Case Study Of City Research Articles

Walking in small cities case studies of two Iranian cities

Studies rarely have focused on small cities to figure out what prevent individuals from walking where distances are already short. After a data collection (857 respondents) in two small cities in Iran, this study reveals the influential factors on walking rather than motorized mode, and; as a marginal investigation, private car rather than taxi sharing. Results showed that men, 30 to 60 years old, higher educated, car owners and driving license holders are less likely to walk. Furthermore, comfort, a strong motivator along with entertainment and health and social norm are latent variables that influence on walking, however corresponding perceptions are different in leisure and working trips. Moreover, individuals expect safety and security as the minimum requirements for walking regardless of the aim of travel. Similarly pro-environmental behaving raise walking among urbanites, although slightly. Intriguibly; result clarifies that residents in small cities seek for the same factors in large cities, however priority, scale and complexity may differ in two types of cities which require more investigation as well as objective studies. Boosting build environmental characteristics, raising safety and security, informing individuals of personal and social outcomes of walking, advertising programs in order to motivate social support and pro-environmentally behaving, making urban spaces multifunctional, keeping travel distances short in city expansion plans by proper mixing land use, targeting work and leisure trips separately and informing individuals about the existing opportunities of walking are the key conclusions of the study that are recommended to be considered in future policy makings in small cities.

Technical feasibility study of the integration of the solar photovoltaic system for a hospital: a case study of Qom City, Iran

The purpose of the study is to investigate the overall effect of photovoltaic (PV) systems located on the roof and window shades on reducing the amount of heating and cooling energy consumption of a hospital in Qom, Iran. The use of solar panels on the roof and windows, in addition to producing Electric power and reduction of electricity consumption, causes shadows on the roof and windows. The created shadow can reduce the energy consumption of heating and cooling systems in particular. In addition, the electrical energy obtained from the solar panels can be used for the purpose of using the hospital lighting system. The thermal simulation for a six-story hospital with an area of 5000 thousand square meters in Qom, located in Iran, was modeled by the Energy Plus simulation engine. Given that 80% of the roof can be used for solar panels. The obtained results show that the use of photovoltaic systems on the roof and window shades can save cooling energy consumption by 18% per year and 32% in summer. In addition, the use of solar panels saves 15% of the electric energy consumption of the fan coil and 30% of the chillers.

Analysis of Residents’ Livelihoods in Transformed Shantytowns: A Case Study of a Resource-Based City in China

Research on shantytown transformation in the context of building sustainable human settlements has tended to concentrate on macro and objective factors. However, there is still room for expanding research on the livelihoods of residents in transformed poor communities of resource-based cities. This study is based on household survey data after the coal mine shantytown transformation in Datong, China, and uses the entropy method and Logit regression model to analyze the livelihood level and impact of livelihood capital on the choice of livelihood strategies of the residents after shantytown transformation. Based on the development characteristics of the Datong coal mining community, the traditional sustainable livelihood analysis framework is improved, constructing a livelihood capital evaluation system including natural capital, physical capital, financial capital, social capital, human capital and cultural capital. The research indicates that the livelihoods of the residents after shantytown transformation are in a state of low-value aggregation and differentiation, their livelihood strategies are still dependent on coal mining, financial capital and cultural capital have significant positive impacts on the residents’ livelihood strategies of choosing coal mine-related industries, and males and elderly people have a greater likelihood of choosing coal mine-related industries. This study provides micro-level explanations for the livelihood status and livelihood strategy choices of residents after shantytown transformation in a resource-based city and provides policy enlightenment for local governments on how to promote the sustainable development of residents in coal mining communities.

Factors Affecting the Competitiveness of the Seaport: A Case Study in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

This study uses primary data from a survey of 370 observations in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and adopts the Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Linear Regression Modeling (LRM) with Bootstrap analysis for a reliable test of LRM. Its result shows that factors affecting Seaport competitiveness included Geographical Location, Connectivity, Information Technology, Facilities, Reputation, and Port authority.

Is it worth a punt on pensions? A case study of three municipalities’ use of pension obligation bonds

Cities now commonly engage with financial actors, tools, and markets to manage their budgets and associated activities. The growing significance of finance within urban governance is connected by some scholars to the latter’s increasingly speculative character. One area of urban governance where financial tools are now commonly used for speculative ends are public pensions. Across the United States, many state and local governments face large unfunded pension liabilities. In some cases, this has led them to issue pension obligation bonds to reduce their unfunded liabilities. This paper examines the extent of recent pension obligation bond issuance and develops a comparative case study of three Massachusetts municipalities. The research results show that the speculative content of pension obligation bonds varies, even across three Massachusetts municipalities. By using pension obligation bonds, all three case study cities have exposed themselves to different levels of financial risk and have given themselves a long-term governance challenge by installing a speculative financial tool within their budgeting.

Exploring Practices and Adaptive Strategies of High School Curriculum Reform in a Case-Study City Through the Lens of Cultural Historical Activity Theory

Exploring Practices and Adaptive Strategies of High School Curriculum Reform in a Case-Study City Through the Lens of Cultural Historical Activity Theory

Awareness of GMOs in terms of the Iran biosafety act: A case study of Tehran city

Given emerging food supply challenges for the world population, Genetic Modified Organisms (GMOs) are referred to as a solution to the upcoming food security crisis. Besides technological advancement, other significant components such as public Awareness play an important role in national and international scientific regulations. Towards this, this study evaluated Tehranian consumers' Awareness (a sample including 946 respondents) about GMOs' risks and benefits, trust in governmental regulation, and the ways to obtain information about GMOs. Specific questionnaires were designed and distributed among participants in four districts in Tehran, and the collected data were used to conduct descriptive and inferential statistics by applying the ANOVA test.The Findings showed that 39 % with a p-value <0.01 of the public is unaware of GMOs in Tehran despite 20 years of commercialization, consumption, and controversial debate about GMOs in media and social networks. Therefore, the goals of public Awareness of science concerning biotechnology have not been met yet. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that public Awareness is not a crucial component in biotechnology advancement, and the other factors, including policymakers' desire, may have more weight.

Analysis of forestry management based on dynamic life cycle assessment of biogenic carbon: A case study of a forestry resource-based city in Northeast China

Temporary carbon storage and substitution benefits of harvested wood products (HWPs) aid in mitigating global warming. However, the extent of this effect remains unclear. Current studies typically rely on a simple summation of the annual carbon sink. This method overlooks the fact that, due to radiative forcing delay, each ton of carbon sequestered has an impact on global warming, which dynamically changes year by year. Such an oversight could lead to an underestimation of HWPs' contribution to global warming mitigation. This study focused on a forestry resource-based city in Northeast China and utilized the Carbon Budget Model for the Canadian Forest Sector (CBM-CFS3) and dynamic life cycle assessment (DLCA) to quantify the dynamic global warming impact (DGWI) of forestry biogenic carbon. The results indicate that: 1) From 2020 to 2120, the maximum DGWI could reach −42.70 Mt CO2e. Enhancing the collection and utilization of harvesting residues and promoting products with longer lifespans and higher substitution potential can further increase these benefits. 2) The DLCA method, integrating substitution effects, offers a more precise evaluation of forestry's climate mitigation benefits. Across all scenarios and periods in this study, HWPs' contribution to mitigating global warming, as calculated by the DLCA method, exceeds that estimated by the simple carbon sink summation method by 7.70 %–560.72 %. These findings help to delve deeper into the role of forests in emission reduction and carbon sequestration, providing important references for achieving sustainable forestry management.

Integrating pattern, process, and function in urban landscape ecological network planning: A case study of Harbin central city

Scientific planning of landscape ecological networks can promote the overall improvement of urban ecosystems, but the current basis on single index and simple landscape ecological network extraction is not enough to support sustainable urban development. Comprehensively understanding the mechanism of landscape ecosystem operation, this study firstly constructed an urban landscape ecological health (LEH) assessment model integrating pattern, process, and function. Taking Harbin central city as the study area, conducting a LEH practical assessment to provide a scientific basis for its landscape ecological network planning. Secondly, the principal component analysis (PCA), minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, and hydrological analysis were applied to extract the landscape ecological network. Finally, introducing complex network theory to optimize the network and determine key ecological nodes. The results indicated that (1) The LEH index of Harbin central city decreased from 0.481 to 0.446 from 2011 to 2020, with significant spatial differentiation. (2) 50 source landscapes and 8 sink landscapes were identified, with fewer ecological corridors, 50 source-type ecological nodes and 28 weak-type ecological nodes were selected. (3) Based on the LDF strategy of complex network theory, there were 14 additional ecological corridors, the connectivity and resilience of the landscape ecological network were greatly enhanced, and eight key ecological nodes were identified. (4) The plan presented a spatial pattern consisting of “three rings, four pieces, eight cores, and multiple corridors”, which can maintain the sustainable development of the urban ecosystem. In addition, this study aims to propose a more scientific and efficient landscape ecological network planning framework to provide new ideas for the ecological construction of the central city areas, which are the most profoundly urbanized in the world.

Estimation of Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions of the Water Supply Sector: A Seoul Metropolitan City (SMC) Case Study

A model that computes the per-unit process energy consumption, energy intensity, CO2 emission, and CO2 intensity of water treatment plants is developed. This model is used to estimate the total energy consumption of six water treatment plants in Seoul Metropolitan City (SMC), which is comprised 80–85% for finished water pumping, 6–10% for ozone disinfection, 2–4% for rapid mixing, and 1–3% for non-process loads. The model results are validated against actual data for 2020 and 2021. The net energy consumption considering renewable energy production and use is then calculated, and the corresponding level of CO2 emissions is predicted. Four scenarios based on the projected water requirements for the year 2045 were evaluated as follows: increased energy efficiency in finished water pumping (Scenario 1), increased renewable energy production in water treatment plants (Scenario 2), increased energy efficiency in raw water pumping (Scenario 3), and reduced water supply per capita (Scenario 4). Compared to a baseline do-nothing scenario (Scenario 0), the net energy consumption is reduced by 3.57%, 2.61%, 3.42%, and 4.67% for Scenarios 1–4, respectively. Scenario 4, which is a water-driven approach, is best for reducing CO2 emissions, while Scenario 1 and 3, which are energy-driven approaches, are more effective at reducing CO2 intensity.

Exploring economic opportunities of the solid waste management policy in Zambia: Case study city of Ndola

This study investigates the economic implications of Zambia's Solid Waste Management Regulation Act 2018, particularly in Ndola. The Act, which integrates private sector engagement in waste management, has unfolded numerous entrepreneurial opportunities. Our research reveals how individuals, including marginalized groups like ex-convicts and single mothers, are transforming waste into a source of income. By scavenging landfills for recyclables, these individuals participate in an emerging value chain, selling waste to entities that repurpose it into economically viable products. This burgeoning sector is not only fostering self-employment but also generating formal jobs, especially for the youth, and contributing to the national economy through taxes and export revenues. The study highlights the dual benefits of this policy: environmental sustainability through reduced landfill waste, and socio-economic upliftment, as evidenced by decreased poverty levels and minimized disease outbreaks due to cleaner public spaces. However, challenges persist, such as the need for more structured waste sorting at landfills and better support systems for vulnerable waste collectors. Overall, the study underscores the transformative potential of waste management policies in fostering economic growth and environmental conservation.

Industrial Carbon Emission Distribution and Regional Joint Emission Reduction: A Case Study of Cities in the Pearl River Basin, China

Industrial Carbon Emission Distribution and Regional Joint Emission Reduction: A Case Study of Cities in the Pearl River Basin, China

Novel approach to roof rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge in an urban environment: Dry and wet infiltration wells comparison

In urban environments there is a severe reduction of infiltration and groundwater recharge due to the existence of large impervious areas. During rain events, large volumes of water that could have recharged groundwater and surface water bodies are diverted into the municipal drainage system and lost from the freshwater storage. Moreover, extreme rain events impose high peak flows and large runoff volumes, which increase the risk of urban floods. Recent studies have suggested the use of rainwater harvesting for groundwater recharge, as a plausible solution for these challenges in dense urban environments. While the benefits of this approach are well understood, research on its practical, engineering, and hydrological aspects is relatively limited. The objective of the present study was to examine the use of infiltration wells for groundwater recharge with harvested rainwater collected from building rooftops under Mediterranean climate conditions. Two types of wells with similar hydraulic and technical properties were examined: a well that reaches the groundwater (wet well); and a well that discharges the harvested water into the unsaturated zone (dry well). Infiltration capacities of the wells were compared in controlled experiments conducted during summer months, and in operational recharge of harvested rainwater, during winter. Both dry and wet wells were found to be suitable for purposes of groundwater recharge with rooftop-harvested rainwater. Infiltration capacity of the wet well was about seven times greater than the infiltration capacity of the dry well. While the infiltration capacity of the wet well was constant throughout the entire length of the study (∼10 m3/h/m), the dry well infiltration capacity improved during winter (from 0.5 m3/h/m to 1.5 m3/h/m), a result of development of the dry well with time. Considering Tel-Aviv, Israel, as a case study for a dense modern city in a Mediterranean climate, it is demonstrated herein that the use of infiltration wells may reduce urban drainage by ∼40 %.

Impact of future climate change on energy consumption in residential buildings: A case study for representative cities in Japan

This study examines the impact of future climate change on energy consumption in residential buildings in Japan, taking into account both the current and future typical meteorological year (TMY) database. TMY data is widely used in the building sector for energy performance assessments, system sizing, and optimization. To investigate the impact of current and future TMY databases on energy consumption of buildings, the study predicts the cooling and heating loads of residential buildings in four cities of Japan under the current (2020 ver.) and future (2086 ver.) TMY databases. Results show that the use of future TMY database leads to significant changes in air-conditioning heat loads of residential buildings in Japan. It finds that the annual cooling load in residential buildings of four cites of Japan increases by approximately 12% for Tokyo, approximately 9% for Toyohashi, approximately 8% for Osaka, and approximately 7% for Nagoya, respectively, however the annual heating load decreases by approximately 8% for Tokyo, approximately 9% for Toyohashi, approximately 6% for Osaka, and approximately 5% for Nagoya, respectively, compared to the current TMY database. This finding suggests that climate change will have a significant impact on future building energy consumption, and proposes energy-efficient building design as a solution to mitigate the impact of climate change on building energy consumption.

Governing shared mobility: a comparison of the public policy goals being pursued in three cities

AbstractShared mobility services such as shared scooters, bikes, and ridehailing services have transformed the urban mobility landscape in recent years. In this paper we identify the goals that local governments are pursuing when regulating these private services. We also analyse the circumstances and motivations that led to the pursuit of these goals. For this, we carried out three in-depth case studies of cities where private companies had deployed shared mobility services: Bogotá, Colombia; Paris, France; and Los Angeles, USA. We found that there is a wide range of goals (34 distinct goals) that the governments of these cities are pursuing when attempting to regulate shared mobility services. However, only between three and four of these goals tend to dominate most of their actions. We also identified a mix of motivations for the pursuit of these goals: from the public interest of redressing past inequities, to circumstantial motivations such as appeasing the incumbents that have seen their businesses endangered by these new technologies. The academic literature converges on sustainability and equitable access being two of the primary goals to be pursued in transport policy, but our findings suggest that practitioners and policymakers are pursuing a range of other goals that do not fit neatly into these two theoretical categories.

A sustainable modelling for solid waste management using analytical hierarchy process, Monte Carlo simulation and NSGA-III

The issue of solid waste management is one of the greatest challenges of any society. Instead of leveraging solid waste's potential to produce energy using waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies, different countries especially developing countries stick to their ineffective and inferior methods to dispose of solid wastes. To fill this gap between energy production and waste management, this paper develops a novel methodology that integrates three efficacious tools, including Monte Carlo simulation, multi-attribute decision-making, and mathematical optimisation modelling to solve the problem from the perspective of economy, energy recovery, environment (3E), and social sustainability. In this paper, a multi-attribute decision-making method, namely AHP, is investigated to select the most suitable emerging WTE technological options as well as the optimal waste collection routes, to capture solid waste as a potential renewable energy source. Monte Carlo simulation and beta-PERT distribution are also applied to reduce the uncertainty intrinsic to decision-making. After validating the proposed methodology in a real-world case study of Tehran city, we apply a novel meta-heuristic algorithm namely NSGA-III to solve the problem on large scales with a reasonable computational time. The performance of this algorithm in solving waste location-routing problems is explored by conducting several trials. Highlights Addressing an integrated waste-to-energy and transportation network for solid waste management. Developing a novel methodology for finding the best waste-to-energy technological alternatives with respect to the sustainable criteria. Finding the high-quality set of waste collection routes, in addition to the location of facilities with the consideration of waste collection in a separated manner and vehicle's fuel consumption and emission in the MIP model. Monte Carlo simulation and beta-PERT distribution are proposed to stochastically model the absence of accurate data. Application of NSGA-III algorithm to handle the solid waste location routing problem.

Analysis of the Presentation of Financial Statements of a Non-Profit Organization (Case Study of Independent Private Foundation Orphanage Bengkulu City)

The characteristics of non-profit organizations are different from business organizations. The fundamental difference lies in the way the organization obtains the resources needed to carry out its various operating activities. non-profit organizations obtain resources from donations from other contributing members who do not expect anything in return from the organization while business organizations obtain resources from the capital of owners or investors who expect a return on any profits earned by the organization.This study aims to analyze the presentation of financial statements of non-profit organizations (a case study of the Bengkulu city independent private foundation orphanage). The purpose of this study was to determine the suitability of the application of ISAK 35 concerning financial statements of non-profit organizations in achieving transparency and accountability at the orphanage of the private foundation mandiri Bengkulu city. The data analysis used is descriptive comparative, which is a research method that compares a theory that applies to events that occur in the field.The results of this study indicate that the Bengkulu city independent private foundation orphanage in general has not made financial reports in accordance with ISAK 35, but in the financial statements made by the independent private foundation orphanage has implemented ISAK 35 even though it is only 55.55%, while for transparency and accountability as a whole the orphanage has been transparent and accountable, in its financial statements.

Experiences of war and peace in public spaces—Aleppo city case study

Urban public spaces are the interface of any city that could tell about the city’s dynamic and status quo. In addition, Urban public spaces play a pivotal role in shaping societies’ dynamics and can significantly affect conflict and peacebuilding initiatives. In a context marked by Conflict’s profound impact, this article aims to contribute to the knowledge base for informed urban interventions that foster positive interactions and reconciliation in post-conflict cities. The article seeks to explore the intricate relationship between urban spaces and their influence on war or to promote sustainable peacebuilding through investigating the various roles of the urban public spaces during the war and peacetimes via residents’ experiences of the diverse spaces’ functions that shaped the city’s status quo. In addition, considering the interplay of social dynamics, conflict history, and the mental spatial map of cities in public urban spaces can influence lasting peace or upcoming conflicts. This article focuses on Aleppo as a case study, understanding the positive and negative experiences from the residents’ perspective before and during the current war in Syria, and even distinguishes between two periods during the recent war, which are the active violence and after the end of the direct active violence, where it could inform the decision-makers and urban planners on the areas of focus while developing post-war urban public spaces to ensure its positive role in fostering peace and be able to deal with the social dynamic and the mental spatial map that developed along with the conflict history. The paper utilised a mixed-methods approach, encompassing a case study review of Aleppo City from an urban perspective and fieldwork involving focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with Aleppian from different backgrounds and geographic areas that represent the social dynamic of the city, as well as approached Aleppian who are still in living in the city and those who flee out of it to ensure the coverage of different political direction in addition field work engaged with academia and technical from the city who shared their knowledge and experiences working in the city. Participants were prompted to reflect on their pre-war familiarity with public places and share their experiences. These experiences were categorized by enabling a comprehensive understanding of how conflict context influenced these spaces. The article results offer an understanding of the peace-guiding functions of the urban public spaces based on the city residents’ experiences that could inform architects and urban planners in designing spaces conducive to sustainable peacebuilding. The article’s findings underscore the importance of strategically designed urban public spaces in promoting peace and social cohesion.

Exploring students' choice of active travel to school in different spatial environments: A case study in a mountain city

In order to understand the spatial variations of students' active school travel (AST) across different regions in mountain cities, this paper examines the spatial variations in the influence of socio-economic, topographic, and built environment characteristics on the active mode choice of students in Guiyang, a typical mountainous city in China. Using the data collected from 2021 Guiyang household travel survey, the travel characteristics of 2585 primary and secondary school students distributed in different regions within the city are analyzed. In addition, a semiparametric geographically weighted logistic regression model is employed to examine whether the determinants of students' AST vary across the studied areas. The results show that noticeable spatial variations exist in the relationship between the choice of AST and the selected explanatory variables, with different student groups exhibit sensitivity to these variables in different geographic areas. For example, among students aged 6–12 living in suburban areas, there is a higher likelihood of choosing AST as the school travel distance increases. However, students with long-distance travel in suburban areas are less inclined to choose AST as the terrain slope increases. Conversely, students aged 13–18 in urban areas are more prone to choose AST as the slope increases. To promote equitable access to AST among urban and rural students, several policy recommendations are proposed after considering their socio-economic attributes and travel environment. These recommendations primarily focus on improving school bus services, creating an active travel-friendly environment, enhancing public transit accessibility, and implementing staggered shifts for parents and students.

Common direct current (DC) bus integration of DC fast chargers, grid‐scale energy storage, and solar photovoltaic: New York City case study

AbstractThe mass deployment of distributed energy resources (DERs) to achieve clean energy objectives has become a major goal across several states in the U.S. However, the viability and reality of achieving these goals in dense urban areas, such as New York City, are challenged by several ‘Techno‐Economic’ barriers associated with available land space and the number of AC/direct current (DC) conversion stages that requires multiple electrical balance of plant (BOP) equipment for pairing/interconnecting these resources to the grid. The fundamental issue of interconnection is addressed by assessing the use of a common DC bus in a one‐of‐a‐kind configuration (to pair grid‐connected energy storage, photovoltaic, and electric vehicle chargers (EVC) systems) and reduce the number of BOP equipment needed for deployment. Building on similar work that has touched on distribution‐level DC interconnection, this paper will also address the intricacies of interconnecting third‐party and Utility DERs to a DC‐based point of common coupling. It will examine the requisite site controller configuration (control architecture) and requirements to coordinate the energy storage system's use between managing Utility and Third‐Party EVC demand while prioritising dispatch. The result shows that the DC‐coupled system is technologically feasible and hierarchical control architecture is recommended to maintain stability during various use cases proposed. This will inform a lab demonstration of this system that aims to test DC integration of the DERs with recommendations for the microgrid (MG) controllers and reduction in the BOP equipment. These learnings will then be applied to practical grid‐scale deployment of the systems at Con Edison's Cedar Street Substation. This system, if proven successful, has the potential to change the way community distributed generation and MGs are interconnected to the Utility System.