Sustainable Neighborhoods Research Articles

Spatial configuration and social sustainability in urban neighborhoods

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of urban neighborhood spatial layout on social sustainability, which has received little attention in prior studies. Hence, three neighborhoods with diverse spatial configurations were chosen and evaluated. The primary methodology of this study is quantitative spatial configuration analysis. To analyze the spatial pattern, “Normalized Angular Integration (NAIN),” “Axial connection,” and “Intelligibility” were utilized. Questionnaires, on the other hand, examined social sustainability using three criteria and nine indicators. Finally, the relationship between these two concepts was investigated. The results showed how different urban layouts might affect social sustainability. “NAIN” and “Intelligibility” are significantly connected to metrics of social sustainability. Furthermore, we discovered that spatial configuration had the greatest effect on the two indicators of security and social justice. These findings can help city officials and planners enhance the social sustainability of areas through rehabilitation programs and new urban development plans.

Making sustainability development goals (SDGs) operational at suburban level: Potentials and limitations of neighbourhood sustainability assessment tools

Urban sustainability plays a central role in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level. The emphasis on major interventions, and large projects and infrastructures may overlook the cumulative beneficial impacts of widespread smaller urban transformations at the neighbourhood level. However, there is insufficient research on how to operationalise the SDGs at such suburban scale. This study aims to contribute to fill this gap by examining the usefulness of Neighbourhood Sustainability Assessment (NSA) tools for operationalising the 17 SDGs. The comparative analysis between the three NSA tools examined in this paper – LEED, BREEAM and ITACA – reveals their differences and complementarities with respect to different targets of the SDGs. In general, the findings of this study show that the main scopes of interest of these tools are related to general urban issues (SDG11), climate action (SDG 13), responsible production and innovation (SDG 9 and 12), and in part also to goals on social wellbeing (SDG 3, 8, 9), whereas other SDGs are less represented, although several indicators proposed by NSA tools could indirectly contribute to assessing progress on those goals. Besides providing a framework for assessing the correspondence and compliance of NSA tools to the SDGs, the proposed method of analysis also allows to verify the consistencies and the discrepancies between different NSA tools, pointing at their potentials and limitations. Hence, this study can provide insights and can suggest guidance and recommendations for overcoming some of the current limitations of the NSA tools, and more in general for the design of neighbourhood evaluation systems more directly and cogently targeting the SDGs. In this sense, the findings of this study can support local administrations and planners in the design and implementation of SDG-targeting policies, plans and projects aiming at systemic sustainability.

Determining People s Design Priorities for Neighbourhood Units: A Study in Liverpool, Merseyside

Local planning authorities and developers aim at designing and regenerating neighbourhoods in which people want to live. However, this aim is difficult to achieve if participation is conducted poorly. As a result, people may live in places that are created according to the ideas of designers and the priorities of market conditions and not according to their own. Therefore, determining people's preferences is essential for livable and sustainable neighbourhood design. This paper introduces and tests a method for determining people's design preferences, namely an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. The method is based on making pairwise comparisons of key design principles and structural factors of neighbourhood units. The testing was conducted in Liverpool city centre. Here, it was established that participants' priorities in neighbourhood design are safety, affordable housing and accessibility, respectively. Also, participants prefer to live in non-gated detached and semi-detached housing communities. This article offers an empirical contribution to the participatory neighbourhood planning literature.

Evaluating social sustainability in Jordanian residential neighborhoods: a combined expert-user approach

Neighborhood sustainability has assumed a pole position as a topic of interest in the past years, addressed through dedicated strands of most of the globally adopted sustainability rating tools, such as LEED and BREEAM. Considering sustainability assessment, the social sustainability of neighborhoods assumes a certain particularity, not only in terms of its high context dependence pertaining to its locality, but in its means of assessment as well, with people as a key potential evaluator for matters that are not bound to quantitative aspects. This research focused on developing a framework for rating social sustainability in neighborhoods, utilizing a quantitative approach that builds upon insights obtained by an extended group of experts and end users. It combines the Delphi and AHP techniques along with the case study approach to develop a framework that suits the Jordanian local context, where a particular neighborhood, Dahiyat Al Hussein in Amman, is used for validation. The research revealed that rating the social sustainability of neighborhoods is not only highly guided by the local context it addresses, but is also reliant on the level of understanding and adoption of the concept itself as attained by the people.

Sustainable Communities, Neighborhoods, Cities And Their Criteria

We have 8 years to 2030, when the promises and targets of sustainable development and smart growth are expected to be achieved at the global level, the agenda items about sustainability remain urgent. Sustainable development and smart growth are more important than ever. The managers of the Sustainable and Smart concepts are local governments that own urban units and can make more critical decisions due to scale permits, rather than the changing policies of states. Considering the point reached, it can be observed that the concepts of the sustainable neighborhood, community and city are based on different foundations in the light of assessment tools and models, although the urban terminology that develops with the concept of sustainability is often used to support each other. It can even be said that its sustainable indicators are close to smart city criteria rather than sustainability criteria. In this study, sustainable neighborhood, community and city criteria, the mentioned urban units were determined, defined, and interpreted through 18 assessment tools, guidelines, standards, and models in total.

Sustainable Urban Regeneration of Blighted Neighborhoods: The Case of Al Ghanim Neighborhood, Doha, Qatar

At a time when urban expansion and regeneration are being prioritized, many cities are undergoing significant widespread urban decay. Planning issues, such as the regeneration of historical areas and the redevelopment of blighted neighborhoods, have prompted a complex agenda to be put in place for urban planning practice. The most significant district is the city’s core. It is a crucial indicator of the city’s success because it contains the Central Business District (CBD) and housing. However, due to poor governmental attention, many city cores are experiencing new development, subsequently overwhelming the old neighborhoods. Consequently, old areas are witnessing urban disfigurement and fast deterioration in their physical and visual characteristics. This research utilizes urban regeneration to address the city’s core challenges to help achieve sustainable development. To test the sustainability framework, the researchers used Qatar’s local case study of the Old Ghanim neighborhood, one of Doha’s oldest districts. As a result of the original population’s relocation to suburban developments, the district has deteriorated, lacking street activity and increasing indigent public space. The researchers examined the literature on urban regeneration, conducted site visits and observations, reviewed and described case study limitations, and identified factors that contribute to the creation of a sustainable neighborhood, based on urban qualities such as integrated networks and walkable streets, open and green public spaces, and the regeneration of the old urban fabric. As a result, they intended to address a theoretical and practical gap in current local knowledge, and they additionally intended to provide a helpful tool for urban regeneration specialists. The researchers proposed a conceptual framework for rejuvenating neglected neighborhoods and ideas for ensuring urban cohesion, which is critical for improving the lives of individuals in these areas.

Assessment of neighborhood sustainability in terms of urban mobility: A case study in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

Abstract For achieving sustainable cities, sustainable mobility is one of the key elements. Policymakers around the world are taking different strategies to ensure sustainable urban mobility at the local level. However, sustainable urban mobility assessment at neighborhoods of a developing country received a significant research gap. This study attempts to close this research gap by deriving and comparing neighborhood sustainability based on three indicators: modal share, travel time, and travel cost, in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Using a two-step cluster model, neighborhoods were grouped into three clusters. Study results classified 41 (44.6%) neighborhoods as sustainable, 30 (32.6%) as potentially sustainable, and 21 (22.8%) as unsustainable neighborhoods due to less positive outcomes of sustainable mobility policies. Later, median income and jobs-housing ratio value for different neighborhood types validated the classification result. Findings from this study reveal insights for transport planners, development agencies, policymakers to identify areas where mobility of the residents needs to be improved on a priority basis; advocate further research on comprehensive sustainability assessment at the neighborhood level. Highlights for public administration, management and planning: • There is a significant difference in modal share, travel time, and travel cost in neighborhoods. • A traditional neighborhood of the city is comparatively more sustainable than newly developed ones. • Neighborhoods with similar sustainability status tend to be clustered on the city scale. • Median income and jobs-housing ratio can effectively capture the difference in sustainability level in terms of urban mobility. • Sustainable urban mobility assessment can contribute city planning and development process.

Sustainable Tourism and Housing Development for Panggang Island, Seribu Islands Jakarta: Learning from Maldives' Sustainable Tourism Development

In 2016, Indonesia's tourism sector contributed 4 per cent of the Indonesian Gross Domestic Product (GDP). By 2019, the Indonesian Government wants to increase the tourism contribution to 8 per cent of GDP, requiring 20 million tourist visits. Ten "New Bali" destinations have been developed by President Jokowi, including the Seribu Islands Regency. Seribu Islands, located in Jakarta Capital Region, has various potentials and problems, such as economic disparity, rising seawater levels, declining fisheries production, limited water resources, and environmental pollution. Some Neighborhood Units (Rukun Warga) in the Seribu Islands are slums, including Panggang Island. Therefore, an Integrated Kampung Improvement (Muhammad Husni Thamrin Plus Program) was proposed. This study is prepared to identify potential concepts for spatial rezoning of Panggang Island, integrating sustainable tourism and housing neighbourhood redevelopment. The research problems are how can the community create a healthier and safer home, how can the sustainable 'tourist lodge' model in Panggang Island, and what concept of spatial rezoning of Panggang Island can be proposed. To understand the integration of tourism and residential development, we conducted Case Study Research (CSR) to learn from the Maldives Islands and implemented a qualitative approach of Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis for Panggang Island. Based on the SWOT, we propose a rezoning concept for sustainable Panggang Island, integrating potential tourism zones, new fisher's housing zones, polder infrastructures, utilities, and green zones. Further, in the COVID-19 Era, an additional review on personal tourism was conducted to propose sustainable tourism activities on the Panggang Island while reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Evaluation of Educational Strategies in the Design Process of Infrastructure for a Healthy Sustainable Housing Community

There is a growing trend in academic research in Saudi Arabia on the topics related to sustainable housing and the relative health of the occupants. This article deals with the evaluation of the innovative teaching strategies implemented while completing the planning of a healthy sustainable housing project in an intensive design studio workshop of 3rd year students at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam. The students were supervised by the respective department faculty members as well as the experts from the industry invited for the sessional and final jury exams. The studio workshop resulted in a comprehensive master plan of a healthy sustainable neighborhood that was designed based on the main objective of the health of the occupants. The designed master plan took into account the national and international planning standards, local housing policies, and regulations. Students showed substantial advances in their skills and understanding of the project. The output of the design studio was measured by comparing the average student score and online feedback surveys for the last five years.

Towards regenerative neighbourhoods: An international survey on urban strategies promoting the production of ecosystem services

Neighbourhoods are a fundamental urban design unit and the focus of many sustainable design frameworks. Although these frameworks were fundamental to mainstream sustainable practices, problems with their use remain, such as their unbalanced sustainability aspects. To face these problems, innovative design approaches emerge, including regenerative design, aiming for urban projects that are net-positive for society and nature. Nevertheless, there is no common understanding of how sustainable urban projects translate regenerative design principles into urbanisation strategies and produce benefits for society and nature. Through a survey with 73 international and certified sustainable neighbourhoods, we explored the use of 42 different urbanisation strategies, the role of diagnostics, the barriers, and the design teams' needs to move towards regenerative design and neighbourhoods that produce ecosystem services. We observed that projects mostly address fundamental urban challenges related to energy, water flows and vegetation, lacking focus on topics such as circular economy, soil and fauna management. We also found that doing an ecological diagnostic positively impacts the diversity of urbanisation strategies. To move towards regenerative design, it is important to formally integrate diagnostics into the design process and combine innovative strategies, like those related to closed systems, fauna, and habitat management, with conventional ones.

Mersin City-Lab: Co-creative and participatory design approach for a circular neighbourhood

While environmental, economical and social challenges that the world has been facing recently are increasing dramatically; cities have played critical role in generation many of these problems like negative impacts on environment and overconsumption of resources. Most of the cities today face severe sustainability challenges including sanitation, air pollution, environmental degradation, over population and lack of livability. However, cities may also raise answers to find solutions against many of such complex urban problems, since they are assumed as creative and innovative platforms for social ecosystem of ideas. In this sense, there is increasing interest in ‘City Laboratories’ or ‘Urban Living Labs’, which are established to provide creative experimental platforms with participation of city actors to discuss urban sustainability issues before implementation of deep and structural urban changes for citizens. They provide participatory, co-creative and experimental platforms for self-organizing cities. The aim of this paper is to discuss a collaborative City Laboratory approach -Mersin City Lab- to achieve sustainability principles during urban regeneration process for the selected case-study area located in Mersin. Mersin City Lab focuses on two aspects: Firstly, ‘City Lab’ approach, involves citizens and stakeholders into decision-making process. Secondly, it focuses on urban transformation process with circularity principles including water, mobility, energy, waste management, food and circular economy to achieve sustainable neighborhood development. The paper starts with introduction of ‘city-gaming’ methodology which has been adopted as the main structure of participation of multi-stakeholders. It continues with discussions on stages of the case-study project through implementation of workshops and game sessions by participation of multi stake-holders. Following, the results gathered from overall evaluations of participants’ proposals regarding land-use, mobility and urban water management, local economy, urban development, urban agriculture and food strategies in neighborhood level are discussed. Finally, the paper concludes with impacts of City Labs approach and city-gaming methodology on decision-making process for real urban problems and urban settings.

An integrative approach to neighbourhood sustainability assessments using publicly available traffic data

Travel time data and variability of travel times can be used to quantify the network performance as an important aspect of sustainable development in modern cities. We introduce a data collection and analysis framework to be employed as an integral part of a neighbourhood sustainability assessment (NSA). The proposed framework performs a targeted selection and evaluation of indicators based on publicly available traffic data, specifically addressing short-term observations of travel times and traffic counts. Entailing a hybrid and modular approach, we demonstrate the applicability of travel time reliability measures by combining different datasets, various variability estimators, and visualisation methods, to advance the interpretation strength of the assessment. Implemented are regression methods based on cosinor models, which allow us to analyse the rhythmic behaviour of travel time trends. These models can be applied to assess the differential rhythmicity among different factors, like route, weather conditions and type of day (i.e., weekend or workday). Further, the same datasets are used to evaluate two reliability metrics, i.e., a travel time index and a planning time index. We demonstrate the application of the suggested framework on several strategic routes associated with three testbed neighbourhoods in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The results show that average travel times and their variations are affected by route, day of the week, and weather conditions, and correlate with vehicles count data. Analyses of rhythmicity give straightforward insights into travel time trends, appropriate for comparative analysis and thus well-suited for use in NSA and monitoring practices. To the best of our knowledge, this work presents the first study quantifying reliability indicators intended for integration with NSA standards.

The changing context of walking behavior: coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic in urban neighborhoods

PurposeIt is observed that the COVID-19 Pandemic mostly restricts people's movement and walking habits. In this direction, this study aims to highlight how the walking behaviors of individuals affected in different geographies' neighborhoods before and during the Pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThis paper focuses on the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and the changing walking behavior of 24 sample regions (514 participants) with the highest incidents of COVID-19 infection from American, European, Asian, Western Pacific, African and Middle Eastern cities. The paper's methodology is supported by an /online questionnaire survey conducted in these 24 disparate neighborhoods in December 2020.FindingsFindings show that “walkable access” varies over geographies during the Pandemic. Urban amenities within 15–20 min of access become more important than ever. The results unravel that either walkable or non-walkable neighborhoods showcased similarities despite that urban amenities were not within 15–20 min of access. Three prominent aspects should be emphasized to plan walkable neighborhoods: providing walkable access, forming spatial proximity and sustaining social cohesion.Social implicationsThe availability of daily amenities, such as shopping stores, health care, education services and pharmacies within a 15–20-min walking distance maintain everyday life and increase social interactions. In addition, places with walkable access encourage an active lifestyle and contribute the public health. The impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic movement restrictions on the walking behavior of individuals highlights how the qualities of distance-based urban planning need to be supported with time-based practical attributes that can shape neighborhood planning frameworks.Originality/valueThis paper highlights the coexistence of “walkability” and “accessibility” measures in urban practice and research to create resilient and sustainable neighborhoods. The “walkable access” term used in the paper addresses joint measures of walkability and accessibility.

Investigating the impacts of transit-oriented development on transport-related CO2 emissions

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is considered as one of the most sustainable neighborhood planning practices, yet relatively little evidence exists on the environmental sustainability of TODs. This study examines transport-related CO 2 emissions of TODs in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Individual-level CO 2 emissions were calculated for three types of trips (home-based work, home-based school, and home-based other non-work) of 31,101 residents living in TOD and non-TOD neighborhoods. Three multi-level models were estimated, one for each trip type, to identify the effects of TODs on CO 2 emissions, controlling for spatial heterogeneity and spatial dependency of the neighborhoods and other confounding effects. Findings show that TODs have the potential to reduce CO 2 emissions for work and school trips, but not for other non-work trips in Dhaka. While the results partially verify the environmental sustainability outcome of TODs, how to design TODs to capitalize full environmental benefits remains a challenge for planners in developing countries.

Smart Cities and Positive Energy Districts: Urban Perspectives in 2021

This Special Issue of Energies, “Smart Cities and Positive Energy Districts: Urban Perspectives in 2021”, introduces contemporary research on Smart Cities and on Positive Energy Districts. The present Special Issue, namely the fourth Special Issue, Smart Cities and Positive Energy Districts: Urban Perspectives in 2021, has been dedicated to tools, technologies, and system integration for Smart Cities and for Positive Energy Districts. The topic highlights the variety of research within this field, including research on: tools facilitating the evaluation of Sustainable Plus Energy neighborhoods, of enabling-technologies and procedures for Positive Energy Districts, and of multicriteria assessment for the identification of Positive Energy Districts; system integration related to optimized energy and air quality management in the COVID-19 scenario; system integration upgrading existing residential areas to the status of Positive Energy Districts; and renovation models for large scale actions.

Planning at the edge: urbanism and socio-political transition in Chelas, Lisbon

ABSTRACT Throughout the twentieth century, many European countries developed public housing policies where planners and architects pursued creative, even radical design. This optimism collapsed within a few decades, re-emerging today as a hope in face of impending urban crisis, housing-access shortages and environmental decline. Here, we observe the urban process of Chelas, the largest social housing area ever planned by the Portuguese State, located in Lisbon. Its ambitious and progressive plan started during a dictatorial regime yet completed during a democratic one. Specific original plan features allowed Chelas to evolve over time, demonstrating the resilience of the territory and of its residents, and testifying to complex political and social changes. To understand this process, we disclose: (i) What territorial conditions existed prior to urbanization; (ii) What solutions were originally planned and under what circumstances; (iii) How the built forms of Chelas have accommodated change over time and which urban processes allowed such changes to occur. Focusing on one of Chelas’s sectors, Zone N, we trace its evolution from planning to reality, while also considering its spatial, social and ecological conditions and highlighting its future possibilities as a sustainable suburban neighbourhood.

Sustainable neighbourhood gastronomy: Tokyo independent restaurants facing crises

Neighbourhood gastronomy, the agglomeration of restaurants and smaller eateries in residential urban areas, contributes to the lives of residents and visitors economically, culturally, and socially. Since winter 2020, neighbourhood gastronomy in Asian cities has been severely disrupted by COVID, compounded by many other long‐term stressors. In urban Japan these stresses include gentrification, the aging of proprietors, urban renewal, and corporatisation of gastronomy. Empirically, this paper discusses how independent restaurants in Tokyo contribute to community life by supporting grassroots creative industries, small business opportunities, meaningful artisanal work, convivial social spaces, local cultural heritage, and a human‐scale built environment. The study uses intensive single‐site urban ethnography to discuss how restaurateurs face immediate and long‐term crises at the community level. By using the “neighbourhood as method,” a concept of sustainable neighbourhood gastronomy is developed that should be applicable in other urban contexts.

Comparative Review of Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment Tools

The paper aims to evaluate criteria for appraising the existing urban transformation projects in view of the social dimension of sustainability. Within the case study of the recovery project of “G. Prandina” barrack in Padua, north-east of Italy, the paper compares two different Italian rating systems to evaluate neighborhood sustainability: “GBC Quartieri” and “ITACA Scala Urbana”. The GBC Quartieri rating system, with a point scheme, allots credits for neighborhood design features, and integrates the environment, infrastructures, and buildings for the creation of sustainable communities with a relationship net and a pre-existence connection. The “ITACA Scala Urbana” procedure consists of a multicriteria evaluation of the environmental sustainability and the compilation of a group of worksheets, one for each different internal performance indicator. The results show the main differences and analogies among the different tools, and this analysis confirms that new neighborhood protocols originating from building rating systems dedicate little space to social aspects and to the concept of inclusion, instead of the newly developed neighborhood protocols. Through this examination, the research can also conclude that the identification of common macro-areas is present, which highlights the different levels of importance given to the various features connected to social sustainability in neighborhood transformation.

The potential of implementing superblocks for multifunctional street use in cities.

The Barcelona superblock has been proposed as a sustainable urban neighbourhood transformation strategy in cities. Superblock design reduces space assigned to cars to enable alternative uses for improving liveability and sustainability. Here, the potential for superblock transformation is systematically quantified and evaluated for cities with varying urban forms and densities. A superblock consists of nine (3×3) urban city blocks including interior and exterior streets. Miniblocks, consisting of four (2×2) blocks, are proposed as a less disruptive strategy to initiate urban transformation on which superblocks can build upon. A geospatial network-based approach is developed to find locations for introducing multifunctional streets. For possible site prioritization, the identified locations are evaluated concerning the potential disruption to traffic. The analysis reveals that the potential for super- and miniblocks, as well as their disruption effect, varies considerably across cities and is affected by the urban layout. For some cities, over 40% of the street network is potentially suitable for integrating super- or miniblock design, providing opportunities for city-scale transition towards more sustainable and liveable cities. A grid-like layout in cities is not a sufficient condition for high superblock potential and cities with irregular street layouts can show high transformation potential as well.

Strategies for Studying Acidification and Eutrophication Potentials, a Case Study of 150 Countries

Acidification and eutrophication are two environmental impacts that have a significant effect on air pollution and human health. The quantitative analysis of these two impacts remains hitherto unknown at the scale of new neighborhoods. The main objective of this study is to evaluate, analyze and compare the acidification and eutrophication potentials of one neighborhood initially located in Belgium. For making this comparison, this neighborhood was built in 149 other countries by applying four parameters such as building materials, energy mix, occupants’ mobility and local climate. The environmental costs of acidification and eutrophication coming from this neighborhood were assessed over 100 years. This research, extended to the scale of several nations, will enable new researchers, and especially policy-makers, to measure the effectiveness of sustainable neighborhoods. Eutrophication and acidification potentials were assessed under different phases (construction, use, renovation and demolition), with Pleiades software (version 4.19.1.0). The effects of the energy mix were the most significant among the other parameters. The results show that 72%, and 65% of acidification and eutrophication potentials are produced during the operational phase of the neighborhood. In the case of sustainable neighborhoods, the acidification potential is 22.1% higher in the 10 top low-income countries than in the 10 top high-income countries. At the neighborhood scale, the main eutrophication potential component is water (34.2%), while the main source of acidification potential is electricity production (45.1%).