Sustainable Rural and Urban Ecosystems: Design, Implementation and Operation

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Human beings significantly impact the planetary ecosystem, particularly regarding climate change and biodiversity. This manual assists practitioners involved in human-based rural and urban settlement-ecosystems through essential steps of design, implementation, and operation, promoting practical sustainability. The ecosystem approach is holistic and integrative, incorporating disciplines such as architecture, landscape architecture, environmental engineering, social sciences, life sciences, ecology, and management. It addresses energy savings, ecological cycles, resource reuse, socio-cultural factors, real participation, and holistic quality management. The manual explains the general concept, realization steps, and involved stakeholders while providing practical hints and tools. Target groups include local planning authorities, designers, regulatory bodies, construction firms, and operating bodies, offering insights into procedures, requirements, and recommendations. The experiences shared stem from a collaborative German-Ghanaian program at Valley View University, Ghana's largest private university, aimed at establishing a truly holistic ecological university. This initiative was initially funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research and later supported by the German Ministry for the Environment under the Climate Change Initiative of the Federal Government of Germany.