Post-Peak Oil

Transforming Urban Environments for a
Post-Peak Oil Future

A Vision Plan for the City of San Buenaventura

• Download Post-Peak Oil Vision Plan for Ventura (pdf - 67mb)

The peak in global oil production, or Peak Oil, will necessitate a change in the way communities function. While most planning for post-Peak Oil focuses on the generation of alternative energy sources to compensate for depleted oil supplies, the goal of this plan is to decrease energy consumption through community design and planning. This approach requires the localization of resources and transformation of urban environments and lifestyles, and therefore provides an opportunity to enhance quality of life.

The Post-Peak Oil Vision Plan analyzes probable implications of Peak Oil on the City of San Buenaventura and the surrounding region, and describes a vision for post-Peak Oil planning that responds to these implications by building upon positive trends that are already taking place. This vision is supported by planning and design guidelines, as well as a phased implementation plan. The regional vision emphasizes preservation of natural resources, concentration of the developed footprint, and intra-regional collaboration.

The 2050 vision for the City of San Buenaventura demonstrates the potential for transformation of urban environments. Under this vision, 85 percent of the population lives on less than a third of the city’s land and is within walking distance of daily needs; 50 percent of the food supply is grown within city limits; and greywater and roofwater supply over 75 percent of urban irrigation needs. The community design that results from this plan includes a significant reduction in energy demand and an increase in quality of life.