Community-focused Project Assessing Ecological and Economic Sustainability in Local Neighborhoods
The Helsinki Institute of Urban and Regional Studies has recently published a book titled "Towards More Sustainable Residential Areas - indicators of neighbourhood and block sustainability". This project, carried out in 2023, aimed to identify key indicators of social and ecological sustainability for cities, with a focus on local scale sustainability in neighborhoods[1].
The book, authored by Juulia Lehtinen, Mikko Posti, Jussi Jännes, and Jordyn Czyzewski, presents 29 sustainability indicators. These indicators serve to assess how neighborhoods contribute to sustainability through integrated approaches that include social well-being and ecological health, supporting transformational urban changes[1].
The indicators are categorized under four themes: communities and inclusion, wellbeing and social disadvantage, the state of nature and urban green space, and homes and streets. Some examples of the indicators include the ratio of travel time between regions using sustainable modes of transport (walking, cycling, and public transport) in relation to private car use, the total share of the population that can access essential places, like a grocery store, school, or health centre, on foot, and the total number of jobs accessible using sustainable modes of transportation within reasonable travel time[1].
The book also suggests that accessibility indicators should include multidimensional and multitemporal factors, such as different modes of transportation, variation in time and between individuals, quality of the mobility environment, and environmental costs caused by mobility choices. Poor accessibility can increase risk for social exclusion and affect individual well-being, making it one of the neighborhood indicators for assessing social sustainability[1].
The Helsinki Institute of Urban and Regional Studies aims to raise awareness about the book and hopes it sparks interest in further research with regard to the presented indicators. The free English translation of the book can be downloaded at this link.
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[1] Source: Helsinki Institute of Urban and Regional Studies (Urbaria) 2023 project findings.
- The book on neighborhood sustainability, published by the Helsinki Institute of Urban and Regional Studies, includes indicators from various fields such as environmental science, home-and-garden, and sustainable living, emphasizing the importance of urban green space and sustainable modes of transport.
- The accessibility indicators suggested in the book, which encompass multidimensional and multitemporal factors, can help in assessing social sustainability, and the impact of this on individual well-being, as discussed in the realm of lifestyle and environmental-science.
