Gatineau in the next century...

This project details the futures of more than 100 cities and towns across the globe as they fight to overcome all the grave environmental challenges of the 21st century. As part of this process, we highlight the future of the Canadian city of Gatineau.

Gatineau in the Far Future

(by the Ecotopia 2121 team)

Gatineau, Quebec, has already made significant strides in promoting eco-friendly building practices, but there's always room for improvement. Here are three ways that Gatineau's built environment can become even more sustainable -- in a progressive manner -- by the start of the 22nd century:

1. Net-Zero Energy Buildings: Encourage the construction of net-zero energy buildings, which produce as much energy as they consume over their lifetime. This can be achieved through the use of renewable energy sources such as A) energy-catching solar films painted upon all sky-facing surfaces, B) micro-vibrational wind turbines, and C) small-scale hydrothermal and geothermal energy systems.

2. Passive Building Design: Promote the adoption of passive building design principles, which focus on maximizing energy efficiency through features such as high levels of insulation, airtight construction, and passive solar heating.

3. Pedestrianization: make the city fully accessible and transportable either by foot or by various other non-mechanized means, including from building to building in an aerial manner, or from suburb to suburb by a chain of walkways.

By prioritizing these strategies and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, Gatineau can continue to lead the way in creating a super eco-friendly built environment for future generations.