Addressing Global Climate Change With Big Data-Driven Urban Planning Policy

Cities in China gather data to support strategic and operational management, including databases on buildings, land use, human occupancy, underground services, and travel surveys. However, these data are seldom used to analyze policy decisions, with urban planning confined largely to operational planning. Real estate and financial interests dominate strategic planning, while an ecological crisis threatens urban sustainability in the long run. In this research, carbon emissions (CE) related to planning, building and intra-urban travel are measured for two representative types of typical urban development in southern China, using data from Shenzhen. The two types are contemporary planned units (PUD) and dense, low-rise developments (VSD). It is found that VSD acounts for less than one-third the CE of PUD, although there is considerable diversity in the performance of PUD. Based on this research, major reductions in CE can be achieved by focussing urban planning policy on carbon-efficient development.

Defining Parameters for Urban-Environmental Quality Assessment

Measuring the quality of the urban environment has been a matter of research rooted in different fields of knowledge. Several methods and indicators have been deployed through the years, as have horizontal approaches from mixed perspectives. However, currently established indexes to measure urban performance depend on the actual definition of quality and on the weighted relevance of the different features influencing it. This contribution compares the level of emphasis paired by established indexes to measure urban quality, in contrast to what people mention the most when asked about what they like or dislike about the urban environment. The underlying idea is to obtain first-hand information about the way people make decisions about their movements in urban space. As a result, we observe a lack of correlation between the two groups of indicators, and between the key urban elements driving positive and negative emotions. In conclusion, we observe a tendency of people to perceive and report individual physical elements, rather than intangible concepts like safety or comfort.

Book Review

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Defining Parameters for Urban-Environmental Quality Assessment

Measuring the quality of the urban environment has been a matter of research rooted in different fields of knowledge. Several methods and indicators have been deployed through the years, as have horizontal approaches from mixed perspectives. However, currently established indexes to measure urban performance depend on the actual definition of quality and on the weighted relevance of the different features influencing it. This contribution compares the level of emphasis paired by established indexes to measure urban quality, in contrast to what people mention the most when asked about what they like or dislike about the urban environment. The underlying idea is to obtain first-hand information about the way people make decisions about their movements in urban space. As a result, we observe a lack of correlation between the two groups of indicators, and between the key urban elements driving positive and negative emotions. In conclusion, we observe a tendency of people to perceive and report individual physical elements, rather than intangible concepts like safety or comfort.

Addressing Global Climate Change With Big Data-Driven Urban Planning Policy

Cities in China gather data to support strategic and operational management, including databases on buildings, land use, human occupancy, underground services, and travel surveys. However, these data are seldom used to analyze policy decisions, with urban planning confined largely to operational planning. Real estate and financial interests dominate strategic planning, while an ecological crisis threatens urban sustainability in the long run. In this research, carbon emissions (CE) related to planning, building and intra-urban travel are measured for two representative types of typical urban development in southern China, using data from Shenzhen. The two types are contemporary planned units (PUD) and dense, low-rise developments (VSD). It is found that VSD acounts for less than one-third the CE of PUD, although there is considerable diversity in the performance of PUD. Based on this research, major reductions in CE can be achieved by focussing urban planning policy on carbon-efficient development.

CityScope Platform for Real-Time Analysis and Decision-Support in Urban Design Competitions

This paper presents a digital online tool and interaction process that supplies algorithmic analysis and predictive simulation for early-stage urban design proposals within the framework of public competitions. Specifically, the system supports the decision-making of two user groups: 1) planners in the process of developing urban designs proposals, 2) competition juries in evaluating those proposals. The system provides instant assessment of the design solutions’ environmental and spatial impact regarding selected target criteria such as noise propagation or pedestrian accessibility. Enabling the easy testing of functional programs and the identification of feasible trade-offs between multiple design targets, the system supports rapid design iterations as well as the objective evaluation of proposals. Applied for the first time within an innovative tender format for a new residential and business district in Hamburg, Germany, the new toolset paves the way towards a more holistic and interactive form of sustainable urban design.

Thinking Together and Governance in Transport Planning

Sustainability issues challenge most conventional approaches to policy design and implementation. One broader concern is how to create the conditions for the desired sustainability options to be realized. In this pursuit, policy design has several tasks to accomplish, such as strengthening governance, promoting learning, and enabling self-organization. The case study presented in this paper is an example of this undertaking. It is part of activities carried out at IRES Piemonte for supporting the sustainability-oriented transport plan of the Piedmont region in Italy. It deals with the development of an ICT tool to address the following question: given the list of the transport plan’s interventions which ones are more likely to be a successful package and achieve the desired goals most effectively? The paper outlines the conceptual and methodological underpinnings of the tool and illustrates the main results of an application which involved participants from different regional departments.

Book Review

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A Descriptive 3D City Information Model Built From Infrastructure BIM

This study developed a descriptive 3D city information model (CIM) using only infrastructural building modeling tools to create maps, and analyzed the model according to needs identified in interviews with public-sector actors and a bibliometric analysis. The interviews assessed the challenges of implementing CIM in the Brazilian city of Curitiba, while the literature study determined that current academic production reflects the current reality, calling attention to relevant issues. The experimental software solution successfully created 3D informational modeling of cities for passive use as well as maps to support decision making, although it did not offer advanced parametric tools for urban analysis. Still, this model provides a flexible approach to overcoming the challenges reported by interviewees, which included financial limitations and organizational culture.

We Are Martinsville (WAM)

Rural communities in Virginia have experienced a decline caused by national economic trends. Formerly vibrant towns with rich histories and cultures increasingly suffer from a shrinking population and a lack of new investment, directly impacting the quality of life and services like education or health care. The loss of identity is a hindrance to innovative planning strategies and entrepreneurship. This paper reflects on an ongoing serious game effort developed by the University of Virginia and piloted in Martinsville, VA. That city’s once-vibrant community faces challenges like unemployment, opioid addiction, and obesity. We are Martinsville (WAM) recognizes Martinsville’s rich ties to its history and cultural assets, offering a digital tool in support of a creative placemaking strategy. WAM fosters community engagement while simultaneously increasing outdoor activities and allowing stakeholders to generate place-based game content. This paper describes the findings of the pilot project.