Sustainable development includes a presumption of direct access to open space and the interconnectivity of the landscape system. Ljubljana lies at the meeting point of two diverse ecosystems – the Ljubljana ‘polje’, or plain, and the Ljubljana Marshes that have limited self-cleansing capabilities. In protected water supply areas, sufficient high-quality sub-surface water will be stored. The city will be using alternative and renewable sources of energy in the post-oil period and in the time following climate change due to global warming.

The development of the city will be in line with the limitations arising from the available environmental capability of the area. The city will retain its ‘star’ shape of built-up areas with interspersed green corridors and aerating spaces. New concentrated built-up areas will infill the area within the city’s ring-road, while the dispersed built-up areas in the countryside will be supplemented by clusters of new buildings. Degraded former industrial brownfield sites will first be reactivated with new developments.

Energy-efficient buildings will be carbon-neutral. A biological centre and ecological park will promote the most modern technology which ensures the unbroken cycle of resources and environmental sustainability in dealing with waste and resources. A new regional waste management centre will be opened, while the existing centre will be renaturalised.

Mixed land use planning will lead to a reduction in traffic and consequently environmental damage in densely built-up areas. Mixed land use will ensure conditions for a constant flow of activities and events throughout the city.

A rise in the number of those living in the city will increase the need for green and recreational areas. The renovation of parks, green and recreational areas in the city centre will connect the landscape system of the city and the region via new green corridors.

Denser residential quarters and neighbourhoods of various forms will be built strictly in line with the principles of sustainable building and mixed use. New forms of low-density building in green areas will revive the idea of the garden city on the basis of environmental ethics.

Via environmental education, we intend to develop an organisation of sustainable communities in the city in the form of an association of sustainable communities which will manage a network of care and educational centres. Residential neighbourhoods will be renovated in terms of building and energy efficiency, while residential green areas will be renovated and newly furnished with suitable building concentrations.

Sustainable development considers an option of a direct access to the open space as well as the integration of the city into the landscape system. The city of Ljubljana is located at the intersection of two different eco-systems, one with highest and other with limited self-cleaning capacity. The well protected sources of underground water will permanently supply the city with a sufficient amount of drink quality water. In the post-oil era and after climatic changes triggered by global warming, the city will solely use the renewable and pollution-free energy resources, obtained mainly by hydrogen generating technology. The development of the city will respect the restrictions originating from the available environmental capacity of space. Any intervention into the space will be assessed according to the objectives of long-term development and natural limitations. The city will preserve the star-like shape of urbanization with the in-between green cones and ventilation shafts. Compact development will fill in the space within the highway ring; alternative to the dispersed development in the countryside will be clusters of smaller low dense-high rise buildings. Brownfield development of inner city areas will reactivate gradually all degraded areas of disused industrial and railway facilities. Energy saving buildings will have zero emissions. A BiologicalCenter and an EcoPark will promote the most accomplished technologies, enabling a circulation of the matters and the environmental sustainability to the waste and resource management. A new regional waste dumping site is planned; the existing waste disposal site will be re-naturalized.

By planning mixed-use development the motor traffic and its hazardous environmental effects in densely populated areas is intended to be reduced. Multi-purpose areas will provide conditions for continual activities and events all over the city.

An increased flow of immigrants into the city will raise demand for green and recreational surfaces. Compact residential areas of various types are planned in accordance to the principles of sustainable building and mixing uses. New types of sustainable neighbourhoods will revive the idea of the garden city based on the ecological ethics. Ecological education will support organization of sustainable communities, which will take control over the network of eco centres. Old residential areas will be modernized accordingly to the new functional and energy saving redevelopment standards, in addition to the infill strategy, renovation of traffic and green areas will improved the residential quality. Rainwater now channelled into the sewage network will be collected for household use to save the consumption of tap water in residential areas.

The system of integrated public transport and unique fares will connect the city with park&ride terminals. Traffic density will be regulated with tax payments for access to the city centre. The network of bicycle lanes will be tripled while pedestrian zones in the city centre will be expanded. By banning all motor vehicles from the city centre in combination with the efficient delivery system of goods the requirements of the Civitas Mobilis EC project will be met.

The city will introduce new hydrogen run buses. Electricity recharge centres with fuel cells for supplying important users and institutions will be built  with the assistance of Alternative Energy Institute. The city will be supplied with energy generated by the chain of three power plants on the SavaRiver. Important part of river dam arrangement will be sport and recreation facilities on the spacious barrage water surface, stimulating development of sailing and rowing still water sports. Large artificial lake will enrich the underground water; water dam will be used for irrigation. The farming land will be cultivated by using hotbed technology; glasshouse production units will supply the city with fresh vegetables and fruits. On the southern marshland part of the city a set of dams will be built to protect the city from threatening catastrophic floods. There, in the regional landscape park the farmers will cultivate the land and protect various habitats, of endangered animal and plant species especially in wetland. The residents in the landscape park will offer alternative forms of eco-tourism.

The farms in the suburban areas will continue with their transformation into eco- farms, biological cultivation and protection of the natural landscape. The adopted strategy for development of country side and renewal of villages will stimulate various forms of symbiosis between the city and rural areas in the city region. An exemplary farm will play an important role in promoting ecological awareness.