Mapping of Sustainable Urban Development Models

Abstract: Due to urbanisation and an increasing knowledge about the climate change and its potential impacts on the environment and human society, concepts like the Ecocity have become more relevant over time. Various sustainable urban development models and concepts focusing on planning and constructing sustainable communities and cities have been introduced. These models and concepts share some features but are also in many cases focusing on different aspects. This report aims to list models and concepts, used and referred to as tools for urban sustainable development. Further on, an evaluation will be made of six models and concepts based on the four criteria: holistic approach, interconnections of subsystems, adaptability and working procedure. Cases related to the models and concepts will be studied in order to make the analysis and comparison more profound. The evaluation of the final models provides information that all the models discuss sustainability, but with a substantial focus on the ecological aspect. Interconnections and achieving synergies within subsystems are central and guiding, even though case studies sometimes reveal difficulties making these to work as intended. What seem to be of significance, besides a well-formulated model, are how well expectations from local authorities and policymakers are consistent with the intentions from those behind the model.