High-rise Area Research Articles

Built form and function as determinants of urban energy performance: An integrated agent-based modeling approach and case study

The pursuit of urban energy sustainability is driving growing efforts and pledges to achieve low-energy or net-zero energy performance at urban scales. However, studies covering urban energy performance and renewables integration often lack a systematic consideration of the urban built context (form and function) and its resulting effects on energy demand and supply dynamics. This paper presents a holistic and scalable agent-based modeling framework that incorporates contextual factors in the energy demand and supply evaluation of urban areas using multi-dimensional performance metrics. It leverages the local climate zone (LCZ) classification of typical urban built types, which is commonly used in urban planning or transportation applications (as opposed to energy planning). The framework is demonstrated through a comparative case study of compact high-rise and low-rise urban areas with different proportions of lodging and office buildings equipped with rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Results show that the average energy self-sufficiency of the compact low-rise area exceeded 25%. In contrast, the self-sufficiency of the compact high-rise area remained below 5% despite achieving a self-consumption ratio of 99% from locally generated solar energy. The uncovered trends are critical to inform context-sensitive urban energy solutions and policies.

Delivery cost of the first public sector introduction of typhoid conjugate vaccine in Navi Mumbai, India.

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), a local government in Mumbai, India, implemented the first public sector TCV campaign in 2018. This study estimated the delivery costs of this TCV campaign using a Microsoft Excel-based tool based on a micro-costing approach from the government (NMMC) perspective. The campaign's financial (direct expenditures) and economic costs (financial costs plus the monetized value of additional donated or existing items) incremental to the existing immunization program were collected. The data collection methods involved consultations with NMMC staff, reviews of financial and programmatic records of NMMC and the World Health Organization (WHO), and interviews with the health staff of sampled urban health posts (UHPs). Three UHPs were purposively sampled, representing the three dominant residence types in the catchment area: high-rise, slum, and mixed (high-rise and slum) areas. The high-rise area UHP had lower vaccination coverage (47%) compared with the mixed area (71%) and slum area UHPs (76%). The financial cost of vaccine and vaccination supplies (syringes, safety boxes) was $1.87 per dose, and the economic cost was $2.96 per dose in 2018 US dollars. Excluding the vaccine and vaccination supplies cost, the financial delivery cost across the 3 UHPs ranged from $0.37 to $0.53 per dose, and the economic delivery cost ranged from $1.37 to $3.98 per dose, with the highest delivery costs per dose in the high-rise areas. Across all 11 UHPs included in the campaign, the weighted average financial delivery cost was $0.38 per dose, and the economic delivery cost was $1.49 per dose. WHO has recommended the programmatic use of TCV in typhoid-endemic countries, and Gavi has included TCV in its vaccine portfolio. This first costing study of large-scale TCV introduction within a public sector immunization program provides empirical evidence for policymakers, stakeholders, and future vaccine campaign planning.

The diversity and distribution of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) in University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, south-west Nigeria

The presence of dragonflies and damselflies may be taken as an indication of good ecosystem quality. The greatest numbers of species are found at sites that offer a wide variety of microhabitats. A survey of Odonata fauna inhabiting the University of Lagos, Akoka Lagos, south-west Nigeria was carried out between July and December 2014, with a view of determining its diversity and distribution. Four study sites used were Distance Learning Institute (DLI), Lagoon, Faculty of Science, and High Rise Area. Data collected were subjected to inferential statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Diversity indices were used to compare the odonate species in the study sites. Seven hundred and fifty (750) individuals representing 39 species in 22 genera and four families (Aeshnidae – 3%, Coenagrionidae – 13%, Libellulidae – 81% and Calopterygidae – 3%) were recorded. Orthetrum (18%) was the most dominant genus, followed by Ceriagrion (10%) while Palpopleura and Trithemis (8%) were the least dominant genera. The site with most diverse Odonata fauna (H’ = 2.70, E = 0.27), was High Rise Area while the least was the Lagoon Area (H’ = 1.97, E = 0.27). Odonata in High Rise Area were significantly lower (p>0.0128) than those in DLI and Science Area which were not significantly different from each other (0.00039 and 0.00368 respectively). The paucity of species with narrow range of adaptation at the university especially at Lagoon Area where they were expected to occur is an indication that the forested part of the campus is under considerable human disturbance. Urgent measures are needed to preserve the natural the natural habitats of these Odonata species.
 Keywords: Diversity indices; Odonata; fauna; diversity; distribution; University of Lagos; Nigeria

Study on mitigation measures for outdoor thermal environment on present urban blocks in Tokyo using coupled simulation

The heat island phenomenon and degradation of the urban thermal environmental have become serious problems in Japan. In order to improve the outdoor thermal environment, it is necessary to understand quantitatively the effects of various measures. In this paper, the authors have performed coupled simulations of convection, radiation and conduction to evaluate the outdoor thermal environment over different urban blocks – Ōtemachi as representative of a high-rise area and Kyobashi as a mid-rise area in Tokyo, Japan – to compare the effects of measures such as the heat release point and means of air-conditioning, greening, high surface albedo, and traffic volume. The results showed that the effectiveness of moderation countermeasures differed according to the configuration of the urban blocks.

Renewing stigmatised estates in the Netherlands: A framework for image renewal strategies

Like in so many other European countries, the large housing estates of the post-World War II generation in the Netherlands did not fulfil the great and often Utopian expectations. Nowadays they are confronted with the effects of a negative image, a stigma. Images differ according to the persons asked for an opinion. Internal images, elicited from insiders, may overlap with external images but may also contradict them. The external image of many large estates accelerates their decay and lowers their reputation. All across Europe stigmatised large housing estates are subject to major renewal processes. The Amsterdam high-rise area of the Bijlmermeer is a good example. Once cheered by planners and politicians, later on criticised by inhabitants, avoided by outsiders and stigmatised by the media, the area is now an example of an impressive renewal programme. The question arises whether urban renewal will change a negative reputation. A stigma tends to stick, even after actual renewal activities are finished. Images of neighbourhoods can actively be promoted, just like a commercial product. Image promotion can be a supplementary strategy, which is seldom used in renewal processes. Which strategy would be the best depends on local circumstances, but strategies should be aimed at improving existing internal and external images. Image promotion may be directed to internal participants, to convince them the situation really is improving, or to outsiders, to promote the area and to counterbalance prejudices. Image promotion should not take the place of real improvements, but it is useful to work on a stigma and to give active image promotion explicit attention in any renewal process.

Results of an AM broadcast AVL experiment

A set of initial experiments has been performed in an industrial area comprised of one- and two-story metal and frame buildings to determine certain important charactersitics of an AM broadcast AVL concept. A triad of AM broadcast stations was phase-synchronized to create a hyperbolic grid over central Los Angeles. Three mobile phase tracking receivers were used to measure the average lane width, the LOP crossing angles, and the relative positioning error d <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">rms</inf> . Comparison of the theoretically derived plane earth lane widths and LOP crossing angles with the experimental results established that propagation anomalies exist which are able to produce noticeable lane distortion. The measured mean standard deviation of the relative positioning error, d <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">rms</inf> , obtained in the low-rise industrial test area for eight test positions was 5.9 m, corresponding to a 95 percentile value of 14.6 m. Following the conclusion of the low-rise industrial area tests, a series of measurements was conducted in the high-rise area of Los Angeles to determine potential system performance in a typical urban environment. Lack of receiver sensitivity and the inability of the tracking loop design to tolerate the negative modulation characteristics of the broadcast stations precluded the acquisition of sufficient quantitative data to make a performance acceptability determination. Nevertheless, the data from these tests were considered sufficient to warrant further development of the concept. Design of a new tracking receiver has been completed and concept testing will resume.