Green Urbanism: Learning From European Cities

by Timothy Beatley

As the need to confront unplanned growth increases, planners, policymakers, and citizens are scrambling for practical tools and examples of successful and workable approaches. Growth management initiatives are underway in the U.S. at all levels, but many American "success stories" provide only one piece of the puzzle. To find examples of a holistic approach to dealing with sprawl, one must turn to models outside of the United States.

In Green Urbanism, Timothy Beatley explains what planners and local officials in the United States can learn from the sustainable city movement in Europe. The book draws from the extensive European experience, examining the progress and policies of twenty-five of the most innovative cities in eleven European countries, which Beatley researched and observed in depth during a year-long stay in the Netherlands. Chapters examine: •the sustainable cities movement in Europe •examples and ideas of different housing and living options •transit systems and policies for promoting transit use, increasing bicycle use, and minimizing the role of the automobile •creative ways of incorporating greenness into cities •ways of readjusting "urban metabolism" so that waste flows become circular •programs to promote more sustainable forms of economic development •sustainable building and sustainable design measures and features •renewable energy initiatives and local efforts to promote solar energy •ways of greening the many decisions of local government including ecological budgeting, green accounting, and other city management tools.
Throughout, Beatley focuses on the key lessons from these cities -- including Vienna, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Zurich, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin -- and what their experience can teach us about effectively and creatively promoting sustainable development in the United States. Green Urbanism is the first full-length book to describe urban sustainability in European cities, and provides concrete examples and detailed discussions of innovative and practical sustainable planning ideas. It will be a useful reference and source of ideas for urban and regional planners, state and local officials, policymakers, students of planning and geography, and anyone concerned with how cities can become more livable.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Architecture, Urban Planning, Sustainability, Politics, Environment

512 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1999

Reviews

[May Ling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: The book is dated to 2000, but it's very interesting to see that the ideas have actually come to fruition in many cities outside of those mentioned. Worth a read, if you're interested in what the thinking was at the time. Might be a bit dated if you're in this industry and very current.

The book's subtitle is important, "learning from European Cities." In some ways, the attitude is a bit biased toward all the innovation that was happening in Europe. They mention some of the challenges the US might face as relates to population density and historical auto industry concerns. I don't think the book is claiming to be expert on the history of the US, so I'm ok with that.

The issues is that after this book was written both Latin America and US had huge innovation in thinking about enhancing cities in a very green way. Hence some of the conclusions as might seem a bit off or unrefined relative to what we know now. The development of the green gateway and simultaneous projects in Atlanta, the Transmillenio and the closing of the Septima in Bogota... there were just a lot of things that happened that were quite unique.

That said, I have had the fortune to visit many of the cities in Denmark, Amsterdam, and Sweden. Very cool to better understand the planning that inspired how they now are.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another book that I started or was assigned to read in 2007/2008 ish and then life intervened. While the book is incredibly thorough and has certainly expanded the list of places I would like to visit, it is not the easiest to read cover-to-cover. It would, however, make for great content for something like a National Geographic series as a lot of the examples may be better understood if seen. In any event, the author is excited about the subject matter and idealistic about environmental urbanism, which we could all probably use some reinvigoration considering politicians have made the subject so unpopular in recent years.

[E Walburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although a bit dated and at times redundant, the book is extensive in its scope and depth. It's quite impressive, and a great resource for anyone who needs ideas about implementing sustainability practices in numerous localities.

[Jeff Sovich · Rating 3 out of 5]

The European examples of sustainable urbanism Beatley describes are interesting and valuable. However Beatley's writing is less than compelling and the book could have benefited from a more vigorous editing and proofreading.

[Gineen · Rating 3 out of 5]

why am i not living in berlin?!
europe has it going on and as usual
puts our efforts to shame...
covers alot of bases
very comphrehesive and readable.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading for my Green Building course...

[Alexandra]

I read this as part of my Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe Study Abroad class

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about how the way we build and imagine cities can help lessen the impacts of global warming and climate change.

[Reham Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful book , I found many things i searched for it


still happy to read these book


strategies, examples, statistics