The Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development (APFED), which is hosted by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), has announced that the Christie Walk Ecocity Project, Adelaide, South Australia has won the Silver Prize in the Ryutaro Hashimoto APFED Awards for Good Practices.
This new international environment award is given for outstanding achievements in the promotion of socially-equitable and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.
This new international environment award is given to organisations that have made outstanding achievements in the promotion of socially-equitable and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.
This award is a great thrill for our group, and provides a very high level of recognition of the value of undertaking ecological development and the merits of a co-operative and participatory approach to the way we shape our cities.”
I am particularly pleased that the architecture and urban design of Christie Walk have been able to create a living environment in the city that brings people together rather than creates barriers between them — and has done this in a way that saves energy and water and directly addresses the problem of climate change.”
I cannot praise too greatly the people who’ve made Christie Walk possible — the energy and commitment they’ve shown over the years has enabled this project to overcome many, sometimes surprising, difficulties.
The project is unique, and now that it is nearing completion and our work is being recognised and rewarded, I can only hope that governments and developers will be able to see and understand the multiple ‘triple bottom line’ benefits of this integrated, community based approach to development — and that they will want to see it repeated.
The awards programme covers all the environmental fields, including climate change, air, forestry, freshwater, biodiversity, together with cross-sectoral issues, such as governance, technology, information, and capacity building. The selection criteria contains various factors such as outstanding environmental improvement or unique/innovative methods.
All applications had to satisfy the eligibility requirements and qualify by means of a peer-review registered in the APFED database followed by a comprehensive evaluation process.
Winners will be presented with monetary awards. These awards are the Gold Prize (1 award of US$20,000), Silver Prizes (2 awards of US$7,000) and Incentive Prizes.
The awards programme aims to not only honour the winners, but to also present and share the lessons learned and knowledge gained for sustainable development in the region through the continual updating of the database, which is open to the public.
The APFED plenary meeting is set for 31 July and 1 August 2006 in Adelaide, Australia, and I was the presented with the Silver Award at a ceremony on the morning of 31 July.
And, on an even more personal note: Christie Walk was beaten in to first place by a collection of trees* but was in a dead-heat for second with a river**. Not bad for a bunch of buildings.
* Rehabilitating a Rural Economy with Virgin Coconut Oil Production on the Solomon Islands.
** Geumho River That Breathes Life in South Korea.
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