Ecological development should always proceed from the basis of an ecological analysis of the
potential site. Potential land use patterns should be considered from an ecological perspective.
Urban development should be fitted into the framework of broader patterns established by
ecological imperatives. Land use planning should fit bioregional perceptions.
Ecological development potential
Land should be assessed in terms of its ecological development potential (EDP). The more land
has been degraded by human activity the greater its need for restoration and the greater its EDP.
Wilderness and productive 'green filed' sites have correspondingly low EDP and should not be built
on. Degraded farm land where the soil is 'mined out' (as it is in much of South Australia's
agricultural region) may have a high EDP where ecological urban development would contribute to an
overall improvement in ecological health.
Use of existing technologies
Whenever possible ecological development should employ readily available appropriate technologies
rather than exotic or unecessarily high energy or high complexity technologies. Thus dwellings with
integrated climate control would favour the use of bimetallic strips over computers as a control
mechanism for ventilation devices.
Integration of buildings with the site
Integration of buildings with the site should occur at the aesthetic level but most importantly at
the level of ecological function. Buildings should be completely integrated with landscaping and
vegetation to create an environment in functional harmony with the built form. The complete integration
of housing with the site is thus reflected in the economics as well as the ecologics of the site. The
important relationship of any building must be with the place it inhabits rather than simply the space
it occupies. See also 'The Place' in Prince Charles' Ten Principles.
Healthy buildings
Healthy buildings are those in which the construction materials, design and building operation are
all environmentally benign and non-allergenic.
Micro-climate
Every building affects the climate at the very local level. Cities can affect the climate at the
regional level. Ecological development requires that the built environment be used intentionally to
produce desirable micro-climate changes, creating shelter when the wind blows too hot, too cold
or too hard, generating local breezes or warm places to suit the needs of building-s occupants
and so on.
Proximity planning
Efficient planning reduces all energy expenditure to a minimum. In transport this is best achieved
by reducing traffic to a minimum and this is best achieved by keeping destinations close together
wherever possible. Richard Register calls this "proximity planning". Proximity planning favours
pedestrian access over all others. Wheeled transport and other means of moving people or goods should
be used as a last resort.
Traffic calming, vehicle access and parking
When practical considerations require the use of cars, vans, trucks and so forth, then traffic
calming measure should be integral to all transportation design and layout. Vehicle access should be
limited to necessity - emergency vehicles need ready access to all buildings but there is rarely
any justification for private cars to drive right up to the front door. Parking areas should be kept
to a minimum and fit around the imperatives of other activities. In all cases parking areas should
serve more than one purpose, such as water harvesting.
Self build
There should always be a significant self-build component in ecological development for two
reasons: one is that there should always be the option to invest 'sweat equity' in lieu of
any other currency so that the poor and dispossessed citizens can still contribute to making the
city - this principle is of particular relevance to developing countries and periods of recession.
Secondly, eco-systems don't stand still and an ecological development has to allow for easy
adaptation and change which can be effected by individual citizens from the 'back yard'
level upwards.
Recycled materials
The appropriate use of recycled materials should be encouraged to reduce waste and unnecessary
energy expenditure. Buildings should be constructed in such a way as to be readily recyclable in whole
or in part with building components made of material appropriate to their function and to 'life-cycle'.
Regional resources
The 'region' is generally taken to be the bioregion (see Ecopolis Development Principle 2).
Materials and component manufacture should be derived from, or be located in the local region to the
maximum practicable extent. This being done on the basis of a total systems analysis which seeks
to reduce energy expenditure and material waste. The pursuit of this goal should strengthen the
regional economy by generating activity and shepherding the wealth within the regional boundary.
Water supply and the hydrological cycle
The water supply for an ecological development should be drawn entirely from within the watershed
of the bioregion and the entire hydrological cycle should be maintained within its pre-human
settlement patterns and fitting the boundaries of the bioregion.
Energy supplies
All ecological development should seek to be energy self-sufficient. Nevertheless some human
activities need large amounts of energy which may need to be provided from more centralised sources
such as desert solar power stations. The primary energy base development must come from renewable sources -
in the immediate short-term it may be necessary to supplement energy supplies from fossil sources
but all energy provision should be made readily convertible to renewable sources - thus natural
gas systems convert to biogas or hydrogen. Energy should be used on the basis of calorific efficiency -
thus gas is best used for heating and cooking rather than electricity.
Wastes
There should be no waste, there is no such thing as waste in nature. All systems of resource, energy
and materials use in ecological development should be designed and constructed to have little or no waste products.
Revegetation
Revegetation has to be a priority in ecological development (see 'Ecological Development Potential' above).
Food
Food production should be maximised - see the Urban Ecology 'Frogstick'.
Art and craft
Art and craft should be integral to both the construction and the operation of an ecological development site.
Art and craft must be part of the buildings and the physical environment, not applied after the event, nor stuck
proudly and pretentiously in windswept plazas or inaccessible locations. Art and craft should be part of their
lives as much as the air the citizens breathe and the water they drink.
Industry
Industry must at all times be congruent in purpose, process and product with ecological development
goals and the maintenance of the points in the Urban Ecology 'Frogstick'. Weapons related
technologies would generally be inadmissable but space technologies may be OK.
Education & skills development
The whole process of creating an ecological development and its subsequent operation requires education
and skill development.
Marketing, management and community liaison
The marketing of ecological developments must be ethical and in tune with the overall goals of such
developments. Management should be responsive to community demands and there should be continual
community liaison between the promoters, professionals and pratitioners associated with ecological
development. All marketing, management and liaison practices must be kept under review to ensure ethical
and equitable performance.
Community
Community needs must drive ecological development. Ecological development must meet community
requirements including the community of life that is the eco-system. The community should govern
itself.
Finance
Finance for ecological development should be derived from ethical sources, ie. it should seek to
exclude financial support derived from exploitative activity. Ideally, all capital input to an
ecological development should be local but whereas that has to be a preference rather than a
requirement, it should be a requirement of any financial structures associated with ecological
development that ownership and control of such development ultimately rests with the users and
inhabitants of the development. The community economy can be strengthened with LETS (Local Exchange
Trading Systems) and similar systems which value local effort and resources.
