Shifting focus of cities to sustainable infrastructure

Infrastructure is a set of structural elements that support day-to-day functioning and influence human society’s direction. It refers to equipment and systems that are designed to meet the population’s essential service needs, including roads, bridges, and houses. As cities continue to grow, citizens gain opportunities and prosperity, but that growth has reportedly upset the social, economic and environmental balance. A report titled ‘Infrastructure for climate action’ co-published by UNOPS, UNEP and the University of Oxford in 2021 highlighted how infrastructure is responsible for 79 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

The concept of sustainable development was first introduced in 1987 by Bruntland Commission Report as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It includes development of a society where environmental, societal, and economic considerations are balanced at every level. Since infrastructure is an essential component of development, it becomes vital that cities introduce the idea of sustainability in the infrastructural development.
According to the United Nations Habitat, cities produce more than 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, even though they account for less than 2 per cent of the Earth’s surface. Experts have cited large population and infrastructure growth as its reason. An added challenge is that another 2.5 billion people will reside in urban areas by 2050, as projected by a UN report.
As the world moves closer to 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, cities look for ways to integrate sustainability in the urban ecosystem. The ‘Infrastructure for Climate Action’ report called on governments to regard infrastructure as a priority sector for climate action. In a bid to develop sustainable and liveable cities, urban planners and governments have started rethinking on how infrastructure is planned, delivered and managed.

Remodelling cities with green buildings

Buildings and houses are significant parts of urban space. However, the building sector is responsible for a significant share of energy-related carbon emissions worldwide. World Green Building Council in 2020 had noted that around 28 per cent of buildings across the globe utilize heating, cooling, and lighting systems that are responsible for energy related carbon emissions.
Most builders or owners are used to traditional building methods and are unaware of the maintenance savings from constructing houses and complexes with design strategies that make them sustainable and reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and natural environment. With a long-term perspective of making buildings green, planners have been introducing solutions in this space with energy-efficient cooling devices, optimisation systems that streamline energy use and building coatings that save energy.
Leading the way in green buildings, Singapore’s administration has approved features like improved glass insulation to reduce solar heating through windows, energy-efficient lighting devices and equipment to control lighting; energy-efficient cooling plants and ventilation systems for air conditioning; building management systems to monitor and control equipment and optimise energy use; and use of photovoltaic cells. As of 2020, 43 per cent of Singapore’s buildings were reported to have been greened. In addition, the Singapore Green Building Council has been trying to create certification and outreach programmes, capability development, and innovative solutions that can support the city’s building industry transformation.
India had established Indian Green Building Council in 2001, to facilitate Indian cities in introducing the concept of green buildings. Bank of India in Goa, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, Olympia Tech Park in Chennai, are some of the significant structures which turned green. However, the concept awaits its implementation at grass root level in Indian cities.
In an interview with Team Urban Update, Gaurang Rathi, CEO of Aligarh Smart City, said that the institutions of Smart Cities across India are becoming a major force in including sustainability in infrastructure development. He cited an example of how ACC bricks, made of fly ash, have been used instead of conventional bricks during the construction of Aligarh Habitat Centre. The ACC bricks are eco-friendly building materials from industrial waste and are made of non-toxic ingredients. He said that such small steps reflect on the changing priorities of planners and architects.
For the most part, India has a tropical climate. Therefore, including infrastructure for rainwater harvesting or/and solar panel installations can make a building self-reliant for its water and electricity needs, saving energy and decreasingthe burden on cities for water and electric supply.
Rooftop solar installation has witnessed a significant rise in Indian cities due to multiple grant schemes launched by governments. For instance, Delhi government’s MukhyaMantri Solar Power Yojana provides incentives and tax breaks to promote rooftop solar installations in commercial and residential buildings. Although adapting the solar power infra has been more popular in commercial buildings than residential buildings due to lack of rooftops space. As of 2021, New Delhi was far behind meeting its target of generating 2762 MW of electricity through solar energy as it has managed to complete only 7 per cent of the set target. On the other hand, Los Angeles had reached the landmark of having 1 million solar rooftops in 2019. The local government body in Los Angeles achieved this because of rigorous awareness programmes and cost reduction, thereby making it a mass movement.

Infrastructure can convert waste to resource

Most human activities generate waste asa byproduct or residual in a solid, liquid or gaseous state. The population and economic burden on urban spaces have carved cities into warehouses of waste. According to World Bank Group, world’s cities generated 2.01 billion tons of solid waste in 2016, which is expected to rise by 3.40 billion
tons in 2050.
Centre for Science and Environment in 2021 had stated that out of around 62 million tonnes of waste generated annually in India, only 68 per cent is collected, out of which only 28 per cent is treated by the municipal corporations.After facing the consequences of inadequate infrastructure ofwaste management in the form of polluted water, garbage piles, GHG emissions, cities and their local bodies have started working on renewing the system with appropriately designed collection vehicles and treatment plants.
Cities like New Delhi and Chennai have already started supplying tap water to houses from sewage treatment plants. A NITI Aayog Report in 2020 had established that 21 Indian cities will soon run out of groundwater. Properly managed sewage treatment plants with adequate capacity can help cities meet their ever-growing demand. To remove hesitancy in using recycled water from sewage plants, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal had once
drank recycled water at a treatment plant in Delhi.
In 2020, the Centre for Science and Environment had informed that urban India alone generates nearly 0.15 million tonnes per day of solid waste. The enormous amount of waste in cities is now turning into an opportunity to create something new and help every element reenter the cycle of consumption in society with the help of relevant infrastructure.
The city of Osaka in Japan used to remain covered in the blanket of smog and polluted air. Building a number of sewage and waste treatment plants has changed the entire character of the city. The most special feature of these plants is incinerators. Much waste is now burned in high-tech plants that use
the heat to produce electricity for 125,000 households.
On a similar ground, The Government of Karnataka launched a Rs 260 crore mega waste to energy plant project on the outskirts of Bengaluru city. Expected to be fully functional by this year, the plant is expected to scientifically utilize 600 tonnes of segregated waste out of the 5,000 metric tonnes from the city to generate 11.5 megawatt of power each day.
Cities have started focusing on introducing the factor of sustainability in infrastructural development. It is no longer about providing just a particular service. Every structure, element, and result is now being checked for sustainability component. Indian cities have started taking initiatives, but they will require rigorous awareness programmes and incentives at the grass-root level to properly introduce the idea of sustainability in the design of cities and the lives of their people.