Smart City Advantages Key elements of smart cities—sensors, cam- eras, data analytics and powerful networks that capture and relay vital information— help them become more energy-efficient or quicker to respond to environmental and residential issues. Such products highlighted the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas. Reducing traffic can also contribute to safer highways and shorter commutes with decreased greenhouse gas emissions. “Citizens are using apps to monitor


issues and alert city managers, improving the livability of their communities,” explains Steve Koenig, senior director of market research with the Consumer Technology Association. In Boston, the app BOS:311 allows


residents to instantaneously notify govern- ment departments of pollution concerns, like blocked drains and other environ- mental or community needs, feeding the information directly into the city’s work order system via their mobile phone. Tis real-time collaboration results in a cleaner, safer and healthier city. Te Envision Charlotte project encom-


passes interactive kiosks in 64 businesses and government buildings citywide, gathering energy usage data for office buildings to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So far, energy consumption has dropped 19 percent, saving companies about $26 million. Te program has strengthened economic competitiveness and environmental sustainability.


Nature in the City Some cities have focused on the natural environment for improving local livability while mitigating contributions to climate change. Forested open spaces, wetlands and protected watersheds improve air quality, protect drinking water and buffer intense storms. Such areas also connect more people with nature and engage them in communal and healthy outdoor recreation. Portland, Oregon, boasts more than


10,000 acres of parks, plus an innovative Biketown sharing program that has facilitated 160,000 bike trips since its launch in 2016. Te city’s Bike Bill requires all new streets to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians by design. Portland also embraces urban gar- dens and allows residents to raise chickens, bees, goats or rabbits in their backyards.


No one wants to live where pollution


runs unchecked or water is unsafe to drink. Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters pro- gram works to keep stormwater out of sewers and reduce rainwater runoff through decen- tralized soil-based and plant-based systems, including pervious pavement, green roofs and rain gardens. Begun in 2011, its goal is to reduce rainwater runoff by 85 percent by 2036. Rainwater has become a valuable com- munity resource. Te program is just one of many ways


that the City of Brotherly Love is trans- forming itself into one of the greenest in the United States. Overseen by the city’s Office of Sustainability, Greenworks Philadelphia devises long-term sustainability strategies that encompass eight facets, including clean and efficient energy, carbon-neutrality and zero waste. Preparations are already under- way to cope with a hotter, wetter future.


Preserving a Sense of Place Making communities livable goes beyond infrastructure. Actions usually involve preserving, protecting and enhancing what appeals to residents. Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one example of many where livability priorities are guided by the values of its residents and its sense of place. “From our historic public square and


marketplaces to outdoor cafes, farmers’ markets and community festivals; from human-scale architecture and balanced transportation to pedestrian and bicycle networks, this place represents shared values,” says Mayor Javier M. Gonzales. “Santa Fe is also full of public art. Te city is designed to be safe, creative and inspir- ing for young and old, families of all kinds and everyone else that comes to see us.”


Good Life as Kids See It Ultimately, making cities move livable for children can make them highly livable for all. “Children need the same things from a city that we all need, but their needs are greater than ours,” says Lennard. “Te en- vironment a child grows up in shapes their health and their mental and social de- velopment for the rest of their lives. Our modern, unwalkable suburban environ- ments are contributing to childhood obesity, which has been widely linked to


chronic diseases that in the past were only associated with old age.” She notes, “Children need the exercise


of walking or biking to school. Tey need safe streets so they can become indepen- dent and explore their neighborhoods; sidewalks and other outdoor areas where they can play, meet friends and interact with adults in the community; easy access to nature; beauty in their environment; and intriguing architecture, works of art and other places to stimulate their affection and imagination. As they become teenag- ers, they need access by foot or bike to a wide variety of resources to broaden their horizons. Don’t we all need these things?”


John D. Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist, co-authors of ECOpreneuring, operate the Inn Seren- dipity, wholly powered by renewable energy, in Browntown, WI.


COMMUNITIES TOOLBOX


International Making Cities Livable hosts conferences in the U.S. and Europe. LivableCities.org


Consumer Technology Association’s Smart Cities, an overview of the latest technology in making cities more smart and livable. Tinyurl.com/SmartCitiesTechnology


AARP Livable Communities fact sheets, helpful for communities looking to be- come more livable. Tinyurl.com/LivableCommunityFacts


AARP Livability Index, a livability rating of U.S. localities according to housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement and opportunity. LivabilityIndex.aarp.org


Toward Sustainable Communities: Solu- tions for Citizens and Teir Governments, by Mark Roseland. Te fourth edition offers a comprehensive guidebook for creating vibrant, healthy, equitable and economically viable places.


June 2018 17 LIVABLE


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