The topic is revolve around the significance of re-qualification in resource approach to sustainable city. Tokyo is a good example of city that possesses one of the most efficient waste management systems in the world. It uses the technological solutions of waste management to compensate and justify its unsustainable practices such as scrap and build which dominates the Japanese construction industries. The life span of buildings in Tokyo is about 27 years old, shortest compare to other developed countries. The fast pace of replacement of urban artifacts brings an important question to both environmental and cultural sustainability. The embodied energy in each building got wasted due to its short life-span and the city keep losing its potential tangible cultural heritage in favor of growth in the construction industries. In the case of Tokyo, recycle only solves the problem of landfill but cannot change the consumption behavior of its citizen. The practice still depends on energy consumption and the loss of cultural heritage still continues. Tokyo is unable to achieve sustainability with technical solution alone, we undeniably need holistic view to resource approach for sustainable city which could be possible through trans-disciplinary thinking and action.
construction in Japan
Developing efficiency and sustainability in the management of waste in building construction in Japan requires a multidisciplinary approach that will not only leverage technological solutions. While Tokyo has one of the most technologically advanced waste management systems, there are also detrimental aspects that create room for improvement. This can be achieved through the re-qualification of resources, which can be achieved through the implementation of policies that set the basis for effective management of waste (Bisello et al., 2016, p. 462). These changes should be aimed at attaining the sustainability of the urban ecology amidst the changes being experienced as the demand for new buildings emerge. Policy changes can also contribute to improved access to the vital resources required in the construction industry as well as define how risk management should be carried out in relation to urban and environmental sustainability.
From this perspective, redefining waste management in Japan requires a multidisciplinary approach that can effectively support the existing systems. Through sustainable re-qualification of resources, there is an opportunity to increase efficiency in the control of waste in building construction. In this context, the re-qualification can facilitate focus on the impact of the waste management practices on the cultural heritage and the role of different stakeholders that include the government, the community, investors, construction companies, and building users. The integration of these aspects creates an avenue for a multidisciplinary approach that optimizes the best practices in meeting the waste management objectives. Additionally, as many countries and urban areas adopt zero waste management practices, there is an opportunity for Japan to employ sustainable re-qualification that can lead to the adoption of best practices based on evidence emerging from other sectors.
References
Bisello, A., Vettorato, D., Stephens, R., and Elisei, P., 2016. Smart and sustainable planning for cities and regions. Springer International Pu.
