Though India is a country well-known for high population, a small city will use its know-how on high density planning to make the most sustainable choices possible for its future. Lavasa, a city near Pune, India, is in the process of reinventing itself through the framework of high-density “New Urbanist” planning structures, and hopes to not only increase livability and comfort of its residents, but also innovate with less carbon use.
Lavasa, although small, holds 200,000 residents, and plans to refurbish its infrastructure so that 70 percent of the population lives within walking distance. Attractive both as a weekend getaway for those who live in nearby Pune and Mumbai, as well as an up and coming spot for international travelers, Lavasa will accelerate its eco-draw by the nature of the Western Ghats as well as the initiative for more green design.
The change will occur in four phases over the next 11 years. Phase one will culminate this year, with the addition of 1,000 villas and 500 apartments, and phases two-four will be spread out until 2021.
Ideally, the new design for Lavasa to become a “Future City” centers around undoing the habits of the late 20th century, and to create designs that copy nature’s methods in a strategy called “bio-mimicry.” So far, the city has been entirely replanted with nearly a million trees with the purpose to restock and maintain the city’s water table, and to create more shade. All of this has been done with low energy consumption and water conservation.
Currently, 500,000 tree saplings have been planted here with 70 percent survival rate. These trees will minimize soil erosion and facilitate ground water recharge by integrating diverse breeds of shrubs and hydroseeding for the first time in India.
The goal of Lavasa’s bio-mimicry and green initiatives are to meet the demands of the current residents, while promising future generations a sustainable environment. To do this, they’ll minimize waste and economize materials, recycle solid waste and grey water, and minimize greenhouse emissions by implementing the number of LEED buildings.
If these green initiatives aren’t enough to make you book a flight, consider Lavasa’s other new attractions. At the end of this year, the French hotel group Accor will build accommodations, including a 20-room lodge in the hills, created with a Bollywood spirit. A golf course, hospital chain, and educational systems for hospitality, business, and a branch of Oxford University are also in the works.
For more green travel stories, like how to stay green on the go, and other green cities, see our Green Travel section of our blog.
