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The Role of Electric Vehicles in Greening the Environment: Prospects and Challenges
Get PDFElectric cars, also known as Electric vehicles (EVs), possess a smaller ecological footprint compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). While certain aspects of their production may have comparable, reduced, or different environmental impacts, they have the advantage of emitting minimal to no tailpipe emissions. Furthermore, they help reduce reliance on petroleum, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate the health effects caused by air and environmental pollution. In recent years, there has been a noticeable research focus on incorporating EVs into smart cities, as they offer a means to reduce urban carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Consequently, a limited number of studies have sought to enhance the widespread integration of EVs in order to promote environmental sustainability and contribute to the advancement of the built environment. Consequently this study aims to explore existing literature pertaining to the impact of electric vehicles in promoting a sustainable urban transportation system and fostering an environmentally friendly ecosystem. To accomplish this, the study will employ the Prisma methodology, which involves extracting relevant information from peer-reviewed journals and conference papers. The outcomes of this research endeavor will yield valuable policy implications, aiding policymakers and decision-makers in their efforts to combat climate change and enhance the efficiency of the electric vehicle market
Research on Construction Method of Genetic Map for Rural Settlement Heritage of Ethnic Minorities in Guangxi, China
Get PDFAs the multicultural fusion area, Guangxi, China has twelve nationalities who live here for generations,
including Han, Zhuang, Dong and Miao, etc. The cultural fusion among various ethnic groups is prominent,
and has representative characteristics on multiculturalism and research value on rural heritage. As one of the
carriers of culture, rural settlement heritage maintains the genetic characteristics of cultural “gene” in the
process of inheritance. The laws are presented based on different expressions of material and non-material
elements, and reflect the logic and order of the evolution of rural settlement heritage. Through the
investigation of ethnic minority rural settlements in Liuzhou, Guangxi, this paper clarifies the construction
logic of genetic map for rural settlement heritage. In addition, the excavation, identification, extraction of
genetic elements and the construction of genetic map are carried out for representative rural heritage. Finally,
this paper summarizes the research methods of rural settlement heritage genes in multicultural fusion areas of
ethnic minorities. At the same time, it provides direction for the protection and sustainable development of
rural settlement heritage, and guides the development of rural planning in some degree
Towards a Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Municipal Free Wi-Fi Interventions in South Africa: a City of Tshwane Case Study
Get PDFThe Fourth Industrial Revolution is a reality to be reckoned with in cities. Many cities across the world have ventured into various technological innovations to keep up with the demands of the need for free and/or affordable data in the context of data drive smart cities. However, in the African context, there are valid concerns that such interventions are often not sustainable. This paper provides an attempt to contribute a conceptual framework for a sustainable municipal technological innovations in municipalities, using the municipals free Wi-Fi as an example. Currently, there is no framework model, and many municipalities are implementing free Wi-Fi in rather uncoordinated ways, leading to unsustainable outcomes. The paper was based on literature review and empirically gathered views of key local government stakeholders in South Africa
Green Buildings as an Accelerator in Climate Change Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement
Get PDFThe world is changing quickly in all spheres, including, but not limited to, technology, cities, finances, society, and the environment. Regarding the latter, the prevailing themes or debated subjects have been the ozone layer, air quality, greenhouse gases, and climate change. As a result, there is now an even greater need to address present and potential climate change concerns. These initiatives are essential if society is to contribute to the development of cities and communities that are efficient, interconnected, and sustainable. The advent and evolution of green buildings throughout the 1990s, which saw the creation of the first-ever sustainability standard and rating system for the built environment, were regarded as turning points because they could be embraced as one of the methods employed to control the deteriorating climate and air quality while enhancing our infrastructure. To aid in the development of the nation's infrastructure, South Africa has its rating system known as the Green Star SA through the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). In addition to looking at how green buildings have been acting as a catalyst in reducing the challenge of the change in climate in the region, this paper will also look at how the overall commercial green building network in Gauteng can help improve the region's air quality, which tends to be on a "moderate" level according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Reviewing present frameworks and legislation concerning climate change, air quality, and green buildings was the strategy, moving from a global to a local level. The research also examines data from 180 case studies of green buildings in the Gauteng region, which were taken from the GBCSA archives. Observations in 4 buildings for 4 months and a building occupant survey in one of the 4 buildings were used to do additional research on the 180 case studies. According to the research findings, the government in the Gauteng region lacks the motivation to establish and enforce green building policies. This is especially evident given that more than 80% of the region's green buildings are built and owned by the private sector. According to the report, green buildings in Gauteng can accelerate efforts to mitigate climate change and improve air quality by using less energy, incorporating renewable energy sources, enhancing interior air quality, and lowering urban heat islands. Green buildings also have a positive socio-economic impact, creating new jobs and skills, promoting diversity and growing the local economy. The benefits of green building cannot be overlooked. Therefore, the study recommends that the Gauteng government review and develop robust policies to increase investment in green buildings
Time-based Solutions for Gender Just Low Carbon, Sustainable Urban Transformation – Learning from European Time-Planning Practises
Get PDFThe European feminist planning community (including the authors) has been addressing the challenge of a gender-just transition to climate neutral cities offering high quality living conditions for all users for decades. The planning model of a “City of proximity” – originally postulated by feminist planners– has recently evolved to the model of the “15-Minute-City”. It is time to revisit 50 years of European urban time policies underlying this planning model and the theoretical ground for a temporal just city (“zeitgerechte Stadt”). The research project “DraussenDaheim” (=At Home Outside) puts this into practice.
The project aims to develop a methodology and toolbox which not only serves the participatory assessment of urban public spaces and their complex spatio-temporal use patterns, but also the co-creative simulation-based design of different planning scenarios. Taking into account a gender- and group-specific perspective, the focus is particularly on the development of less “gender-blind” participation tools that serve the analysis, assessment and co-planning of public open spaces. The target group-specific application of a digitally supported tool mix is described on the basis of two use cases and its added value for the key elements of a temporal just city, procedural and distributional justice, is shown. By making public spaces and vulnerable user groups a focus for the participatory implementation of temporally and spatially just urban transition, this will help to ensure that the transformation is inclusive, responsive to community needs, environmentally sustainable and socially just.
As the core of this paper, examples from European city-regions on time-planning practices as well as from the use cases of the DraussenDaheim project are presented with the purpose of informing gender-responsive participation and planning tools.
The conclusions highlight both the potentials and pitfalls of time-planning approaches in collaboratively assessing urban public spaces. Moreover, they anticipate a crucial endeavor: enhancing the adaptability and usability of these spaces for care-givers and care dependents. This task is a crucial step towards a more inclusive and gender just urban transformation
The Planning and Utilisation of Green Spaces in South Africa: Potchefstroom as a Case Study
Get PDFPublic green spaces, commonly known as parks, play an important socio-psychological, physical and ecological role within cities. They support active lifestyles, promote citizenships, reduce air pollution, decrease heat island effects and support environmental sustainability. However, previous studies have found that the quality of parks within settlements fluctuates depending on their location relative to the Central Business District (CBD) and wealth of residents. This variation in quality (supply of park area or facilities) effects the utilization (potential demand) of parks, which in turn reduces the benefits, derived from these spaces. This paper sought to investigate the quality and utilization of parks in Potchefstroom, South Africa. It explored 3 different parks in 3 suburbs on the basis of the wealth and racial history of the suburb. Qualitative data was collected at each park through semi-structured interviews to determine its utilization, and an observation study was used to determine the park quality. The analysis indicated that there are marked discrepancies in the quality of neighborhood parks between suburbs previously designated for different racial groups. However, the utilization was not determined by the quality of the neighborhood parks, with poor quality parks in previously disadvantaged areas being used more frequently. The study“s findings shed light on the green inequality of South African cities and calls for further intervention to bring in green equality
Making Green Real – How to Promote Greenery in Real Estate Development
Get PDFClimate change and rising temperatures particularly affect the built environment and intensify the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect in cities. Nature-based solutions can have a balancing function and reduce overheating. However, greenery still receives too little attention in architecture and is added as an additional element at the end of the planning phase or even after the building has been constructed.
For a climate resilient urban development in the future, in addition to a change in processes, a change in real estate development and in the project management is necessary.
At least, three preconditions must be met for this to happen:
• Sound knowledge base: Many studies already exist proving the positive effects of nature-based solutions for densely built cities. However, the knowledge transfer to real estate companies is still insufficient as they require precise and site-specific information showing effectiveness of greenery on microclimate, building envelope and indoor temperature. At best, analyses apply a system view and consider interrelations with water and energy.
• Greenery-friendly planning framework: Real estate development takes place in compliance with local planning standards and procedures. Planning strategies and regulations, standards, urban development contracts and funding programmes strongly influence urban design and development and hereby have great potential to promote greening.
• Integrated mindset: In architecture and real estate development, it is still not standard to include greenery and nature-based solutions in design, planning and construction. Building optimization also includes greening. Thus, it needs an integrated mindset regarding greenery as natural part of architecture. This requires more awareness and knowledge about climate change and the benefits of nature-based solutions on quality of life and value of real estates in the long run.
The paper summarizes the experience of an interdisciplinary cooperation in the research project GreenDeal4Real and addresses all three aspects in detail. Analyses of the planning framework in Vienna and impacts of greening measures on the microclimate are described and general conclusions for more green in real estate development are drawn
Understanding Spatio-Temporal Usage Patterns of Cargo Bike Sharing to Foster Market Diffusion
Get PDFCargo bikes promote urban resilience as they ensure a local supply of goods, can be used flexibly, are
reliable and require low energy, and can even be driven by muscle power. Further, they contribute to socially
inclusive mobility. Although driving cargo bikes may require some training, they do not require a driving
licence and can be available for different income ranges (e.g. in the form of cargo bike sharing). Thus, they
also contribute to health-promoting mobility. Cargo bike sharing is a relevant solution to offer households a
practical, environmentally friendly and cheaper mode of transport.
According to public welfare-oriented goals, cargo bike sharing is often provided on behalf of, or with
(financial) public sector support, in cooperation with residential developers or based on voluntary work in
Austria and Germany. However, peer-to-peer cargo bike sharing offers and host-based sharing systems often
do not meet all the criteria attributed to shared mobility services. In order to reach the full potential of cargo
bike sharing, a better understanding of spatio-temporal usage patterns is needed to foster a shift towards
higher quality service provision, especially regarding tailor-made services for different user groups.
The following article investigates the role of availability and type of service provision by evaluating booking
data and spatio-temporal data in three case studies. GPS tracking is rarely used to better understand cargo
bike usage, but it reveals further knowledge of the characteristics of users and their spatial usage patterns.
Based on three use cases, usage, users and spatial patterns of cargo bike sharing usage are analysed, the
respective potentials are shown, and the added value of spatial data collection is discussed
The Potential of Bio-Based Insulation Materials for Healthy Living Spaces and Sustainable Architecture
Get PDFIn Germany, 30 % of CO2 emissions and 35 % of final energy consumption are due to the operation of
buildings.1 The building sector must therefore make an intensive contribution to the energy transition. In
addition to the requirement to operate every new heating system with 65 % renewable energies from January
2024, the energy-efficient refurbishment of existing buildings, for example by installing new windows or
upgrading thermal insulation, is to be massively promoted in order to reduce energy consumption and
emissions. The renovation of the building stock should contribute significantly to the EU's goal of climate
neutrality by 2050. In order to achieve a climate-neutral building stock, the operating energy and in
particular the non-renewable share of primary energy must be drastically reduced and the remaining energy
demand must be covered predominantly with renewable energy sources.2 A large part of the operating energy
of buildings is due to the heating or cooling systems in living spaces. Appropriate building insulation,
especially in existing buildings, can save energy at this point. Do we want to continue this energy upgrade of
our buildings with synthetic materials from finite resources, some of which have been proven to endanger
our health, or will we succeed in the biological insulation turnaround that would bring energy-efficient,
sustainable and healthy living spaces? With a view to the desired climate neutrality of the EU, is it not a
logical conclusion to refurbish the building stock with insulation materials that consume as little energy as
possible in their production, while causing virtually no emissions?
In answering these questions, it is important to consider the potential of biological insulation materials. What
raw materials are available? What are the manufacturing processes? How are the material properties and
durability of biological insulation materials to be assessed?
The paper examines biological insulation materials and their use for creating healthy living spaces in a
sustainable architecture. It focuses on the raw material base, which often consists of residues and by-
products, the construction-relevant properties and aspects of material health. Depending on the results of this
analysis, the aim is to define the use of biological insulation materials as part of a sustainable resource
management in the building sector, which can be understood as a Nature-Based Solution. According to the
definition of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are
described as measures for the protection, sustainable management and restoration of natural and modified
ecosystems.3
The following explanations are intended to show that the replacement of synthetic insulation materials, some
of which contain substances that are harmful to health, with 100 % bio-based insulation materials can help to
conserve non-renewable resources and thus combat the scarcity of resources. The mostly very
environmentally damaging mining methods of non-renewable resources could be greatly reduced and, in this
way, ecosystems could be protected. In addition, the increased use of renewable resources could positively
address other challenges within the construction industry, such as the need to create healthy living spaces and
drastically reduce emissions from the production of building materials
Urban Regeneration: Identifying Causes and Impacts of Urban Decay within the Pietermaritzburg Central Business District: South Africa
Get PDFUrban decay affects cities worldwide, and South African cities have not been immune to this quagmire. It is
regarded as a development that negatively contributes to physical degeneration and high spatial inequality.
Most integrated development plans highlight the challenges of South African cities facing environmental
decay and inadequate infrastructure maintenance. Consequently, greater regeneration plans for inner cities
have been the strategic focus of urban planning. The study aims to investigate the main factors influencing
urban decay within the Pietermaritzburg Central Business District (CBD). It is known that urban decay in
Pietermaritzburg CBD is associated with economic decline and negatively impacts the city. However, it is
unknown what specific strategies or plans the Municipality of Msunduzi is pursuing to combat urban decay,
the level of funding available for urban regeneration initiatives, and the role of the private sector in urban
regeneration efforts. The work adopted a case study research design and applied a qualitative approach to
understanding factors contributing to urban decay in the Pietermaritzburg CBD. An in-depth examination
and comparison of the causes and effects of urban decay using interviews with residents and relevant
stakeholders, as well as observations of buildings conducted between 1 October 2022 and 30 October 2022,
mention that the causes of urban decay in Msunduzi include Urban Planning and Governance: lack of
measures to encourage city growth and inconsistent service delivery. The closure of public facilities,
inadequate services, and the neglect of properties by absentee landlords worsen urban decay. The research
findings emphasise the significance of private investments and changing residents' negative perceptions in
achieving successful urban regeneration. A comprehensive approach to urban regeneration should
encompass psychological, economic, social, physical, and civic aspects, thereby fostering economic
development through collaboration between the public and private sectors. Most Pietermaritzburg
participants attribute urban decay to socioeconomic shifts, such as the departure of middle-class residents,
the presence of absentee landlords, and the absence of necessary amenities. Proposed solutions to combat
urban decay involve implementing a regeneration programs program that prioritises city cleanliness, holds
landlords accountable, enforces eviction measures, and offers incentives for businesses to relocate.
Effectively implementing these measures necessitates collaboration among the municipality, private sector,
community, organisations, and residents to stimulate economic growth, enhance infrastructure, and promote
urban regeneration. The paper's overall contribution lies in developing an urban renewal strategy that
addresses the factors leading to urban decay and supports efforts toward urban regeneration