City Transit Research Articles

Tradeoff optimization of urban roof systems oriented to food-water-energy nexus

Urban roof development serve as a form of urban tinkering that could provide favorable conditions to meet wicked food, water, and energy challenges. In this research, three urban roof systems are designed featuring food production, rainwater collection, building energy saving, and photovoltaic power generation, which are named the bare roof system, green roof system, and open-air farming roof system. Here we establish a generalizable framework to reveal the multifaceted tradeoffs of urban roof schemes integrating geographic information system, life cycle assessment, and multi-objective optimization and decision-making. Testing the framework in a typical compact city Shenzhen, China, results show that the rooftop suitability for food-water-energy function development within the city ranges from 26.21 % to 42.83 %. When implementing a city-wide roof system upscaling, the harvested rainwater on rooftops would contribute to 82.5 % of urban recycled water utilization target in 2035 and exhibit the fewest economic costs, but comes at the cost of life cycle carbon emissions and land occupation with 1850 kt and 140 km2. City-wide roof farming scenario shows potential to achieve the local self-sufficiency of vegetables, and stands out as the avoided transboundary energy footprints which are 4.5 times greater than life cycle energy consumption. Our research can foster the multiple tradeoff understanding between upscaling roof systems and urban food-water-energy nexus. The findings will assist in multi-objective decision-making for roof planning and sustainable transition in cities.

How incentives affect commuter willingness for public transport: Analysis of travel mode shift across various cities

Incentive-based strategies tailored to individual preferences can motivate commuters to adopt public transit, potentially easing road congestion and fostering ecofriendly urban travel. However, understanding diverse responses to these incentives has been challenging due to low survey participation and certain homogeneity assumptions, limiting our knowledge of individuals’ preferences for using public transit in different cities. To address this, our study employs a latent class choice model and mixed logit model to analyze individual responses to incentives and identify key factors that influence the effectiveness of these incentives. Data for this analysis was sourced from a mobile navigation application, covering 34 cities within China, thereby enabling the analysis of individuals within each latent class to reveal their diverse preferences for using public transit within different cities. Our findings indicate significant individual differences in response to incentives, categorized into three main latent classes: Class 1 individuals exhibit minimal influence from incentives; those in Class 2 demonstrate moderate responsiveness, especially to food and shopping coupons; and Class 3 individuals, whose decision-making is significantly affected by education level, gender, and travel mode preference, show a high degree of responsiveness to incentives. These insights are invaluable for policymakers seeking to design more effective, tailored incentive schemes to encourage public transit adoption.

Anticipating Place in the Emergent Darkness of the Urban Night

This paper explores the unfulfilled spatial potential of the darkening urban nightscape. And more specifically, how critical concepts of possibility might provide urban theorists access to a night that has yet to take form. In doing so, I build on the presumption that global movements to decrease energy consumption and light pollution will lead to a reduction in nighttime uses of artificial illumination. And that as cities transition to sober lighting technologies, nocturnal darkness can take a more active role in shaping urban space. To what extent this transition will be deployed, in what forms and with what outcomes, are open questions. The urban night remains a space and time of possibility. Its situation is fluid, and its parameters not yet fully drawn. In this state, I suggest that the darkening night lends itself to ontological considerations of what Ernst Bloch termed the anticipatory, or an analysis of what is both in process and on the way. It is an analysis that is firmly situated in the realities of the present urban night, while encouraging the projection of alternate imaginaries for a more sustainable future. Through the analysis of possibility, we can anticipate new ways of composing, and being in, nocturnal urban space.

Low-carbon city pilot policies and urban carbon productivity improvement: An empirical analysis from the perspective of green competitiveness

In 2010, the Chinese government officially launched the Low-carbon city pilot policy (LCPP) to promote the construction of ecological civilization and drive green and low-carbon development. In this context, this paper examined the impact of the LCPP on the urban carbon productivity and its heterogeneity, using the difference-in-difference (DID) model with the panel data from 260 Chinese cities during the period from 2006 to 2019. The findings indicate that LCPP has exerted a long-term and significantly positive impact on the improvement of urban carbon productivity. Furthermore, this paper innovatively introduces the urban green competitiveness for mechanism analysis. The findings of mechanism test indicate that LCPP improves urban carbon productivity by enhancing the green competitiveness of pilot cities. Based on the above research results, this paper suggests that the government should further expand the scope of the pilot and strengthen the policy guidance. In particular, it is imperative for governments pay attention to the regional heterogeneity, formulate appropriate complementary measures and focus on providing long-term support for the low-carbon transition of cities.

Boosting Winter Green Travel: Prioritizing Built Environment Enhancements for Shared Bike Users Accessing Public Transit in the First/Last Mile Using Machine Learning and Grounded Theory

Shared bikes are widely used in Chinese cities as a green and healthy solution to address the First/Last Mile issue in public transit access. However, usage declines in cold regions during winter due to harsh weather conditions. While climate factors cannot be changed, enhancing the built environment can promote green travel even in winter. This study uses data from Shenyang, China, to investigate how built environment attributes impact the travel satisfaction of shared bike users who utilize bikes as a First/Last Mile solution to access public transit in winter cities. By employing machine learning algorithms combined with Asymmetric Impact-Performance Analysis (AIPA) and grounded theory, we systematically identify the key attributes and rank them based on their asymmetric impact and urgency of improvement. The analysis revealed 19 key attributes, 17 of which are related to the built environment, underscoring its profound influence on travel satisfaction. Notably, factors such as the profile design of cycling paths and safety facilities along routes were identified as high priorities for improvement due to their significant potential to enhance satisfaction. Meanwhile, features like barrier-free access along paths and street greenery offer substantial opportunities for improvement with more modest efforts. Our research provides critical insights into the nuanced relationship between built environment features and travel satisfaction for First/Last Mile shared bike users. By highlighting priority improvements, we offer urban planners and policymakers a framework for creating livable, sustainable environments that support green travel even in harsh winter conditions.

Temporal Trends of Early COVID-19 Infections in New York City Transit Workers and Residents: March 01, 2020-May 02, 2020.

The continuity of public transportation was necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic so that essential workers could report for duty. Therefore, it is important to consider COVID-19's impact on transit workers themselves. We described COVID-19 incidence rates over time in New York City (NYC) transit workers and the NYC general population during March-May, 2020. NYC transit COVID-19 cases were abstracted from occupational injury and illness logs, and health department data was used to ascertain NYC resident cases. COVID-19 rates among transit workers peaked during the week of March 22-28 (429.8 cases/100,000 workers). The peak in transit workers occurred 1-2weeks before the general public's peak (March 29-April 4: 368.8 cases/100,000 people; April 5-11: 357.8 cases/100,000 people). These data suggest that NYC transit workers may have been impacted by COVID-19 earlier than the general public. Thus, improving early detection and response of respiratory disease outbreaks may be vital to protecting transit workers.

The Bright and Dark Sides: Unpacking the Effect of Digital Economy on Resource Curse

The digital economy does not always bring benefits; it has both bright and dark sides, highlighting nuanced contradictions and challenges in achieving green and sustainable development, especially in resource-based cities. This study examines the carbon emissions of 111 resource-based cities in China from 2011 to 2019. Using two-way fixed-effects and instrumental variables models, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the digital economy for the low-carbon transition of resource-based cities, revealing a “green paradox.” Specifically, the digital economy reduces the carbon intensity of resource-based cities by decreasing their dependence on natural resources. However, as energy consumption increases, carbon emissions scale also rise. Our analysis identifies changes in industrial structure and green innovation as potential catalysts for this paradox. Further analysis reveals that the impact of the digital economy varies across different types of resource-based cities. The results indicate that only in declining and regenerating cities does the digital economy significantly reduce carbon emission intensity, while there is no evidence that it reduces the overall scale of carbon emissions, regardless of city type. Drawing on these findings, the study puts forth policy recommendations to steer resource-based cities in their transition toward a low-carbon future.

Multi-level governance and modal thinking: Tensions in electric mobility transitions in European cities

Innovations around electric vehicle (EV) technology are viewed as a promising pathway to rapidly decarbonise transport systems in transition studies. However, the mobility histories and path dependencies that shape these transitions are spatially uneven both horizontally across different geographies and vertically between different scales of authority and responsibility. As such, they are rooted in the assumptions and power relations that underlay the policy processes of city and metropolitan governance. This study takes the novel approach of comparing these processes both horizontally between cities and vertically between levels of government. The analysis is based on 50 expert interviews with local and national actors involved in delivering policy related to electric mobility in four European cities: Bristol, United Kingdom; Oslo, Norway; Poznań, Poland, and Utrecht, Netherlands. In all four cities, national, inter- and supra-national pressures generate a perception among some interviewees that the transition to electric mobility, and particularly the electrification of private cars, is inevitable. Yet because modal thinking permeates urban transport policymaking, the majority of our experts define sustainable and just urban mobility as that involving modes other than the private car. A key contribution of this study is revealing this tension between national EV priorities and urban aims to reduce car traffic, which subconsciously influences local policymakers’ perceptions of the transition to electric mobility. The study also offers new insights into how city and metropolitan policymakers can be more inclusive, innovative, and locally-responsive in shaping policies for accommodating both EVs and new modes like e-scooters.

Research on the Strategy for Constructing a Green and Low-Carbon Urban Ecosystem under the Dual-Carbon Strategy: A Case Study of Wenzhou, Zhejiang

Against the backdrop of global climate change and increasing environmental pressures, the dual-carbon strategy has become a significant national policy driving China's green transformation. This paper begins by emphasizing the importance of building a green and low-carbon urban ecosystem under the dual-carbon strategy and addresses key challenges such as immature green and low-carbon technologies, underdeveloped policies and legal frameworks, and a lack of human resources. Strategies proposed include strengthening the research and innovation of green and low-carbon technologies, improving relevant policies and regulations, and accelerating talent cultivation and recruitment. These strategies are validated through the case study of the urban ecosystem construction in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, providing a reference for the low-carbon transition of modern cities in China.

Identifying the antecedents for the green transformation of resource-exhausted cities in China

To address the issue of green transformation in resource-exhausted cities, this study employs the Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) index model to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of support policies execution at both central and local levels, covering 16 policies at the different administrative levels. Meanwhile, utilizing the fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) method, the study investigates the interaction mechanisms and effects of various internal and external factors in the context of policy coordination, from the perspective of green transformation condition configurations. The findings reveal that the overall effect of supporting policies for resource-exhausted cities in China is generally commendable. Moreover, there is a notable characteristic that “the lower the administrative level, the higher the quality of the support policies”. Notably, organizational, technological, environmental, and policy conditions alone cannot solely facilitate the green transition of resource-exhausted cities. Instead, it is the harmonious configuration of these antecedents that drives successful green transformation. Additionally, the configuration of antecedent conditions for green transformation exhibits the heterogeneity of different types. Specifically, the eastern region primarily relies on technological innovation and production process improvement, while the central region focuses on both production process improvement and support policy combinations. By contrast, the western region primarily emphasizes support policy combinations and the fostering of environmental conditions. Furthermore, the green transformation of resource-exhausted cities with coal and oil types mainly depends on the combination of policy support and technological innovation. Metal, forestry, and other types of resource-exhausted cities rely on the upgrading and advancement of industrial structures. In the grouped analysis of administrative level, innovation capability, and distance to the provincial capital city, cities with higher administrative levels, higher innovation capabilities, and closer proximity to the provincial capital city are more likely to achieve green transformation. Thereby, this study emphasizes the critical role of support policies and the identification of effective pathways in promoting the green transformation of resource-exhausted cities.

ANALIZA PRELIMINARĂ DE VALORIFICARE A SISTEMELOR FOTOVOLTAICE INTEGRATE ÎN CLĂDIRI LA ÎNTREPRINDERILE TERMOENERGETICE

The research carried out in this paper focuses on the study of the integration of photovoltaic panels into buildings, a solution known as BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics), which represents a new form of solar energy use: these are building materials, but these also facilitate the generation of solar electricity on additional surfaces and allow an optimisation of the overall operation as a main source of electricity and can also be seamlessly integrated into the building envelope and its components. In the paper, the opportunities for development of building-integrated photovoltaic systems at thermal power enterprises were analysed, using concrete data of the JSC "CET-Nord" in the Republic of Moldova as an example for further research, as well as determining the potential photovoltaic capacity of administrative and production buildings of the enterprise. This will help to improve the understanding of the impact of BIPV systems on the energy transition of cities and on the notion of near-zero energy cities in Europe, by identifying possible future approaches to BIPV that can be used by energy specialists as well as architects and urban planners to assess how much of the energy used by buildings could be provided by BIPV systems when implemented as building envelope materials across the entire building envelope.

ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF AIR QUALITY IN ASTANA: COMPARISON OF POLLUTANT LEVELS AND THEIR IMPACT ON HEALTH

This study presents an in-depth analysis of air quality in Astana, Kazakhstan, utilizing both mobile and stationary air monitoring systems over a two-year period. The research focuses on tracking key air pollutants, namely carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂), providing a comparative assessment of seasonal trends and the sources of pollution, which include transportation, industrial emissions, and domestic heating during the cold season. The study emphasizes the significance of monitoring systems in urban environments to understand better the impact of air pollution on public health and the effectiveness of sustainable interventions. One of the major insights from this research is the comparison between seasonal variations in pollutant levels and the city's transition toward sustainable energy practices, such as increased gasification and the use of electric transportation, which has already demonstrated a positive impact on reducing emissions during peak heating periods. The results show that while Astana has improved air quality, air pollution remains a concern, especially in winter due to the increased use of solid fuel. This paper emphasizes the importance of real-time data from mobile sensors and suggests their wider use to complement stationary sensors for better monitoring. In addition to pollutant tracking, the study delves into the health implications of prolonged exposure to air pollutants, particularly in urban areas. The study concludes by advocating for expanded use of mobile monitoring systems and advanced data analytics to provide actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and public health officials.

Shabran Ancient Settlement: Architecture and Historical Significance of Azerbaijan

The article delves into the historical significance of modern Azerbaijan, particularly in terms of civilization formation. The author highlights the importance of architectural artifacts, fortified cities, and fortresses within the Shabran district. Special attention is given to defensive structures like the Shabran Hill Fort, which dates back to early Middle Ages. The article analyzes historical and archaeological data concerning the city emergence and development, outlines the military-strategic and economic significance of the territory alongside its water supply and trade features.Purpose: Study and analysis of archaeological, historical and architectural properties of the Shabran settlement as well as its role in the Azerbaijan history.Research findings: The author examines the city transition from a regional hub of crafts and trade into a small village, followed by its eventual destruction due to recurrent raids. Research identifies the influence of Sassanid Iranian architecture on the initial Shabran development, studies the history, and discoveries is link with the city. Particular focus on the architectural characteristics and construction of fortresses and castles unearthed after archaeological excavations.Value: The significance of research is in comprehending the historical and cultural context of urban development in Azerbaijan.

Effect of smart city construction on an urban transition to a low-carbon economy: evidence from China.

China is currently in a new era of an urban transition to a low-carbon economy and digital economic development. Smart cities, as an advanced form of information-based urban development, may be the key to the urban transition to low-carbon emissions. This paper examined the effect of smart city construction (SCC) on urban low-carbon transitions and its transmission mechanisms in China from the dual perspectives of reducing urban total carbon emissions (TCE) and improving urban total-factor carbon emission efficiency (TFCEE). Utilizing a multi-period difference in differences (DID) method, this study was conducted based on panel data of 245 Chinese prefecture-level cities from 2003 to 2021. The results demonstrated that SCC both reduced TCE and enhanced TFCEE. The effects of SCC were stronger in cities with more stringent environmental regulations. SCC achieved the dual effect of reducing TCE and enhancing urban TFCEE by promoting green technological progress and a low-carbon transformation of city residents' lifestyles. Moreover, optimization of the industrial structure was also a transmission mechanism for SCC to improve TFCEE. These conclusions provide an empirical basis for the SCC to empower low-carbon transitions of cities and help countries in different regions to transform the extensive urban development mode and promote urban low-carbon economic development.

Editorial: Desarrollo urbano y energía en el contexto de ciudades intermedias sostenibles

Sustainability-oriented urbanism proposes strategies to address environmental, social, and economic challenges in intermediate cities. Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this issue of CienciAmérica highlights the importance of sustainability in cities. The energy transition of cities is necessary and represents an opportunity to promote sustainable investments, in line with SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (climate action). Similarly, sustainable urban planning, in line with SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), promotes the circular economy through proper waste management, thereby reducing environmental impacts and promoting economic sectors and job creation. On the other hand, education for a culture of sustainability, in line with SDG 4 (Quality Education), is essential to create a society that is aware and proactive in protecting the environment. This volume also includes sustainable technology, innovation and economic competitiveness, key aspects in the implementation of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). Finally, this edition calls on governments, businesses, organizations and citizens to work together to build a sustainable future, where sustainability and the economy are intrinsically linked to ensure the sustainable functioning of cities.

Contested Ecological Transition in Small and Medium-Sized Cities: The Case of Rochefort, France

In Europe, small and medium-sized cities (SMSCs) face significant challenges related to climate change and environmental degradation. In France, recent governmental measures have sought to accelerate the ecological transition (ET) across its national territory, aiming to meet carbon reduction targets and preserve biodiversity. Since the pandemic, SMSCs have been at the forefront of this ET policy, benefiting from support programmes designed to revitalise neglected city centres. However, several studies have already highlighted that, despite being “tailored” to the specificities of each beneficiary city, these programmes are largely inspired by metropolitan models focused on economic growth and territorial competitiveness. This article aims to highlight that the ET directives applied to SMSCs also derive from practices in larger cities, embodying an “institutionalised” conception of ecology as part of broader attractiveness strategies. An investigation conducted in 2021 in Rochefort (France) demonstrates that ET policies are often utilised as tools for enhancing territorial attractiveness, akin to promoting city tourism and industrial development. Using a mixed-method approach that includes semi-structured interviews and mapping workshops, we will analyse the representations and aspirations of inhabitants regarding the future of their living environment. This will help them envision an ecologically sustainable and socially viable trajectory for their city and ascertain whether it differs from ET policies. The objective of this research is to identify alternative action levers beyond national directives for SMSCs concerning ET, distinguishing them by their unique trajectories, thus revealing other comparative advantages, notably their size and scale as primary ecological indicators.

Spatial-Temporal Evolution and Environmental Regulation Effects of Carbon Emissions in Shrinking and Growing Cities: Empirical Evidence from 272 Cities in China

Shrinking and growing cities are categories of cities characterized by population loss or add, and the issue of carbon emissions in these cities is often neglected. Environmental regulation, as an important influence on carbon emissions, plays an important role in promoting the low-carbon transition in Chinese cities. This study focused on the carbon emissions of 272 cities in China from 2012–2021, constructed a comprehensive indicator to classify four city types, and calculated carbon emissions. Spatial-temporal characteristics and evolution of carbon emissions and impacts of environmental regulation were investigated. Carbon emissions of rapidly growing cities showed a downward trend, whereas those of slightly growing, rapidly shrinking, and slightly shrinking cities showed upward trends. The more rapidly a city grew or shrunk, the higher its average carbon emissions. Growing cities’ center of gravity of their carbon emissions migrated northwest. Carbon emissions of rapidly and slightly shrinking cities were high in the northeast, and their carbon emission centers migrated northeast and southwest, respectively, with obvious spatial autocorrelation of city types. Strengthening environmental regulations significantly positively affected carbon emission reduction. The impact of environmental regulation on carbon emissions reduction was temporally and spatially heterogeneous and more significant in non-resource cities.

Utilizing green finance to promote low-carbon transition of Chinese cities: insights from technological innovation and industrial structure adjustment

Green finance (GF) has emerged as a promising tool to promote low-carbon development, while knowledge is rather limited regarding the underlying mechanism. This article aims to address this void by constructing a city-level GF index covering seven dimensions and identifying the main pathways through which GF can facilitate the low-carbon development of cities. Using a balanced panel data covering 277 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2020, the results show that: (1) China’s GF development exhibits an overall spatial differentiation of ‘high in the east and low in the west’, while the distribution of carbon intensity (CI) displays an overall spatial differentiation of ‘high in the north and low in the south’; (2) GF significantly decreases CI of cities, which is robust to employing DID strategies and IV estimations; (3) The role of GF on CI varies with the level of CI whereas not with the level of GF. Specifically, the mitigating effect of GF on CI is significant in both high GF and low GF groups, but only in high CI group; and (4) GF promotes low-carbon transition of cities through mainly on adjusting industrial structure rather than stimulating technological innovation. Despite we also demonstrate green finance enhances green innovation, due to multi-factors, such technology progress it brings may not always translate into a tangible improvement in green productivity. For most developing countries including China, the future policy objective of green finance should focus on enhancing sustainable technological progress.

An Empirical Study on the Impact of Digital Economy Development Level on the Efficiency of Green and Low Carbon Transition in Chinese Cities

<p>As China's economic and social development enters a new growth stage, urban green transformation has gradually become an important means to promote high-quality development. In order to explore the effective methods of the impact of China's digital economy development level on the efficiency of urban green low-carbon transition, this paper, based on the statistical data of 263 prefectural-level cities in China during the period of 2012-2021, adopts Peking University's financial inclusion index as well as the five selected control variables, measures the efficiency of urban green low-carbon transition by using the SBM model and examines the impact of driving factors on urban green low-carbon transition by using the spatial Durbin lagged panel fixed-effects model. the influence of driving factors on the efficiency of green low-carbon transition in Chinese cities. It was found that: the digital economy index showed a positive correlation with urban green transition efficiency, and the corresponding positive influence coefficient was 0.523, and the influence of control variables on urban green transition efficiency showed differentiation characteristics, among which: the investment rate in environmental pollution control, the contribution rate of GDP in the service industry, and the professional investment rate in green transition showed a positive correlation with urban green transition efficiency, and the corresponding influence coefficients were 0.437, 0.304 and 0.348; the contribution rate of urban industrial GDP and urbanization level show inverse correlation with the efficiency of urban green transformation, and the corresponding inverse impact coefficients are -0.412 and -0.276, respectively. The conclusions of this paper are of great practical value for the formulation of policies to improve the efficiency of urban green transformation.</p>

Gen Z Consumer Behavior in Jakarta MRT Stations Retail Shop

This paper focuses on the shopping behavior of Gen Z consumers while shopping in Jakarta MRT station. MRT has become an alternative solution for transportations in Jakarta to get over traffic jam and tends to have punctual schedule. Each MRT stations have different type of brand and retail stores that varies from food and beverages, convenience store and others. Gen Z often use MRT as their preferred transportations and in this study their response towards MRT stations retail and shopping behavior was analyzed during a short interview with the respondents. Analysis in retail shop and how consumers behave towards shopping including their motivations and preferences. In applying a qualitative approach, the study brings forth the Gen Z passengers' preference for punctual, fast travel, brand loyalty, and quick shopping. The results from the research indicate that Gen Z consumers tend to shop at retail shops near the city transit stations in the morning, providing that they love speed and efficiency. It also shows that brand play key role in the Gen Z consuming behavior and how they have planned ahead before actually shopping. The research also indicates that retail firms need to blend the digital way of doing business and social responsibility in order to reach this popular demographic. The dynamics of Gen Z consumers contribute significantly to the choice of products, place, time, and retail shops. Through a deep understanding of these elements, a business can succeed in the trends of the consumers in the urban transit setting.