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277 Presentations

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DEVELOPMENT OF A TOOL TO INTEGRATE HEALTH INTO PUBLIC SPACE PLANNING

Session Type
Pecha Kuchas
Date
02/24/2022
Session Time
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Room

Hall B

Lecture Time
02:20 PM - 02:25 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for a Sustainable Development and especially focusing on SGDs 3 and 11, ISGlobal and the Public Facilities and Public Space and the Public Health Services Departments of the Barcelona Provincial Council have developed a tool to integrate health perspective into municipal public space planning. The tool supports reflection, evaluation and decision making for urban planners when designing or remodeling public space interventions to promote health and well-being, as well as social and environmental benefits.

A narrative literature review of articles related to interventions in public green spaces and plazas associated with health benefits was conducted. Eligible articles were categorized into topics which were discussed with different actors and classified as health determinants associated with public space, including: environmental expositions, community, comfort and attractive, access and connectivity, security, maintenance and healthiness and uses. Determinants are defined by elements, referring to public space items or interventions associated with potential health benefits.

The tool is based on the Scotland National Health Service Place Standard Tool. It uses a questionnaire that includes different questions for each element which defines the determinants. There are three different types of questions: space classification, scoring and reflection. Scores for each element and determinant can be visualized in a spiderweb diagram. Complete results are provided in a report that offers a picture of the extent to which the evaluated space incorporates features and interventions that may benefit health and well-being. The tool also offers the possibility for a transversal evaluation through different elements that are included in more than one determinant, like green features, as well as to compare the situation of the same space at different time points.

The tool provides a framework to detect which aspects of the evaluated spaces may require further reflection or modification in order to maximise their potential benefits. This tool highlights the role of urban planning as public health interventions, and provides an example of how multi sectoral collaborations can improve public space planning and integrate health as a transversal element into other sectors.

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THE WORLD’S CITIES CAN BE BIODIVERSE HAVENS FOR TREES

Session Type
Academic Sessions
Date
02/24/2022
Session Time
11:30 AM - 12:50 PM
Room

Hall A

Lecture Time
12:00 PM - 12:10 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Since the settlement of the first cities, humans have selected trees to provide natural resources and beautify urban landscapes. Ancient and modern trade facilitated species movement, often far from native habitats and climates. At the same time, advances in horticultural technology enabled breeding species into new cultivars and varieties suitable for myriad uses.

After millennia of urbanization, with urban areas covering 2% of land mass yet hosting half of humanity, it is reasonable to ask: how many tree species have humans successfully retained and introduced into the world’s urban areas? how can we transform the world’s cities into biodiverse havens for trees?

We collated public tree species data from 473 urban areas in 73 countries, and 21 Koppen-Geiger climate zones. Tree species data was consolidated from 13 million occurrence records from tree inventories and the scientific literature, and complemented with data on their conservation status (IUCN) and invasion potential (GRIIS).

The global urban areas investigated contained a diverse tree flora (n=4,734 species) which represent about 8% of all known tree species, 29% of genera and 68% of families that contain trees. Extrapolation of observed species richness further suggests that an additional 3,738 tree species might be present in other urban areas, making up to 14% of the known global tree flora.

Around 8% of tree species recorded (n=372) are listed as invasive in at least one country, thus signaling their potential for biological invasion if spreading from cities to rural areas. On the other hand, conservation status data highlighted 179 species as “vulnerable” in the wild, 122 species “endangered”, 62 species “critically endangered”. Six tree species found in the world’s urban areas are thought to be “extinct in the wild”.

Cities are often consider foci of species extinctions, yet our analysis shows that the world’s cities can host a diverse tree flora. Whilst trade in ornamental plants has facilitated the spread of invasive species in the past, we also suggest that urban environments offer untapped opportunities to advance global biological conservation efforts for wild tree species and other plants in the future.

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HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CO-BENEFITS OF CITY URBAN FORM IN LATIN AMERICA: AN ECOLOGICAL STUDY

Session Type
Pecha Kuchas
Date
02/23/2022
Session Time
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Room

Hall D

Lecture Time
02:30 PM - 02:35 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Background: Urban design features are often studied in relation to health and behavioral outcomes. They can also have major implications for environmental outcomes. Yet the impact of these features on both health and environmental outcomes (co-benefits) is rarely examined. We investigated how urban landscape and street design profiles are related to jointly occurring health and environmental outcomes in Latin America cities.

Methods: The SALURBAL project has compiled and harmonized data on built environment, environmental exposures, and health outcomes for 370 cities in 11 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru. Eight city profiles were identified using finite mixture models. Four urban landscape profiles were defined measuring patch (contiguous area of urban development) fragmentation, shape, and isolation. Additional four street design profiles were defined using street connectivity, length, and directness. Multilevel regression models were used to assess associations between the city profiles and several health and environmental outcomes.

Findings (preliminary): As compared to the urban landscape profile labelled ‘scattered pixels’ (low fragmentation, compact shape, high isolation), the ‘proximate stones’ profile (moderate fragmentation, irregular shape, moderate isolation) had significantly higher levels of PM2.5 and NO2, and the ‘proximate inkblots’ profile (moderate-high fragmentation, complex shape, moderate isolation) had significantly higher violence related deaths. As compared to the street design profile labelled ‘labyrinthine’ (low connectivity, moderate length, moderate directness), the ‘semi-hyperbolic grid’ (moderate connectivity, moderate length, moderate directness) and the ‘spiderweb’ (high connectivity, low length, moderate directness) profiles had significantly higher levels of PM2.5 and NO2. While the ‘hyperbolic grid’ profile (moderate connectivity, high length, low directness) had significantly higher levels of NO2 and lower levels of obesity.

Conclusion: Identifying how city profiles are related to environment and health outcomes can shed light on the urban policies that could have the greatest environment and health co-benefits.

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VALUATION OF LOCAL-SCALE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BY DECISION-MAKERS: A DISCRETE CHOICE EXPERIMENT IN FLANDERS, BELGIUM

Session Type
Pecha Kuchas
Date
02/24/2022
Session Time
02:00 PM - 03:10 PM
Room

Hall C

Lecture Time
02:30 PM - 02:35 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Being confronted with increasing and expanding urbanization and the loss of natural green spaces, our living environment is threatened more and more by the effects of global climate change. Cities and municipalities will play a pivotal role in responding to climate change, specifically with regard to climate adaptation. Nature-based solutions and green infrastructure could contribute to climate adaptation goals, while simultaneously delivering a wide range of co-benefits to society. In this study a discrete choice experiment was conducted with local decision makers in Flemish municipalities to reveal crucial factors in the decision process of green infrastructure projects. Flanders counts as one of the most densely built regions in Europe, stressing the urgency to understand local spatial decision factors to guarantee green space. 568 decision makers active in the local administration in 235 Flemish municipalities (78%) participated in the choice experiment. The sample includes individuals with political mandates (mayors, aldermen, councillors) and non-politically appointed functions (e.g. CEOs, financial directors, environmental and sustainability officers). The choice design is composed of 10 unforced choice sets, existing of two choice alternatives for a hypothetical neighbourhood park and a status-quo option. Every choice alternative exists of five attributes: investment cost, maintenance cost, deferred investment, recreational value and climate impact. [SVP1] Results indicate that local governments’ decisions on green infrastructure are highly cost-driven and rarely consider the full range of benefits. Moreover, economic benefits of green infrastructure are seldomly included as a decision criterion. Further, results indicate that reducing the uncertainty of greening projects’ impact would highly benefit the chances of increased uptake in later decision stages. The results can be used to inform higher authorities on the pathways to facilitate investments in green space and overcoming barriers towards informed decision-making.

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A SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS OF THE STAKEHOLDERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIONS WITHIN LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLANS

Session Type
Academic Sessions
Date
02/24/2022
Session Time
09:30 AM - 10:40 AM
Room

Hall C

Lecture Time
09:30 AM - 09:40 AM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Environmental action plans are intended to provide the main guidance for environmental protection, playing a vital role in reconciling environmental quality with social and economic development. The success of their implementation relies on the collaboration between the involved actors. Therefore, our study aims to identify the types of stakeholders responsible for the implementation of actions proposed to manage the environmental problems, the core focus of the Local Environmental Action Plans (LEAPs), and the extent of their collaboration. A sample of 40 LEAPs from Romania was selected to identify the stakeholders responsible for the management, funding, implementation and monitoring of LEAPs actions. The stakeholders were classified into two categories as follow: (1) public officials (e.g., European, national, regional, county and local structures) and (2) the general public (e.g., academia, experts, mass-media, private companies, non-governmental organizations and citizens). A network analysis approach was employed in order to identify the most involved and influential stakeholders from each category as well as the relationship between them (e.g., vertical and horizontal coordination). Our preliminary results shows that stakeholders such as municipal administrations at county and local levels are the most involved in the local environmental planning process. Furthermore, the involvement of the general public involvement (especially of the citizens and non-governmental organizations) was low. In conclusion, our study tries to better understand the collaboration and coordination of different sectors in order to offer recommendations for an efficient implementation of environmental planning.

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATIONS: A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD TO SLUM RESILIENCE IN LAGOS METROPOLIS

Session Type
Academic Sessions
Date
02/23/2022
Session Time
09:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Room

Hall C

Lecture Time
10:10 AM - 10:20 AM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Some slums continue to resist the threat of eviction, even though many cities in the global South are tuned towards their clearances. Social capital is one of the major assets of slum communities, yet little is known about the role of this capital to slum resilience against threat of eviction. Similarly, Lagos, a megacity in Nigeria, engages in slum clearances to reduce slum growth, yet, many slums still exist in the city. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the factors that contribute to the resilience of slum communities through a social capital lens. The study first identifies the available social capital and then assesses how this capital influences resilience to the threat of eviction in slums. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The study showed that there is a form of structural social capital through the presence of government-registered community development associations in the slums. However, the presence of the associations in slums does not necessarily aid higher resilience in slums. This is because the community development association, through their appointed executives, have become a double-edged sword to slum resilience. They can either facilitate or impede the strengthening of community trust, social cohesion, bonding ties, and community assets, required to increase resilience to threat of eviction, through their decision-making process and community activities. This study therefore recommends restructuring the community development associations to achieve a sustainable solution to the threat of eviction in slums in Lagos.

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FIT-BYTES: REIMAGINING THE SUPERMARKET THROUGH THE LENS OF HEALTH

Session Type
Pecha Kuchas
Date
02/23/2022
Session Time
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Room

Hall D

Lecture Time
02:20 PM - 02:25 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Today, supermarkets have a stronghold on the UK’s grocery market; as such, they function as the main interface between urban citizens and the food they eat. Based on a nested model of convenience, the fifty-year dominance of supermarket shopping has reshaped cities and resulted in the deterioration of citizen health through issues of access, transparency, and choice. Visualising how supermarket shopping impacts citizen health; from the scale of the city to a shelf, may be an effective strategy to reimagine healthier systems and spaces for the future. This study applies a research-by-design methodology to visualise and reimagine supermarket shopping through the lens of health. A propositional, health-focused supermarket, named Fit-Bytes, is designed using systems thinking and scenario-building techniques. Loosely based in Belfast, UK, the propositional supermarket is visualised through simple ‘from-to’ diagrams and descriptive photomontages. Read together, the drawings function as tools to interrogate current relationships between citizens and food and develop a suite of design moves to holistically embody health in future relationships.

The study’s results suggest that a nested social, ecological, and technological strategy is necessary for food shopping to become healthier. At the urban scale, repositioning both food production and shopping space closer to citizens promotes health through considered consumption, active mobility, and improved air quality. While at the scale of the building and shelf, personalised health and fitness data could generate healthy food choices specific to individual shoppers while also enabling an educational shopping experience. The propositional supermarket, Fit-Bytes, reflects on the agency of supermarket business models to encourage disconnected and impulsive consumption. The proposition theorises that truly healthy food shopping might only be achieved if retailers reframed shoppers as patients, prescribing food as a form of preventative healthcare.

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QUANTIFYING AIR TEMPERATURE IN THE GREY AND GREEN SPACES OF AN URBAN HEAT ISLAND

Session Type
Academic Sessions
Date
02/22/2022
Session Time
01:00 PM - 02:15 PM
Room

Hall D

Lecture Time
01:30 PM - 01:40 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Whilst it is broadly understood that green infrastructure helps to mitigate against the urban heat island effect, there remains a relatively small body of measured data that quantifies the impact of green space on urban temperatures. This paper presents interim results from a long-term monitoring campaign in the city of Leeds, UK. A network of air temperature sensors housed in Stevenson shields were deployed across Leeds in the summer of 2019. There is a total of 20 sensors in this network; 11 in grey urban spaces, 7 in green infrastructure (small parks and trees), and 2 sensors at rural refence sites used in the calculation of the urban heat island. The data set reported in this paper covers the period July 2019 to November 2020 at an hourly resolution. Results quantify the urban heat island intensity (UHII) during this period but also the differences between air temperatures in the urban grey and green spaces. As well as there being diurnal differences in hourly temperature profiles, there are also distinct seasonal differences as well. The average UHII during this period was 1.8 °K, with a summer peak of 4.9 °K occurring in late evening. Within the UHI during summer months, the green space was on average 0.5 °K cooler than the grey spaces but are approximately 3 °K cooler on the hottest days. These measured data quantify the local cooling effects of the green space, which is useful at both a macro city-scale and micro citizen-scale. Results of this nature are useful in building a quantitative evidence base that supports the retention and introduction of urban green infrastructure.

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USING GEODESIGN TO PLAN FOR URBAN REVITALIZATION

Session Type
Academic Sessions
Date
02/23/2022
Session Time
04:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Room

Hall C

Lecture Time
04:20 PM - 04:30 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Utica, New York is typical of many “rust-belt” communities in the United States that is stagnating and searching for ways to boost their future economic prospects. The Mohawk Valley Health System is constructing a new hospital campus in downtown Utica. MVHS conducted an analysis in 2015 that considered 12 sites for a new hospital within a 10-mile radius of Utica. The project goals were “To consolidate the existing campuses into a single facility within Oneida County’s largest population center, and to comply with the provisions of a $300 million state grant supporting the project.”

The hospital is in the heart of downtown Utica near many cultural resources, such as the Utica Memorial Auditorium and the Utica Marsh Wildlife Management Area. It is a massive undertaking for the region. The hospital is intended to be the anchor for broader redevelopment that would help stimulate growth in the downtown area and the city, and to improve the economic stability for the region.

Geodesign is a tested process that uses geospatial data and analysis tools to address complex land use issues, that involve multiple systems and stakeholders, to provide organizational leaders the information they need to make informed decisions.

We partnered with the City of Utica Planning office and conducted two graduate level courses to delve into the numerous issues that the city faces. Interviews were conducted, and existing studies and digital media from residents of the city was synthesized. Online tools for stakeholder negotiation were utilized so that groups could understand what each other desired for the area. Cutting edge geospatial tools, such as ArcGIS Urban and City Engine, were used to create digital twins to help develop site design alternatives and visualizations for preferred design scenarios.

Our talk will review how an eco-system of geospatially enabled digital tools was used to fully understand the problems that Utica faces and provide guidance for how it can adapt in the future to become more resilient. We will demonstrate how this process can be replicated for other cities that are experiencing similar issues.

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HOLZBAU-GIS: PRESENTING FIRST RESULTS OF GIS-BASED MODELING ON REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS TROUGH CONSTRUCTING AND RENOVATING WITH TIMBER ON MUNICIPAL LEVEL

Session Type
Academic Sessions
Date
02/23/2022
Session Time
04:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Room

Hall C

Lecture Time
04:30 PM - 04:40 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

The German Federal Government has defined high climate protection targets for the building sector up to 2050 and beyond. The municipal authorities and local government play an essential role in implementing this process. They have a significant direct impact on the regional urban development of climate protection and climate adaptation through active action.

The built environment can be a key element of municipal climate protection. In the future, the use of sustainable biobased materials and renewable energy systems will play a significant role in this context. Timber constructions in particular, which are designed for durability and reusability, are able to enhance the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in municipalities. Biobased products offer two environmental benefits: the storage of carbon in the material and the additional substitution effect when mineral construction is replaced by timber structures. However, municipal decision makers are usually unaware of these potentials because they are not part of the urban landscape planning. This is where the geodata-based web-GIS system "Holzbau-GIS" comes in.

The aim of the R&D project "Holzbau-GIS" is to demonstrate the potential of utilizing wooden building materials as an additional climate protection method for municipalities and to make this nature-based solution practicable.

In this paper, besides the methods and model description to calculate the carbon dioxide emission savings, first impressions on the web-GIS-system are presented. The web-GIS system integrates the available geodata on the building level and puts them into a citywide context. In different scenarios, feasible potentials for new construction or modernization can be projected. In addition, the results are divided into the carbon storage in the wooden material and the substitution potential by replacing mineral constructions with wooden structures.

The results show greenhouse gas savings from timber utilization as well as its potential as additional municipal climate protection. The web-GIS system supports municipal decision-makers in their decision-making process in the context of urban landscape planning. Based on this, they are able to quantify these possibilities through the project "Holzbau-GIS".

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COMPREHENSIVE FRAME- WORK FOR RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOOD - THE SUDANESE CONTEXT

Session Type
Academic Sessions
Date
02/23/2022
Session Time
11:30 AM - 01:00 PM
Room

Hall B

Lecture Time
12:10 PM - 12:20 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

This paper examined the features of sustainable neighborhoods: compact, integrated and connected to evaluate some of the residential neighborhoods in Sudan. The main objective of this study is to formulate a comprehensive frame work for future sustainable neighborhood developments in Sudan combining international knowledge with local experience, which would enable to find innovative solutions relevant to the local context. A case study approach was chosen to gather the necessary qualitative and quantitative data and detailed survey on existing development pattern was carried out for three neighborhoods: a traditional neighborhood -Abrouf, a contemporary neighborhood -Alryad and a low-cost neighborhood -ElWadi Elakhader. Each neighborhood has different opportunities and challenges for urban sustainability. The assessment of the neighborhoods was based on the empirical findings of the field work compared with UN Habitat principles of the sustainable neighborhood which include: Adequate space for streets , High density, mixed land-use, social mix and Limited land-use specialization. The paper found that these neighborhoods are not fully sustainable and self-contained according to UN Habitat principles although street network characteristics and mixed land-uses development are compatible with principles of sustainability. The analysis showed that there are other influential factors contributing to urban sustainability such as the role of the urban form in achieving better social sustainability. An additional opportunity lies in the unique nature of the social fabric of the Sudanese community concerning participation in social and community activities and interaction between various socio-economic and age groups.It was evident that socio-economic disparities and access to services had a direct impact in the development of neighborhoods and make differences from one neighborhood to the other. The paper presented a comprehensive frame- work to assess sustainability in neighborhoods that include other factors such as availability of green scape, provision of service centers and social services within a walking distance and access to quality transport. The paper recommended identifying key service gaps in these neighborhoods then build long-term resilience into infrastructure and planning by creating a participatory planning process that involves residents, community leaders, civil society organizations, technical experts and city officials.

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POST-DEMOLITION AUTOCLAVED AERATED CONCRETE: RECYCLING OPTIONS AND VOLUME PREDICTION IN EUROPE

Session Type
Pecha Kuchas
Date
02/23/2022
Session Time
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Room

Hall B

Lecture Time
02:20 PM - 02:25 PM

Abstract

Abstract Body

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is a building material with increasing popularity due to its exceptional thermal properties. Currently, post-demolition AAC is mainly disposed of in landfills because of lacking established recycling processes. However, landfilling misses the opportunity for sustainable use of primary resources and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Besides, the growing demand for sustainable products, decreasing landfill capacities and new legal frameworks require recycling options for post-demolition AAC.

Therefore, in the first step, AAC recycling options in literature and current research approaches are reviewed and compared. Crushed post-demolition AAC could be used in open-loop recycling options like lightweight aggregate concrete, lightweight mortar, no-fines concrete, floor screed, animal bedding, and fertiliser. Closed-loop recycling could be achieved by substituting primary resources like sand and cement in the AAC production by finely ground AAC powder. Most recent research works on the chemical conversion of AAC powder to belite (C2S) to substitute primary materials in the production of AAC or other mineral building materials. Especially primary cement causes high greenhouse gas emissions, which could be substituted by closed-loop recycled AAC.

Besides investigating new recycling options for AAC, the prediction of the generation of post-demolition AAC volume as the second step is crucial for decision support for the establishment of recycling options and circular management of AAC along its life cycle and supply chain. However, only negligible information about recyclable volumes and their regional distribution is available as official statistics and comprehensive studies are lacking. Therefore, a post-demolition AAC prediction model is presented that quantifies post-demolition AAC based on AAC production, construction activity, AAC popularity, and buildings’ lifetimes. The approach is tested in a German case study. Results show a significant increase over the last years (from 160,000 m³ in 2000 to 1,200,000 m³ in 2020) which will continue in the future (4,200,000 m³ in 2050). Furthermore, the prediction will be extended to other European countries and Russia.

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Germany within the research project REPOST [grant number: 033R249B].

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