Small and Light Electric Vehicles: An Analysis of Feasible Transport Impacts and Opportunities for Improved Urban Land Use

Improvements in battery technology have resulted in small and light electric vehicles (LEVs) appearing on the market in Europe since 2011—however, their market share is still comparatively low. Low energy requirements and small size can potentially contribute to sustainable mobility in terms of climate protection and reduced local emissions. Our study evaluates how three-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles, categorised as L-Class according to Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, can contribute to more efficient use of space in urban areas. Evaluations of expert interviews, an extensive literature research, and analyses of the German national household travel survey (MiD) serve as the basis of the study. First, the substitution potential of trips through LEVs is explored using MiD data. Our findings show that between 17% and 49% of trips made and 6% to 30% of the distance covered by private trips can theoretically be substituted by LEVs. Thus, reorganisation of current land use offers potential and additionally, LEVs are an attractive and sustainable addition to other means of transport and contribute to achieving the climate protection goals of the transport sector. Due to the fact that technology application is restricted by travel behaviour and political support, our study discusses possible support by public bodies towards sustainable mobility. Here, the promotion of LEVs in combination with restrictive measures for cars is necessary.

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IMPACTS OF URBAN LAND USE ON CRIME PATTERNS THROUGH GIS APPLICATION

PLANNING MALAYSIA JOURNAL ◽

10.21837/pmjournal.v11.i2.113 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ahmad Nazri Muhamad Ludin ◽

Norsiah Abd. Aziz ◽

Nooraini Hj Yusoff ◽

Wan Juliyana Wan Abd Razak

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Drug Abuse ◽

Land Use Planning ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Spatial Relationship ◽

Police Department ◽

Strong Relationship ◽

Urban Land ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Land Use Patterns

Land use planning plays a crucial role in creating a balance between the needs of society, physical development and the ecosystem. However, most often poor planning and displacement of land uses particularly in urban areas contribute to social ills such as drug abuse and criminal activities. This research explains the spatial relationship of drug abuse and other criminal activities on urban land use planning and their implications on the society at large. Spatial statistics was used to show patterns, trends and spatial relationships of crimes and land use planning. Data on crime incidents were obtained from the Royal Malaysia Police Department whilst cases of drug abuse were collected from the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK). Analysis of the data together with digital land use maps produced by Arnpang Jaya Municipal Council, showed the distribution of crime incidents and drug abuse in the area. Findings of the study also indicated that, there was a strong relationship between petty crimes, drng abuse and land use patterns. These criminal activities tend to concentrate in residential and commercial areas of the study area.

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Analyses of Nocturnal Temperature Cooling-Rate Response to Historical Local-Scale Urban Land-Use/Land Cover Change

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology ◽

10.1175/jamc-d-10-05014.1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 50 (9) ◽

pp. 1872-1883 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Winston T. L. Chow ◽

Bohumil M. Svoma

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Land Cover ◽

Cooling Rate ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Local Scale ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Cooling Rates ◽

Near Surface ◽

Over Time

AbstractUrbanization affects near-surface climates by increasing city temperatures relative to rural temperatures [i.e., the urban heat island (UHI) effect]. This effect is usually measured as the relative temperature difference between urban areas and a rural location. Use of this measure is potentially problematic, however, mainly because of unclear “rural” definitions across different cities. An alternative metric is proposed—surface temperature cooling/warming rates—that directly measures how variations in land-use and land cover (LULC) affect temperatures for a specific urban area. In this study, the impact of local-scale (<1 km2), historical LULC change was examined on near-surface nocturnal meteorological station temperatures sited within metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, for 1) urban versus rural areas, 2) areas that underwent rural-to-urban transition over a 20-yr period, and 3) different seasons. Temperature data were analyzed during ideal synoptic conditions of clear and calm weather that do not inhibit surface cooling and that also qualified with respect to measured near-surface wind impacts. Results indicated that 1) urban areas generally observed lower cooling-rate magnitudes than did rural areas, 2) urbanization significantly reduced cooling rates over time, and 3) mean cooling-rate magnitudes were typically larger in summer than in winter. Significant variations in mean nocturnal urban wind speeds were also observed over time, suggesting a possible UHI-induced circulation system that may have influenced local-scale station cooling rates.

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Use of Automated Change Detection and VGI Sources for Identifying and Validating Urban Land Use Change

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12071186 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 1186 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A.-M. Olteanu-Raimond ◽

L. See ◽

M. Schultz ◽

G. Foody ◽

M. Riffler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Change Detection ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Detection Algorithm ◽

Geographic Information ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Basic Knowledge ◽

User Profiles ◽

Local Authorities ◽

The Impact

Land use and land cover (LULC) mapping is often undertaken by national mapping agencies, where these LULC products are used for different types of monitoring and reporting applications. Updating of LULC databases is often done on a multi-year cycle due to the high costs involved, so changes are only detected when mapping exercises are repeated. Consequently, the information on LULC can quickly become outdated and hence may be incorrect in some areas. In the current era of big data and Earth observation, change detection algorithms can be used to identify changes in urban areas, which can then be used to automatically update LULC databases on a more continuous basis. However, the change detection algorithm must be validated before the changes can be committed to authoritative databases such as those produced by national mapping agencies. This paper outlines a change detection algorithm for identifying construction sites, which represent ongoing changes in LU, developed in the framework of the LandSense project. We then use volunteered geographic information (VGI) captured through the use of mapathons from a range of different groups of contributors to validate these changes. In total, 105 contributors were involved in the mapathons, producing a total of 2778 observations. The 105 contributors were grouped according to six different user-profiles and were analyzed to understand the impact of the experience of the users on the accuracy assessment. Overall, the results show that the change detection algorithm is able to identify changes in residential land use to an adequate level of accuracy (85%) but changes in infrastructure and industrial sites had lower accuracies (57% and 75 %, respectively), requiring further improvements. In terms of user profiles, the experts in LULC from local authorities, researchers in LULC at the French national mapping agency (IGN), and first-year students with a basic knowledge of geographic information systems had the highest overall accuracies (86.2%, 93.2%, and 85.2%, respectively). Differences in how the users approach the task also emerged, e.g., local authorities used knowledge and context to try to identify types of change while those with no knowledge of LULC (i.e., normal citizens) were quicker to choose ‘Unknown’ when the visual interpretation of a class was more difficult.

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Exploring the Spatial and Temporal Relationship between Air Quality and Urban Land-Use Patterns Based on an Integrated Method

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12072964 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 2964 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chia-An Ku

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Air Quality ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Temporal Relationship ◽

Urban Land ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Air Pollutant ◽

Land Use Patterns ◽

Use Patterns ◽

Mitigation Planning

The deterioration of air quality in urban areas is often closely related to urbanization, as this has led to a significant increase in energy consumption and the massive emission of air pollutants, thereby exacerbating the current state of air pollution. However, the relationship between urban development and air quality is complex, thus making it difficult to be analyzed using traditional methods. In this paper, a framework integrating spatial analysis and statistical methods (based on 170 regression models) is developed to explore the spatial and temporal relationship between urban land use patterns and air quality, aiming to provide solid information for mitigation planning. The thresholds for the influence of urban patterns are examined using different buffer zones. In addition, the differences in the effects of various types of land use pattern on air quality were also explored. The results show that there were significant differences between 1999 and 2013 with regards to the correlations between land use patterns and air pollutant concentrations. Among all land uses, forest, water and built-up areas were proved to influence concentrations the most. It is suggested that the developed framework should be applied further in the real-world mitigation planning decision-making process

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Study on Land-use Changes and Their Impacts on Air Pollution in Chengdu

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11010042 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 42 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Wei Sun ◽

Zhihong Liu ◽

Yang Zhang ◽

Weixin Xu ◽

Xiaotong Lv ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Wind Speed ◽

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Land Use Changes ◽

Urban Land ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Simulation Results ◽

The City ◽

Better Than

The expansion of urban areas and the increase in the number of buildings and urbanization characteristics, such as roads, affect the meteorological environment in urban areas, resulting in weakened pollutant dispersion. First, this paper uses GIS (geographic information system) spatial analysis technology and landscape ecology analysis methods to analyze the dynamic changes in land cover and landscape patterns in Chengdu as a result of urban development. Second, the most appropriate WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model parameterization scheme is selected and screened. Land-use data from different development stages in the city are included in the model, and the wind speed and temperature results simulated using new and old land-use data (1980 and 2015) are evaluated and compared. Finally, the results of the numerical simulations by the WRF-Chem air quality model using new and old land-use data are coupled with 0.25° × 0.25°-resolution MEIC (Multi-resolution Emission Inventory for China) emission source data from Tsinghua University. The results of the sensitivity experiments using the WRF-Chem model for the city under different development conditions and during different periods are discussed. The meteorological conditions and pollution sources remained unchanged as the land-use data changed, which revealed the impact of urban land-use changes on the simulation results of PM2.5 atmospheric pollutants. The results show the following. (1) From 1980 to 2015, the land-use changes in Chengdu were obvious, and cultivated land exhibited the greatest changes, followed by forestland. Under the influence of urban land-use dynamics and human activities, both the richness and evenness of the landscape in Chengdu increased. (2) The microphysical scheme WSM3 (WRF Single–Moment 3 class) and land-surface scheme SLAB (5-layer diffusion scheme) were the most suitable for simulating temperatures and wind speeds in the WRF model. The wind speed and temperature simulation results using the 2015 land-use data were better than those using the 1980 land-use data when assessed according to the coincidence index and correlation coefficient. (3) The WRF-Chem simulation results obtained for PM2.5 using the 2015 land-use data were better than those obtained using the 1980 land-use data in terms of the correlation coefficient and standard deviation. The concentration of PM2.5 in urban areas was higher than that in the suburbs, and the concentration of PM2.5 was lower on Longquan Mountain in Chengdu than in the surrounding areas.

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Urban Land Use Changes by the Integration of Remote Sensing, GIS, and Dynamics Modeling

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.726-731.4645 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 726-731 ◽

pp. 4645-4649

Author(s):

Jia Hua Zhang ◽

Cui Hao ◽

Feng Mei Yao

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Land Use ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Logistic Model ◽

Land Use Changes ◽

Urban Land ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Ratio Test ◽

Multinomial Logistic Model ◽

The Impact

We developed an approach to assess urban land use changes that incorporates socio-economic and environmental factors with multinomial logistic model, remote sensing data and GIS, and to quantify the impact of macro variables on land use of urban areas for the years 1990, 2000 and 2010 in Binhai New Area, China. The Markov transition matrix was designed to integrate with multinomial logistic model to illustrate and visualize the predicted land use surface. The multinomial logistic model was evaluated by means of Likelihood ratio test and Pseudo R-Square and showed a relatively good simulation. The prediction map of 2010 showed accurate rates 78.54%, 57.25% and 70.38%, respectively.

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Temporal changes in greenspace in a highly urbanized region

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2011.0025 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 763-766 ◽

Cited By ~ 107

Author(s):

Martin Dallimer ◽

Zhiyao Tang ◽

Peter R. Bibby ◽

Paul Brindley ◽

Kevin J. Gaston ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Urban Areas ◽

National Level ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Policy Reforms ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Dramatic Shift ◽

Urbanized Region ◽

The Impact

The majority of the world's population now lives in towns and cities, and urban areas are expanding faster than any other land-use type. In response to this phenomenon, two opposing arguments have emerged: whether cities should ‘sprawl’ into the wider countryside, or ‘densify’ through the development of existing urban greenspace. However, these greenspaces are increasingly recognized as being central to the amelioration of urban living conditions, supporting biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provision. Taking the highly urbanized region of England as a case study, we use data from a variety of sources to investigate the impact of national-level planning policy on temporal patterns in the extent of greenspace in cities. Between 1991 and 2006, greenspace showed a net increase in all but one of 13 cities. However, the majority of this gain occurred prior to 2001, and greenspace has subsequently declined in nine cities. Such a dramatic shift in land use coincides with policy reforms in 2000, which favoured densification. Here, we illustrate the dynamic and policy-responsive nature of urban land use, thereby highlighting the need for a detailed investigation of the trade-offs associated with different mechanisms of urban densification to optimize and secure the diverse benefits associated with greenspaces.

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Land Use Conversion Probabilities in a Peri-Urban District of Ghana

Chinese Journal of Urban and Environmental Studies ◽

10.1142/s2345748115500268 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 03 (03) ◽

pp. 1550026 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Divine Odame APPIAH ◽

Eric Kwabena FORKUO ◽

John Tiah BUGRI

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Urban Land ◽

Agent Based Modeling ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Urban District ◽

Agent Based ◽

Land Use Conversion ◽

Theory Application ◽

Space Economy

This paper is a critical review, which synthesizes the theory-application linkage of peri-urban land use and land cover changes (LULCC) using the Bosomtwe District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana as the case. From abstractive thinking to empirical possibility, we conjecture human decisions within agent-based modeling (ABM) perspective. The key question the paper has tried to answer is: what are the probable future land use conversion and modification potentials in the district? LULCC in peri-urban areas respond to social and biophysical dynamics. These control spatial distribution of populations, infrastructure, and the space economy. Under systemic laxity of controls, peri-urban land uses deviate from effective land use plans.

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Remote Sensing of Sustainable Rural-Urban Land Use in Mexico City: A Qualitative Analysis for Reliability and Validity

INTERdisciplina ◽

10.22201/ceiich.24485705e.2015.7.52413 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (7) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Juan Miguel Rodríguez López ◽

Pablo Rosso ◽

Jürgen Scheffran ◽

Gian Carlo Delgado Ramos

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Urban Development ◽

Mexico City ◽

Urban Areas ◽

General Pattern ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Urban Structure ◽

Structural Level ◽

Landsat Images

Abstract | Mexico City is one of the largest cities on the globe and a site where important transformations of nature reserves into urban areas have been taking place. This paper compared the southern part of Mexico City based on free images available (Landsat – 30m) and high-resolution imagery (RapidEye – 5m) from an explorative qualitative perspective in the logic of reliability and validity. We argue that the resolution of the free imagery available for the assessment of urban development on the structural level of land use is not sufficient to identify the development of specific parts of the city. Despite the fact that the general pattern of changes in land use is observable, changes within the urban structure are difficult to see with a resolution of 30 meters per pixel in the Landsat images. For validity, this analysis is merely graphic, and it shows a promising matching of urban development with environmental and land complaints, nevertheless, a numerical analysis is needed in the future.

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Patterns of Land Use Activities in Ghana’s Secondary Cities

Ghana Journal of Geography ◽

10.4314/gjg.v12i2.4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 84-107

Author(s):

Bismark Mensah ◽

Isaac Obeng Darkwa ◽

Esther Yamoaba Bonful ◽

Moses Bangfunourteru Tuu ◽

Mohammed Sanda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Internal Structure ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Urban Land ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Middle Income ◽

Classical Models ◽

Land Use Models ◽

The Common ◽

Industrial Zones

Ghana is rapidly urbanizing. This urbanization has resulted in villages growing into towns and towns into urbanized areas. Theories and models have been employed to explain the internal structure of urban areas, especially, with respect to land use variations. These models started with the classical urban land use models in America. Urban scholars in Africa have struggled to fit the development of the African cities into these classical models. They have therefore called for African scholars to develop models for urban land use in Africa. This paper sought to identify the common patterns of land use activities which shape the internal structure of Ghana’s secondary cities. The study employed Geographic Information System (GIS) as a major tool of analysis in explaining the patterns in urban areas. This is augmented with in-depth ground observations of the study areas. The findings of the study showed the absence of homogeneity in most of the sectors and undefined industrial zones as contradictions to the classical models. The study further revealed that residential zones were not fully occupied by either lower income, middle income, or higher income residence. The income groups may only dominate in a given sector. Based on the findings, a common pattern is proposed to represent the land uses within the selected secondary cities in Ghana.

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