Social Sustainability

A community is composed of people as well as the places where they live; it is as much a social environment as a physical environment.
Communities must not only be environmentally sustainable, they must also be socially sustainable.
We should promote local area design plans that consider and reflect who will live in an area, both now and in the future.

Mixed use is seen as essential for social sustainability because:

• Different uses create a sense of place, community, life and vibrancy.
• Local people can make the most of the infrastructure by using it in different ways at different times of the day.
• Local people do not need to drive to their nearest facilities, providing health and environmental benefits to local residents
through walking and fewer exhaust emissions.
• Residents are not left out of opportunities that may need long-distance travel or that may not be in their local area.
• Local employment opportunities are available.

These communities balanced economic, environmental and social factors into successful examples of sustainable mixed use community projects.

Reston Virginia
Columbia Maryland
Irvine Ranch California
Celebration Florida
Seaside Florida

However, to consider sustainability as a main stream approach any policy change at the local level must be embraced by the citizens at the local level.
If a project is marketing “green”, this does not represent sustainability in real estate development.

Small scale vertical integrated mixed use provides in-fill
opportunities adhering to the principles of sustainable development.

Large scale planned horizontal mixed use community design provides the proper
balance between economic, environmental and social considerations.