Building Orientation as the Primary Design Consideration for Climate Responsive Architecture in Urban Areas

Abstract Orientation is a design parameter that plays a major role in climate responsive architecture and helps achieve comfort within the built environment. However, it is difficult to achieve an ideal orientation, especially in urban context. The main aim of this paper is to develop alternate strategies to overcome the challenges faced in designing as per preferred orientation and then derive a set of tools that can help decide the orientation of a building on site both under normal and congested site conditions. Thereafter, the inferences from the paper can act as references for choosing an optimum orientation for placement of buildings in warm humid climate. It can act as a significant pedagogical guideline for students of architecture in deciphering solutions for a climate responsive design in a simplified manner. The results can also be utilised for future research in formulating similar tools for other climatic regions.

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Optimization of Building Configuration in Vertical Residential Housing towards Outdoor Thermal Comfort: Case Study of Tambora Flats, Jakarta, Indonesia

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development ◽

10.29037/ajstd.614 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Khairani Ayu Rizqi ◽

Budi Prayitno

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Model Building ◽

Comfort Level ◽

Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽

Future Research ◽

Climatic Data ◽

Humid Climate ◽

Comfort Index ◽

Air Temperatures

Population growth in Indonesia is not offset by the construction of urban facilities and infrastructure and the improvement of urban services. In densely populated urban areas with narrow residential conditions, the demand for shelter is higher, causing an increase in the price of land and housing. One of the efforts in responding to this problem in the Special Capital Region of Jakarta is to build vertical residential or flats. This study aimed to determine the level of outdoor thermal comfort of Tambora flats in Jakarta, which have air temperatures ranging 26–29°C and air humidity of 76–92%. Existing flats were simulated with the Envi-MET 3.1 software, with the first stage being to determine the height of the building and material of the building, the street, and then assessing the existing outdoor thermal comfort level by inputting climatic data. Overall, the thermal comfort index values of both existing and planned model building configurations of Tambora flats and its surrounding area were at the standard level for a humid climate. Of our models, model B had the best potential to provide thermal comfort to humans in the area of the flats. In order to implement the proposed model building configuration with optimal outdoor thermal comfort in real buildings, future research should focus on a wider range of aspects, including diversity and density of buildings, and neighborhood type.

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Fields of spatial research on urban areas in the context of organisational solutions to new forms of transportation

Urban Development Issues ◽

10.2478/udi-2018-0023 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 53-60

Author(s):

Bartosz Czarnecki

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Transportation System ◽

Present Knowledge ◽

Future Research ◽

Use Of Self ◽

Large Share ◽

Main Achievement ◽

Self Driving Cars

Abstract The paper discusses the spatial consequences of the widespread use of self-driving cars and the resulting changes in the structure of urban areas. Analysing present knowledge on the technology, functionality and future forms of organisation of mobility with this type of means of transportation, conclusions are presented concerning the expected changes in the organisation of space in urban areas. The main achievement of the investigation is an outline of the fields of future research on the spatial consequences of a transportation system with a large share of self-driving cars.

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Perceived and objective availability of green and blue spaces and quality of life in people with dementia: results from the IDEAL programme

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology ◽

10.1007/s00127-021-02030-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yu-Tzu Wu ◽

◽

Linda Clare ◽

Ian Rees Jones ◽

Sharon M. Nelis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Positive Association ◽

Deprivation Level ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Future Research ◽

Interaction Terms ◽

Perceived Availability ◽

People With Dementia

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between quality of life and both perceived and objective availability of local green and blue spaces in people with dementia, including potential variation across rural/urban settings and those with/without opportunities to go outdoors. Methods This study was based on 1540 community-dwelling people with dementia in the Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) programme. Quality of life was measured by the Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease (QoL-AD) scale. A list of 12 types of green and blue spaces was used to measure perceived availability while objective availability was estimated using geographic information system data. Regression modelling was employed to investigate the associations of quality of life with perceived and objective availability of green and blue spaces, adjusting for individual factors and deprivation level. Interaction terms with rural/urban areas or opportunities to go outdoors were fitted to test whether the associations differed across these subgroups. Results Higher QoL-AD scores were associated with higher perceived availability of local green and blue spaces (0.82; 95% CI 0.06, 1.58) but not objective availability. The positive association between perceived availability and quality of life was stronger for urban (1.50; 95% CI 0.52, 2.48) than rural residents but did not differ between participants with and without opportunities to go outdoors. Conclusions Only perceived availability was related to quality of life in people with dementia. Future research may investigate how people with dementia utilise green and blue spaces and improve dementia-friendliness of these spaces.

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Constrained Urban Airspace Design for Large-Scale Drone-Based Delivery Traffic

Aerospace ◽

10.3390/aerospace8020038 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 38

Author(s):

Malik Doole ◽

Joost Ellerbroek ◽

Victor L. Knoop ◽

Jacco M. Hoekstra

Keyword(s):

Traffic Congestion ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Large Scale ◽

Cost Savings ◽

Future Research ◽

Fast Time ◽

Potential Cost ◽

Horizontal Structure ◽

Traffic Demand ◽

Demand Patterns

Large-scale adoption of drone-based delivery in urban areas promise societal benefits with respect to emissions and on-ground traffic congestion, as well as potential cost savings for drone-based logistic companies. However, for this to materialise, the ability of accommodating high volumes of drone traffic in an urban airspace is one of the biggest challenges. For unconstrained airspace, it has been shown that traffic alignment and segmentation can be used to mitigate conflict probability. The current study investigates the application of these principles to a highly constrained airspace. We propose two urban airspace concepts, applying road-based analogies of two-way and one-way streets by imposing horizontal structure. Both of the airspace concepts employ heading-altitude rules to vertically segment cruising traffic according to their travel direction. These airspace configurations also feature transition altitudes to accommodate turning flights that need to decrease the flight speed in order to make safe turns at intersections. While using fast-time simulation experiments, the performance of these airspace concepts is compared and evaluated for multiple traffic demand densities in terms of safety, stability, and efficiency. The results reveal that an effective way to structure drone traffic in a constrained urban area is to have vertically segmented altitude layers with respect to travel direction as well as horizontal constraints imposed to the flow of traffic. The study also makes recommendations for areas of future research, which are aimed at supporting dynamic traffic demand patterns.

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Urban Ecological Restoration

Nature and Culture ◽

10.3167/nc.2010.050301 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 227-230 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Paul H. Gobster

Keyword(s):

Ecological Restoration ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Indigenous Species ◽

Reference Sites ◽

Urban Context ◽

Ecological Processes ◽

Fixed Set ◽

Natural Diversity ◽

Urban Ecological Restoration

What does ecological restoration mean in an urban context? More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities, and in response to the dynamic patterns of urbanization, a growing number of ecologists, land managers, and volunteers are focusing their efforts in and around cities to restore remnants of natural diversity (Ingram 2008). Ecological restoration is still a quite youthful field, yet many scientists and practitioners hold a relatively fixed set of criteria for what defines a successful restoration project, irrespective of where sites are located. Among the criteria commonly stated, sites should be composed of indigenous species, have a structure and diversity characteristic of currently undisturbed or historically documented “reference” sites, and be maintained through ecological processes such as fire that ensure long-term sustainability with minimal human assistance (Ruiz-Jaén and Aide 2005; SER International 2004). Application of these criteria has led to many ecologically successful restorations, but some ecologists in the field have begun to question whether the same standards can be realistically applied to sites such as those within urban areas that have been radically altered by past human activity (e.g., Martínez and López-Barerra 2008) or are being influenced by novel conditions that result in unpredictable trajectories (Choi 2007). Perhaps more significantly, it is becoming increasingly recognized that the broader viability of restoration projects, especially those in urban areas, hinges on how socially successful they are in gaining public acceptance for restoration activities and practices, building constituencies to assist with implementation and maintenance, and addressing a broader set of sustainability goals that reach beyond the protection of native biodiversity (e.g., Choi et al. 2008; Hobbs 2007; Rosenzweig 2003).

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The economic recession and subjective well-being in older adults in the Republic of Ireland

Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/ipm.2016.21 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 99-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. M. Duffy ◽

K. Mullin ◽

S. O’Dwyer ◽

M. Wrigley ◽

B. D. Kelly

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Older People ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Economic Recession ◽

Well Being ◽

Poor Health ◽

Future Research ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Future Health

ObjectiveSubjective well-being in older people is strongly associated with emotional, physical and mental health. This study investigates subjective well-being in older adults in Ireland before and after the economic recession that commenced in 2008.MethodsCross-sectional data from the biennial European Social Survey (2002–2012) were analysed for two separate groups of older adults: one sampled before the recession and one after. Stratification and linear regression modelling were used to analyse the association between subjective well-being, the recession and multiple potential confounders and effect modifiers.ResultsData were analysed on 2013 individuals. Overall, subjective well-being among older adults was 1.30 points lower after the recession compared with before the recession (s.e. 0.16; 95% confidence interval 1.00–1.61; p<0.001) [pre-recession: 16.1, out of a possible 20 (s.d. 3.24); post-recession:14.8 (s.d. 3.72)]. Among these older adults, the pre- and post-recession difference was especially marked in women, those with poor health and those living in urban areas.ConclusionsSubjective well-being was significantly lower in older adults after the recession compared with before the recession, especially in women with poor health in urban areas. Policy-makers need proactively to protect these vulnerable cohorts in future health and social policy. Future research could usefully focus on older people on fixed incomes whose diminished ability to alter their economic situation might make them more vulnerable to reduced subjective well-being during a recession.

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Mosquito-Associated Viruses and Their Related Mosquitoes in West Africa

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13050891 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 891

Author(s):

Eric Agboli ◽

Julien B. Z. Zahouli ◽

Athanase Badolo ◽

Hanna Jöst

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Health Concern ◽

Future Research ◽

Distribution Data ◽

Valley Fever ◽

Research Areas ◽

Mosquito Ecology ◽

Abundance And Distribution

Mosquito-associated viruses (MAVs), including mosquito-specific viruses (MSVs) and mosquito-borne (arbo)viruses (MBVs), are an increasing public, veterinary, and global health concern, and West Africa is projected to be the next front for arboviral diseases. As in-depth knowledge of the ecologies of both western African MAVs and related mosquitoes is still limited, we review available and comprehensive data on their diversity, abundance, and distribution. Data on MAVs’ occurrence and related mosquitoes were extracted from peer-reviewed publications. Data on MSVs, and mosquito and vertebrate host ranges are sparse. However, more data are available on MBVs (i.e., dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, Zika, and Rift Valley fever viruses), detected in wild and domestic animals, and humans, with infections more concentrated in urban areas and areas affected by strong anthropogenic changes. Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes albopictus are incriminated as key arbovirus vectors. These findings outline MAV, related mosquitoes, key knowledge gaps, and future research areas. Additionally, these data highlight the need to increase our understanding of MAVs and their impact on host mosquito ecology, to improve our knowledge of arbovirus transmission, and to develop specific strategies and capacities for arboviral disease surveillance, diagnostic, prevention, control, and outbreak responses in West Africa.

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Measuring Walkability with Street Connectivity and Physical Activity: A Case Study in Iran

World ◽

10.3390/world2010004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 49-61

Author(s):

Pouya Molaei ◽

Liyaning Tang ◽

Mary Hardie

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Urban Areas ◽

International Physical Activity Questionnaire ◽

Physical Activities ◽

Future Research ◽

Strong Positive Correlation ◽

Street Connectivity ◽

Walking Time ◽

Activity Questionnaire

The walkability of urban areas is an important criterion related to the level of physical activity and public health of citizens. This research aims to measure this parameter in Golsar town located in Rasht, Iran. Two methods were used in this research: Street connectivity and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The principal variables of street connectivity were measured in four districts of Golsar by Geographic Information System (GIS) to rank each one. Then, the acquired results were compared by the average walking time of the respondents of the questionnaire. The comparison explicitly indicated that there is a strong positive correlation between the measures of street connectivity and people’s tendency to walk. As well, District 1 had the highest value of connectivity and the highest average time for walking amongst the four districts. This supports the contention that walkability and the level of outdoor physical activities of people in each district are undoubtedly under the influence of the variables of street connectivity. Nevertheless, the evaluation of other indexes such as proximity, land use mix, safety, and density in Golsar, in future research. can expand our perception of the walkability of this region.

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Barriers and levers for implementing sustainable Nature-Based Solutions in cities

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-5801 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Chloé Duffaut ◽

Nathalie Frascaria-Lacoste ◽

Pierre-Antoine Versini

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Large Scale ◽

Project Managers ◽

Global Changes ◽

Human Beings ◽

Urban Context ◽

Urban Plan ◽

Education And Awareness ◽

Awareness Raising ◽

The City

<p>Hydro-meteorological risks are increasing and this could be due to global changes. These risks are particularly important in the urban context where most human beings live. Indeed, the impervious surfaces present in cities increase the risk of flooding, for example. Nature-Based Solutions can help to reduce these risks by creating permeable soils or storing water while promoting biodiversity. In this context, it is essential to understand what hinders the development and sustainability of these Nature-based Solutions in the city and what could help to deploy them on a large scale. For this purpose, various professionals working on Nature-Based Solutions in the city in France, were interviewed between 2020 and 2021, both in the academic and operational sectors, or even at the interface between the two: researchers in ecology or hydrology, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) project manager, project managers at the Regional Biodiversity Agency, director and natural environment manager of a watershed union, agro-economists engineer among others. They were asked what are the barriers and potential opportunities for Nature-Based Solutions implementation and sustainability in city. By analysing their answers, it emerges that the obstacles are more often cultural, political or financial than technical. The potential levers often mentioned are education and awareness-raising at all levels, especially for elected officials and the general public. Regulations such as the PLU (Local Urban Plan) and new funding for more natural spaces in the city also seem to be means of promoting Nature-based Solutions in urban areas. These interviews with diverse professionals directly involved in Nature-Based Solutions in cities allow to give real courses of action to be taken to democratize these Solutions throughout the French territory, or even internationally, and therefore ultimately reduce the risks of hydro-meteorology. This is one of the objectives of the French ANR project EVNATURB (Assessment of ecosystem performance of a renaturation of the urban environment), in which this study has been carried out.</p>

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Energy Rehabilitation of Social Housing in Vulnerable Areas. Case study: a 1950s Building in a Medium-sized Mediterranean City

International Journal of Environmental Science & Sustainable Development ◽

10.21625/essd.v4i1.490 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 44

Author(s):

Ruá María José ◽

Huedo Patricia ◽

Cabeza Manuel ◽

Saez Beatriz ◽

Civera Vicente

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Social Housing ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Optimal Solution ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Urban Context ◽

Building Stock ◽

Performance Simulation ◽

Urban Level

In the urban context, buildings play a key role as they are energy consumers. In well-established cities with a high percentage of aged building stock, the focus should lie on sensitive urban areas where the weakest population sectors and the worst physico-economic conditions are usually encountered. In this work, the energy refurbishment of social housing is proposed. A block of municipally owned buildings is selected as a case study to consider that public buildings play an exemplary role according to Directive 2012/27/EU. The group is formed by 12 buildings, which account for 120 dwellings.This study is grounded on two levels. First the urban level. The building is located in a prioritised urban Area of Rehabilitation, Renovation and Urban Regeneration (ARRU), according to the new local Land Plan. This area presents multidimensional vulnerability and considers urban, building, socio-demographic and socio-economic features. Second, the building presents very low energy performance. It was built in 1959 when a high demand of dwellings and the economic resources then available led to low-quality buildings that are far from meeting today’s standards.Some proposals are made, having in mind the specific features of the urban context. The energy refurbishment of the building is proposed, selecting the optimal solution, considering technical, environmental and economic criteria. The energy performance simulation shows a remarkable improvement of the energy performance, resulting in an improvement of the thermal comfort of the dwellers. Besides, a reduction in the energy consumption is reached, which would reduce the energy bills and, on the other hand, a reduction of the carbon emissions to the atmosphere, contributing to a better environment quality. Having in mind that the building is intended for social housing, energy poverty situations could be avoided, as dwellings are inhabited by low-income dwellers.

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