Search Results (307)

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDSs) are essential for stormwater management in urban areas, with varying hydrological, social, ecological, and economic benefits. Nevertheless, choosing the SUDS most appropriate for public spaces poses a challenge when balancing details/specifications against community decisions, primarily social implications and perceptions. Building on the SUDS design pillar of the amenity, this study outlines a three-phase methodological framework for selecting SUDS based on social facilitation. The first phase introduces the application of the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Classificatory Expectation–Maximization (CEM) techniques by modeling complex social interdependencies to find critical components related to urban planning. A Likert scale survey was also conducted with 440 urban dwellers in Tunja (Colombia), which identified three dimensions: Residential Satisfaction (RS), Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change (RACC), and Community Participation (CP). In the second phase, the factors identified above were transformed into eight operational criteria, which were weighted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with the collaboration of 35 international experts in SUDS planning and implementation. In the third phase, these weighted criteria were used to evaluate and classify 13 types of SUDSs based on the experts’ assessments of their sub-criteria. The results deliver a clear message: cities must concentrate on solutions that will guarantee that water is managed to the best of their ability, not just safely, and that also enhance climate resilience, energy efficiency, and the ways in which public space is used. Among those options considered, infiltration ponds, green roofs, rain gardens, wetlands, and the like were the best-performing options, providing real and concrete uses in promoting a more resilient and sustainable urban water system. The methodology was also used in a real case in Tunja, Colombia. In its results, this approach proved not only pragmatic but also useful for all concerned, showing that the socio-cultural dimensions can be truly integrated into planning SUDSs and ensuring success. Full article

Urban forests and green spaces are increasingly promoted as Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) to mitigate climate risks, enhance human well-being, and support resilient and sustainable cities. Focusing on the theme of optimizing urban green space ecosystem services to foster resilient and sustainable cities, this study systematically analyzes 861 relevant publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection from 2005 to 2025. Using bibliometric analysis and scientific knowledge mapping methods, the research examines publication characteristics, spatial distribution patterns, collaboration networks, knowledge bases, research hotspots, and thematic evolution trajectories. The results reveal a rapid upward trend in this field over the past two decades, with the gradual formation of a multidisciplinary knowledge system centered on environmental science and urban research. China, the United States, and several European countries have emerged as key nodes in global knowledge production and collaboration networks. Keyword co-occurrence and cluster analyses indicate that research themes are mainly concentrated in four clusters: (1) ecological foundations and green process orientation, (2) nature-based solutions and blue–green infrastructure configuration, (3) social needs and environmental justice, and (4) macro-level policies and the sustainable development agenda. Overall, the field has evolved from a focus on ecological processes and individual service functions toward a comprehensive transition emphasizing climate resilience, human well-being, and multi-actor governance. Based on these findings, this study constructs a knowledge ecosystem framework encompassing knowledge base, knowledge structure, research hotspots, frontier trends, and future pathways. It further identifies prospective research directions, including climate change adaptation, integrated planning of blue–green infrastructure, refined monitoring driven by remote sensing and spatial big data, and the embedding of urban green space ecosystem services into the Sustainable Development Goals and multi-level governance systems. These insights provide data support and decision-making references for deepening theoretical understanding of Urban Green Space Ecosystem Services (UGSES), improving urban green infrastructure planning, and enhancing urban resilience governance capacity. Full article

Rapid urbanization and increasingly frequent extreme rainfall events have intensified stormwater challenges, underscoring the need for watershed-scale strategies that integrate blue-green infrastructure (BGI). This study evaluates the stormwater control performance of combined initial reservoir storage level regulation, river water level adjustment, and green infrastructure (GI) implementation in the 42.4 km² Baihuayong watershed of Guangzhou, China. A coupled stormwater model (SWMM) was developed, calibrated, and coupled with TELEMAC-2D to simulate schemes varying initial reservoir storage levels (30.6 m to 27.6 m), river water levels (11 m to 8 m), and GI proportions (0–45%) under 2- to 100-year rainfall events. Results show that lowering initial reservoir storage levels from 30.6 m to 27.6 m enhanced runoff reduction by ~40% and reduced discharged water volume by ~30%, though overflow mitigation remained limited. Decreasing river water levels from 11 m to 8 m reduced flooded areas by up to 8.3%, with diminishing benefits below 9 m. Increasing GI coverage from 0% to 45% reduced overflow nodes from 236 to 192 and flood extent from 10.76 ha to 9.20 ha under moderate storms, but improvements were modest during extreme events. A synergistic configuration, combining a low initial reservoir storage level (27.6 m), low river water level (8 m), and a high GI proportion (35–45%), yielded the most comprehensive improvements. These findings demonstrate the strong potential of integrated BGI for watershed-scale flood resilience and provide quantitative guidance for sponge city planning. Full article

As critical urban blue–green infrastructure, urban wetland parks serve as vital venues for visitors to obtain restorative experiences. However, existing studies primarily emphasize their ecological and economic benefits, with comparatively limited attention paid to their roles in promoting public mental health and enhancing well-being. Using Yanghu Wetland Park in Changsha as a case study, this research investigates how restorative environmental perception influences visitors’ well-being through two mediating variables: environmental preference and place attachment. A total of 251 valid responses were collected through field surveys and questionnaires. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to empirically examine the relationships among the variables. This study enriches the theoretical framework of environmental psychology and urban landscape behavior research. It also provides evidence-based insights into the planning and design of urban wetland parks, contributing to the enhancement of public well-being and overall life satisfaction. Full article

Equine yards represent a substantial yet often overlooked land-use category in Europe, with potential to contribute to biodiversity and environment conservation. This study explored behavioral drivers and barriers to biodiversity implementation on Dutch equine yards using the COM-B model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation—Behavior). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 yard owners, covering both private and commercial operations ranging from <3 hectares to >3 hectares. Data were analyzed thematically using a deductive COM-B framework, with coded responses quantified to assess the relative weight of barriers and enablers. Reflective motivation emerged as a consistent enabler, grounded in values such as equine welfare, sustainability, and responsible land use. However, barriers were more prevalent overall, particularly within physical and social opportunity. Small yards faced constraints related to time, labor, and land tenure, while larger yards reported challenges integrating biodiversity into routines and navigating regulatory complexity. Psychological capability was not a major constraint, though yard owners expressed a clear need for externally sourced, informed advice. These findings suggest that while motivation is high, structural barriers limit implementation. Unlocking the ecological potential of equine yards will require targeted, size-sensitive policy support, recognition of their land stewardship role, and better integration of biodiversity into daily management practices. Full article

Climate change is altering hydrological regimes across the North Aegean and Marmara regions of Türkiye, with increasing relevance for both drought occurrence and flood generation. This study examines long-term variability in temperature, precipitation, and evaporation using meteorological observations over a long time series and relates these changes to urban water management issues. Daily records from 12 meteorological stations, with data availability varying by station and extending back to 1926, were analysed using the non-parametric Mann–Kendall trend test and Sen’s slope estimator. The results indicate statistically significant warming trends across all stations, with several locations recording daily maximum temperatures exceeding 44 °C. Precipitation trends exhibit pronounced spatial heterogeneity: while most stations show decreasing long-term tendencies, others display unchanging or non-significant trends. Nevertheless, extreme daily rainfall events exceeding 200 mm are observed at multiple coastal and island stations, indicating a tendency toward high-intensity precipitation. Evaporation trends also vary across the region, with increasing rates at stations such as Tekirdağ and Çanakkale and decreasing trends at Bandırma and Yalova, reflecting the influence of local atmospheric conditions. Taken together, these findings point to a coupled risk of intensified flooding during short-duration rainfall events and increasing water stress during warm and dry periods. Such conditions challenge the effectiveness of conventional grey infrastructure. The results are therefore interpreted within the framework of the Sponge City approach, which emphasizes permeable surfaces, decentralized storage, infiltration, and the integration of green and blue infrastructure. By linking long-term hydroclimatic trends with urban design considerations, this study provides a quantitative basis for informing adaptive urban water management and planning strategies in Mediterranean-type climate regions. Full article

Urban rivers are critical ecological and cultural assets facing accelerating biodiversity loss. This study examines the integrated redevelopment of the Jadro River spring in Solin, Croatia, where a protected ichthyological reserve intersects layered heritage and urban edges to enhance conservation and public value. Using a single-case study design that combines archival project documentation, participant observation by the architect–authors, and a post-occupancy review three years after completion, the analysis synthesizes ecological, social, and design evidence across planning, delivery, and operation phases. The project delivered phased visitor and interpretation centers, accessible paths and bridges, habitat-compatible materials, and formalized access management that relocated parking from riverbanks, reduced episodic pollution sources, and prioritized inclusive, low-impact use. Governance and programming established a municipal management plan, curriculum-ready interpretation, and carrying capacity monitoring, transforming an underused picnic area into an educational, recreational, and conservation-oriented public landscape while safeguarding sensitive habitats. A transferable design protocol emerged, aligning blue green infrastructure, heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, and social–ecological system (SES)-informed placemaking to protect the endemic soft-mouth trout and strengthen a sense of place and community stewardship. The case supports SES-based riverpark renewal in which conservative interventions within protected cores are coupled with consolidated services on resilient ground, offering a replicable framework for ecologically constrained urban headwaters. Full article

The advent of digital transformation, social learning, and the increasing use of artificial intelligence is driving requisite changes in the development of data centres, which are buildings designed to process and store data. Green innovation is an integral component of the sustainable development of data centre units. Solutions utilising green and blue infrastructure in data centres are being currently introduced with the objective of optimising energy consumption and reducing energy demand. The primary aim of the research is to analyse the utilisation of biomass production and blue–green infrastructure in data centres. The article provides a consolidated set of key performance indicators (KPIs): energy efficiency, water use, waste heat utilisation, renewable energy integration, hourly carbon-free matching, embodied carbon, and land use impacts, that can be used to compare different data centre designs. Traditional PUE-centric evaluations are broadened by added metrics such as biodiversity/green area, intensity, and 24/7 CFE, reflecting the broader, multi-dimensional sustainability challenges highlighted in the current literature. Twelve international case studies described in the literature were compared and the feasibility of the Polish pilot project in Michalowo was assessed to illustrate specific cases related to energy-saving solutions and the use of renewable energy sources in data centres. Full article

Sustainable urban water governance in rapidly transforming cities requires integrative decision-making frameworks capable of balancing social equity, economic efficiency, and environmental resilience. This study develops an Integrative Decision-Making Framework (IDMF) for optimizing urban water policy in Yerevan, Armenia, built upon AI- and GIS-assisted diagnostics and incorporating a Governance Readiness Index (GRI) together with spatial hotspot overlay analysis. The framework employs an AHP–TOPSIS multi-criteria structure to evaluate five policy alternatives—leakage reduction, demand-side management, decentralized reuse, green–blue infrastructure, and data-driven governance—based on normalized quantitative indicators across social, economic, and ecological domains. Results show that Leakage Reduction (A1) and Data-Driven Governance (A5) consistently rank as the top-performing strategies across both baseline and sensitivity scenarios, while equity-prioritized weightings enhance social outcomes without significantly compromising economic performance. The approach also demonstrates robustness under ±10–20% weight variations. Acknowledging limitations related to data availability and expert-based judgments, the study outlines the minimum governance and data-readiness conditions required for transferability. The IDMF thus advances decision-support science in urban water management by integrating governance feasibility with spatial diagnostics and provides adaptable guidance for mid-income cities facing institutional and environmental constraints. Full article

In the context of post-pandemic remote work normalization and the emergence of the metaverse, virtual workspaces have attracted significant attention as critical digital infrastructure with promising application prospects. While virtual workspaces enable efficient task performance, compared with traditional ones, the lack of emotional connection between humans and machines adversely affects participants’ mental health. The emergence of affective computing has made it possible to endow virtual workspaces with “affective intelligence”. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the relationship between color and participants’ emotions in virtual workspaces through an experiment involving 48 participants, and eight virtual workspaces were constructed, incorporating four color conditions (red, blue, yellow, and green) and two workspace types (shared and single). Data were synchronously collected using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), a questionnaire item on arousal, electrodermal activity (EDA), and heart rate variability (HRV). The results successfully established specific associations between colors and emotions: red with “anxious”, yellow with “happy”, and blue with “calm”. Although no specific emotion word was identified for green, this study successfully achieved the emotion classification of virtual workspaces and constructed a corresponding dataset. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the development of affective computing models. Full article

Urban densification in post-socialist cities has drastically reduced open and green spaces in high-rise housing areas (HRHAs), intensifying heat stress and degrading outdoor thermal comfort (OTC). These neighborhoods—shaped by socialist-era planning and, later, market-led infill—combine high built density, low greenery, and limited ventilation, making them critical testbeds for climate-adaptive regeneration. This study presents the first empirically validated ENVI-met assessment of blue–green infrastructure (BGI) performance in a post-socialist HRHA, using a representative courtyard in Niš, Serbia, during the 14 August 2024 heatwave. A 24 h field campaign (air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and mean radiant temperature) validated the model with high accuracy (R² = 0.92, RMSE = 1.1 °C for air temperature; R² = 0.88, RMSE = 3.5 K for Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET). Four retrofit scenarios were simulated: S0 (existing), S1 (grass), S2 (grass + trees), and S3 (S2 + shallow pool). Across all scenarios, daytime PET indicated strong–extreme heat stress, peaking at 61.9 °C (16:00 h). The best configuration (S3) reduced PET by 2.68 °C (10:00 h) but <1 °C at peak hours, with acceptable comfort limited to 04:00–07:00 h. The results confirm that small-scale surface-level greening provides negligible thermal relief under a dense HRHA morphology. Urban morphological reform—optimizing height, spacing, ventilation, and integrated greening—is more effective for heat mitigation. Future work should include multi-seasonal field monitoring and human thermal-perception surveys to link microclimate improvement with exposure and health risk. Full article

The complex relationship between urban torrents and riparian communities is investigated in this research, from a landscape point of view, in the aftermath of the catastrophic floods in Volos, Greece, in September 2023. The study starts with a multi-scalar approach, investigating through plural timescales and space-scales the way communities and torrents have co-existed in the Mediterranean; particularly in Volos, the way neoteric urban infrastructures have affected and underestimated torrentscapes, is observed critically. This investigation extends to the legislative spatial planning framework in Greece and the EU, concerning the torrent-beds and torrentscapes, in the framework of extreme climate events brought about by climate change. Highlighting the dual challenges of floods and droughts, the research uncovers the inadequacy of existing gray infrastructure and of top-down management approaches, in addressing flood risk. Co-vulnerability emerges as a binding agent, between riparian communities and torrent ecosystems. By the means of research-by/through-design in synergy with anthropological research tools, this approach aims at fostering “just” resilience, by presupposing social justice, towards the promotion of Integrated - Catchment- Management- Plans -(ICMPs) that combine the mitigation of flood risk and extreme drought challenges, the enhancement of torrentscape ecosystems, and the strengthening of the symbiotic relationship between the city inhabitants and its torrents. Full article

Many Australian suburbs are threaded with open drainage networks. However, a preoccupation with drainage functions means that most of this drainage land delivers few liveability benefits to surrounding communities. As a result, numerous Local and State Governments are engaged in providing Living Stream upgrades to drainage land. Nonetheless, questions remain about where such improvements should be targeted for maximum benefit. In response, this paper documents a Delphi survey of experts and a related geospatial suitability analysis using a wide-ranging set of urban, societal, and environmental criteria to determine which areas of drainage land are most suitable for upgrades in Perth, Western Australia, a city which experiences a Mediterranean climate. The novelty of the paper’s contribution stems from the highly seasonal rainfall and related ephemeral summer hydrology distinguish Perth from many other cities where Water-Sensitive Urban Design is well-established. Moreover, the inclusion and evaluation of both tangible criteria (e.g., areas with a shortage of Public Open Space) and more intangible criteria (e.g., areas with population experiencing psychological distress) in the suitability analysis are comparatively rare. The results indicate that Living Stream-oriented Public Open Space should be deployed in areas with limited Public Open Space reserves, urban forest degradation, increasing urban densification, and Urban Heat Island challenges. Full article

This study investigates the role of modern small-scale cities in addressing public health challenges through the lens of spatial justice, using the city of Tartu, Estonia, as a case study. Tartu has been recognized for its progressive public health initiatives, including the Tartu Health Care College, Mental Health Centre, Smoke-Free Tartu campaign, Health Trail network, Healthy School Program, and an expanding smart bike-sharing system. By employing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), we map and analyze the spatial distribution and accessibility of health-promoting infrastructure, such as healthcare facilities, green and blue spaces, health trails, and mobility services, across the urban landscape. A population-weighted accessibility assessment indicates that, although Tartu’s central districts (e.g., Kesklinn (HRI: 0.972)) are well-served, peripheral and densely populated districts such as Annelinn (HRI: 0.351) and Ropka (HRI: 0.377) exhibit notable deficits in health-related infrastructure. However, access to green infrastructure and mobility services is more evenly distributed citywide, reflecting a relatively equitable provision of non-clinical health assets. These findings highlight both the strengths and spatial gaps in Tartu’s health-oriented urban design, emphasizing the need for targeted investment in underserved areas. The study contributes to emerging studies on health-justice planning in small-scale urban contexts and demonstrates how spatial analytics can be guided to advance distributional justice in the provision of public health infrastructure. Ultimately, this research indicates the essential role of spatial analysis in guiding inclusive and data-informed health planning in urban environments. Full article