Master plan : Greenport Shanghai Agropark

Greenport Shanghai is the innovative and ambitious exploration of how Chinese metropolitan agriculture will jump into the 21st century: circular, sustainable and profitable

Improving Urban Cooling in the Semi-arid Phoenix Metropolis: Land System Science, Landscape Ecology and Urban Climatology Approaches

abstract: The global increase in urbanization has raised questions about urban sustainability to which multiple research communities have entered. Those communities addressing interest in the urban heat island (UHI) effect and extreme temperatures include land system science, urban/landscape ecology, and urban climatology. General investigations of UHI have focused primarily on land surface and canopy layer air temperatures. The surface temperature is of prime importance to UHI studies because of its central rule in the surface energy balance, direct effects on air temperature, and outdoor thermal comfort. Focusing on the diurnal surface temperature variations in Phoenix, Arizona, especially on the cool (green space) island effect and the surface heat island effect, the dissertation develops three research papers that improve the integration among the abovementioned sub-fields. Specifically, these papers involve: (1) the quantification and modeling of the diurnal cooling benefits of green space; (2) the optimization of green space locations to reduce the surface heat island effect in daytime and nighttime; and, (3) an evaluation of the effects of vertical urban forms on land surface temperature using Google Street View. These works demonstrate that the pattern of new green spaces in central Phoenix could be optimized such that 96% of the maximum daytime and nighttime cooling benefits would be achieved, and that Google Street View data offers an alternative to other data, providing the vertical dimensions of land-cover for addressing surface temperature impacts, increasing the model accuracy over the use of horizontal land-cover data alone. Taken together, the dissertation points the way towards the integration of research directions to better understand the consequences of detailed land conditions on temperatures in urban areas, providing insights for urban designs to alleviate these extremes.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Geography 201

(Re)designing urban parks to maximize urban heat island mitigation by natural means

Urban trees play a key role in mitigating urban heat by cooling the local environment. However, the cooling benefit that trees can provide is influenced by differences in species traits and site-specific environmental conditions. Fifteen dominant urban tree species in parks from Mexico City were selected considering physiological traits (i.e., transpiration and stomatal conductance) and aesthetic and morphological characteristics. Species’ physiological performance was measured to explore the potential of trees to reduce urban heat load. Data were collected over a 4-week period in the months of April and May 2020, the warmest and driest months of the year in Mexico City. We used the Thermal UrbaN Environment Energy (TUNEE) balance model to calculate the cooling benefit of each species and the number of individuals necessary to reduce local air temperature. The highest midday transpiration was registered for Liquidambar styraciflua L. (0.0357 g m−2 s−1) and the lowest for Buddleja cordata H.B.K (0.0089 g m−2 s−1), representing an energy consumption and cooling potential of 87.13 and 21.69 J m−2 s−1, respectively. Similarly, the highest stomatal conductance was recorded for L. styraciflua., whereas the lowest was recorded for B. cordata. Based on the species transpiration rates and aesthetic characteristics, we developed a proposal and outline for a 50 X 50 m urban park (i.e., park community) consisting of six species with 19 individuals, and according to the TUNEE model, the proposed arrangement can reduce air temperature up to 5.3 °C. Our results can help urban planners to (re)design urban parks to mitigate urban heat while increasing urban tree diversity in parks

Mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services. Urban ecosystems

Action 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 requires member states to Map and Assess the state of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES). This report provides guidance for mapping and assessment of urban ecosystems. The MAES urban pilot is a collaboration between the European Commission, the European Environment Agency, volunteering Member States and cities, and stakeholders. Its ultimate goal is to deliver a knowledge base for policy and management of urban ecosystems by analysing urban green infrastructure, condition of urban ecosystems and ecosystem services. This report presents guidance for mapping urban ecosystems and includes an indicator framework to assess the condition of urban ecosystems and urban ecosystem services. The scientific framework of mapping and assessment is designed to support in particular urban planning policy and policy on green infrastructure at urban, metropolitan and regional scales. The results are based on the following different sources of information: a literature survey of 54 scientific articles, an online-survey (on urban ecosystems, related policies and planning instruments and with participation of 42 cities), ten case studies (Portugal: Cascais, Oeiras, Lisbon; Italy: Padua, Trento, Rome; The Netherlands: Utrecht; Poland: Poznań; Spain: Barcelona; Norway: Oslo), and a two-day expert workshop. The case studies constituted the core of the MAES urban pilot. They provided real examples and applications of how mapping and assessment can be organized to support policy; on top, they provided the necessary expertise to select a set of final indicators for condition and ecosystem services. Urban ecosystems or cities are defined here as socio-ecological systems which are composed of green infrastructure and built infrastructure. Urban green infrastructure (GI) is understood in this report as the multi-functional network of urban green spaces situated within the boundary of the urban ecosystem. Urban green spaces are the structural components of urban GI. This study has shown that there is a large scope for urban ecosystem assessments. Firstly, urban policies increasingly use urban green infrastructure and nature-based solutions in their planning process. Secondly, an increasing amount of data at multiple spatial scales is becoming available to support these policies, to provide a baseline, and to compare or benchmark cities with respect to the extent and management of the urban ecosystem. Concrete examples are given on how to delineate urban ecosystems, how to choose an appropriate spatial scale, and how to map urban ecosystems based on a combination of national or European datasets (including Urban Atlas) and locally collected information (e.g., location of trees). Also examples of typologies for urban green spaces are presented. This report presents an indicator framework which is composed of indicators to assess for urban ecosystem condition and for urban ecosystem services. These are the result of a rigorous selection process and ensure consistent mapping and assessment across Europe. The MAES urban pilot will continue with work on the interface between research and policy. The framework presented in this report needs to be tested and validated across Europe, e.g. on its applicability at city scale, on how far the methodology for measuring ecosystem condition and ecosystem service delivery in urban areas can be used to assess urban green infrastructure and nature-based solutions

Bangkok - Pursuit of Net Zero Energy Design Testing the Potential for A Prototype High-Rise Residential Mixed-Use Building Design

Amid growing concerns about rising energy prices, energy independence, and the impact of climate change, buildings are considered to be the primary energy consumer in the Metropolitan area of Bangkok, Thailand. This fact underscores the importance of targeting building energy use as a key to decreasing the country's energy consumption. The building sector can significantly reduce energy use by incorporating energy-efficient strategies into the design. It can further reduce dependence on fossil fuel derived energy by increasing use of onsite and off-site renewable energy sources. This comprehensive research project aims to pursue the Net Zero Energy (NZE) strategy that influences building performance and reduces it environmental impact. Challenged with an extreme climate of high humidity, heavy rain pour and low wind speed, the ultimate goal of the research is to design a prototypical net zero energy high-rise that reduces energy demand and satisfy internal thermal comfort. The key design approach is the integration and balance of solar energy technologies with natural ventilation strategies that will minimize energy demand and maximize renewable energy supply. The establishment of building performance criteria and energy benchmark is needed to become a baseline for prototypes that can be used for building design, energy performance target, and simulation modeling technique. Multiple research methodologies have been established and proven useful in this area of study, such as: the quantitative research methodology; whole building energy simulation; and computational fluid dynamic (CFD). The investigation for this research focuses on the design of a prototypical residential high-rise building that is about 40,000 m2 high. The design constraints common to metropolitan areas in Southeast Asia will be a major driving force for the design outcome, including the heat island effect and the obstructions to wind and sun. Setting up a benchmark plays an important role in pre-defining building performance. Much consideration will be given to both local and global policies, including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Asian Green City Index (AGCI) and the Energy Efficiency Development Plan (EEDP). These benchmarks are established to measure the model’s proximity to the performance goals

Characterizing Spatiotemporal Variations in the Urban Thermal Environment Related to Land Cover Changes in Karachi, Pakistan, from 2000 to 2020

Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of urban heat islands and the factors that influence this phenomenon can help to alleviate the heat stress exacerbated by urban warming and strengthen heat-related urban resilience, thereby contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The association between surface urban heat island (SUHI) effects and land use/land cover features has been studied extensively, but the situation in tropical cities is not well-understood due to the lack of consistent data. This study aimed to explore land use/land cover (LULC) changes and their impact on the urban thermal environment in a tropical megacity—Karachi, Pakistan. Land cover maps were produced, and the land surface temperature (LST) was estimated using Landsat images from five different years over the period 2000–2020. The surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) was then quantified based on the LST data. Statistical analyses, including geographically weighted regression (GWR) and correlation analyses, were performed in order to analyze the relationship between the land cover composition and LST. The results indicated that the built-up area of Karachi increased from 97.6 km² to 325.33 km² during the period 2000–2020. Among the different land cover types, the areas classified as built-up or bare land exhibited the highest LST, and a change from vegetation to bare land led to an increase in LST. The correlation analysis indicated that the correlation coefficients between the normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) and LST ranged from 0.14 to 0.18 between 2000 and 2020 and that NDBI plays a dominant role in influencing the LST. The GWR analysis revealed the spatial variation in the association between the land cover composition and the SUHII. Parks with large areas of medium- and high-density vegetation play a significant role in regulating the thermal environment, whereas the scattered vegetation patches in the urban core do not have a significant relationship with the LST. These findings can be used to inform adaptive land use planning that aims to mitigate the effects of the UHI and aid efforts to achieve sustainable urban growth.the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciencesthe National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaPeer Reviewe

Urban heat mitigation by green and blue infrastructure: drivers, effectiveness, and future needs

The combination of urbanisation and global warming leads to urban overheating and compounds the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events due to climate change. Yet, the risk of urban overheating can be mitigated by urban green-blue-grey infrastructures (GBGI), such as parks, wetlands, and engineered greening, which have the potential to effectively reduce summer air temperatures. Despite many reviews, the evidence bases on quantified GBGI cooling benefits remains partial and the practical recommendations for implementation are unclear. This systematic literature review synthesises the evidence base for heat mitigation and related co-benefits, identifies knowledge gaps, and proposes recommendations for their implementation to maximise their benefits. After screening 27,486 papers, 202 were reviewed, based on 51 GBGI types categorised under 10 main divisions. Certain GBGI (green walls, parks, street trees) have been well-researched for their urban cooling capabilities. However, several other GBGI have received negligible (zoological garden, golf course, estuary) or minimal (private garden, allotment) attention. The most efficient air cooling was observed in botanical gardens (5.0±3.5°C), wetlands (4.9±3.2°C), green walls (4.1±4.2°C), street trees (3.8±3.1°C), and vegetated balconies (3.8±2.7°C). Under changing climate conditions (2070-2100) with consideration of RCP8.5, there is a shift in climate subtypes, either within the same climate zone (e.g., Dfa to Dfb and Cfb to Cfa) or across other climate zones (e.g., Dfb (continental warm-summer humid) to BSk (dry, cold semi-arid) and Cwa (temperate) to Am (tropical)). These shifts may result in lower efficiency for the current GBGI in the future. Given the importance of multiple services, it is crucial to balance their functionality, cooling performance, and other related co-benefits when planning for the future GBGI. This global GBGI heat mitigation inventory can assist policymakers and urban planners in prioritising effective interventions to reduce the risk of urban overheating, filling research gaps, and promoting community resilience

Despicable Urban Places: Hot Car Parks

Cities are warmer than surrounding non-urban areas. Climate models predict that metropolitan centres will become even warmer due to the dual impacts of global warming and densification. However, the outer fringe zones of metropolitan centres will also become warmer as a consequence of urban expansion that requires replacing green and open spaces like pastures or bushland with grey infrastructure such as roads and buildings. Limiting the warming effect of urban expansion is possible. It requires dedicated heat-responsive planning and design strategies being applied systematically and at scale. But where should planners and developers start to effectively reduce urban heat? At-grade car parks are an ideal starting point. They represent the ‘low-hanging fruit’ for urban cooling efforts. While unavoidable today and in the near future, at-grade car parks are predominately unshaded; made from black, heat-retaining asphalt; widespread and fairly uniform; and often large in size. Changes to current designs of at-grade car parks can therefore have a big impact. A number of strategies to effectively reduce surface heat of car parks are commercially available. Cooling car parks not only addresses their status as local heat islands, but it also leads to lower ambient air temperatures in downwind environments. This report documents:   Microclimates across eight car parks and reference sites covered by vegetation. Measurements of surface and air temperatures related to a range of car park surface materials. The cooling effect of shade in car parks. Current design guidelines and policies in Australia related to car parks. Alternative design solutions for cooler car parks. The empirical data and policy analysis are used to develop a set of recommendations for urban heat mitigation that can be applied to new and existing car parks. Because of the common nature of at-grade car parks around the world, the proposed cooling techniques can be applied globally, irrespective of the fact that the underlying case studies and data originated from Sydney

Modeling Infrastructure Vulnerabilities and Adaptation to Climate Change in Urban Systems: Methodology and Application to Metropolitan Boston

Much of the infrastructure in use today was designed and constructed decades if not centuries ago. Many of these infrastructure systems are vulnerable to a variety of anthropogenic or natural disruptions even though their functioning is vital to the creation and maintenance of quality of life in a region. Moreover, concepts and designs have persisted even as technologies have changed. Yet the demands and technologies of the future may require infrastructures ? both material facilities and human institutions ? that are radically different from those of the present. Dealing appropriately with immediate infrastructure vulnerabilities and infrastructure evolution requires a combination of effective short-term crisis management and anticipatory, strategic thinking and planning. Both the "material nature" and institutional issues surrounding urban infrastructure in a changing environment pose formidable challenges to efforts by industrial ecologists to improve the sustainability of urban areas. This presentation describes a collaborative study carried out over the course of more than three years by a group of scientists from engineering, policy analysis, geography and public health, together with a local planning agency and over 200 stakeholders from the public, private and non-profit sectors in metropolitan Boston. The research was conducted as part of the CLIMB project, which explores Climate?s Long-term Impacts on Metro Boston. Special focus was given to vulnerabilities and dynamics of urban infrastructures for energy, communication, transportation, water run-off, and water quality, as well as the interrelatedness of these systems, and implications for public health. Computer-based scenarios are presented for potential future infrastructure dynamics under a variety of assumptions about changes in technology, infrastructure investment, and local climates. The presentation concludes with a set of strategies for environmental investment and policy making that are currently considered for metro Boston, and many of which are highly relevant to, and directly applicable in other locations.

The cooling intensity dependent on landscape complexity of green infrastructure in the metropolitan area

The cooling effect of green infrastructure (GI) is becoming a hot topic on mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Alterations to the green space are a viable solution for reducing land surface temperature (LST), yet few studies provide specific guidance for landscape planning adapted to the different regions. This paper proposed and defined the landscape complexity and the threshold value of cooling effect (TVoE). Results find that: (1) GI provides a better cooling effect in the densely built-up area than the green belt; (2) GI with a simple form, aggregated configuration, and low patch density had a better cooling intensity; (3) In the densely built-up area, TVoE of the forest area is 4.5 ha, while in the green belt, TVoE of the forest and grassland area is 9 ha and 2.25 ha. These conclusions will help the planners to reduce LST effectively, and employ environmentally sustainable planning