Sustainability

Economic Sustainability

One definition of a city, as opposed to a village or town, is the presence of a wide range of economic specializations that utilize the economies of scale of a large population base. When a settlement concentrates on a single industry it risks collapse in the face of economic or environmental pressures (competition, scare resources, etc). Neighborhoods within a city face similar concerns from horizontally zoned and large-scale uses. Mixed uses in moderate footprints and organized up as well as out offer protection against stagnation and failure.

Social Sustainability

Soc. Sust. refers to the ability of a city to maintain its livability into the future. A town with strict limits upon new residents and growth can see the work force shrink and the tax base starve as the original inhabitants age into retirement and onto fixed incomes. A gated community of a single income or age range may seem safe and comfortable. However, these communities can be boring and unsafe for many hours and seasons as all the inhabitants share similar work, sleep, and vacation schedules.

Environmental Sustainability

It is now recognized by the UN, and even Fortune 500 companies such as Exxon, that humans have a global impact on the climate and the ecology of the planet. We terraform entire regions - creating forests here and replacing them with farms there. Our built environment is the largest user of energy (about 70% considering materials, construction, lighting, and A/C) and by result the greatest polluter. Returning to traditional, natural building materials and conditioning strategies can help control environmental impacts and even remediate some contexts (cleaning air, water, and soil - or returning energy to the power grid).

Sustainable Goals

It is the fundamental assumption of this project that the redevelopment of St. Francis should not be limited to Cottage Hospital employees (although they should remain the primary focus). This project will attempt to retain multiple uses and demographics in the final master plan. Specific building designs will be developed to reuse materials from the existing site and structure. Natural daylighting and air conditioning will also be rellied upon. Ensuring a healthy local ecology and community will be the measure of success.