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11: Sustainable Infrastructure

  • Page ID
    12079
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    • 11.1: Sustainable Infrastructure - Chapter Introduction
      At present 80% of the US population lives in urban regions, a percentage that has grown steadily over the past two hundred years. Urban infrastructures have historically supported several needs of the population served: the supply of goods, materials and services upon which we rely; collection, treatment and disposal of waste products; adequate transportation alternatives.
    • 11.2: The Sustainable City
      Sustainability, from science to philosophy to lifestyle, finds expression in the way we shape our cities. Cities are not just a collection of structures, but rather groups of people living different lifestyles together. When we ask if a lifestyle is sustainable, we’re asking if it can endure. Some archaeologists posit that environmental imbalance doomed many failed ancient civilizations.
    • 11.3: Sustainability and Buildings
      Buildings present a challenge and an opportunity for sustainable development. According to the most recent available Annual Energy Outlook from the U.S. Environmental Information Administration, buildings account for about 39% of the carbon dioxide emissions, 40% of primary energy use, and 72% of the electricity consumption in the U.S. Additional information from the U.S. Geological Survey indicates that 14% of the potable water consumption occurs in buildings.
    • 11.4: Sustainable Energy Practices - Climate Action Planning
      Traditionally, the United States has relied on fossil fuels with minimal use of alternatives to provide power. The resources appeared to be unlimited and they were found within our borders. As our population has grown and our reliance on power increased, our resources are decreasing.
    • 11.5: Sustainable Transportation- Accessibility, Mobility, and Derived Demand
      Transportation is a tricky thing to analyze in the context of sustainability. It consists in part of the built environment: the physical infrastructure of roads, runways, airports, bridges, and rail lines that makes it possible for us to get around. It also consists in part of individual choices.
    • 11.6: Sustainable Stormwater Management
      This module reviews some of the complex issues of urban stormwater management. It first examines the hydrological issues affecting the discharge of stormwater runoff to our urban rivers and streams, and then provides an overview of how urban stormwater is managed under the Clean Water Act. After describing the conventional approaches to urban stormwater management, the final section provides an overview of various "sustainable" strategies, especially the use of "green infrastructure," that can b
    • 11.7: Case Study- A Net-Zero Energy Home in Urbana, Illinois
      How much fossil fuel does it take to operate a comfortable home for a couple of retired American baby-boomers? None. That’s according to Ty and Deb Newell of Urbana, Illinois. Moreover, they hope the example of their home, the Equinox House, will awaken others to the opportunity of constructing a net-zero energy house in the Midwest using technology available today.


    This page titled 11: Sustainable Infrastructure is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Heriberto Cabezas (GALILEO Open Learning Materials) .

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