Sustainable Urban Environments

Sustainable Urban Environments
Author: Ellen M. van Bueren
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 436
Release: 2011-09-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9400712944

The urban environment – buildings, cities and infrastructure – represents one of the most important contributors to climate change, while at the same time holding the key to a more sustainable way of living. The transformation from traditional to sustainable systems requires interdisciplinary knowledge of the re-design, construction, operation and maintenance of the built environment. Sustainable Urban Environments: An Ecosystem Approach presents fundamental knowledge of the built environment. Approaching the topic from an ecosystems perspective, it shows the reader how to combine diverse practical elements into sustainable solutions for future buildings and cities. You’ll learn to connect problems and solutions at different spatial scales, from urban ecology to material, water and energy use, from urban transport to livability and health. The authors introduce and explore a variety of governance tools that support the transformation process, and show how they can help overcome institutional barriers. The book concludes with an account of promising perspectives for achieving a sustainable built environment in industrialized countries. Offering a unique overview and understanding of the most pressing challenges in the built environment, Sustainable Urban Environments helps the reader grasp opportunities for integration of knowledge and technologies in the design, construction and management of the built environment. Students and practitioners who are eager to look beyond their own fields of interest will appreciate this book because of its depth and breadth of coverage.

Sustainable Development of Urban Environment and Building Material

Sustainable Development of Urban Environment and Building Material
Author: Hui Li
Publisher: Trans Tech Publications Ltd
Total Pages: 2662
Release: 2011-10-24
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3038137553

Selected, peer reviewed papers from the 4th International Conference on Technology of Architecture and Structure, (ICTAS 2011), September 22-24, 2011, Xi'an, China

Pathways to Urban Sustainability

Pathways to Urban Sustainability
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2016-11-11
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309444535

Cities have experienced an unprecedented rate of growth in the last decade. More than half the world's population lives in urban areas, with the U.S. percentage at 80 percent. Cities have captured more than 80 percent of the globe's economic activity and offered social mobility and economic prosperity to millions by clustering creative, innovative, and educated individuals and organizations. Clustering populations, however, can compound both positive and negative conditions, with many modern urban areas experiencing growing inequality, debility, and environmental degradation. The spread and continued growth of urban areas presents a number of concerns for a sustainable future, particularly if cities cannot adequately address the rise of poverty, hunger, resource consumption, and biodiversity loss in their borders. Intended as a comparative illustration of the types of urban sustainability pathways and subsequent lessons learned existing in urban areas, this study examines specific examples that cut across geographies and scales and that feature a range of urban sustainability challenges and opportunities for collaborative learning across metropolitan regions. It focuses on nine cities across the United States and Canada (Los Angeles, CA, New York City, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, Grand Rapids, MI, Flint, MI, Cedar Rapids, IA, Chattanooga, TN, and Vancouver, Canada), chosen to represent a variety of metropolitan regions, with consideration given to city size, proximity to coastal and other waterways, susceptibility to hazards, primary industry, and several other factors.

Planning, Development and Management of Sustainable Cities

Planning, Development and Management of Sustainable Cities
Author: Tan Yigitcanlar
Publisher: MDPI
Total Pages: 440
Release: 2019-04-30
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3038979066

The concept of ‘sustainable urban development’ has been pushed to the forefront of policymaking and politics as the world wakes up to the impacts of climate change and the destructive effects of the Anthropocene. Climate change has emerged to be one of the biggest challenges faced by our planet today, threatening both built and natural systems with long-term consequences, which may be irreversible. While there is a vast body of literature on sustainability and sustainable urban development, there is currently limited focus on how to cohesively bring together the vital issues of the planning, development, and management of sustainable cities. Moreover, it has been widely stated that current practices and lifestyles cannot continue if we are to leave a healthy living planet to not only the next generation, but also to the generations beyond. The current global school strikes for climate action (known as Fridays for Future) evidences this. The book advocates the view that the focus needs to rest on ways in which our cities and industries can become green enough to avoid urban ecocide. This book fills a gap in the literature by bringing together issues related to the planning, development, and management of cities and focusing on a triple-bottom-line approach to sustainability.

Alternative Urban Futures

Alternative Urban Futures
Author: Raquel Pinderhughes
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2004
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780742523678

Alternative Urban Futures challenges existing models of urban development and promotes alternative paradigms, processes, and technologies designed to fulfill human needs and limit the harmful impacts of human activities on the environment. The book focuses on how planners and policy makers can develop and manage essential urban infrastructures in ways that support sustainable development in the areas of waste management, water supply and management, energy production and use, building design and construction, land-use, transportation, and food systems. Each chapter features case studies that provide concrete examples of how ecologically and socially responsible urban and sustainable development planning and policy approaches have been successfully implemented in cities around the world. The book is especially effective in its emphasis on recently published statistics and writing supporting new planning and policy recommendations. Each chapter ends with a summary, accompanied by a list of questions that can be addressed with information provided in the text.

Energy Sustainability in Built and Urban Environments

Energy Sustainability in Built and Urban Environments
Author: Emilia Motoasca
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 341
Release: 2018-11-09
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 9811332843

This book covers different aspects of energy sustainability in residential buildings and neighborhoods, starting from the construction and design aspects, and moving on to HVAC systems and lighting, and the applications, harvesting, use and storage of renewable energy. The volume focuses on smart and sustainable use of energy, discussing both the technological advancements and the economic, social and environmental impacts. Novel approaches to recycling of waste and materials in the context of residential buildings are also presented. This volume will be of interest to researchers and policy makers working in the fields of renewable energy, sustainable design and city planning.

Nature Based Strategies for Urban and Building Sustainability

Nature Based Strategies for Urban and Building Sustainability
Author: Gabriel Perez
Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
Total Pages: 392
Release: 2018-02-14
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0128123249

Nature Based Strategies for Urban and Building Sustainability reviews the current state-of-the-art on the topic. In the introduction, the editors review the fundamental concepts of nature elements in the built environment, along with the strategies that are necessary for their inclusion in buildings and cities. Part One describes strategies for the urban environment, discussing urban ecosystems and ecosystem services, while Part Two covers strategies and technologies, including vertical greening systems, green roofs and green streets. Part Three covers the quantitative benefits, results, and issues and challenges, including energy performances and outdoor comfort, air quality improvement, acoustic performance, water management and biodiversity. - Provides an overview of the different strategies available to integrate nature in the built environment - Presents the current state of technology concerning systems and methodologies on how to incorporate nature in buildings and cities - Features the latest research results on operation and ecosystem services - Covers both established and new designs, including those still in the experimental stage

Metropolitan Sustainability

Metropolitan Sustainability
Author: F Zeman
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 773
Release: 2012-09-11
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 085709646X

Global populations have grown rapidly in recent decades, leading to ever increasing demands for shelter, resources, energy and utilities. Coupled with the worldwide need to achieve lower impact buildings and conservation of resources, the need to achieve sustainability in urban environments has never been more acute. This book critically reviews the fundamental issues and applied science, engineering and technology that will enable all cities to achieve a greater level of metropolitan sustainability, and assist nations in meeting the needs of their growing urban populations.Part one introduces key issues related to metropolitan sustainability, including the use of both urban metabolism and benefit cost analysis. Part two focuses on urban land use and the environmental impact of the built environment. The urban heat island effect, redevelopment of brownfield sites and urban agriculture are discussed in depth, before part three goes on to explore urban air pollution and emissions control. Urban water resources, reuse and management are explored in part four, followed by a study of urban energy supply and management in part five. Solar, wind and bioenergy, the role of waste-to-energy systems in the urban infrastructure, and smart energy for cities are investigated. Finally, part six considers sustainable urban development, transport and planning.With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, Metropolitan sustainability is an essential resource for low-impact building engineers, sustainability consultants and architects, town and city planners, local/municipal authorities, and national and non-governmental bodies, and provides a thorough overview for academics of all levels in this field. - Critically reviews the fundamental issues and applied science, engineering and technology that will enable all cities to achieve a greater level of metropolitan sustainability - Will assist nations in meeting the needs of their growing urban populations - Chapters discuss urban land use, the environmental impact of the build environment, the urban heat island effect, urban air pollution and emissions control, among other topics

Sustainability in Architecture and Urban Design

Sustainability in Architecture and Urban Design
Author: Carl Bovill
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 284
Release: 2014-11-20
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 1317932277

Sustainability in Architecture and Urban Design will help you understand the nature of the sustainability problem and show you how to implement your design for a sustainable future. Organized in six parts, the problem, the environment, the residential scale, the commercial scale, the urban scale, and energy sources, the book presents essential information in context, so that you get the full picture. Hundreds of drawings, sketches, charts, and diagrams illustrate points author Carl Bovill makes in his clear and direct style, which communicates the basics in a concise way. You'll learn: -About environmental economics -How sustainable architectural design relates to ecology -How fractal geometry can lead to a new understanding of the structure of the world around us -How to design energy efficient houses and commercial buildings -How to design and live in our cities to lower energy use per person -About LEED points at all scales A glossary and reading lists encourage you to explore the topics further.

Building Information Modeling for a Smart and Sustainable Urban Space

Building Information Modeling for a Smart and Sustainable Urban Space
Author: Rafika Hajji
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2021-12-21
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 1119885469

Urban spaces are being called upon to develop a capacity for resilience and sustainability in order to meet the major challenges they face. To achieve such a goal, a practical development framework must be implemented in order to take advantage of the technological innovations that characterize the field of construction and urban engineering. Today, multi-scale BIM is bringing about significant changes that are redefining the paradigms of urban management. It facilitates simulations of the sustainability of urban spaces with respect to several criteria; most notably relating to energy, the economy and the environment. Building Information Modeling for a Smart and Sustainable Urban Space proposes a theoretical and practical framework for implementing BIM models for the creation of sustainable and intelligent urban spaces. It addresses the issues of acquisition, modeling, interoperability, and BIM and GIS integration for the production of BIM models. Case studies are presented, providing a practical dimension that demonstrates the production process of the urban model and its contribution to multiscale simulations, particularly in real estate evaluation and urban renewal.