Assignment 5: Development in Ruston way waterfront

Assignment 5. What would it mean for development on the Ruston Way waterfront to be sustainable? How would we Sustainable development in Ruston way waterfront

Waterfronts are avenues floor sustainable development in cities. In a century where sustainability is imperative, sustainable ports are defined by a sustainable waterfront. As such, cities in the contemporary world are implementing new strategies with an aim to develop sustainable waterfronts. Sustainable waterfronts should provide means of attaining sustainability goals which consequently enhance the aesthetic value of the constructed neighborhood (Holden, Linnerud, and Banister, 2017). Ruston waterfront is among this development that has implemented various strategies towards becoming a sustainable waterfront. Development in Ruston way waterfront would mean improved air quality, energy efficiency, community involvement, public access and open places, and high energy sufficient buildings. Therefore, this paper will explore what development would mean on the Ruston way waterfront to be sustainable. Also, the paper will examine the indicators of sustainable development on the Ruston Way waterfront.

A waterfront refers a section of a town that is next to a water body such as a lake or a sea which serves as the natural gem of the city and provides an avenue for the community growth. Sustainable waterfront focuses on diversity, community participation, safety and security, environmental and sustainability. Ruston way waterfront serves as an interconnection through which people enjoy unobstructed Puget Sound waterfront (Helman, 2016).the waterfront is endowed with condos, buildings, retail spaces and a theater.

Waterfronts are poles of economic growth as they create interconnections for international trade. Ruston waterfront constitutes a core front in sustainable development for the entire Tacoma region. It provides new opportunities for creative and sustainable urban development. From this perspective, the sustainable urban front should prove the socio-economic and ecological resilience of the neighborhood through creative and innovative hotspots. Creativity and innovation for sustainability emphasize on green economies that create job opportunities for development. As such, development in Ruston way waterfront would mean concentrating on green economies and green infrastructure. Green infrastructure relates to planned and managed a network of environmental components aimed at establishing healthy green edges to the waterfront areas by increasing accessibility to the waterfront through transport options.

Transport options for sustainable development include street walkways and cycling paths which would consequently enhance energy sufficiency. Ruston development would mean integrating oft infrastructures such as shrubbery and trees along the greenway to create a pedestrian-friendly path and an attractive public space while minimizing the risk of storm overflow, regulating city temperatures and cleaning the air. In this respect, development in Ruston way waterfront would mean well planted natural trees well planted to provide shades which act as air cooling agents and minimizing the amount of heat disseminated on the buildings (Hak, Janouskova, and Moldan, 2016). Trees release water into the atmosphere, thereby cooling the temperatures and reducing energy consumption by the buildings. Therefore, Ruston waterfront should ensure well-planted trees for sustainable green energy.

Ruston way waterfront development should be geared towards sustainable green areas and open public spaces for sustainability. Open spaces and the green regions provide adequate recreational spaces and resting areas. The open places should have highly stylized public meeting places, public relaxation areas, outdoor restaurant spaces, accessibility to hotels, commercial premises and retail sectors. Development in the open spaces should be characterized by green grassy are planted with trees and landscaping with a sidewalk or trail road leading to the shoreline. The areas should also have playing spaces for kids, picnic shades, interpretive signage, and other site enhancements for sustainability (Holden, Linnerud, and Banister, 2017). Open places provide quality spaces for both practical and emblems for cultural heritage. Integration of culture with the waterfront holds landscape wealth which is vital in the preservation of historical- cultural values. In respect to this, the development in Ruston way waterfront should be indicated by adequate open spaces with green grass and trees on the landscape. A view of children playing on this site should, and people resting on benches should also indicate development in this area.

Development in the waterfront would also mean sustainable buildings that align with the sustainability goals of reducing overutilization of natural resources in buildings. Buildings are the primary cause of pollution and energy insufficiency. Therefore aspects of development in buildings would mean construction sites that minimize pollution while maintaining high levels of energy efficiency. Along with building sites, development in this area would consider site layout, pedestrian orientation, and shading orientations to ensure that they enhance growth in the area (Dierwechter, 2017). Development should mean constructing elegant architectural structures that minimize the adverse environmental effects while providing high indoor air quality and exceptional comfort. Such buildings should be built using durable materials and allow flexibility for future developments. Development should integrate design process in the implementation of appropriate energy efficiency measures, recycling of waste materials, use sustainable sources, and ultimately reduce the generation of construction. This will not only bring out the beauty of the landscape, but it would also provide a good view and improve the outlook of the waterfront.

When considering development in a waterfront, development should mean energy sufficiency. Ruston way waterfront development would mean reducing levels of per capita energy consumption and more excellent use of low impact renewable energy to fulfill the energy demands and increase the percentage of energy consumption from renewable resources (Dierwechter, 2017). Such development should focus on renewable sources of energy such as offshore wind, small size wind turbines and geothermal. Along with energy sufficiency, Ruston waterfront development emphasizes on street layout and building placement to ensure energy savings. Development should balance residential, commercial and industrial areas and provide excellent accessibility to the waterfront, public walkways, and recreational features.

Sustainability is also defined by air quality by minimizing pollutants and gaseous emission that are significant causes of air pollution. Development in the waterfront would mean high air quality by reducing congestion on the streets and planting trees (Hak, Janouskova, and Moldan, 2016). Transportation is a leading source of pollution, and therefore, the harbor should enhance the creation of pedestrian walkways that would reduce congestions and emission of gases.

How do we know?

Development in the Ruston waterfront will be indicated by high-quality air, and environmental air quality is a critical concern that would hurt the waterfront if not maintained. Thus, air quality in the surroundings is a prerequisite for all waterfront developments. Sustained air quality would mean development and create a better smell for the public. This will not only enhance environmental quality, but it would also provide for public comfort and overall sustainability. The waterfront management is responsible for ensuring sustainable air quality which would be a clear indicator of development.

Ruston development will also be indicator by enhanced public access through the use of transport options. Waterfronts should be not only accessed physically, but it should be accessed visually by the residents and foreigners of at any time irrespective of age. Visual access to the waterfronts is facilitated by view corridors while physical access is aided by physical linkages from the urban core areas. Development in the area would also be indicated by high-quality open spaces for recreation activities. After the establishment of the waterfront vision, development should prioritize on making the waterfront a community asset and not just for residents and businesses.

We would know of development in the area through public involvement in sustainability. High public participation in development represents the social dimension of sustainability. As such, high involvement of Ruston residents in the waterfront would indicate development and transparency. This would also provide for the creation of employment opportunities and give the people economic independence and overall economic sustainability. Public participation also provides for innovations and creativity which bore new ideas and facilitate growth and emergence of new ideas for sustainability. Innovation in waterfront recognizes authentic and innovative technology in making the harbor an ideal example of sustainability and center for creativity and knowledge. `

Another indicator for development is a historical identity that quantifies the character of the waterfront. A developed waterfront would have a collective heritage of water and city events which will act as landmarks and ensures utilization of nature to provide the waterfront a development character and meaning .preservation of the past is critical in sustainable development. Therefore, a clear indicator of development in Ruston will be a collection of cultural artifacts such as seashells and fishing nets which would signify the economic and social aspects of Ruston community.

According to Zagow (2016) a developed waterfront should embrace the mixed-use where waterfronts offer a diversity of cultural, commercial, and residential uses with a priority on those that command accessibility to water. Along with planning for the functionality and sociality of a waterfront, Ruston development should be a continuous process grounded in principle functions and meanings (Zagow, 2016). A developed Ruston waterfront should be flexible, and open to changes to foster a system of sustainable growth. The planning should also be conducted through public and private partnerships approved by the authorities for the quality of the design. Therefore, development should be indicated by the involvement of professional sin the activities of the waterfront for continued sustainability.

In conclusion, waterfronts are hotspots for sustainability and phenomenon for urban revitalization. Sustainable waterfronts emphasize community involvement, public safety and security, ecological conservation and preservation, and diversity. Ruston waterfront development would men air quality, green energy and economies, energy efficiency, and enhanced public and open spaces. Such development would be indicated by reduced air pollution, energy efficiency through renewable sources such as geothermal, spacious and green open spaces and landscape with well-planted trees. Sustainable waterfronts are places where people from all backgrounds and ages can reside, make a living, play, and visit and learn as it enhances diversity, economic continuity, heritage and natural environment of the city.

References

Dierwechter, Y. (2017). History: An (Un) sustainable Geo-History of Intercurrence. In Urban Sustainability through Smart Growth (pp. 73-111). Springer International Publishing.

Helman, D. (2016). Rail Congestion Impacts on Puget Sound Intermodal Port Operations (Doctoral dissertation).

Holden, E., Linnerud, K., & Banister, D. (2017). The imperatives of sustainable development. Sustainable Development, 25(3), 213-226.

Hák, T., Janoušková, S., & Moldan, B. (2016). Sustainable Development Goals: A need for relevant indicators. Ecological Indicators, 60, 565-573.

Zagow, M. (2016). Hybrid to social condenser: Competing approaches to mixed-use development (Doctoral dissertation, Illinois Institute of Technology).