Ecocity Builders - Projects

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

339 15th Street, Suite 208
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone/Fax 510-444-4508

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We develop tools and strategies for transforming the built human infrastructure into ecologically healthy places—by decreasing automobile and fossil fuel dependency and increasing biodiversity.

Berkeley Heart of the City Project

Utilizing ecological rebuilding and design approaches, the Heart of the City Project proposes to demonstrate practical, sustainable solutions to the serious environmental and related social challenges facing urban communities globally. More about the Heart of the City project.

Oakland Urban Villages Project

The Oakland Urban Villages Project combines science and technology with community education, outreach and input to describe, communicate, and achieve a shared vision for a just and sustainable city, a model city inspired, perhaps, by the other great model city, Curitiba, Brazil. More about the Oakland Urban Villages Project.

International Ecocity Conference Series

This conference series addresses the city, town and village from an integrated, ecological perspective. The 7th International Ecocity Conference (Ecocity World Summit) was held April 22 - 26, 2008 in San Francisco, California, USA. Please visit the Ecocity World Summit Conference Website for more information about this very successful conference and keep checking back for the annoucement for the 8th International Conference. http://www.ecocityworldsummit.org More about the International Ecocity Conference Series.

Codornices Creek Daylighting Project

Started in 1995, this project is ongoing with maintenance and stewardship by members, volunteers and student interns, and often enjoys high educational returns, such as KQED television’s "Green Means" feature on the project. The project began as a daylighting and restoration of a block of Codornices Creek where there was a parking lot, vacant lot and portion of 9th Street in West Berkeley. More about Cordornices Creek Daylighting and Restoration Project.

Above: An illustration showing the potential daylighting of Strawberry Creek, creating a pedestrian environment on Center Street in Berkeley, California.

Illustrations of a downtown in transformation from car-city to the ecological pedestrian city...