Altering most of today’s cities to eliminate cars altogether would be a daunting, if not impossible, proposition – which is why China is starting from scratch. Great City will be built around a high-rise core housing 80,000 people, entirely walkable, and surrounded by green space.

Leading architect behind Singapore's Gardens by the Bay, Andrew Grant, says that cities need to set aside space for forests, wetlands and wildlife to be sustainable and liveable.

Demonstrating a new form of architecture, every building on campus, including dorms, classrooms, and a soccer stadium, collects clean rainwater in an area where clean water can be hard to come by.

Investing in a network of fully separated bike lanes could save cities huge sums in the long-term. But too little investment in wimpy infrastructure could actually decrease enthusiasm for cycling.

10 July 2014 – An additional 2.5 billion people are predicted to live in urban areas by 2050, the United Nations today reported, highlighting the need for a successful urban planning agenda and greater attention to be given to smaller cities where nearly half of all people currently reside.

“Today, 54 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66 per cent by 2050,” the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs said in its 2014 revision of the World Urbanization Prospects report.

Typically “fungus” and “building” are not words people like to hear together. While we were busy scrubbing the black mold off our bathtubs, David Benjamin, head of the New York architectural firm The Living, was designing the Hy-Fi, a 40-foot-tall circular fungal tower, and potential precursor for more eco-friendly skyscrapers.

As the winner of MoMA’s annual Young Architects Program (YAP), Benjamin will exhibit the Hy-Fi in the courtyard at MoMA’s satellite art and event space PS1 in Queens starting late June. Now in its 15th season, YAP’s theme this year is sustainability and recycling. YAP also wanted a design that would provide shade, seating, and water for attendees of MoMA PS1’s 2014 Warm Up summer music series. Benjamin prevailed with a design he claims will generate no waste, requires no energy, and is 100% organic.

The rise of megacities

By 2025, the developing world, as we understand it now, will be home to 29 megacities. We explore the latest UN estimates and forecasts on the growth of these 'cities on steroids', and take a look at the challenges and opportunities megacities present for the tens of millions living in Lagos, Mexico City and Dhaka

“Sustainable City” may be a buzzword these days, but it’s a buzzword with substance. The number of buildings featuring green innovations is growing at a phenomenal rate. In the residential sector, 62 percent of firms building new single-family homes are building green features into at least 15 percent of their projects, according to a recent report published by McGraw Hill – a level that is expected to reach 84 percent by 2016. And a U.S. Green Building Council report projects that 55 percent of new commercial structures will qualify as green buildings by 2016 (up from 44 percent two years ago.)

Here are some of the top trends for urban sustainable architecture in 2014:

1. Net Zero Energy. For many, the gold standard for green buildings is Net Zero – buildings that produce as much or more energy than they consume. Through a combination of energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy systems, buildings such as the Center for Sustainable Landscapes in Pittsburgh are achieving this goal. Net Zero Energy building certification is available through the International Living Future Institute.

2. Water conservation and reclamation. Awareness of the global water crisis is rising, and so is implementation of water-saving technology in the building sector. In addition to low-flow fixtures and other conservation measures, many architects and builders are turning to methods for on-site water capture and re-use. Structures such as New York City’s One Bryant Park and the C.K. Choi Building at the University of British Columbia incorporate various technologies such as composting toilets, graywater systems, cisterns and rain barrels, rain gardens, and constructed wetlands to maintain a responsible water use profile.

3. Innovative materials. No longer are building materials restricted to what can be ordered at the lumberyard or steel mill. Whether it’s natural materials such as straw bale, recycled materials such as reclaimed lumber and old shipping containers, or state-of-the-art building materials using phase changetechnology, green builders and architects remain open to possibilities. Anything goes, as long as it meets aesthetic and performance criteria!

4. Green roofs. If you could take an airplane tour over urban America, you’d likely notice something you probably wouldn’t have seen 10 years ago: patches of green springing up not just around but on top of buildings. Green roofs – roofs topped with a thin layer of soil and living green plants – are literally a growing trend in sustainable building, and for good reason. They help reduce heating and cooling costs, filter stormwater and moderate its flow, improve air quality, and can extend the life of the roof. They also contribute a more natural aesthetic to the built environment.

5. Integrated urban farming. Green roofs aren’t the only way plants are being used to make buildings more sustainable. The surge in interest in local food production has led naturally to an exploration of ways to integrate food production with urban infrastructure. Increasingly, this is taking place on or within the buildings themselves. In areas where space is at a premium, rooftop farms and gardens  — such as New York’s Brooklyn Grange  — are becoming increasingly popular. Chicago’s O’Hare’s Urban Garden proves that a farm can be sleek and chic enough to double as interior decorating, too!

6. Building automation. Building operations and maintenance are just as important as structure when it comes to performance. Distributed computerized control systems are increasingly being employed to monitor and control multiple systems within a building, including HVAC, lighting, mechanical and humidity control. The benefits of such systems are many, including energy savings, faster detection and resolution of problems, reduced need for maintenance labor and even lower insurance premiums.

7. Sustainable Neighborhoods. A single green building is a good thing, but its effects are relatively limited. Extending green infrastructure to neighborhoods and entire communities can result in more far-reaching environmental and social benefits. Just as there are certifications for green buildings, developers wishing to document their green subdivisions and neighborhoods can do so with certification programs such as LEED for Neighborhood Development. One advantage of sustainable building at the community level is that it can help bring the benefits of green infrastructure to low-income families and others for whom it would not be otherwise accessible.

If one was to identify an overarching trend in sustainable architecture, perhaps it would be “holistic”. More and more, architects and builders are responding to a growing awareness that everything is interconnected. To change one aspect of a building will inevitably affect other parts of the structure, along with the mood and health of its occupants and even the neighborhood and community. One can only hope that as builders continue to implement positive changes, it will result in positive changes for us all.