Pathways to Urban Sustainability A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region: Summary of a Workshop (2012) / Chapter Skim
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4 NATURAL CAPITAL AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
4 NATURAL CAPITAL AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Pages 29-38
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From page 29... ...
For an urban center, sustainability implies longevity, and a factor becoming more relevant to Houston is the role drought and water have played historically in the sustainability of urban regions.
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From page 30... ...
, highlighted some of the key habitats and ecosystem services in the Houston metropolitan region. Houston is often referred to as the "Bayou City" due to the number of bayous and waterways in the region, and those waterways serve as distributary channels for storm water, freshwater inflows for Galveston Bay, and conduits for transportation and international trade.
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From page 31... ...
Early accounts from people first arriving to the Houston region described a land covered by coastal prairie with green ribbons of riparian forests along waterways. There are examples of remaining coastal prairie, including the Armand Bayou Nature Center and Katy Prairie near the University of Houston, Coastal Center.
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From page 32... ...
SOURCE: Lisa Gonzalez, presentation, January 18, 2012. Oyster reefs in Houston are an example of a bay habitat linked directly to the urban setting because they provide commercial seafood, explained Ms.
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From page 33... ...
Ms. Gonzalez provided a vision for a path forward for natural capital considerations in the Houston Metropolitan region: • Use existing strategies in novel ways, such as watershed protection plans in permitting activities or changing existing policies and legislation • Create incentive programs to encourage private land owners and developers to work with conservation organizations and land trusts in order to foster more low-impact development in Houston • Bring more non-federal dollars to Houston and increase the leveraging of funds through new partnerships with large conservation organizations • Increase and better coordinate the use of existing technologies and data for decision making at local government level, such as GIS and decision support systems • Shift thinking away from preserving nature's past and change the discussion, engaging the general public to create a better future John Randolph, a professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
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From page 34... ...
Zoning would provide opportunities to transfer development rights from private-sector land that could be conserved to land suitable for development -- where density could be increased. From the natural habitats in the Houston metropolitan area, the discussion moved toward the built environment and the infrastructure required for transportation.
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From page 35... ...
One policy barrier to such programs is the City of Houston's requirement that parking be provided for individual developments. An example of a solution to this barrier is a transit corridor ordinance passed three years ago by Houston that allows developers who build next to the light rail to provide fewer parking spaces than other builders – an issue that has been contentious in Houston.
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From page 36... ...
puts air where people sit rather than up in the air, and also has the following benefits: • Heated air temperature sits lower in a room • Less fan energy needed • Only the occupied zone is heated or cooled • Less overall energy needed to provide the same level of comfort
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From page 37... ...
. This building is 423,500 gross square feet in area, has an occupancy of 2,200 seats, and generates its own power through a cogeneration plant using natural gas.
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