Site
The site, especially in the urban context, offers an intermediate scale - a grouping of several buildings, or an urban block. The site scale allows for the local implementation of wider strategies - such as energy supply or pedestrian movement - with specific building technologies, and is thus particularly suitable for testing delivery of sustainable built environments at the local level.
The site scale is appropriate for the development of green infrastructure, for example, strategies to reduce the urban heat island or dealing with storm water.
This scale permits the delivery of tenure mix, efficient location of services, good street design to make walking and cycling more pleasant – and the strengthening of connectivity to surrounding neighbourhoods.
Local authorities have a key role in influencing the sustainability of site development through:
- Masterplans
- Area Action Plans
- Development Control policies
- Pre-application negotiation with developers
- Building for Life - the national standard for well-designed homes and neighbourhoods. The standard can be used as a tool to steer masterplans and site development planning applications
Options to work across the scale of a site, from particular plots to wards include
Energy
Waste
- Co-locating waste management facilities
- Choosing waste to energy technologies
- Planning a project waste strategy
- Designing in new waste infrastructure
- Building waste to energy plants in urban areas
- Coping with waste in high-density environments
- Managing waste on site
- Considering waste in new developments
Water
- Introducing water demand management
- Designing integrated SUDS
- Designing for sustainable water use
- Using green infrastructure to alleviate flood risk
- Developing water cycle strategies
- Integrating water management into site and building design
Transport
- Implementing road pricing and charging
- Controlling parking
- Improving street design and layout
- Integrating transport
Green Infrastructure
- Choosing the right tree for the site
- Managing urban trees
- Creating new habitats
- Designing and managing green spaces in new development
- Being aware of brownfield habitats
- Developing green roofs
- Protecting established habitats
- Developing a tree strategy
- Green spaces for wildlife adaptation
- Designing new green space in existing urban areas
