Is your neighborhood sustainable?

Have you stopped to wonder if your neighborhood is sustainable?  As you answer this question you will be evaluating the place you live and thinking about important points that must weigh on your decision.

The vision of what constitutes a sustainable neighborhood is little known by most people.  Actually this concept is not well disseminated.   In researching other countries’ sites I found Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC-SCHL), where I learned about a very interesting proposition that determines whether a neighborhood is sustainable or not, and which virtues it must have to provide a better quality of life. 

To evaluate whether your neighborhood is sustainable you have to follow a checklist of pertinent points and weigh each according to its importance.  Cultural and economic conditions in each city change some of these points and their weights, which may generate a different perception of their values. 

Above all, a sustainable neighborhood is a place where one finds ideal living conditions, from the pleasant atmosphere of a community that interacts to local infrastructure, such as thoroughfares, schools and commerce.  It should also address the three aspects of sustainability:  economically viable, socially fair and ecologically correct.

A neighborhood is considered pleasant when in it we find a set of complementary characteristics that generate a sense of collective well-being.  These range from low levels of external noises and the absence of visual pollution, to well maintained sidewalks with shade-producing trees, security, a balance between pedestrians and vehicles and a correct human ratio between the number of people, buildings and public equipment.  

These places must have conditions that facilitate people meeting to talk on sidewalks or in public places, and children playing safely in parks or green spaces.  Similar conditions can be found in some of the rural towns that still preserve these characteristics. 

Building facades should be harmonious and transmit a feeling of visual harmony.  The mixture of several styles causes confusion and aesthetic discord, which transmits a feeling of unease and disperses attention. 
It is important to have a mixture of building styles for commercial and service activities.  This mixture of houses, stores and offices translates into work opportunities and comfort for the residents.

The variety of housing is another factor to consider.  Having the option for standalone houses, duplexes, horizontal condominiums, apartments, two-story apartments and studios will allow people to move and remain within the neighborhood, and find what best suits the different stages of their lives.

A sustainable neighborhood provides price options for purchase or rent that are within your budget.  There must be a balance between supply and demand of real estate in the region so that good deals are viable for both parties involved.

People must be able to ride their bicycles safely and comfortably on dedicated bike lanes within the neighborhood in order to get anywhere quickly and pleasantly. 

This neighborhood must have commerce, schools, supermarkets, hospitals, parks and overall services.  In short, everything necessary to address its residents daily needs.  All of these places must be close to each other, allowing for easy access, preferably by foot, reducing the need for cars and improving traffic, as well as reducing transportation costs and pollution.

The number of green spaces in the neighborhood is a relevant issue in its sustainability analysis.  Trees may be found on the sidewalks, squares, parks or homes; the important thing is that they be there because they generate benefits to people and the environment.   They provide shade to create pleasant environments, capture rain to prevent flooding, improve the air quality and climate and increase the value of the real estate in the region.

If a large portion of your neighborhood is paved there will be problems with rainwater drainage, which may cause flooding and heat pockets from the increases in temperature due to the reflection of solar rays.  

A neighborhood that assembles all of the characteristics mentioned here, doubtless will offer the best conditions to live in comfort and safety with your family, within a viable budget and in harmony with the environment. 

These places exist, it’s up to you to find them.  On your checklist try to weigh the items according to your needs.  Identify the most important characteristics to you and your family and which ones are indispensable.  Then take the challenge, don’t discourage, it will be worth the effort. After all it is your home.