What is Sustainability?
It is generally accepted that the trilogy of economy, environment and social equity are foremost components of the sustainability concept. Sustainability is a broad term that generally means that a person or society lives within the means of what the Earth can provide over a long term. When a process is sustainable, it can be carried out over and over without negative effects on the environmental effects or high costs. The definition of Sustainability for the purposes of this Master Plan (United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development) is: “Sustainability meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
What is Sustainable Development?
World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED-1987) established the definition of sustainable development as “a development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
Since the term “sustainable development” came into use in the 1970s, it has been used to mean many different things – as have terms such as sustainable cities and sustainable urbanization. Although the original use of the term sustainable development was intended to place a higher priority on directly meeting human needs while considering development’s environmental and ecological implications.
What is Sustainable Landscape?
Sustainable architecture is architecture that seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development space. Sustainable architecture uses a conscious approach to energy and ecological conservation in the design of the built environment. The idea of sustainability, or ecological design, is to ensure that our actions and decisions today do not inhibit the opportunities of future generations.
Sustainable landscape architecture is a category of sustainable design concerned with the planning and design of outdoor space. This can include ecological, social and economic aspects of sustainability. Sustainable landscape architecture creates ecological designs for the outdoor and urban environment. It begins with appropriate systems which address function, cost, energy efficiency, beauty, and water demands. The result can be a more pleasant urban environment, free of pollution and welcoming to nature. As discussed previously, sustainable design need not preclude human comfort. Design should enhance landscape environments. This can improve productivity, reduce stress, and positively affect health and well-being.