensuring comfort and affordability. The aim is to influence private and public-sector developers to choose “Green Urban Development” design options early in the project planning process.This paper presents a methodology for calculating GHG impacts of the site and horizontal infrastructure options for an Urban Development and explains the benefits and challenges of putting such a concept into practice.