I thought this article was very nicely organized as it went from a brief overview of green architecture, to challenges these projects are facing, to what can be done to promote this change. I liked how the article not only discussed the environmental benefits that green architecture would provide, but also touched upon the economic activity and competition that it would attract. It also went as far as claiming that these green spaces would increase social interaction between citizens by serving as places for congregation and reaffirming citizens’ feelings of belonging. I thought that was a little far fetched because we primarily discuss benefits of such projects in terms of environmental and sometimes economic benefits, but to say that it would benefit human relationships is a bold statement, but nonetheless, one that made me think.
I liked the mentioning of the Green Core City of Baku because it’s always cool to see how other places in the world value things like green architecture, and compare these values to our own in New York. It was evident that Baku’s City Council placed a lot more importance and thought into upgrading their city’s ecological performance, than New York ever did. The numbers in Table 1 were surprising to me because they showed how much change can be made over a period of only 5 years; over 100 new green areas were implemented between 2005 and 2010. The beached within the Green Core City of Baku undergo regular checks that incorporate sand and water analysis, ecological sifting of sand, and collecting and recycling waste materials in the area. It’s difficult for me to imagine projects like this becoming a regular part of New York City life. The city of Baku has achieved metropolitan status, not like that of New York City, but it’s still up there. If Baku can take the time and effort to promote greenery in it’s city, we should be able to do the same in ours.
