Understanding the Importance of Eco-Friendly Solutions in Public Space Design

For years now eco-friendly and sustainable designs have been the talk of the town. More and more households and office spaces have already implemented this type of design into their surroundings. The potential of such a design is finally starting to be recognized even outside of such smaller-scale settings.

That’s why we can nowadays see more and more eco-friendly solutions being implemented in public space designs as well. On such a large scale, these solutions won’t only contribute to the aesthetic appeal of the space. Instead, they can make huge changes regarding sustainability as well. So, with that in mind, let’s see what are some of the best eco-friendly solutions for public spaces and why implementing them is of such importance.

Human-oriented development – contributes to economic growth

Lately, the ever-growing increase of population in major cities slowly started to affect the core character of public places. With more and more people living in cities, these spaces are starting to become so much more than just public areas. Instead, they’ve nowadays turned into spaces that encourage and promote human interaction. By recognizing this and working towards improving it, cities stand to gain so much more.

For instance, public transportation is no longer just a means to get from point a to point b. Instead, it turned into a real creativity hub on the wheels. It is also for this reason that so many cities encourage café-culture, among other things. So, shifting public space designs to better promote human interaction could potentially have huge positive effects on city development in general.

Responsible use of land – minimizes environmental impact

When public space designs are concerned, the use of land also plays an important role. Here, the main focus is not only put on smart use of the land but its preservation as well. While it is easy to get carried away and turn any public space in a real concrete jungle, one must not forget the importance of parks, green areas and similar spaces as well.

Aside from green areas, a well-rounded and eco-friendly design should also include the preservation of architectural and historically-important monuments. This way, not only will cities minimize their environmental impact by lowering the number of areas used for construction but they’ll actually contribute to cultural and historical preservation as well.

Eco-Friendly Solutions in Public Space Design: city from above

Innovative street lighting solutions – contributes to smarter energy use

Cities and towns are generally big energy spenders. With the ever-growing centralization and more people moving into big cities, the density of traffic is also bound to increase. And with more vehicles out in the streets, the need for reliable and opulent street lighting becomes imperative. In public spaces, optimal visibility is a must 24/7. That’s why such public spaces need to look for state of the art street lighting solutions to implement into their design. Such solutions will not only improve the overall visibility – and, in turn, safety – but they’ll also contribute to significantly lower energy waste.

Better optimized energy consumption – lowers carbon footprint

Along similar lines, the overall energy consumption of big cities can greatly benefit from implementing better- optimized solutions. Aside from more eco-friendly street lighting solutions we also need to think in terms of implementing solar panels wherever possible. Additionally, some major cities are almost entirely being powered by renewable wind energy. Such solutions are just the starting point when it comes to thinking in this direction.

Offering more public transport solutions, as well as investing in creating safe spaces for people who use alternative means of transport is another great way not only to reduce energy use but also significantly lower the carbon footprint.

central park New York from above, a huge public space

Smart technology – improves overall safety and convenience

With modern technology changing the world around us, it’s no surprise that commercial spaces will get to experience these changes as well. With smart solutions the overall quality of life will certainly improve. Such sustainable solutions will revolutionize the way we currently treat our environment and help us create a better environment for future generations. Implementing IoT technologies, smart energy-efficient solutions and making better use of natural resources are just some of the ways we can change current public space designs.

Better building codes and standards – a greener tomorrow

In the end, implementing better building codes and standards will greatly contribute to a public space’s sustainability. Not only that but finding ways to better optimize existing structures and improve their energy-efficiency is also something we need to think about. Luckily, as mentioned in the beginning, property owners – be it residential or commercial – are already doing their part to contribute to a generally greener environment.

Eco-Friendly Solutions in Public Space Design

As you can see, “going green” is not just the latest fad. It actually offers us a way to optimize our living environment – as well as the way we treat and use it – so that we have a better world to leave to our future generations.


About the author: Lilly Miller is a freelance writer, who focuses on interior design, well-being and sustainable living. She loves to experiment on daring new home decor trends and write about it as a regular contributor to Smooth Decorator. Settled in Sydney for the time being, Lilly shares home with two loving dogs and a gecko named Rodney. You can find her hanging out on Twitter.