ARET 2220 Research Proposal

Summary and Statement of Proposed Project

People today are finally becoming aware of the necessity of sustainability as our world is withering before our eyes.  Sustainable housing is quickly becoming a hot topic, which is great, but I feel that we need to be thinking bigger and better than a sustainable house.  In order to drastically make a difference the idea of sustainable communities needs to be brought to the foreground.  In this project I intend to study the key ingredients in successful sustainable communities around the world and determine the most feasible way to create such communities in a location like Kamloops.

Purpose

I will research, in depth, key elements to creating a successful sustainable community such as land usage and development, alternative energy sources such as biomass, as well as the incorporation of New Urbanism.

I will use my new gained knowledge to put together a plan to create the most suitable and feasible sustainable community possible in Kamloops.

A successful sustainable community would improve Kamloops environmentally, economically, and socially. As a city we could set an example that other cities would strive to follow, in a worldly quest to create a healthier and happier planet Earth.

Goals and Objectives of the Project

I would like to meet with Kamloops city planners and discuss the findings of my research and the potential improvements that could be made to our city.  The creation of a sustainable community in Kamloops is not something that can be done over night, but with proper planning and management it is something that could be achieved in the near future.  If I can at least spread my passion for this to the right people and provide the statistics to back it, I truly believe that over time this idea will become a reality.

Sustainable communities greatly benefit the ecosystem, but can have an even greater impact on the people.  A well planned community creates unity and neighbourliness in a world that is beginning to greatly lose its grasp on these amazing qualities.  It also creates a sense of pride in the residents, giving them the ability to make a difference in the world by supporting something so beneficial.

On a personal note, I feel that the knowledge I gain and the contacts I make during this research project will give me a great advantage when it comes time to find employment after I graduate from Thompson Rivers University.

Methodology and Analytical Approach

·         Research academic sources in the topics of sustainable communities, sustainable urban planning, city planning, new urbanism, and alternative energy sources.

·         Research existing sustainable communities around the world and make contact with the planners and developers of these communities to discuss problems faced before, during, and after development, as well the solutions to these problems.

·         Study the community plans set in place for Kamloops and contact city planners about the progress of the plans as well as future goals for the city.  Compare Kamloops’ community plans to those of cities that currently have sustainable communities to find similarities and differences.

·         Determine the pros and cons of developing a sustainable community in the Kamloops area as well as the cost and affect of such a development.

·         Develop a detailed plan to create a sustainable community suitable to Kamloops’ environment and climate.

·         Discuss my plan with city planners and developers and determine possibility of future implementation of these plans.

Related Information

In the book Living Green: Communities that Sustain (Fosket & Mamo, 2009), various sustainable communities and ways of contributing to sustainable living are described. In my studies, I will look deeper into each development studied in this book and compare the different methods in order to find the most suitable way to create a sustainable community in Kamloops.  I will look into ways to combine aspects from different projects and incorporate brand new technologies that have come along very recently to create the best possible community, while creating the smallest possible carbon footprint.

In Sustainable Urban Planning (Riddell, 2004), a vast amount of information is given on the theory and practice behind sustainable urban planning. This valuable information, coupled with my extensive research on successful sustainable communities, will be utilized to give me an advantage when dealing with city planners and developers and will help to further my chances of reaching my ultimate goal, to one day be involved in the creation of sustainable community here in Kamloops.

Dissemination of Work

My work done throughout this research project will be made available to the public by way of:

·         An online blog that I will continually update with progress reports

·         Possible presentations at relevant conferences

·         Presentations to appropriate people in the industry, i.e. city planners, developers, etc.

·         Possible implementation into a real project if ultimately successful with goals

Contribution of the Project to my Academic Goals and Objectives

Growing up in the city of Kamloops I hadn’t, until recently, realized how much we have succumbed to urban sprawl and its economically, environmentally, and socially destructive ways.  This is a common occurrence that plagues most of the world, but is extremely prevalent in Canada.  It is because of this poor city planning that cities are losing their sense of unity, reducing our ability to make changes for the better.  Another major issue we are facing is the decline of the world’s natural resources and the destruction of our eco-system.  These are extremely serious threats that need to be faced and dealt with as soon as possible for the sake of our future generations.  One way to make an immediate impact on all of these problems is the implementation of sustainable community planning.  Sustainable communities help to restore unity, the economy, and the environment.  For years they have been thought of as the way of the future, but I firmly believe that we are running out of time and need to make sustainable communities the way of today.

In implementing my project, I will do extensive research in city planning, existing sustainable communities, as well as alternate power sources available in today’s technologically advanced world.  I will use all of this knowledge to put together a detailed plan to create a better Kamloops for tomorrow, and eventually a better world for our future generations to grow old in.  Even if I can spread the knowledge and passion enough to get more people thinking in the right direction I will have accomplished something.  A seed needs to get planted for a tree to grow, much like ideas to create a better tomorrow.

My academic objective is to graduate from the Architectural and Engineering Technology program at Thompson Rivers University, and eventually obtain employment in the Civil Technology field.  I truly believe that the knowledge I gain from this project will give me a great advantage when seeking employment after graduation, as sustainability is becoming essential to our planets future.