Circularity-driven urban quietness as an indicator of sustainability

The concepts of noise and quietness are multidimensional, contradictive and retain a degree of fuzziness. Their notion expands between the physical dimension of sound to a phenomenological/perceptual construct. The perception of noise as a sound of high-intensity or as an unwanted sound has shaped the concept of quietness as an urban sound design goal overlooking ecological co-benefits. The main purpose of this research is to highlight the symbiotic relationship between urban quietness and sustainability. More specifically, actions of circular urban development, including green walls and electromobility were modeled, to highlight their effect on the sound environment of a Mediterranean coastal medium-sized city. Following the guidelines provided by the CNOSSOS-EU road traffic noise model, the effects of the aforementioned sustainability actions were visualized by means of noise mapping. The results indicate that a noise level reduction of approximately 4 dB(A) could derive with the implementation of circular urban development measures. &nbsp

Landscape as Connecting Link of Nature and Culture: Spatial Planning Policy Implications in Greece

The research paper investigates the diverse understandings of “landscape”, along with demonstrating the modes of contribution of the European Landscape Convention (ELC) of the Council of Europe (CE) in influencing national spatial planning systems. The paper, interested in considering the efficiency of landscape policy from a territorial perspective, briefly outlines the perception and understanding of landscape as connecting link of nature and culture and conducts a literature review with the aim to support the prospect of a «European model of landscape planning». Lastly, it critically examines the approach to landscape planning and management by the Greek state, revealing the catalytic role of the Council of Europe (CE) in activating the dimension of landscape in Greece, in a mutualistic perspective between environmental policy and spatial planning, mainly through strategic spatial planning tools (i.e., the Regional Spatial Plans, RSPs). The results point out that (a) the ELC gave new impetus to spatial planning in Greece, providing the tool to manage and coordinate landscape policy, positively influencing the evolving spatial planning paradigm; (b) the decentralized approach adopted, identified landscapes of particular value at a regional level, so as to be given priority in terms of the implementation of coordinated governance arrangements and management actions. However, the implementation of landscape policy continues to rely on the underlying spatial planning level (Local Spatial Plans, Special Spatial Plans) and a general conclusion is that both on land and on sea, it depends on the incorporation of evolutionary trends in planning including an evolutionary perspective for landscape itself, viewed as a complex social-ecological system

Mapping and Assessing Cultural Ecosystem Services to Inform Maritime Spatial Planning: A Systematic Review

Socio-cultural dimensions and values in maritime spatial planning (MSP) are gaining momentum worldwide and especially in the European Union (EU), since it is acknowledged that they are the “missing layer” of maritime spatial plans (MSPlans). These values are partly explored through cultural ecosystem services (CES). Coastal and marine CES refer to the benefits that humans derive from the coastal and marine environments in recreational, artistic, spiritual, and educational terms. They reflect the ways in which coastal and marine ecosystems contribute to human well-being, cultural identity, and interactions with nature. The research question is how to map and assess coastal/marine ecosystem services and to integrate them in the MSPlans. Thus, this systematic review sheds light on methodological and technical issues with CES mapping and assessment and provides guidance on how to incorporate CES in MSP for future research. Publications dealing with the spatial aspects of CES were examined with an extra focus on participatory mapping approaches. Initially, 199 articles were identified, and 50 articles were ultimately eligible for the analysis. Papers were concentrated in the European Atlantic, whilst their scope was either local or regional. A large number of articles consider the contribution of CES to efficient marine management rather than to achieving an integrated and coordinated MSP. Social and mixed mapping approaches were met with the most often, especially participatory mapping approaches. Also, non-monetary valuation was prevailing, and a multitude of techniques, tools, and statistical software were used. In most of the cases, the distribution of values in relation to environmental, socio-economic, and demographic factors was examined. This article concludes that an effective integration of CES into MSP is crucial for creating prospects of a more sustainable and inclusive approach to coastal/marine planning and for the well-being of ecosystems and communities both currently and for future generations. This knowledge should become “property” of the maritime spatial planners

Towards a Preservation–Sustainability Nexus: Applying LCA to Reduce the Environmental Footprint of Modern Built Heritage

There is a deep and often impassioned postulation that preservation is virtuous for societal well-being, collective identity and for the environment. This idea is an important paradigm to guide rehabilitation strategies for historic buildings. However, there is a need for data and research in order to validate the contribution of preservation to environmental and cultural sustainability. These research results will support preservation-related decision-making, in which tensions and conflicts with sustainability goals are a routine. Nowadays, there is a strong belief that historic buildings of the 20th century also need to be preserved to create the identities of neighborhoods and cities and suitable strategies need to be applied to extend their lifespan in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. This research, based on the assumption that integrating sustainability considerations in historic buildings needs a quantifiable approach, selected eight refugee block apartment flats dating back to the interwar period—endowed with architectural, aesthetical and urban history-related values and acknowledged as exceptional examples of Bauhaus architecture in Greece—for an experimental procedure based on life cycle analysis (LCA). Taking into account the deteriorated state of conservation of the buildings, different preservation interventions were analyzed, focusing on the conservation of the initial architectural form of the buildings and critical issues such as the increase in energy efficiency after restoration. The research concludes that this type of assessment can inform urban strategies, making a nexus between preservation and the environmental component of sustainability

Sound complexity as a strategy for livable and sustainable cities: The case of an urban waterfront

Public spaces underwent a notable shift in their acoustic profile during the societal restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. A silver lining emerged from this global crisis, with noticeable improvements in public acoustic environments due to reduced noise levels resulting from restricted mobility. This research focuses on the acoustic environment of Thessaloniki’s waterfront, a Mediterranean metropolis in Northern Greece. Waterfronts of Mediterranean coastal cities provide unique acoustic environments worthy of protection from environmental noise. By analyzing sound level measurements and recordings during the 2021 lockdown and comparing them to the post-lockdown period in 2022, we aimed to explore environmental noise and acoustic complexity indicators. The study’s findings revealed a significant increase in acoustic complexity during the lockdown, underscoring an inverse relationship between noise levels and acoustic complexity. Urban waterfronts, like Thessaloniki’s, hold great potential for enhancing acoustic complexity and subsequently improving the acoustic quality of public spaces while protecting them from environmental noise. This research sheds light on the possible use of sound complexity as an environmental quality standard that can be incorporated in sustainable urban planning and design

The Sound of a Circular City: Towards a Circularity-Driven Quietness

The circular economy paradigm can be beneficial for urban sustainability by eliminating waste and pollution, by circulating products and materials and by regenerating nature. Furthermore, under an urban circular development scheme, environmental noise can be designed out. The current noise control policies and actions, undertaken at a source–medium–receiver level, present a linearity with minimum sustainability co-benefits. A circular approach in noise control strategies and in soundscape design could offer numerous ecologically related co-benefits. The global literature documenting the advantages of the implementation of circular economy in cities has highlighted noise mitigation as a given benefit. Research involving circular economy actions such as urban green infrastructure, green walls, sustainable mobility systems and electro-mobility has acknowledged reduced noise levels as a major circularity outcome. In this research paper, we highlight the necessity of a circularity and bioeconomy approach in noise control. To this end, a preliminary experimental noise modeling study was conducted to showcase the acoustic benefits of green walls and electric vehicles in a medium-sized urban area of a Mediterranean island. The results indicate a noise level reduction at 4 dB(A) when simulating the introduction of urban circular development actions