Ecocity Builders

Ecocities An ecocity is a human settlement that enables its residents to live a good quality of life while using minimal natural resources. Buildings Its buildings make best use of sun, wind and rainfall to help supply the energy and water needs of occupants. Generally multistory to maximize the land available for greenspace. Biodiversity It is threaded with natural habitat corridors, to foster biodiversity and to give residents access to nature for recreation. Transport Its food and other goods are sourced from within its borders or from nearby, in order to cut down on transport costs. The majority of its residents live within walking or cycling distance of their workplace, to minimise the need for motorised transport. Frequent public transport connects local centres for people who need to travel further. Local car sharing allows people to use a car only when needed. Industry The goods it produces are designed for reuse, remanufacture, and recycling. The industrial processes its uses involve reuse of by-products, and minimise the movement of goods. Economy It has a labour intensive rather than a material, energy, and water intensive economy, to maintain full employment and minimise material throughput. —Ecocity definition written by our sister organization, Urban Ecology Australia Ecocity Builders PO Box 697 Oakland, CA 94604 Phone/Fax 510-444-4508 General contact Webmaster Site design by Studio L’Image Site contents ©2008 by Ecocity Builders. Please contact Ecocity Builders about reproducing, reprinting or distributing site content. Thank you.

We are a non-profit organization dedicated to reshaping cities, towns and villages for long term health of human and natural systems. Our goals include returning healthy biodiversity to the heart of our cities, agriculture to gardens and the streets, and convenience and pleasure to walking, bicycling and transit. We visualize a future in which waterways in neighborhood environments and prosperous downtown centers are opened for curious children, fish, frogs and dragonflies. We work to build thriving neighborhood centers while reversing sprawl development, to build whole cities based on human needs and “access by proximity” rather than cities built in the current pattern of automobile driven excess, wasteful consumption and the destruction of the biosphere.

(Illustrations: above, Ecocity San Francisco and below, Ecocity New Orleans by Richard Register)

Ecocity Views - Richard Register's Blog

FAQ about Ecocities

Ecocity Structure

Ecocities and Global Heating

Tribute to Paolo Soleri

THE 2008 SAN FRANCISCO ECOCITY DECLARATION

ECOCITY MEDIA

Launched in conjunction with the 2008 7th International Ecocity Conference in San Francisco, Ecocity Media is a compliation of articles, videos, projects, blogs and general information on the ecocity movement world wide.

VISIT ECOCITY MEDIA

URBAN VILLAGES

Ecocity Builders has been awarded a two year grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District under their Regional Strategy category for Climate Protection to explore the Urban Villages approach to sustainable development, working with the City of Oakland, California, and local community partners and organizations.

LINK TO OAKLAND PROJECT PAGE

HEART OF THE CITY

With funding from the Helen & William Mazer Foundation and Berkeley patrons, Ecocity Builders has hired celebrated landscape architect Walter Hood to develop a design for Center Street in downtown Berkeley, California.

"Open Perspective" Center Street design by Walter Hood

BERKELEY PROJECT DESIGN PAGE

INTERNATIONAL ECOCITY CONFERENCES

We convened the 7th International Ecocity Conference (Ecocity World Summit) April 22-26, 2008 in San Francisco.

Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco, addresses the delegates.
Photo credit: Mona Miri 2008

VISIT CONFERENCE WEBSITE

OIL INDEPENDENT OAKLAND

Richard Register served on Oakland's "Oil Free Oakland by 2020" Task Force. You can download the draft OIO Action Plan from the City of Oakland's website, which adovates for the Urban Villages approach.