Information technology and urban green analysis

It is well recognized that green area plays a pivotal role in improving urban environment, such as preserving water and soil, controlling temperature and humidity of air, preventing pollution, flood prevention, functioning as buffers between incompatible land uses, preserving natural habitat, and providing space for recreation and relaxation. However, due to pressures from new development both in urban fringes and urban centres, urban green and open spaces are seen to be rapidly declining in term of allocated spaces and quality. Without careful urban land use planning, many open spaces will be filled with residential and commercial buildings. Therefore, there is a need for proper planning control to ensure that the provisions of green spaces are adequately being conserved for current and future generations. The need for an urban green information system is particularly important for strategic planning at macro level and local planning at the micro level. The advent of information technology has created an opportunity for the development of new approaches in preserving and monitoring the development of urban green and open spaces. This paper will discuss the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) incorporated with other data sources such as remote sensing images and aerial photographs in providing innovative and alternative solutions in the management and monitoring of urban green. GIS is widely accepted in urban landscape planning as it can provide better understanding on the spatial pattern and changes of land use in an area. This paper will primarily focus on digital database that are developed to assist in monitoring urban green and open spaces at regional and local context. The application of GIS in the Klang Valley region or better known as AGISwlk developed since mid-1990's is currently being used by various organisations in the region. The focus of AGISwlk is not merely in providing relevant database to its stakeholders but more importantly, assist in making specific and relevant decisions with regard to spatial planning. It is also used to monitor the loss of green areas by using several temporal data sets. The method of classifying green and open spaces in the region is also being discussed. This paper demonstrates that GIS can be an effective tool in preserving and monitoring green and open spaces in an urban area. The contribution of urban green digital database in someway may leads toward landscape sustainability as to satisfy the ever changing society

GIS based integrated planning assessment for sustainable land use development

Development planning and assessment require an effective approach to achieve the desired goals and objectives, evaluate alternative as well as control development programs that are in line with the current and future prospects. The advent of information technology encouraged the integration of planning assessment and GIS approach for sustainable development. GIS technology has long been applied in planning activities which essentially include plans formulation as well as development control. The Manual for preparing the various levels of plan has provided that all plans use GIS technology in plan formulation. This paper sets out the information requirement and GIS functionalities, which are relevant to various plans especially the regional plan for Lembah Klang region. The dynamic nature of planning and monitoring of development in Klang Valley, the fastest growing region in Peninsular Malaysia, apparently requires a ‘tool’ for continuous evaluation and analysis of the current environment as well as the capacity for future development. As such, a new concept of evaluation model named Integrated Land use Assessment (ILA) was introduced within the prior developed “Application of Geographic Information System (GIS) for Klang Valley Region” (AGISwlk). The introduction of ILA as an integrated land use planning approach that exploits the GIS analysis capabilities, supported by the use of planning support systems is seen as a good mechanism for monitoring urban development. The ILA model developed is implemented through incorporation with the use of the What if? PSS which is a scenario-based, policy-oriented planning support system that uses increasingly available GIS data. Apart from that, a user interface is also developed to ease the access and preparation of data from the AGISwlk database to run the ILA model and generate alternative scenarios. This paper will discuss the approach, developed model and underlying concept of ILA and emphasise on the case study concerning the use of ILA model for generating alternative development scenarios in Klang Valley. To conclude, several issues raised in the study will be discussed

GIS in urban planning and management: Malaysian experience

Since the seventies, Malaysia is experiencing a rapid urbanization rate and becoming one of most developed countries in the Asia region. Urbanization contributes many advantages in terms of economics, but if uncontrolled, would produce negative consequences to the physical, social and natural environment. With the advancement of Geo-information Technology (GIT), which considerably influenced the dynamic nature of urban and regional planning, incorporation of GIT becomes imperative for better and improved decision-making in urban planning and management. It offers a solution to the urban problems and decision-making, which is more reliant to the real-time spatial modeling. Based on the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172) latest amended in 2001, the development plans provide the development framework and guidelines which need to be continually updated according to the present situation of development. The integration of Geographical Information System (GIS) has provided a tool which can contribute to much clearer understanding of real planning problems as well as prescriptive planning scenarios to enhance the quality of urban planning and management. This paper will enlighten the need for GIS at strategic planning and management level. Example of the use of GIS for strategic planning at the higher level relates to the National Physical Plan, Regional Plan and State Structure Plan whereas at local planning level, the integration of GIS is at District Local Plan and Area Action Plan. This paper will also highlight on how GIS is applied for urban management purposes with focus on development control. GIS notably provide a strong platform to decision maker in its role as the main component in Planning Support System (PSS) and Decision Support System (DSS). Some discussion on database design, the analysis techniques, the framework of planning and management incorporating GIS will end the paper

Pendekatan penilaian kawasan sensitif alam sekitar menggunakan analisis multi-kriteria

Physical, socio-economic and environmental sustainability are the most important basis in preparing development plans. The assessment of environmentally sensitive areas (ESA) becomes an important agenda following rapid urban development, industrialisation and economic growth which lead to adverse impacts on the environment. Many methods of analysis have been adopted in the assessment of environmentally sensitive areas (ESA) subject to the needs and the study areas. This paper introduces the multi-criteria method as an approach in the assessment of ESA, and in the formation of a development scenario that can determine the best alternative for a development plan. The multi-criteria method emphasises subjective transparency and judgement in the selection of sets of alternatives that affects the interests of stakeholders and decision-makers. The integration of information technology into the planning process using Geographical Information System (GIS) with the capability of utilising and manipulating spatial and non-spatial data results in better and more rational planning decisions. Database development and spatial modelling provide new dimensions in the analysis, in the painting of current scenario, and in achieving better data presentation in the process of determining ES