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15 pages, 4083 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Land Surface Temperature and Urban Policies: The Ferrara City Case Study

by Gianni Di Pietro, Emilio Marziali, Cristina Montaldi and Francesco Zullo

Sustainability 2023, 15(24), 16825; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416825 - 14 Dec 2023

Viewed by 791

Abstract

Today’s global challenges are increasingly complex, and forecast scenarios show a general increase in risks that could compromise human permanence in some areas of the planet. In this context, cities have a key role, both because they concentrate an increasing number of inhabitants [...] Read more.

Today’s global challenges are increasingly complex, and forecast scenarios show a general increase in risks that could compromise human permanence in some areas of the planet. In this context, cities have a key role, both because they concentrate an increasing number of inhabitants and because they will be among the first areas to feel these effects. As pointed out by the IPCC, addressing these challenges requires a redefinition of the organization of urban spaces by assigning, more or less explicitly, a key role to spatial planning. Urban and territorial planning may be the main tool in the regulation of transformation processes. Planning has a crucial role, especially if territorial transformations are no longer mainly linked to expansive logics. In this case, it is possible to orient urban choices and policies towards a sustainable use of resources, including land resources that continue to be overexploited. Starting from these assumptions, the present work intends to analyze the relationship between the LST (Land Surface Temperature) extracted from the data provided by MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and the level of soil sealing within the municipality of Ferrara in northern Italy. The reference period is between 2015 and 2021. The objective is dual. The first is investigating how the environmental matrix can influence the temperature values detected; the second is investigating how the implementation of transformative forecasts provided by the urban planning tool in force, could influence the thermal comfort of the study area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Greening Our Environment: Nature Driven Solutions for Regenerative and Resilient Cities)

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16 pages, 11601 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nature-Based Solutions to Regenerate Mediterranean Cities: A Case Study in Catania, Sicily

by Mariagrazia Leonardi

Sustainability 2023, 15(16), 12112; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612112 - 08 Aug 2023

Viewed by 878

Abstract

This work is part of research conducted within the Di3A Landscape Design and Redevelopment Laboratory at the University of Catania. Its objective is to improve the enjoyment of public spaces through the study of landscape design in highly urbanised and historical areas. The [...] Read more.

This work is part of research conducted within the Di3A Landscape Design and Redevelopment Laboratory at the University of Catania. Its objective is to improve the enjoyment of public spaces through the study of landscape design in highly urbanised and historical areas. The case study used was the historical centre of the city of Catania in Sicily. This study focused on the green aspects of the redevelopment of some open spaces of the Antico Corso district using international and national thematic studies on public spaces as a reference. In particular, the research concentrated on the design of the Garden of Via Biblioteca inside the former Benedictine Monastery of San Nicolò La Rena, a UNESCO world heritage site redeveloped by the famous architect Giancarlo De Carlo. After a careful analysis of the area, we decided to use contemporary project themes with the aim of enhancing the present historical elements and nature-based solutions, which, through the introduction of carefully selected plant species, favour biodiversity in the urban environment. The method adopted was divided into three main phases: (1) spatial analysis; (2) a SWOT analysis method; and (3) the planning and design of the green redevelopment of places to be reconverted into public spaces. This methodology has already been tested on the open spaces of the former Vittorio Emanuele Hospital inside the Antico Corso District, showing how the multidisciplinary approach applied can be replicated in other urban contexts in historical centres. The results of these studies may be useful in the context of urban planning reforms envisaged by Regional Law No. 19/2020 and Regional Law 13/2015 in Sicily and to help the Superintendencies of Landscape and Cultural Heritage to preserve and to enhance historical greenery. The adopted strategies may also be useful in the application of the PUI (Integrated Urban Plan) of the Province of Catania that follows the PNRR (National Plan of Reconstruction and Resilience) parameters to provide local services to the municipalities involved. These pilot projects should be extended to bigger areas. The applicability of the methodology could be tested in other parts of the Municipality of Catania with a particular focus on run-down areas, followed by further testing on territorial sections of the province. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Greening Our Environment: Nature Driven Solutions for Regenerative and Resilient Cities)

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20 pages, 2316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Creating a Virtuous Food Cycle in Monterrey, Mexico

by Rob Roggema, Ana Elena Mallet and Aleksandra Krstikj

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7858; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107858 - 11 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2004

Abstract

This article focuses on the connection between health, food, and social wellbeing. Several health problems are caused by the types of food consumed. At the same time, traditional ingredients are increasingly less used. The potential of healthy, traditional foods, locally grown ingredients, and [...] Read more.

This article focuses on the connection between health, food, and social wellbeing. Several health problems are caused by the types of food consumed. At the same time, traditional ingredients are increasingly less used. The potential of healthy, traditional foods, locally grown ingredients, and preparation in local quality restaurants could decrease health problems, especially in disadvantaged communities. The methodology focuses on developing the missing links between traditional recipes, the growth of local food, and the preparation and consumption of healthy food. The main finding of this article is the interconnected model and the definition of the components that link the abovementioned separate fields. Major components are a collection of traditional recipes from the elderly in local communities, establishing an urban farm in disadvantaged communities, local quality chefs who use the recipes and ingredients in their menu, and pop-up restaurants in the local communities where residents have access to healthy dishes. The main conclusion is that by connecting the fragmented fields of investigation, the most vulnerable residents gain access to healthy food options. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Greening Our Environment: Nature Driven Solutions for Regenerative and Resilient Cities)

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14 pages, 2231 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving Psychological Well-Being in Urban University Districts through Biophilic Design: Two Cases in Mexico

by Carlos Cobreros, Neyda Medoza-Ruvalcaba, Mariana Flores-García and Rob Roggema

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5703; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075703 - 24 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2678

Abstract

Since 2007, more than half of the population has lived in cities, and an increase of 60 percent is expected by 2030. The city can bring many benefits to citizens, but it also brings a series of problems, such as a loss of [...] Read more.

Since 2007, more than half of the population has lived in cities, and an increase of 60 percent is expected by 2030. The city can bring many benefits to citizens, but it also brings a series of problems, such as a loss of psychological well-being and the breakdown of social cohesion and several aspects of mental health. University districts, usually concentrated in specific parts of cities, suffer particularly from these negative effects. Nature can be used to alleviate these problems and provide the benefits of a connected urban life. The university community’s well-being depends on contact with nature. In this sense, biophilic design improves the built environment. The purpose of this article is to analyze the relationship between connectedness to nature and psychological well-being in university communities to contrast the effect that nature has on people’s psychological well-being and to identify possible biophilic design patterns that could improve connectedness to nature, validating the urgent need to design and implement biophilic design in current cities and university urban districts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Greening Our Environment: Nature Driven Solutions for Regenerative and Resilient Cities)

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18 pages, 8490 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nature-Based Solutions for Cooling in High-Density Neighbourhoods in Shenzhen: A Case Study of Baishizhou

by Ying Zheng, Greg Keeffe and Jasna Mariotti

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5509; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065509 - 21 Mar 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2401

Abstract

These days, high-density cities are facing growing challenges related to the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Greening can be a nature-based solution for UHI effect mitigation. This study aims to evaluate the potential of nature-based solutions to improve the urban living environments in [...] Read more.

These days, high-density cities are facing growing challenges related to the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Greening can be a nature-based solution for UHI effect mitigation. This study aims to evaluate the potential of nature-based solutions to improve the urban living environments in Baishizhou, a high-density neighbourhood in Shenzhen. An integrated 3D visualisation research method was proposed in this study. Rhino 7, Grasshopper, and ENVI-met software were combined to evaluate environment characteristics before and after design, as well as compare differences in the outdoor thermal comfort index and the building surface temperature. The greening design scenarios include adding trees, green roofs, and green facades. The simulations ran for 24 h during the test period from 01:00 to 24:00 on 9 August 2019, which was the hottest day in Shenzhen. Baishizhou was selected as the test area for this study and environmental simulation. Results indicated that (1) vegetation has a positive cooling effect, providing outdoor thermal comfort, while shade “trees” provide significant cooling effects on hot days in tropical and subtropical climates; (2) adding green roofs and green facades to a building can significantly affect the cooling effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Greening Our Environment: Nature Driven Solutions for Regenerative and Resilient Cities)

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22 pages, 16506 KiB

Open AccessArticle

RivEr/Generation_LAB-Linking Resilience with Inclusiveness in the Urban-Built Environment of Rome

by Carmela Mariano and Francesca Rossi

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 4774; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15064774 - 08 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1413

Abstract

The impact of metropolization processes and climate change effects on natural and anthropic environments, together with energy waste, the excessive consumption of agricultural and natural soils and their progressive waterproofing and a reduction in vegetation cover, highlights the need for sustainable management of [...] Read more.

The impact of metropolization processes and climate change effects on natural and anthropic environments, together with energy waste, the excessive consumption of agricultural and natural soils and their progressive waterproofing and a reduction in vegetation cover, highlights the need for sustainable management of existing resources, in terms of equitable and ethical development, towards sustainable and inclusive communities able to adapt to the negative effects of emergency phenomena. This contribution presents the results of the activities conducted in the RivEr/Generation_LAB, a project organized by three CIVIS members (Sapienza University of Rome, Universitè libre de Bruxelles, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid) as a part of the CIVIS Project “RivEr/Generation_LAB. Linking resilience with inclusiveness in the urban built environment of Rome, Brussels, and Madrid”, financed by the Hub4 Cities, Territories & Mobilities’ Call for proposals 2021. The project proposes a methodology of intervention in the Flaminio district, in particular in the Olympic Village and its relationship with the Tiber River, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the New European Bauhaus, to establish new relationships between cities and the natural environment, favoring sustainable and inclusive public spaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Greening Our Environment: Nature Driven Solutions for Regenerative and Resilient Cities)

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20 pages, 1676 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Grassroots Innovation for Urban Greening within a Governance Vacuum by Slum Dwellers in Dhaka

by Razia Sultana, Thomas Birtchnell and Nicholas Gill

Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11631; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811631 - 16 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1719

Abstract

The nature-based solutions of slumdwellers are paramount to the ongoing integrity of major cities in the global South. The paper investigates the urban-greening decision-making of slum citizens whose civic participation finds support in shared governance initiatives: non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs). [...] Read more.

The nature-based solutions of slumdwellers are paramount to the ongoing integrity of major cities in the global South. The paper investigates the urban-greening decision-making of slum citizens whose civic participation finds support in shared governance initiatives: non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs). The background informing the conceptual framework guiding this research derives from socio-technical transitions scholarship on critical niches in grassroots innovations. The objective of this research is to examine how slum dwellers are implementing urban greening in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The research considers how slum dwellers manage a governance vacuum through civic participation with NGOs and CBOs. The methods in this study comprise qualitative fieldwork in Dhaka and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and citizens. The research findings show that a governance vacuum requires an adjustment to the perspective on grassroots innovations to endure in the global South in contexts where there is limited opportunity locally for intermediaries to achieve scale. There is a limit to the extent that the critical niches perspective applies to grassroots innovations in greening Dhaka’s slums; therefore, we contribute nuance as a refinement to the approach. The study offers a complementary explanatory framework for how NGOs, CBOs and other intermediaries at the grassroots contend with, and even thrive within, a vacuum of governance in the enactment of urban greening in Dhaka’s slum settlements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Greening Our Environment: Nature Driven Solutions for Regenerative and Resilient Cities)

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Review

Jump to: Research

29 pages, 7260 KiB

Open AccessReview

Integrating Ecological Knowledge into Regenerative Design: A Rapid Practice Review

by Jane Toner, Cheryl Desha, Kimberley Reis, Dominique Hes and Samantha Hayes

Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13271; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713271 - 04 Sep 2023

Viewed by 3155

Abstract

While sustainable design practice is working to reduce the ecological impacts of development, many of the earth’s already damaged life support systems require repair and regeneration. Regenerative design theory embraces this challenge using an ecological worldview that recognizes all life as intertwined and [...] Read more.

While sustainable design practice is working to reduce the ecological impacts of development, many of the earth’s already damaged life support systems require repair and regeneration. Regenerative design theory embraces this challenge using an ecological worldview that recognizes all life as intertwined and interdependent to deliver restorative outcomes that heal. Central to regenerative design theory is the mutually beneficial and coevolving ‘stewardship’ relationship between community and place, the success of which requires local ecological knowledge. However, there is a lack of understanding about how—within the design process—practitioners are integrating ‘innate knowledge’ of place held by local people. This rapid practice review sought to collate and evaluate current ‘regenerative design practice’ methods towards ensuring good practice in the integration of place-based ecological knowledge. A comprehensive online search retrieved 345 related articles from the grey literature, academic book chapters, and government reports, from which 83 articles were analyzed. The authors conclude that regenerative design practice is emergent, with the design practice of including community knowledge of ecological systems of place remaining ad hoc, highly variable, and champion-based. The findings have immediate implications for regenerative design practitioners, researchers, and developers, documenting the state of progress in methods that explore innate ecological knowledge and foster co-evolving ecological stewardship. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Greening Our Environment: Nature Driven Solutions for Regenerative and Resilient Cities)

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16 pages, 2476 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Role of Green Infrastructure in Pluvial Flood Management and the Legislation Surrounding It: A Case Study in Bristol, UK

by Dudley Saunders and John Martin

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14619; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114619 - 07 Nov 2022

Viewed by 2260

Abstract

Surface water flooding is an issue which has required an increased level of addressment over the past two decades, with the methods used to combat flood events seeing an evolution. This evolution has been influenced heavily by multi-scale legislations and policies, which has [...] Read more.

Surface water flooding is an issue which has required an increased level of addressment over the past two decades, with the methods used to combat flood events seeing an evolution. This evolution has been influenced heavily by multi-scale legislations and policies, which has pushed for more holistic methods for pluvial flood management. This review will analyse how Bristol City Council have implemented these multi-scale pieces and what has been put in place to encourage sustainable flood management. This will be done through a purposive review of the literature and an extensive review of legislation and policies on a national, European, and regional scale. The findings of the review were able to show that international legislation and policies are not in place to support sustainable management. UK policies, however, were more supportive, with direct reference and guidance for how to move away from hard engineering solutions. The City of Bristol has embraced the concept of sustainable flood management, with the highest level of support witnessed through the multi-scale review. Overall, the City of Bristol has achieved a good understanding of how to use sustainable drainage, with many systems throughout the city, and schemes to support the use. However, further legislative pieces need to be passed on a national and European scale to encourage and promote the deployment of these systems, so the benefits can be acquired on a large scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Greening Our Environment: Nature Driven Solutions for Regenerative and Resilient Cities)

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