Ghazaleh toutounchi

1. Eco-City AlexandriaSustainability ChartersEnvironmental Policy Commission MeetingFebruary 25, 2008Joe Schilling & Kathryn McCartyUrban Affairs & Planning, Virginia Tech Joe Schilling & Kathryn McCarty Urban Affairs & Planning, Virginia Tech Ghazalehtoutounchi No:085309

2. Purpose • Present results of Charter Team research • and analysis • Discuss template and examples for • Alexandria Eco-City Charter

3. What is an Eco-City? • Eco-Cities are places where people can live healthier and economically productive lives while reducing their • impact on the environment. They work to harmonize existing policies, regional realities, and economic and • business markets with their natural resources and environmental assets. Eco-Cities strive to engage all citizens • in collaborative and transparent decision making, while being mindful of social equity concerns.

4. What is Eco-City Alexandria? • Beginning in spring 2007, the City of Alexandria partnered with Virginia Tech’s Department of Urban • Affairs and Planning (UAP) to design and facilitate a new, strategic collaborative planning process, called • Eco-City Alexandria, to create an Eco-City Charter (June 2008) and Environmental Action Plan (Fall 2008) to • guide Alexandria toward sustainability. • Alexandria’s Environmental Policy Commission (EPC) is the project’s principal advisor along with representatives • from the Alexandria City Council and City Staff. The Division Chief for Environmental Quality serves as • the City’s project manager.

5. Definitions • Eco City: • Sustainability: place where people can live healthier • and economically productive lives while reducing • their impact on the environment • Sustainability: progress that meets the needs of • the present without compromising the ability of • future generations to meet their needs • – Ecological • – Economic • – Social

6. What is Sustainability? Ecological Sustainability ensures that all parts of the natural and built environments work together as a single ecological system. Economic Sustainability ensures a healthy economy that supports and sustains people and the environment in which they live over the long-term. Social Sustainability ensures that a community meets residents’ basic needs and has the resiliency to prevent and/or address problems in the future.

7. What is an Environmental Action Plan? • The Environmental Action Plan is a road map for city leaders, staff, and citizens to implement the Eco-City Charter. • Once the City Council formally approves the principles and core values in the Charter, • the Action Plan will be developed to establish specific policy objectives, identify programs and resources, set tentative • timelines, and develop measures of success.

8. • Alexandria’s EcoCity Charter: • Environmental Action Plan: guides city • leaders and residents towards a more • sustainable, holistic, and healthy environment • – Defines commitment • – Provides direction (vision) • – Establishes guiding principles Road map for city • leaders, staff, and citizens to implement the • Eco City Charter • – Plans, Programs, Resources, Timelines, Measures • City council, city manager, city departments, boards and commissions • Citizens and community

9. Methodology RESEARCH ANALYSYS RESULTS DOCUMANTATION

10. Principle of GREEN BUILDING • Alexandria’s government, businesses, and citizens impact our environment through the choices they make when renovating existing structures and constructing new ones. These choices manifest themselves in the quantity and types of energy we use, the impact we have on our water quality, the amount of waste we create, the amount and quality of green space available to us, and our public health.

11. STRATEGIES FOR THE ECO-CITY ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN • high quality, affordable and accessible, eco-sustainable1 neighborhoods/villages with optimal densities to balance land use and transportation policies with open space, green infrastructure, and building policies that reduce the emission of carbon and other environmental contaminants, promotes energy conservation and clean energy generation, promotes a healthy living environment, and creates a sustainable and diverse local ecology . • Develop a city transportation culture that puts the health, mobility, and accessibility of “people first” and encourages physical exercise by implementing development and transportation projects consistent with the following level of precedence: pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation, shared motor vehicles and private motor vehicles.

12. Work locally, regionally, and nationally to try to allay and hopefully reverse existing climate change-related impacts through greenhouse • gas and other pollutant reductions while simultaneously working to adapt to anticipated climate change effects such as anticipated increases in flooding due to rising water levels and increased storm . • Develop a new green economy for Alexandria • and programs to empower neighborhood groups. • Create a city-wide civic sustainability strategy that a) builds new partnerships with nonprofit and community based organizations; b) facilities eco-city/sustainability service learning and demonstration projects within Alexandria’s schools; c) creates demonstration projects

13. Guiding principles Definition of sustainability and reflect the goal established in alexandria’s strategic plan Eco- city alexandria charter • Land use and open space • Water resources • Air quality • Transportation • Energy • Building green • Solid waste • Environment and health • Emerging theaters • implementation

14. example Building green nanyang technological university in Singapore

15. Port Royal Condominiums Port royal: is an art-deco style condominium high-rise community located in the City of Alexandria Virginia. The lobbies and common areas have been recently renovated. The All brick exterior is compelling. Balconies at the rear have a great view looking over the Potomac River, while balconies on the front of the building look toward Alexandria.

16. conclusion • City for accessibility for everyone • City with public space with everyday life • City with balance nature • City with integrated green areas • with biodynamic comfort • Minimized land consumption • For pedestrian cyclist and public transport • Of reduction re-use and recycling of waste • Balanced mixed use • Power station or renewable Energy • Provide health, safety, and well- being • Sustainable life style • Qualified density • Human scale and urbanity • Concentrating development of suitable sites. • Prepare cultural identity and social diversity • Strong local economy • Contributing to closed water cycle.