Sustainable community or sustainable neighbourhood

Sustainability is mainly defined as “people continuing to want to live in the same community, both now and in the future” (Long and Hutchins, 2003). And it is achievable in situations where people continue to choose to live, work and carry on activities in the same common locality and community with fully occupied housing. 

Community is commonly cited as to “the place where people maintain their homes, earn their livings, rear their children and carry on most of their life activities” (Poplin, 1979). It further supported by Long and Hutchins (2003) that view community as “a grouping of up to several thousand households, whose occupants share common experiences and bonds derived from living in the same locality”. 
In summary, the community is described as persons or people living within the same geographical area, carrying on their social interactions and activities with one or more common ties and shared values.

Sustainable communities meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents, their children and other users, contribute to the high quality of life and provide opportunity and choice. They achieve this in ways that make effective use of natural resources, enhance the environment, promote social cohesion and inclusion and strengthen economic prosperity.

We have three principles of sustainable community..
1. economy 
2. social
3. environmental 

Sustainable communities are diverse, reflecting local circumstances, but sharing common characteristics and offer people with five strands of (ASC, 2007): 

• A decent home that they can afford 
• A community in which they want to live and work 
• The chance to develop their skills and interests 
• Access to jobs and excellent services, and 
• The change to get engaged in their community and to make a difference

before class (22 oct)
 Ms.Diana..she asked us to read article or journal about new techonology for urban design..

In the early 21st century, more people than ever before live in urban areas. Accelerating urban migration is one of the great challenges of our time and unchecked haphazard urbanization is a serious threat both to the environment and to social and economic balance. To meet global sustainability targets, rapid urban growth must be channelled into environmentally friendly, inclusive and livable urban environments. High quality urban design plays a key role in creating these sustainable cities.

sustainable urban design results from the creative and innovative merging of ecologic, economic, cultural and social aspects of sustainability into urban form. sustainable urban design also requires a thorough understanding of the social, cultural and ecological context. Sustainable urban design appreciates the importance of creating carefully designed, humane and inclusive urban environments.

The concept of sustainability continues to evolve. However, the core elements feature in most definitions is
• Sustainability is concerned about with the future and ability to maintain the certain values, assets or capabilities over the long term.
• Sustainability involves decisions that address the interaction between environmental, social and economic domains.
• Sustainability requires choices considering equity within society and across generations.

sustainable cities??

•  Rapid growing population will be settled largely in existing urban areas. Effective and timely strategic planning is needed to reduce the pressure on natural resources associated with the growth  of the urban areas and to ensure that infrastructure and services meet the needs of the population.
• Development patterns in our outer urban areas have resulted in increased car dependence and travelling times, and a lack of local job opportunities for residents. Residents in outer urban areas also have lower access to services, such as health care, compared to those living in inner urban areas.
• In population growth, our challenge is to create cities that are liveable, competitive, productive, equitable and environmentally sustainable. The stability of  cities, their functioning infrastructure, world-class amenities, education and healthcare, and low crime rates make them the envy of the world. 
• At the same time, Malaysia cities are lagging behind in some aspects of sustainability, particularly when it comes to energy consumption, car dependence and equity, with a stark and growing divide between the opportunities available to residents of the inner suburbs and those available to residents in outer urban areas.
• Cities have absorbed 60% of the population growth over the last 40 years. Our cities are home to a large and growing proportion of the population, with three quarters of Malaysians living in the nation’s major cities – those with over 100,000 people. 
• This growth has taken place within a relatively small area, as urban development and other intensive land uses occupied only 0.4% of  total land area.
• Cities are key contributors to the productivity, liveability and sustainability of society as they are home to a wide variety of services and the source of major cultural, social, economic and educational opportunities. Cities generate around 80% of our gross domestic product and employed 75% of workforce. 

Alam sekitar meupakan segala elemen yang berada di sekeliling kita..Alam sekitar menawar dan menyediakan tapak, sumber dan bahan semula jadi kepada manusia bagi membolehkan mereka meneruskan kelangsungan hidup di muka bumi ini.

Manusia dianggap sebagai agen yang mengubah alam sekitar dan perubahan ini dilakukan demi memastikan kelangsungan hidup mereka. Aktiviti manusia telah memberikan kesan yang sangat ketara terhadap alam sekitar. Manusia telah menggunakan alam sekitar sehingga mengubah keseimbangan dan kestabilan ekologi. Manusia menjadi lalai untuk menjaga kualiti alam sekitar kerana begitu mementingkan pembangunan. Perkara ini didorong oleh sifat semula jadi manusia yang rakus, tamak dan mementingkan diri sendiri dalam usaha mereka memenuhi keperluan dan kehendak yang tidak terbatas menyebabkan mereka seolah-olah luapa menghargai dan memelihara alam sekitar dengan sewajarnya hingga menimbulkan tekanan kepada alam sekitar yang akhirnya memudaratkan manusia kembali. 

inilah yang dikatakan kitaran hidup...alam sekitar menawarkan sumber..manusia membuat pembangunan ..alam sekitar tertekan..kembali semula kepada manusia terjejas...

one of type of smart cities...urban smart cities

1. strong increase of population for emerging country, acceleration of house development/ retrofitting..

                                                       global population estimation...
a. global population in 2050 is 9.2 bil
b. by 2020, 50% of world population will live in urban city of a emerging country..

type of development..

a, emerging country such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur will become new city planning..

b. Developed country such as Singapora, Tokyo, Shanghai become compact city or retrofitting...

how about gated community scheme in the future??

There are many pro and con views about the implementation of gated community scheme in Malaysia..I generally agreed with this scheme (for short period only) to enhance the security level in housing schemes..For future, when the malaysian community totally establish, the community watch or neighbourhood (rebrand of rukun tetangga) I think more relevant and we can remove unnecessary perimeter fencing and guard house in our housing scheme...

will be continue...

If sustainable development only focus on the future..does that mean we can lose out everything now???

But for me..is no need to lose out everything..sustainable development is about the finding the better solution of doing something for our future generation and also the present...need change our live, work, expanses, doesn't mean that our quality of life should be reduced...