Search Results (935)

Green innovation efficiency (GIE) serves as a key indicator of urban development toward “dual carbon” goals and sustainable growth. However, systematic evidence remains scarce regarding the impact of the digital-real economy integration (DRI) in urban green innovation efficiency (UGIE). Based on the dual institutional perspectives of government environmental regulation (ER) and intellectual property protection (IPP), this paper proposes an integrated theoretical framework that incorporates integration level, institutional environment, and green innovation. Leveraging panel data from 281 prefecture-level and higher-administered cities in China spanning 2013 to 2023, this paper explores the underlying mechanism and the observed threshold effect of DRI on UGIE. The primary findings are summarized below: (1) DRI promotes UGIE, which is mediated significantly through the institutional roles of ER and IPP. (2) The influence of DRI on GIE is characterized by a threshold effect at a value of 0.9657. Beyond this threshold, the marginal effect rises from 0.47463 to 0.52555, thereby providing evidence for the positive feedback hypothesis between integration level and institutional response. (3) A more significant effect of DRI on GIE could be observed in non-resource-based cities, such as the central cities, southern cities and eastern cities. This paper expands the interdisciplinary research on digital economy and urban sustainability, providing micro-level evidence for the tailored development of digital–green institutional combinations. Full article

Rapid urbanization and spatial constraints in high-density residential areas pose significant challenges to public health and well-being. This study investigates the mechanisms by which the visual environment of urban micro public spaces shapes residents’ psychophysiological responses to encourage spontaneous physical activity and advance active health. Using machine learning and 11-based semantic segmentation, 9 core visual elements across 20 micro public space scenes in high-density urban neighborhoods were quantified. An immersive virtual reality (VR) experiment was conducted, collecting synchronized multimodal psychophysiological data from 60 participants, which yielded 600 valid observations. Through an analytical framework combining Self-Organizing Map (SOM) clustering and Random Forest (RF) modeling, three distinct functional archetypes were identified: Restoration-Supporting, Activity-Promoting, and Stress-Inducing. The Activity-Promoting archetype was most effective in fostering spontaneous activity intention, characterized by a high proportion of activity areas, a moderate sky view factor, and minimal physical barriers. RF modeling further pinpointed pedestrian density, activity area ratio, and green space ratio as key visual drivers of health-promoting outcomes. Based on these findings, a “Visual Activation for Active Health” framework is proposed. It posits that moderate visual-environmental stimulation is the core mechanism for transforming passive spaces into health-promotive settings, thereby establishing a theoretical foundation for the evidence-based design of healthy and sustainable urban environments. Full article

Accurately quantifying the ecological functions of small and micro green spaces in high density urban environments supports urban ecological planning and management. This study assessed 271 pocket parks in the main urban area of Fuzhou, China, using multi-source remote sensing data from the growing seasons of 2019 to 2024. Six indicators were derived, including NDVI, NPP, WET, NDBSI, ISI, and LST. A composite Eco-environmental Index (EEI) was constructed using the entropy weight method. We combined the coefficient of variation, Theil–Sen slope estimation, the Mann–Kendall test, and the Hurst exponent to quantify spatial heterogeneity, interannual stability, and short-term persistence. We also examined climatic associations using correlation analysis. Pocket parks consistently outperformed their surrounding 500 m buffers across all indicators, and park buffer contrasts increased for most indicators. The mean EEI significantly increased from 0.563 in 2019 to 0.650 in 2024, with a pronounced step increase around 2022. At the site level, 261 of 271 parks (96.3%) exhibited an upward trend in EEI, indicating widespread ecological improvement. Specifically, park vegetation greenness (NDVI) rose from 0.413 to 0.578, widening the gap with surrounding areas. Parks consistently maintained a lower land surface temperature (LST) than their buffers, with a cooling magnitude ranging from 3.5 °C to 4.6 °C. Precipitation was positively associated with NDVI and NPP, while LST was positively associated with air temperature and negatively associated with precipitation. These findings support the planning and adaptive management of pocket parks to strengthen urban ecological resilience. Full article

When the breath of a passerby momentarily clouds the glass of a display window that distinctly withdraws from the urban continuum, it signals the presence of a perceptual threshold, an atmospheric interruption before resuming its path. This liminal space engages the observer not through physical entry, but through a multisensory activation. While the notion of atmosphere has been extensively theorised in architecture and environmental aesthetics, its implications remain insufficiently explored within retail design, particularly in the spatial and exhibit design perspective in the display window. Contemporary shop windows aim to engage passersby beyond mere product visibility; the need to articulate and design for atmosphere becomes more urgent. This article offers an atmospheric interpretation of the display window, understood not simply as a commercial interface or spatial facade but as a dioramic device in which all elements are staged in evocative micro-environments. Through the reinterpretation of selected historical and contemporary case studies, the research positions the display window as a privileged site for atmospheric experimentation. By framing window display design as an environmental and perceptual construct, the study contributes to the broader discourse on atmospheres, advancing the atmospheric paradigm as an operative approach for contemporary exhibit and spatial design practices. Full article

Rapid urbanization and climate change have increased urban air temperatures and intensified the urban heat island effect through the expansion of impervious surfaces, loss of green areas, and high-density development. This study quantitatively evaluates the heat-mitigation performance and outdoor-thermal-comfort benefits of a high-pressure micro-mist cooling-fog system installed in the Oncheoncheon area of Busan, South Korea. Five environmental sensors were deployed in Gwajeong Park to monitor the near-pedestrian air temperature and relative humidity, and thermal comfort was assessed using the Universal Thermal Climate Index and the Physiological Equivalent Temperature derived from meteorological variables. Both indices indicated improved thermal comfort during fog operation relative to the control condition. The relationship between air temperature and perceived thermal conditions was strong, while the mean radiant temperature exhibited substantial dispersion even under similar air temperatures. Higher global horizontal irradiance (GHI: incoming solar radiation on a horizontal surface) was associated with elevated mean radiant temperature, highlighting the importance of radiative load in pedestrian thermal stress. Overall, the findings provide field-based evidence that high-pressure micro-misting can improve outdoor thermal comfort and function as practical cooling infrastructure for heat-stress mitigation and urban climate resilience. Full article

The urban physical environment is composed of multiple elements that collectively influence the spatial pattern of crime. Existing research has predominantly focused on the relationship between individual types of facilities and crime, yet there remains a gap in comprehensively examining the integrated effects of the urban physical environment. This study, taking 87 police precincts in the central city of Changchun as units of analysis, innovatively constructs an integrated “Factor Analysis–Negative Binomial Regression” framework. First, factor analysis is applied to reduce the dimensionality of 14 categories of Points of Interest (POI) data, extracting three comprehensive factors that characterize the macro-level functional structure of the city: the “Business and Economic Activities Factor,” the “Residential, Educational, and Transportation Factor,” and the “Leisure and Entertainment Factor.” This approach effectively addresses the issue of multicollinearity among variables and uncovers the underlying macro-level functional factors. Subsequently, a negative binomial regression model is employed to analyze the impact of each factor on crime counts. The results indicate that: (1) The spatial distribution of urban crime is markedly heterogeneous and is systematically driven by the urban functional structure; (2) Both the “Business and Economic Activities Factor” and the “Leisure and Entertainment Factor” exhibit significant positive effects on crime, with each unit increase in their scores associated with an approximately 20% increase in the relative risk of crime; (3) The influence of the “Residential, Educational, and Transportation Factor” is not significant. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that shifting the perspective from “micro-level facilities” to “macro-level functional dimensions” can provide deeper insights into the fundamental formative mechanisms underlying the spatial pattern of crime. Full article

(1) Background: Urban traffic micro-environments show strong spatial and temporal variability. Short and intensive campaigns remain a practical approach for understanding exposure patterns in complex environments, but they need clear and interpretable summaries that are not limited to simple site or time segmentation. (2) Methods: We carried out a multi-site campaign across five traffic-affected micro-environments, where measurements covered several pollutants, gases, and meteorological variables. A machine learning framework was introduced to learn interpretable operational regimes as recurring multivariate states using clustering with stability checks, and then we evaluated their added explanatory value and cross-site transfer using a strict site hold-out design to avoid information leakage. (3) Results: Five regimes were identified, representing combinations of emission intensity and ventilation strength. Incorporating regime information increased the explanatory power of simple NO₂ models and allowed the imputation of missing H₂S day using regime-aware random forest with an $R^2$ near 0.97. Regime labels remained identifiable using reduced sensor sets, while cross-site forecasting transferred well for NO₂ but was limited for PM, indicating stronger local effects for particles. (4) Conclusions: Operational-regime learning can transform short multivariate campaigns into practical and interpretable summaries of urban air pollution, while supporting data recovery and cautious model transfer. Full article

Education systems worldwide face a growing pressure to align with Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 by embedding Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into school life. This study examines how primary school headteachers in Cyprus interpret and enact sustainable leadership to advance ESD within a small, highly centralised system. Drawing on sustainable and distributed leadership theories and a whole-school lens, the study employed semi-structured interviews with ten headteachers from diverse regions (urban, rural, and semi-rural). Reflective thematic analysis identified four patterns: (1) leaders sought a strategic integration of ESD into planning and culture; (2) empowerment and participation were pursued through teacher working groups, student eco-councils, and community partnerships; (3) systemic constraints, a rigid curriculum, limited autonomy, and scarce professional development produced a policy–practice gap; and (4) leaders relied on adaptive, collaborative micro-practices to sustain momentum. The findings suggest that, in Cyprus, sustainable leadership operates as a values-based stewardship enacted through ‘quiet activism’. The study highlights implications for leadership development, such as reflexivity, systems thinking, and ethical reasoning, as well as policy design, such as time, autonomy, and structured support for whole-school ESD, in small-state contexts. Full article

Historic waterfront streets are not only an important component of urban public spaces but also highlight the distinctive features and historical contexts of the city. High-quality streetscape visual perception plays a crucial role in advancing the cultural, social, environmental, and economic sustainability of the urban street space. This study was initiated to construct a multi-dimension and multi-scale comprehensive evaluation framework to assess the visual quality of waterfront streets, taking “Water City” Liaocheng as a typical case. Technical methods of semantic segmentation, sDNA (Spatial Design Network Analysis), GIS (Geographic Information System), and statistical analysis were utilized. Following the extraction and classification of street space elements, a multi-dimensional evaluation index system of natural coordination, artificial comfort, and historical culture for the visual assessment was established. Space syntax was performed on waterfront streets by sDNA to quantify macro-level scale spatial structure and meso-level scale pedestrian accessibility. The results of micro-scale visual perception, meso-scale behavioral walkability, and macro-scale spatial structure, were integrated to construct a multi-scale diagnostic framework for eight classifications. This framework provides a scientific basis to put forwards the refined and sustainable optimization strategies for historic waterfront streets. Full article

This study investigates the spatiotemporal characteristics and travel patterns of micro-electric vehicles (micro-EVs) by analyzing real-world trip data collected over three years from shared micro-EV services operating in three regions of South Korea. Individual trips were extracted from GPS-based trajectory data, and a network-based detour ratio was introduced to capture non-linear trip characteristics. In addition, a hierarchical clustering analysis was applied to identify heterogeneous micro-EV trip patterns. The results show that micro-EVs are predominantly used for short-distance urban trips, while a smaller but behaviorally distinct subset of trips demonstrates their capacity to support medium-distance travel under specific functional contexts. The clustering analysis identified six distinct trip pattern groups, ranging from dominant short-distance routine travel to less frequent patterns associated with adverse weather conditions and extreme detouring behavior. Overall, the findings suggest that micro-EVs function as a complementary urban mobility mode, primarily supporting localized travel while selectively accommodating extended-range and specialized trips. From a sustainability perspective, these findings highlight the role of micro-EVs as energy-efficient, low-emission alternatives to conventional passenger vehicles for short- and medium-distance urban trips. By empirically identifying heterogeneous and long-tailed micro-EV travel patterns, this study provides practical insights for sustainable urban mobility design and environmentally responsible transportation policies. Full article

Urban underpasses are critical flood-prone hotspots during extreme rainfall, posing significant threats to urban resilience and infrastructure safety. However, a scale gap persists between catchment-scale hydrological models, which often oversimplify local geometry, and high-fidelity hydrodynamic models, which typically lack realistic boundary conditions. To bridge this gap, this study develops a multi-scale framework that integrates the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) with 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The framework employs a unidirectional integration (one-way forcing), utilizing SWMM-simulated runoff hydrographs as dynamic inlet boundaries for a detailed CFD model of a 2.8 km underpass in Shanghai. Simulations across six design rainfall events (2- to 50-year return periods) revealed two distinct flooding mechanisms: a systemic response at the hydraulic low point, governed by cumulative inflow; and a localized response at entrance concavities, where water depth is rapidly capped by micro-topography. Informed by these mechanisms, an intensity-graded drainage strategy was developed. Simulation results show significant differences between different drainage strategies. Through this framework and optimized drainage system design, significant water accumulation within the underpass can be prevented, enhancing its flood resistance and reducing the severity of disasters. This integrated framework provides a robust tool for enhancing the flood resilience of urban underpasses and offers a basis for the design of proactive disaster mitigation systems. Full article

Traditional villages, protected as cultural heritage in our country, are rich in historical information, cultural landscapes, and traditional domestic architecture. This article explores the spatial distribution of traditional villages and proposes a new paradigm for the sustainable development of traditional dwellings. It addresses the challenges these villages face, such as natural, social, and inherent issues, arising from rapid socioeconomic development and urbanization. This study analyzes the spatial distribution and architectural features of traditional villages and dwellings in Northern Shaanxi based on 179 national and provincial villages. Using ArcGIS 10.1, the geographic concentration index, kernel density analysis, and the analytic hierarchy process, this study applied both macro and micro level perspectives. The research shows that: (1) The traditional villages in northern Shaanxi exhibit a spatial distribution pattern of “overall aggregation, local dispersion, and uneven distribution.” This pattern is influenced by interactions between natural and human factors. (2) Traditional dwellings in these villages are primarily cave dwellings and courtyard buildings, each reflecting unique architectural features in terms of floor plan layout, facade form, structure, materials, and decoration. (3) Traditional village dwellings in northern Shaanxi face practical challenges related to protection, development, and governance. The top three challenges, based on weighted indicators, are issues related to inheritance, an imperfect protection mechanism, and inherent shortcomings of the buildings. Based on these findings, this study proposes three practical suggestions for the sustainable development of traditional village dwellings in Northern Shaanxi. These suggestions aim to enhance the comprehensive and multi-dimensional sustainable development of traditional village dwellings. Full article

Reducing energy intensity is critical for combating climate change, yet current progress remains insufficient to meet international targets. Green-oriented policy narratives hold significant potential for mitigating energy intensity, but existing research lacks regional-level quantitative analysis. This study examines how green-oriented policy narratives influence urban energy intensity. We analyze textual data from Chinese provincial Party newspapers using large language models and LDA topic modeling to measure narrative-related variables, then combine these measures with panel data from 288 Chinese cities spanning 2010–2022. The findings reveal that green-oriented policy narrative exposure significantly reduces urban energy intensity through promoting green credit development and stimulating green innovation, with the negative effect strengthening as the prominence of the public and narrativity of narratives increase. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that narrative effectiveness is amplified in cities with higher internet penetration and marketization levels. This study broadens research on energy intensity determinants beyond traditional policy instruments, extends green-oriented narrative effects from the micro to macro level, and offers insights for leveraging narratives and contextual conditions to promote energy conservation. Full article

China’s traditional courtyard drainage systems have evolved over millennia, embodying distinctive wisdom in sustainable rainwater management. This study aims to clarify the evolutionary logic of these systems, which shifted from relying on surface runoff to adopting more systematic drainage approaches. This addresses a gap in existing research on the systemic evolution of micro-scale units. From a sustainability perspective, the study also explores the relevance of traditional drainage practices to contemporary sponge city development. This research examines traditional courtyard drainage systems through a comprehensive methodology that integrates literature reviews, historical evidence analyses, and comparative historical research. The results reveal an evolutionary trajectory from localized and passive interventions to more holistic and systematic regulation. This process was driven by three interrelated factors: the natural environment, socio-technical conditions, and ritual–cultural systems. Based on this analysis, the study elucidates the logical connections between historical experiences and contemporary practice across three dimensions of sustainability: environmental, technological, and sociocultural. The findings offer both theoretical and practical insights for improving modern urban stormwater management. Full article

Traditional bioretention systems have limited nitrogen and phosphorus removal capacity and insufficient operational stability. To address this issue, this study developed an iron-carbon bioretention system (IB) with varying submerged zone heights. The system’s performance in removing pollutants was systematically evaluated under different rainfall intensities, influent pollutant concentrations, and antecedent drying durations. In addition, the potential nitrification ability (PNA) of the substrate, denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA), and phosphorus species were analyzed to reveal the mechanisms responsible for its efficient nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The results showed that a submerged zone height of 400 mm enabled the IB system to achieve removal rates of 98.05% for ${\displaystyle {\mathrm{NO}}_3^{-}}$-N and 91.67% for total nitrogen (TN). The removal rates of total phosphorus (TP) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) remained stable at over 91% and 92%, respectively. The submerged zone also created a stable anoxic environment, while the iron-carbon micro-electrolysis process continually consumed dissolved oxygen and provided Fe²⁺ as an electron donor, enhancing both the denitrification process and chemical phosphorus removal. Furthermore, the IB system demonstrated superior stability when dealing with high hydraulic and pollutant loads, as well as varying dry periods, with the effluent iron concentration maintained at low levels. This study confirms that iron-carbon micro-electrolysis and the incorporation of a submerged zone can significantly enhance the removal performance of bioretention systems, offering a reference for addressing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in urban stormwater runoff. Full article