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Assessment of the Quality of Urban Spaces in the Context of Child-friendly Mobility
Get PDFChild-friendly urban spaces promote safe, independent and active mobility of children. This paper explores which indicators can be used to assess the quality of urban spaces in the context of child-friendly mobility. For this purpose, indicators from literature, guidelines etc. are collected. In total, 77 indicators are identified, described in terms of their relevance for child-friendly mobility and divided into four categories: (i) traffic situation and traffic conditions, (ii) urban space - infrastructure, (iii) urban space - amenities and other conditions, and (iv) other. For each indicator, very good (grade 1) and very poor conditions (grade 5) with regard to the quality of urban spaces in the context of child-friendly mobility are defined. A weighting is applied to evaluate the indicators according to their relevance for child-friendly urban spaces. In addition, a (more user-friendly) reduced set of 30 indicators is developed. The full catalogue of indicators, the subset and the associated evaluation scheme were used for an on-site inspection of a road section in the city of Vienna. The road section is also inventoried "digitally" based on geodata to analyze to what extent freely available geodata can be used to conduct the assessment without being on-site. By comparing the results (full set versus sub-set as well as manual versus digital assessment), the user-friendliness of the catalogue(s), the possibilities and limitations of a digital assessment of urban spaces in the context of child-friendly mobility are shown. The results show that processed indicator sets are suitable for the evaluation of the quality of urban spaces. In general, it can be stated that the results of the manual assessment agree very well with the entire catalog of indicators and with the shortened indicator set. The digital evaluation with indicator set also leads to comparable results, although outliers can also be identified for many "non-assessable" indicators. Due to a lack of data availability or quality, a (partially) automated digital evaluation is technically feasible, but many indicators have to be analysed or interpreted in-depth, which contradicts an automated evaluation. In the future, an automated evaluation of the quality of urban spaces in the context of child-friendly mobility could be possible and therefore offer a need for further research
Bringing Research on City Resilience to Relevant Stakeholders – Combining Co-creation and Standardization in the ARCH project
Get PDFCity resilience has gained increased recognition due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation and thus the topic has become one of great research interest, with several research projects focusing on city resilience within the last few years. However, in order for the project results to have an impact, meaningful stakeholder involvement needs to be centered. Acknowledgement of this need has lead to the use of different approaches in research, such as the use of co-creation activities and standardization, which aim to integrate city resilience stakeholders in the development processes of different tools and methods. This paper assesses the approaches of two city resilience-related research projects (Smart Mature Resilience or ‘SMR,’ and Climate Resilient Cities and Infrastructures or ‘RESIN’) and suggests an enhanced approach for combining co-creation and standardization – in a model called a Mutual Learning Framework – that is being used in an ongoing project called Advancing Resilience of Historic Areas Against Climate-related and Other Hazards, or ‘ARCH.’ The outcomes of this research will support the development of robust stakeholder engagement within city resilience, particularly in tool development and validation processes; ensured by a mix of co-creation and standardization methods
Designing Waste Management Systems in the City of The Future
Get PDFEach year people on the planet produce tons of waste. The more urbanised a country is, the more residues it produces. Its management is one of the most expensive services to municipalities and in many countries, it is still one of the main concerns. Many environmental and health problems are associated with poor waste management practices and the absence of circular economy approaches. Moreover, traditional waste management systems are designed from a waste production perspective. The process is focused on the collection of the produced waste, system coverage of it across the urban territory and its expansion. The prevalent way of thinking is still: out of sight, out of thought. Fewer efforts are put into transforming solid waste management in the direction of having a material or resource flow. Often municipalities work in silos and for this reason, solid waste is regarded as an independent process, acting on its own, designed and operated individually. Although there are many overlaps that the operation can have if it is planned in an integrated manner.
The paper presents solid waste management (SWM) regarding this integrated perspective, highlighting the synergies that could be achieved with other sectors such as mobility and logistics. It describes what can be understood under material circularity from an SWM perspective and how the principles and ideas described in the paper can be integrated into the urban planning of future cities ensuring that the waste is handled as a valuable resource
Energy Issues in Building and District Assessment Schemes and Benchmarking Systems
Get PDFIn the Canton of Zurich an increasing number of customers in their business area for building energy solutions have been identified who have their properties certified with sustainability systems. They have to create regular reports or use benchmarks to optimise their properties with regard to energetic aspects.
A large amount of detailed information is available on the use and differences of rating and certification systems. For stakeholders in the energy market sector, however, it is important to have the necessary information available on energy monitoring data and GHG (greenhouse gas) emission reporting for value creation. One promising concept is the 2000-Watt-Area.
A 2000-Watt-Area (200WA) is a new form of settlement. It has achieved a reputation for energy efficiency, renewable energies and climate friendliness and reflects the values of a responsible society.
In this work we try to find answers to the following questions:
• Which evaluation criteria are the basis for the 2000WA?
• How much can these urban areas lower their GHG emissions?
• What role do the instruments of energy efficiency and renewable energies play in this?
• What is the relationship between these and what statements can be made with regard to mobility?
• How can the Facility Manager help to transform successfully into 2000WA?
The paper is based on literature research and three interviews with stakeholders in the Swiss construction sector (a district representative, an energy consultant, a technology provider). The findings qualify the concept of 2000WA and put it into a wider international context of certification and benchmarking systems.
It was found that 39 2000WA are in operation, implementation and transition in Switzerland. From the experience gained from these districts it can be seen that the 2000WA concept is trying to include important aspects of a sustainable transition of districts. While many districts were new developments (34), only 5 were districts in transformation. The number of districts in transformation need to increase considerably if the GHG emission reduction goals in Switzerland are to be met. Facility managers can play an important role in this transition. But they need to enhance their skills and responsibilities in order to fulfil their roles as transition managers. Evaluating the 2000WA can be a key to this and has the potential to enhance the reduction of GHG emissions in districts and cities
Improvement of Human Thermal Comfort in Built Environment using BIM simulation methods, case study in Alexandria, Egypt
Get PDFRecently, there has been a high demand for urban sprawl because of rapidly increasing population. On the other hand, Building Regulations do not consider either human thermal comfort or energy consumption in the built environment. The quality of outdoor spaces in the built environment could be determined by many factors. This paper will investigate the impact and effect of three factors which are building orientation, relationship between building height and street width and microclimate conditions. This paper introduces a method to evaluate the efficiency of the outdoor built environment through the simulation process using Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology. This research aims to solve the problems of thermal comfort and energy consumption in the built environment. These problems were mainly the result of building codes that were not sensitive to the built environment as the codes focus on the buildings themselves. The case study is located in downtown Alexandria city, Egypt. Its area is approximately one square kilometre. This research supports urban planners and designers in making decisions before implementation to reach thermal comfort in the built environment. It contributes to revealing the importance of factors affecting the outdoor built environment and taking them into consideration while establishing new codes or amending existing building regulations
Patterns and Practices of Spatial Transformation: a Historical Review of Approaches
Get PDFOver the past few decades, particularly after the democratic dispensation in South Africa, the state of spatial transformation has not been documented extensively and adequately in the country’s cities. To deliver and promote sustainable development; economically, socially and environmentally; spatial planning is critical in creating more stable and predictable conditions for investment and development. Responsive spatial planning is critical for securing community transformation benefits and promoting the prudent use of land and natural resources for sustainable urban development. The paper aims to assess the strategies, procedures, and elements that inform spatial transformation in developing cities. A bibliometric literature analysis was adopted and applied to the study to examine spatial planning trends in developing cities. The results reveal the right to the city has been used as a tool for developing frameworks to guide spatial planning. These frameworks have been used in the production of space in cities while also allowing planners to understand spatial transformation as a socio-spatial (multidimensional) process. Evidently, spatial planning is an essential tool for promoting sustainable development and improving the quality of life. Overall, the paper recommends the need to develop strategic spatial planning processes as tools for economic bridging plans that can retrofit existing neighbourhoods to improve liveability in cities
Sicherheitsempfinden im öffentlichen Verkehr in Zeiten von COVID-19
Get PDFDie COVID-19-Pandemie hat die Mobilität in Deutschland stark verändert. Geltende Regeln und Einschränkungen sorgen nicht nur für drastische Mobilitätseinbrüche, auch alte Gewohnheiten werden aufgebrochen und Mobilitätsentscheidungen neu getroffen. Der Individualverkehr stellt eine attraktivere Alternative zum gemeinsam genutzten öffentlichen Verkehr dar, welcher von Bedenken bezüglich Hygiene und Ansteckungsrisiko gezeichnet ist. Hierbei besteht allerdings die Gefahr, dass sich eine entsprechende Gewöhnung an die Nutzung des Individualverkehrs auch auf die langfristige Verkehrsmittelwahl zu Lasten der Umwelt auswirken könnte. Um das Vertrauen in den öffentlichen Verkehr frühzeitig zurückzugewinnen, wird es relevant, passgenaue Hygienemaßnahmen zu finden und umzusetzen. So soll die Sicherheit objektiv erhöht, aber vor allem das subjektive Sicherheitsempfinden der Fahrgäste bestärkt werden.
In der vorliegenden Untersuchung wird dies anhand eines spezifischen Anwendungsfalls im ländlichen Raum behandelt: Ein Vereinsshuttle, welches Mitglieder gebündelt zuhause abholt und zum entsprechenden Angebot hin- und anschließend wieder zurückfährt. Mittels einer Befragung wird die Pilotzielgruppe, ältere Menschen, denen die Teilhabe am Sportangebot ermöglicht werden soll, näher untersucht. Die Erhebung liefert tiefergehende Erkenntnisse über das veränderte Mobilitätsverhalten der Seniorinnen und Senioren sowie deren Sicherheitsempfinden und die dahinterliegenden Ursachen bei der Mobilitätsnutzung. Daraus werden Hygienemaßnahmen für das Vereinsshuttle sowie Handlungsempfehlungen abgeleitet
Städtebau und elektrische Speicher – ein Zusammenspiel im Energiequartier
Get PDFNachhaltige Energien werden primär außerhalb der Städte produziert. Dabei sind es die Städte und ihre Quartiere, welche einen beachtlichen Teil dieser Energie benötigen und verbrauchen. So entstehen Transportwege, die mit Übertragungsverlusten einhergehen. Außerdem stellt das Zusammenbringen von Energieerzeugung aus regenerativen Quellen- und dessen Verbrauch eine erhebliche Herausforderung dar. Auch aus diesen Gründen muss sich die Stadtplanung in den letzten Jahren vermehrt mit Lösungen für nachhaltige Energien in der Stadt beschäftigen. Sogenannte Energiequartiere bieten das Potential Erzeugung, Speicherung und Verbrauch lokal zusammenzubringen und so höhere Wirkungsgrade zu erzielen. Dabei stellt die Integration von elektrischen Speichern in den Quartieren den Städtebau vor neue Herausforderungen. Knappe Flächenangebote in der Stadt und Nutzungskonflikte der noch zur Verfügung stehenden Flächen sowie der Anspruch an eine qualitätsvolle Gestaltung machen neue Konzepte notwendig. Aus diesem Grund beschäftigt sich das Paper mit der Frage: „Wie kann ein Zusammenspiel im Energiequartier von Städtebau und elektrischen Speichern aussehen?“.
Das Paper definiert zunächst Energiequartiere und die damit einhergehenden Chancen und Herausforderungen für nachhaltige Energien im Quartier. Anschließend werden anhand von drei Konzepten in der Stadt Aachen Möglichkeiten der städtebaulichen Integration aufgezeigt. Zur Erstellung der Konzepte sind Analysen von mehreren Quartieren vorgenommen und anhand eines Kriterienkataloges miteinander verglichen und bewertet worden. Die Konzepte zeigen das Zusammenspiel von Städtebau und der Integration von elektrischen Speichern für unterschiedliche städtebauliche Strukturen und Typologien auf. Im Ergebnis wird graphisch gezeigt wie, und dass trotz unterschiedlicher Flächenverfügbarkeiten, eine qualitätsvolle Integration elektrischer Speicher in Energiequartieren möglich ist
Streetscape Design Elements Approach as a Tool for Urban Soundscape Enhancement A Perspective from Ahmed Oraby Square, Alexandria, Egypt
Get PDFStreetscape design is one of the disciplines that have an effective role in the quality of urban soundscape however, there is a noticeable absence of links between urban soundscape and streetscape design. This research aims to link urban soundscape with streetscape design by creating guideline for the process of enhancing and designing soundscape by employing streetscape design (elements). Therefore, enhancing designers’ skills and focusing on enhancement process of open spaces within urban design. This study examines a preference level of urban soundscapes which has been designed based on (potentials of) streetscape design elements. First, a permutation process was applied to six streetscape design elements. Each streetscape element was connected to one acoustic component of the soundscape and with road traffic noise RTN as a major source of the noise, in order to formulate soundscape design proposals. Fourteen proposed situations of soundscape design have been chosen as sample for conducting the experiment. Each situation has been used to create two audios with two sound pressure levels SPL of RTN (73 and 66 dBA) to produce 28 audios representing proposed soundscapes. A total of twenty subjects took part in a laboratory experiment to evaluate preference levels of produced audios using a scale divided into ten levels (zero for the worst and ten for the best) and 3D created shoots were displayed simultaneously with every audio. Unlike previous studies, the results showed that the soundscape preference level of multi-sounds situations (situations have three acoustic components) gained a higher percentage than singular situations when road traffic noise level at 73 dBA. In contrast, in the case of low road traffic noise level (66 dBA) the preference level is higher in singular situations than in multi-sounds situations. Finally, a four stage guideline of urban soundscape design and enhancement, based on streetscape design elements is produced which enables examination of soundscape quality before design interventions and decisions
The Influence of Users’ Socio-Economic Background on the Perception and Involvement of Urban Spaces
Get PDFopportunities in their daily lives. Arguably, recreation and socio-economic status have always had a longstanding relationship. However, spatial perception is seen as the criteria which decides whether architecture succeeded at delivering a certain message, or satisfied a certain role within a specific context. In fact, perception is a highly creative process; although people relate to the same reality, they will perceive it in a different way according to what the environment means to each of them. Different environments will have different perceptual influences. These differences are derived from various personal backgrounds (knowledge, experience, culture, and physical). Furthermore, some studies suggest that low level of physical and recreational activities is more prevalent among lower income, less educated, and unemployed populations compared to higher income individuals. In turn, this could cause dissatisfaction with the living condition in the low-income neighborhoods and many of the associated issues can be traced to the inability of the city to meet the basic needs of its inhabitants.
Neighborhood space in many contemporary residential communities, particularly in Third World countries, often has the appearance of no man's land. This is because public spaces in the contemporary city, in all their tidiness, are thought of as a secondary space, owned neither by the city nor by the individuals. It does not invite one to be or remain. This paper focuses on studying the manner in which people, with different visit purposes, perceive the space they visit, how and why users change their environment. This paper concludes that a large number of neighborhood park users are not neighborhood residents, they are indeed derived from lower-income neighborhoods where the access to open spaces is very limited. It is necessary to study the needs of the user groups with the least number of people in order to boost their visits to the park