Ecological, Social, and Economic Sustainability in Vauban, Freiburg

This report examines Vauban, a town center in Freiburg, Germany, recognized as a leading urban sustainability model. The study identifies ecological, social, and economic stability issues within Vauban and explores the initiatives taken to address these challenges. Vauban is highlighted for its gr...Read More

Running head: DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PLACES
Developing sustainable places
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

1DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PLACES
The term urban sustainability indicates the idea in which the organized city is being
described (Medved, 2016). In the process without unnecessary dependence on the
surrounding country side the city gain the ability to increase its power by producing the
energy from the renewable sources. Not only the energy development process is being
introduced but also here the city focuses on bringing the opportunities for the social and
human creatures. The sustainable urban development is very important in the case of
introducing the economic and social growth (Mahzouni, 2017). Employment opportunity as
well as the social standard is being improved with the sustainability initiatives. Urban
sustainability is very important for dealing with the poverty related issues. The purpose of
this study is to highlight the core issues of Vauban, which is a town centre in Freiburg.
Vauban is being considered as the world’s most popular urban sustainability model. It has
been identified that in the current scenario, the city is dealing with the issues regarding the
sustainability. Here the study has identified the ecological, social and economic stability
related issues in Vauban. After identifying the issues the study has focused on the initiatives
taken by Vauban in order to manage the challenges.
In order to conduct the research critical appraisal of Vauban in Freiburg has been
chosen. In the case of highlighting the urban sustainability, the Vauban can be the effective
example. Freiburg is being considered as one of the popular city in Germany. In the words of
Späth and Rohracher (2015), the city named Freiburg has established its popularity by
introducing the sustainable urban planning model in Vauban. The city is popular in this
country for its sustainable architecture, urban design and environmentalism. In this city the
two popular sustainable models of urban district, such as Vauban and Rieselfeld have been
developed. In order to meet the needs for daily life, the solar houses, CHP system, water and
storm management and others various initiatives have been introduced (Gössling et al.,
2016). Near about 5100 residents have established on the former French military base site.

2DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PLACES
The area has offered the diversity for dealing with the increasing business opportunities. It
has been identified that the construction of the international community has started in the year
1990. After the development of model it ban district near about 600 job opportunities have
been introduced. The holistic environment planning practices in Vauban district has provided
the eco friendly living facilities. The significance of the area is, here the individual
community has been developed, where the people have involved themselves in actively in
future development planning. According to Morgan et al., (2017), green transportation is the
one of the important initiatives taken by Vauban district. School, shopping centers, markets
and tram stops are within working distance from every house. On the other hand, it has been
identified that the city has developed the low energy consumption standard. As stated by Lin,
Philpott and Jha (), in order to bring the sustainability the proper waste management,
infrastructure, heat 2015supply, electricity and biogas generating process have been
developed. GEMIS software is being used for analyzing the flow of the regional material and
monitoring the lifecycle in Vauban (Vaughan, Karimi & Khan, 2017). Therefore, it can be
said that the biggest strength of the Vauban urban planning model is here the job
opportunities, green city development planning, low energy consumption practices are
included.
However, it cannot be denied that the Vauban district is being considered as the
model city, but there are few challenges those are creating barriers in its sustainable
development. In the study, it has been already discussed that the study that in Vauban the
independent settlement initiative has been taken. As stated by Vietz et al., (2016), due to this
reason the conflict among the active citizens and individual community has brought the
social challenges. On the other hand, it has been identified that the unwanted residents have
been removed from this city by the police. By supporting this Geller, Rees and Brooks (2016)
said, it is true that SUSI is being developed for bringing the social and architectural diversity

3DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PLACES
in Vauban. Another way, Lehmann et al., (2015) argued that, at the staring of the Vauban
project development, the competition has been aroused among the developers. In the year
competition was owned. After this incident the city involved the citizen in the development
process. Again the conflict started when the Vauban forum introduced its own goals for the
plan (Pröschel & Lehmkuhl, 2017). It has been identified that power sharing process in the
Vauban project was the major reason of conflict between the Vauban forum and citizen. In
the development process the renovation of the farmers market, community gathering places,
creation of plaza and others barracks have been mentioned. In this situation another social
conflict arose when the citizen disagreed to support the plan.
On the other hand, it cannot be denied that the legal issues have brought various
challenges for sustainable project development practices in Vauban. It is true that the legal
processes for developing the residential areas have faced various challenges due to collect of
building permits (Policytransfer.metropolis.org, 2018). It has been identified that
development of solar settlement initiatives in Freiburg has faced various challenges. In order
to bring the sustainable develop the green city planning has faced various challenges. Due to
the lack of critical analysis of the developing project has brought such disappointing
situations for Vauban urban planning developers. On the other hand, most of the citizen in
Vauban is young people. Therefore, many young people have creased the improper balance
in the age structure. Not only the improper balance in the age structure, but also the limited
private places in the city another barrier in Vauban urban model (Citeseerx.ist.psu.edu,
2015).
It has been identified in this study that social conflict among the individual
community and old citizens has influenced the sustainability practices in Vauban. In this
situation it has become very important to develop effective relation with the people. In order
to increase the social interaction among the people communication standard development

4DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PLACES
practices have been introduced. It was the little initiatives taken by the Vauban forum to
maintain the balance between the project development processes and the local community.
On the other hand, it is also true that different residential building related initiatives and car
free city project of Vauban has faced the legal issues (Uclg-cisdp.org, 2018). In such cases
the people who already have car and also want to live in the city, they were being rejected. In
this situation the conflicts among the building owners and citizen have aroused. In order to
maintain the healthy relationship among these people, the involvement of social activities has
been highlighted by Vauban city. It cannot be denied that the Geneva housing association
played an important role for maintaining the balance between the communities. Due to the
lack of critical analysis the Vauban project has faced the issue regarding the energy
consumption practices. In order to manage the situation the infrastructural changes is
required. On the other hand, it is true that the private place is needed to get increased in the
model. If the urban model designers will add neighbour areas with the model, it will be
increase the scope of private place development.
It has been identified that the Human resource has played an influential role in the
case of developing the Vauban project. In the case of funding, Vauban funded with dreams
and ideas by the NGOs. In the year 2003, during the development process, near about 400
members participated with the personal credit and personal capital
(Policytransfer.metropolis.org, 2018). In the current situation the Vauban forum has fixed the
income financed in each year through the membership fees. Local council of the Vauban
forum, get the support near about the 40000 German marks from the NGOs. On the other
hand, through the ‘living spring’ campaign, in the year 1995, the project grabbed the attention
of large number of people for mobilizing the future inhabitant (Pröschel & Lehmkuhl, 2017).
In the same year, the Vauban Forum has got the support from the German Environmental
Foundation. In the year it got 160000 German Marks and from the European Life program it

5DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PLACES
got 1.4 million German Marks. It is also true that in the case of funding the house builders
and co-building group also play effective roles.
After analyzing the entire planning project it can be said that the Vauban district can
be considered as the replicated model of urban sustainability. In this model social, economic
and environmental sustainability initiatives has been mentioned. Green city development plan
is being considered as one of the important initiatives of the Vauban district. It is important
for maintaining the environmental sustainability. The Vauban district has brought various job
opportunities for the people. Therefore, it can be said that not only the environmental
sustainability, but also the economic stability has been introduced in the project planning. In
the urban model the lower energy consumption initiatives have also been highlighted, which
is important for both the economic and ecological benefits. Therefore, it can be said that in
the case of Vauban urban model, the economic, social and ecological dimensions of the
sustainable development practices have been followed. Due to such reasons the city can be
represented as the example of the urban planning model.
The term urban planning is being considered as the process in which the political and
technological initiatives are being included for designing the land use for maintaining the
urban sustainability. In the urban planning process, the environment, infrastructure, water and
air facilities are being structure in the proper manner. Urban planning is not only about
designing a city, it is about designing the sustainable structure so that each and every citizen
will get benefited. Transport, communications well as the networking facilities are being
involved in the urban planning process. The effective zoning plan, planning instruments,
finding and every citizen plays the significance role in the case of implementing process.
Making the comparison with Vauban city it can be said that for making the transport and
communication easier, all the market, school and tram stops are introduced near to the houses
(Pröschel & Lehmkuhl, 2017). On the other hand, it is also true that the city has also

6DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PLACES
contributed in the economic structure. Near about 600 job opportunities have been introduced
in the city. Therefore, it can be said that by following the urban planning process it has
introduced the economic structure for reducing the poverty. On the other hand, by involving
the citizen in the planning process the social relationship has got developed. It is influential in
the case of maintaining the social stability. In order to develop the social connection the city
has introduced different social activities so that large number of people will interact with each
other.
In the study, it can be concluded that in order to develop the effective urban design in
Vauban different infrastructural changes have been introduced. I believe that the city can be
considered as the perfect example of urban model because social, ecological and
environmental sustainability have been maintained here. In this study, it has been identified
that the city has faced various challenges in proper to develop the urban sustainability model,
however all the barriers have been solved by the Vauban forum with active initiatives,. With
the help of social activity and social interaction, the city has dealt with the conflict among the
citizens. On the other hand, it has been also mentioned in this study that by increasing the
involvement of the citizens in development process the awareness among people has got
increased. Introduction of job opportunity is being considered as one of the popular initiatives
taken by Vauban. Therefore, it can be said that by following all requirement of a proper urban
model, the city has brought various opportunities for the citizen. Such initiatives of the
Vauban forum made it a model city.

7DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PLACES
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