Costes del 'Urban Sprawl' para la Administración local. El caso valenciano

Esta investigación tiene como principal objetivo cuantificar el efecto de la dispersión urbana sobre el coste de los servicios públicos básicos mediante un modelo de gasto que pueda servir de instrumento para un mejor conocimiento de las consecuencias sobre la hacienda pública del urbanismo. Así pues, el documento establece el marco teórico, las hipótesis y los objetivos de la investigación; define la metodología y las fuentes de información utilizadas; realiza una primera aproximación al modelo urbano de la Comunidad Valenciana y define un indicador de dispersión urbana municipal, con el que caracteriza la dispersión urbana de cada uno de los municipios de la Comunidad Valenciana; cuantifica el modelo de coste, estableciendo las posibles correlaciones existentes entre el gasto público municipal en los distintos capítulos del presupuesto y la dispersión urbana; y finalmente, concluye con una propuesta para incorporar el aprendizaje adquirido en la quinta y sexta parte, en los Informes de Sostenibilidad Económica.The main objective of this research is to quantify the effect of urban sprawl on the cost of basic public services by means of an expenditure model that can serve as an instrument for a better understanding of the consequences of urban planning on public finances. Thus, the document establishes the theoretical framework, the hypotheses and the objectives of the research; it defines the methodology and the sources of information used; it makes a first approximation to the urban model of the Valencian Community and defines an indicator of municipal urban dispersion, with which it characterises the urban dispersion of each of the municipalities of the Valencian Community; It quantifies the cost model, establishing the possible correlations between municipal public spending in the different chapters of the budget and urban dispersion; and finally, it concludes with a proposal to incorporate the learning acquired in the fifth and sixth parts, in the Economic Sustainability Reports

Approach to Urban Metabolism of Almassora Municipality, Spain, As a Tool for Creating a Sustainable City

[EN] Achieving sustainable growth is a priority in the Europe 2020 Strategy. For this purpose, the 20-20-20 objective was adopted: reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20%, increase the percentage of renewable energy sources by 20% and improve energy efficiency 20%. In order to achieve this, the focus must be placed on cities. That is why the Community Funds Regulations establish the obligation to dedicate at least 5% of European Regional Development Fund resources toward measures for integrated and sustainable urban development. The Operational Program of Sustainable Growth 2014¿2020, intends to support cities¿ initiatives for changes towards an economy with low carbon emissions, to increase the use of renewable energy sources, to modernize our transport sector and to promote energy efficiency. A metabolic approach to the urban phenomenon tries to understand the city as a complex system that incorporates and transforms materials, water and energy, to ensure the different functions performed by the city, whether social, environmental or economic. The knowledge of a city¿s urban metabolism provides a powerful tool for analysis, planning and management, moving towards the goal of sustainability. Our research aims to model the city¿s urban metabolism in Almassora (Valencian community, Spain) and to demonstrate its usefulness as a methodological proposal for integrating this framework into the process of developing a strategy towards a sustainable city. The current metabolic profile of the city was generated calculating CO2 emissions and energy consumption for different urban forms of the city. This model gives us a tool to better understand city functioning in terms of urban metabolism, from the transformation of resources (input) and the efficiency of the different urban functions of the city, until waste generation (output). This paper offers a first reflection about how an urban metabolism approach can be useful as a planning tool to design strategies to reach sustainability.López Chofre, I.; Gielen, E.; Palencia Jiménez, JS. (2018). Approach to Urban Metabolism of Almassora Municipality, Spain, As a Tool for Creating a Sustainable City. WIT Transactions on the Built Environment (Online). 179:209-219. https://doi.org/10.2495/UG180201S20921917

MULTIDIMENSIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE REGIONAL URBAN MODEL AND THE URBAN SPRAWL IN VALENCIA

[EN] The big urban development produced in Spain about last 30 years has produced a paradigm shift in the regional urban model. The traditionally compact city has become a scattered city. This phenomenon is usual in the American model but is relatively new in Spain and in the European context. Many of the contemporary cities present an urban sprawl model. In this situation, the city is not only constituted by its historical nucleus and its extension, but also includes discontinuous urban land. Therefore, new analysis tools are needed. This paper shows a part of PhD research and studies the characterization of the pattern of urban occupation from a morphological perspective. The application of multivariate statistical techniques allows to reduce an initial set of 12 variables in five independent dimensions: density, fragmentation, distance, complexity and extension. It is shown that the urban sprawl is a multidimensional phenomenon. The research conclude that urban sprawl is an urban model of occupation of the territory, characterized by low density settlements spread over large areas, fragmented in several urban units, distant between them and defining a complex structure. The research has been carried out in the Valencian Community at the municipal level. As a result, the five dimensions of the urban model have been calculated to all municipalities. This has allowed to identify processes of urban dispersion in the coastal areas and the metropolitan areas of the most important cities.Gielen, E.; Miralles García, JL.; Riutort-Mayol, G. (2018). MULTIDIMENSIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE REGIONAL URBAN MODEL AND THE URBAN SPRAWL IN VALENCIA. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning. 13(4):493-505. doi:10.2495/SDP-V13-N4-493-505S49350513

Management synergies: Water resources and flooding

[EN] The fifth report of the European Commission, COM (2019) 95final, on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (Second River basin Management Plans 2000/60/EU and First Flood Risk Management Plans 2007/60/EU), in order to coordinate the authorities involved and exploit synergies, recommends that Spain considers flooding within the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. The operation of dams on the territory of the Community is proposed by Spain in the EU Guidance document No. 24 ¿River basin Management in a Changing Climate¿ (TR-2009-040) as a measure of resilience to water scarcity, accentuated by climate change. Optimal management of water resources in catchments and their surroundings ensures the different uses of water: ecological (protected areas and population supply), agricultural, industrial and recreational, as well as flood safety of people and property. Land use planning that includes areas of temporary flooding during high precipitations, run-off or overflow can contribute significantly to improve the operation of reservoirs. In this article, we analyse the flood areas of different types of watersheds, based on real cases, defined by a variety of geo-morphologies downstream of the dam (channels, gullies and flat-bottomed troughs, flood plains) and by current anthropogenic uses occupying the territory. The results are analysed with reference to their potential for synergy with the operation of the upstream water reservoir. Key trends shown are proposed to be translated into coefficients of reduction in environmental and socioeconomic damages within the model of spillways simulation.Vicente-Torres, M.; Palencia-Jiménez, J.; Gielen, E. (2020). Management synergies: Water resources and flooding. International Journal of Environmental Impacts (Online). 3(4):314-323. https://doi.org/10.2495/EI-V3-N4-314-324S3143233

Urban green indicators: a tool to estimate the sustainability of our cities

[EN] In Europe, more than 70% of the population lives in an urban area. All the challenges related to land use conflicts, demographic changes, climate resilience and human well-being are concentrated inside the cities, since the population is already living in urban areas, which are more and more compact and dependent on grey infrastructure. In this context, urban green infrastructure represents a sustainable solution to maintain the benefits and services provided by urban ecosystems and an efficient urban planning tool to face the urban challenges. The sustainability of our cities can be reached adopting an innovative vision using the concept of ecosystem services of the urban green infrastructure. Different initiatives to assess the benefits provided by green infrastructure have emerged in the last decade. However, very few take into account the whole range of services provided by urban green infrastructure. The present article provides a systematic search and synthesis of the most important literature to review indicators of urban green infrastructure. The main goal is to give an insight of how urban green infrastructure is measured in practice. Results show the set of ecosystem services that are being considered when assessing sustainability of green infrastructure and identify the most recurrent indicators at the different scales. This work is expected to contribute to the improvement of the evaluation of green infrastructure effectiveness for providing benefits for urban dwellers.This work was supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the project Green Cities For Climate and Water Resilience, Sustainable Economic Growth, Healthy Citizens and Environments with reference 730283.Tudorie, CM.; Gielen, E.; Vallés-Planells, M.; Galiana, F. (2019). Urban green indicators: a tool to estimate the sustainability of our cities. International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics. 14(1):19-29. https://doi.org/10.2495/DNE-V14-N1-19-29S192914

Relationships between urban form and mobility: gender and mode of transport

With the growth of urban areas, cities are the centres of the great challenges of our society. Urban form influences the metabolism of cities in multiple ways and mobility is one of them. Depending on the type of urban fabric, population, and activities located in them, travel needs and modes of transport differences appear. As population is diverse, this relationship between urban form and mobility probably have significant gender gaps that should be investigated. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the correlation between the type of urban fabric and people’s mobility patterns, looking for significant gender differences in the number of trips and the mode of transport. Data were collected from the survey done for the Mobility Plan of the Metropolitan Area of Valencia and cadastral information. For statistical analysis, the PSPP program and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used. This paper demonstrates significant differences in relation to gender and modes of transport. Women use more sustainable modes of transport, especially in dense and compact cities. Urban sprawl increases mobility, especially trips using private motorised modes. On the contrary, more sustainable modes, like by foot, on bike, or using public transport, are used in compact cities. Looking for sustainable mobility, women and density are key aspects which land planners must take into account when designing cities

Urban sprawl and citizen participation. A case study in the municipality of La Pobla de Vallbona (Valencia)

[EN] The accelerated urban growth of the last decades in Europe has caused, especially in the Spanish Mediterranean coast, a paradigm shift in much cities, moving from a mostly compact urban form to a more diffuse one. The concept of city has changed so much that even in a lot of dispersed municipalities, it becomes difficult to define its limits. This change implies not only ecological and economic impacts, but also, social effects. Urban sprawl makes difficult social interaction and reduces the community feeling, and therefore, social cohesion and identity. This produces also changes in the relations of citizens between them and with the city council. The research propounds a discussion about the challenges that the urban sprawl causes for the application of participative models in the decision making, understanding them as basic criterion of good government. We analyze a case study to extract the complexity of articulating processes of citizen participation in territory with high dispersion based on a project carried out in the municipality of La Pobla de Vallbona (Valencia) on participatory budgets. It analyzes the results of the process carried out in relation to the urban model, the morphology of their urban pieces and spatial structure, and the demographic and social characteristics of the municipality. The question is identifying the problematic for the articulation of participative processes in territories with this idiosyncrasy. Finally, the article suggests a series of strategic lines as starting points to achieve participatory processes in the city characterized by urban sprawl.Gielen, E.; Pérez Alonso, Y.; Palencia Jiménez, JS.; Sosa Espinosa, A. (2018). Urban sprawl and citizen participation. A case study in the municipality of La Pobla de Vallbona (Valencia). En 24th ISUF International Conference. Book of Papers. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 443-452. https://doi.org/10.4995/ISUF2017.2017.6154OCS44345

Improving Landslide Susceptibility Assessment through Frequency Ratio and Classification Methods-Case Study of Valencia Region (Spain)

[EN] Landslide susceptibility maps are widely used in land management and urban planning to delimit potentially problematic areas. In this article we improve their reliability by acting on the frequency ratio method and map classification systems. For the frequency ratio method, we have worked with continuous variables and established intervals grouped by probability according to the landslide inventory and based on the characteristics of the data rather than on standard divisions. For map classification systems, we have compared the efficacy of conventional classifications and those based on the concepts of sensitivity and specificity, with the specificity classifications being supported by the information offered by available comparative data. Both strategies make it possible to avoid subjective and repetitive procedures that are alien to the nature of the data being assessed. We present a case study in the 23,000 km2 Region of Valencia where a total of 48 different susceptibility maps were generated. We demonstrate that the methods applied in this study to calculate the frequency ratio provide an improvement in specificity in areas of high susceptibility while maintaining good sensitivity. In particular, the Area Under Curve (AUC) values increase from 0.67 for the conventional methods to 0.76 with the methods proposed in this work. This improvement is transferred to susceptibility mapping much more clearly when classifications that incorporate sensitivity, and especially specificity parameters, are used.Authors acknowledge funding from Department of Geological and Geotechnical Engineering, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain).Cantarino-Martí, I.; Carrión Carmona, MÁ.; Martínez Ibáñez, V.; Gielen, E. (2023). Improving Landslide Susceptibility Assessment through Frequency Ratio and Classification Methods-Case Study of Valencia Region (Spain). Applied Sciences. 13(8):1-24. https://doi.org/10.3390/app1308514612413

The Formation of Crystalline Dust in AGB Winds from Binary Induced Spiral Shocks

As stars evolve along the Asymptotic Giant Branch, strong winds are driven from the outer envelope. These winds form a shell, which may ultimately become a planetary nebula. Many planetary nebulae are highly asymmetric, hinting at the presence of a binary companion. Some post-Asymptotic Giant Branch objects are surrounded by torii of crystalline dust, but there is no generally accepted mechanism for annealing the amorphous grains in the wind to crystals. In this Letter, we show that the shaping of the wind by a binary companion is likely to lead to the formation of crystalline dust in the orbital plane of the binary.Comment: Submitted to ApJ