Urban Renewal Strategies Research Articles

Organic renewal of property plots in Chinese cities: Sustainable development of built environment via property value enhancement and digital twin construction

As the urbanization process in China continues to advance, urban residential property plots have commenced their transition to an organic renewal model. Nevertheless, achieving the sustainable and high-quality organic renewal of urban residential property plots poses a significant challenge for planning. This study postulates that the crux of organic renewal for urban residential property plots lies in the impacts on improvement for sustainable built environment, with the main obstacle being the organization and implementation of intricate renewal activities. A potential solution is to enhance land property value, while establishing a digital twin to optimize the design of renewal strategies and implement renewal activities precisely and efficiently. This study scrutinizes the characteristics of the property value composition of urban residential property plots, investigates basic strategies of organic urban renewal and proposes a theoretical framework to elucidate dynamic property value change, property value enhancement and incremental value allocation during the renewal process. Additionally, a theoretical concept was developed to efficiently promote property value in organic renewal through digital twin construction. A comprehensive case study showcases the pronounced benefits of property plot renewal, including a 1.17-fold increase in floor area and a 50% rise in residential floor area unit prices. The research framework proposed in this study is conducive to promoting the optimization, fair allocation and efficient implementation of property value in organic renewal. Furthermore, it is conducive to practicing ‘human-centric’ decision-making.

Energy justice and sustainable urban renewal: A systematic review of low-income old town communities

Improving living conditions, quality of public services and social safety nets in blighted and underdeveloped urban areas also are important aspects of urban renewal. In another way, achieving sustainable urban development requires more improvements. Equity, sustainability, and universality are core principles of sustainable development and should be integrated into urban renewal strategies. For instance, urban renewal in old town areas presents multiple challenges, including balancing public investment needs, social justice considerations, and environmental impacts. Studies have shown that inequalities often arise during implementation, disproportionately affecting low-income residents in old town areas. While energy justice is a key concept for reducing these inequalities during renewal process, however existing frameworks lack a multi-dimensional approach. This study proposes a comprehensive evaluation framework that combines sustainable development with energy justice principles during the renewal of old town areas. This framework aims to achieve equitable and sustainable development outcomes in renewal of old urban areas by systematically examining the unequal impacts on low-income groups and proposing equitable energy services and inclusive policies. The proposed equity evaluation framework includes two key components: 1) Main factors in existing renewal strategies, which include equitable access to energy resources, sustainable energy systems, affordability, and public participation. 2) Criteria for refining energy justice evaluation framework, which include accessibility, energy efficiency, community participation, and policy coordination. The research emphasizes the importance of fairness in providing affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy opportunities within urban renewal initiatives. This focus can provide rational perspective and reference for decision makers, thereby empowering vulnerable groups, giving equitable energy access and contributing to achieve sustainable urban development.

Shared challenges, divergent practices. The impact of institutional frameworks on area-based initiatives in Barcelona and Paris

ABSTRACT In recent decades, the persisting inequalities in European cities have spurred the implementation of area-based initiatives (ABI) in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. This paper investigates how the interplay between diverse institutional frameworks and housing ownership regimes influences the design and execution of ABI policies in France and Spain. Focusing on the specific cases of Pla de Barris in Barcelona and Contrat de Ville in Paris, the study elucidates the strengths and limitations of different urban renewal strategies, emphasizing the imperative of a multi-level governance approach for effective ABIs.

Regeneration diagnosis for the service lifespans of residential buildings on a circular economy perspective

As urbanized areas progress into the era of stock, an immense number of existing residential buildings (RBs) are destined to undergo replacement and renovation. The irrational decision of urban renewal led to serious economic waste and environmental unsustainability. In this regard, this study proposes and validates a method for regeneration diagnosis and optimal regeneration of RBs based on circular economy (CE) theory. A hybrid diagnostic tool of life cycle cost (LCC)-life cycle assessment (LCA) model to systematically evaluate the economic and environmental impact of RBs throughout the circular lifecycle was proposed. On this basis, with the minimum average annual economic and environmental impact as the objective function, the optimal dynamic regeneration cycle of RBs is obtained using a multi-objective optimization method. The results of the case study show that: (1) The discount rate and deterioration rate changes the development tendency of economic and environmental data, which brings a new regenerating time point, (2) the economic impact of RBs’ regeneration tends to be more pronounced during the intermediate stages, while the environmental impact becomes more significant in the later stages, (3) the environmental benefits of regeneration outweigh the economic benefits, (4) the regeneration of all building elements at the local optimal level leads to enhanced comprehensive benefits compared to multiple regenerations of a single building element. The feasibility of the method employed in this study has been corroborated by practical case studies. This approach transcends the limitations of quantitative analysis in assessing the regeneration of RBs in a circular lifecycle and offers profound implications for the development of urban renewal and sustainable strategies.

Environmental Inequality in Peri-Urban Areas: A Case Study of Huangpu District, Guangzhou City

This research investigates environmental inequalities within Guangzhou’s Huangpu District against the backdrop of rapid urbanisation and industrial expansion in Asia. This study identifies environmental hotspots, particularly in socially vulnerable areas characterised by high industrial density, using a vulnerability framework and analysing census and pollution data. Utilising satellite imagery, urban planning documents, and field research, we delve into the internal environmental conflicts arising from industrial land use. Our findings reveal how diverse stakeholders, guided by their rationales and interests, collectively contribute to spatial inequalities within a market-driven context. Importantly, we emphasise that environmental inequality transcends mere conflicts of interest among stakeholders and is fundamentally shaped by the prevailing market-oriented spatial development model in peri-urban areas. This model results in urban segmentation, socio-economic stratification, and an uneven distribution of environmental risks and resources. Our study advocates for a paradigmatic shift in China’s peri-urban spatial development and the integration of environmental protection and social equity alongside economic growth. We recommend moving away from short-term speculative practices and promoting long-term, community-engaged urban renewal strategies that harmonise economic progress with improved living standards and environmental sustainability.

How does the built environment affect transit use under different urban village renewal strategies?

ABSTRACT Authorities often adopt rehabilitation or redevelopment strategies to enhance the built environment (BE) of urban villages to address issues like traffic congestion, pollution, and public security. There is a lack of investigation into the specific impacts of the built environment on bus usage in urban villages with different renewal strategies. We utilized data from the 2018 Zhuhai resident survey and employed the XGB-SHAP model to examine the non-linear relationship and threshold effects of the BE on transit usage in urban villages undergoing rehabilitation or redevelopment. The finding indicated that travel time and distance are the most influential factors, while the density of bus stops and employment density have the greatest impact among the BE variables. The BE variables exhibit distinct nonlinear characteristics and display threshold effects, with significant difference in their performance. Our empirical evidence and policy implications provide valuable insights for promoting public transit usage in urban villages.

Research on Cost Management Evaluation of Urban Renewal Projects under EPC Mode

Compared with developed countries, the research on modern urban renewal in China is relatively late. However, with the landing of more and more projects in recent years, since Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other places took the lead in urban renewal, urban renewal has gradually entered a period of market-oriented and diversified operation. In recent years, under the influence of urban renewal strategy, the construction of old residential renovation projects is in full swing. In order to reduce the risk of construction, the construction unit often selects EPC project general contracting mode as the contract form of old residential renovation projects. However, the EPC project general contracting mode not only reduces the investment risk of the construction unit, but also greatly improves the difficulty of the general contracting unit's cost management of the renovation project of the old residential area. In order to complete the renovation project of the old residential area within the range of the budget estimate approved by the government and obtain the expected social benefits, cost management has become the control point of the project management of the EPC project general contractor. Based on the perspective of the general contractor, this paper takes the renovation project of the old residential area under EPC mode as the research object, uses AHP and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to evaluate the project cost management, analyzes the deficiencies in the actual cost management and puts forward countermeasures and suggestions.

Predictive Modeling of Fire Incidence Using Deep Neural Networks

To achieve successful prevention of fire incidents originating from human activities, it is imperative to possess a thorough understanding. This paper introduces a machine learning approach, specifically utilizing deep neural networks (DNN), to develop predictive models for fire occurrence in Keelung City, Taiwan. It investigates ten factors across demographic, architectural, and economic domains through spatial analysis and thematic maps generated from geographic information system data. These factors are then integrated as inputs for the DNN model. Through 50 iterations, performance indices including the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), variance accounted for (VAF), prediction interval (PI), mean absolute error (MAE), weighted index (WI), weighted mean absolute percentage error (WMAPE), Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NS), and the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) are computed, with average values of 0.89, 7.30 × 10−2, 89.21, 1.63, 4.90 × 10−2, 0.97, 2.92 × 10−1, 0.88, and 4.84, respectively. The model’s predictions, compared with historical data, demonstrate its efficacy. Additionally, this study explores the impact of various urban renewal strategies using the DNN model, highlighting the significant influence of economic factors on fire incidence. This underscores the importance of economic factors in mitigating fire incidents and emphasizes their consideration in urban renewal planning.

Experimental Analysis of the Influence of Seasonality on the Temperature Regime of Extensive Roofs in Central Europe

Current building envelope greening systems are not just areas covered with vegetation. Today’s systems can maximise the functional contribution of vegetation to a building’s performance and become part of a sustainable urban renewal strategy. The impact of the vegetation layer directly affects the building in its immediate vicinity, from the outside, while also having a significant impact on the indoor environment. Green roofs are the most widespread vegetated structures worldwide. This paper aims to demonstrate the behaviour of the temperature regime of an extensive green roof over a production hall and an administrative area in comparison to that of a roof without vegetation cover. In evaluating the results, a period with weather representative of winter and summer was selected to show the importance of seasonality. The fact that this is a new building, and that the extensive roof is not fully covered with vegetation, is very well reflected in the results, as the absence of a vegetated area significantly affects the temperature of as well as the heat flux through the roof structure. The dark colour of the substrate absorbs significantly more solar radiation than the light surface of the waterproofing, resulting in an increase in temperature and heat flux into the structure.

Research on the Design Methods for Green Renovation of Existing Buildings in Lingnan Region

China’s urbanization has entered a new stage with the promotion of “Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Goals” and “Urban Renewal Strategy”. Problems such as poor comfort, high energy consumption and unreasonable functions of existing buildings have attracted extensive attention from society. The climate-adapted human environment created by traditional buildings in the Lingnan region offers insights for the green transformation of buildings in this area. This paper summarizes the wisdom from the climate-adaptive construction of traditional buildings in Lingnan region, and proposes a green transformation design scheme that meets the requirements of energy efficiency and comfort, which provides a reference for the green renovation design of existing buildings.

Research and Analysis of Urban Renewal and Renovation Strategy under the Concept of "Urban Acupuncture"

Research and Analysis of Urban Renewal and Renovation Strategy under the Concept of "Urban Acupuncture"

Research on Urban Renewal Strategy Based on the Narrative Environments

Research on Urban Renewal Strategy Based on the Narrative Environments

Housing Inequality in Hong Kong: Investigating The Relationship Between gentrification and Life Satisfaction

In Hong Kong, the contrast between wealth and poverty is stark. Amidst its 7.3 million residents, 125,100 are millionaires while 1.6 million live in poverty. Rent has surged by 187%, forcing 220,000 of the most vulnerable into "coffin homes"—tiny units barely fitting a bed. This issue is acute in districts like Mongkok, the densest district globally. The Hong Kong government has responded with initiatives such as the Urban Renewal Authority (URA). While some praise these efforts, others criticize them for favoring affluent investors over vulnerable residents. This research essay will aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the Urban Renewal Strategy's impact to residents’ life satisfaction by closely examining two cases: Langham Place and Hong Lok Street (Bird Market). This study will consider both psychological and economic factors, recognizing that elements like financial stability, social mobility, and living conditions significantly influence life satisfaction.

A Study on Urban Renewal Strategies of Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province, China Based on Stakeholder Theory and Social Network Analysis

A Study on Urban Renewal Strategies of Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province, China Based on Stakeholder Theory and Social Network Analysis

How do 2D/3D urban landscapes impact diurnal land surface temperature: Insights from block scale and machine learning algorithms

Urban landscapes significantly affect land surface temperature (LST) and are considered crucial factors affecting urban heat island (UHI). The impacts of urban landscapes on LST have been extensively explored, mainly focusing on grid scale and the daytime. However, how 2D/3D urban landscapes affect diurnal LST at the block scale is unclear. Therefore, taking 1, 536 blocks (including low-rise blocks (LRB), middle-rise blocks (MRB), and high-rise blocks (HRB)) in Beijing as samples, the performances of boosted regression tree (BRT) and random forest (RF) were first evaluated, and the impacts of 2D/3D urban landscapes on diurnal LST across different block types were explored. The results showed that the mean LST was the highest in MRB (daytime) and HRB (nighttime). BRT performed better than RF in investigating diurnal impacts at the block scale. Vegetation and buildings are the domain factors influencing daytime and nighttime LST in LRB and MRB, while buildings are the domain factor in HRB except at 03:09 (impervious surface). The relationships between the key 2D/3D urban landscape metrics and block diurnal LST are nonlinear. The findings can serve as f basis for UHI mitigation and urban renewal strategies by urban planners to develop thermal comfort.

Urban socio-ecosystem renewal: an ecosystem services assessment approach

Using a novel approach based on the urban ecosystem services approach, this research explores the relation between socio-economic, architectonic and ecological factors in urban renewal processes. This deductive conceptual approach is based on the definition of an urban diagnosis and intervention model based on the concept of urban socio-ecosystemic services. This conceptual approach is applied to three research cases in Andalusia (Spain) neighbourhoods linked to participatory urban renewal processes. A model is inductively defined from these analysed case studies: the socio-ecosystemic services model, based on the conceptual frame, the development of particular instruments and the definition of a participatory methodological strategy. The results obtained in these urban workshops show that the socio-ecosystem model better integrates the relationships between the architectural, socio-economic and ecological dimensions in addressing the need for urban services and infrastructure and the quality of life in neighbourhoods. Citizens can formulate their needs and perceptions of the neighbourhood beyond traditional quantitative variables (i.e. number of car parks, average size of dwellings, population density, etc.), incorporating aspects such as urban landscape, air quality, urban noise, shaded rest areas and children’s spaces. All these perceptions are collected and transformed into proposals for neighbourhood improvement, which are assessed and prioritized by the citizens. Together with participatory processes, this approach can be considered as the key to success in urban renewal strategies in neighbourhoods. However, it is necessary to develop indicators and metrics of the relationships between the socio-economic and ecological dimensions that allow a more integrated study of the model at different urban scales.

Exploring the Key Factors Influencing Sustainable Urban Renewal from the Perspective of Multiple Stakeholders

A successful urban renewal policy, process, and project implementation should advocate sustainable development from economic, social, and environmental perspectives. As different stakeholders have different interests and insights into the importance of the environment, housing, social wellbeing, and economic concerns, they often have different ideas concerning how to develop urban renewal strategies and implement projects. Although previous studies have focused on the opinions of governments and academics, fewer studies have considered the direct beneficiaries of urban renewal—the residents. This study examined the key factors that influence sustainable urban renewal from the perspective of multiple stakeholders, including local governments, residents, developers, and designers. Social network analysis (SNA) and the reliability interval method (RIM) were integrated to form a SNA-RIM analytical framework to analyze the importance of the influencing factors. The results showed that the adjustment of the regional industrial structure, employment opportunities, and environmental qualification improvement had the most significant influence on sustainable urban renewal from economic, social, and environmental perspectives, respectively. In addition, different types of stakeholders do not value sustainability indicators in the same way. Local governments place more emphasis on return on investment, employment opportunities, and environmental qualification improvement, whereas residents focus on per capita income growth rate, public service facilities, and convenience of municipal infrastructure. Developers are most interested in the land value growth rate, public service facilities, and effective land use space, whereas designers attach the greatest importance to the adjustment of regional industrial structure, public service facilities, and effective land use space. Therefore, this study can help urban planners and decision makers balance the interests, seek common benefits for different types of stakeholders, and improve sustainable and inclusive urban renewal.

Study on Urban Renewal Strategy of Chengdu

The construction of our country is in the transition period from incremental to stock. Urban renewal is an important strategy to reshape urban image and increase urban vitality. Chengdu is not only an important central city in the western region, but also a top ten ancient capital and a famous historical and cultural city in China. This paper begins with the background of the urban renewal of MengZhui Wan in the center of Chengdu, and then writes the background of the urban renewal of China, then from the general situation, geographical location, living conditions to write the situation of MengZhuiWan Area. And then from the “EPC + O” model of urban renewal, optimization of functional layout, restructuring the urban structure, updating the business function, inject new vitality of production capacity, create multi-functional space, revival of Tianfu culture four aspects of the MengZhuiWan Area in detail to carry out the renewal strategy, the final summary of the full text.

Urban Expressway Renewal Strategy Based on Knowledge Graphs

As an important element of urban infrastructure renewal, urban expressway renewal is of great significance to improve the commuting efficiency of cities (especially metropolitan cities), strengthen the service capacity of urban road facilities, and enhance the quality of cities. Considering the advantages of a knowledge graph in the integration of multi-source data and assisted decision-making based on knowledge reasoning, this paper provides assisted decision support for urban expressway renewal with the help of a knowledge graph. In this paper, we sorted out the concepts related to road renewal from road maintenance standards, designed an ontology concept matching algorithm to extract relevant concepts in existing ontologies, constructed concept models, and built a knowledge graph of expressway renewal with ontology as the carrier. Then, based on road maintenance standards and road properties, this work proposes a knowledge reasoning rule combined with case similarity for an expressway renewal strategy. The final experimental results verified the feasibility of the expressway renewal strategy based on the knowledge graph.

Multi-Scale Geographically Weighted Elasticity Regression Model to Explore the Elastic Effects of the Built Environment on Ride-Hailing Ridership

Understanding the relationship between the built environment and the ride-hailing ridership is crucial to the prediction of the demand for ride-hailing and the formulation of the strategy for upgrading the built environment. However, the existing studies on ride-hailing ignore the scale effect and zone effect of the modifiable area unit problem (MAUP), and show a lack of consideration for the elastic relationship with spatial heterogeneity between built environment variables and ride-hailing ridership. Taking Chengdu as an example, this paper selects 12 independent variables based on the “5Ds” (density, diversity, design, destination accessibility and distance to transit) of the built environment, the dependent variables are the density of ride-hailing pick-ups in the morning and evening peak hours, and 11 spatial units are proposed according to different scales and zoning methods for the aggregation of built environment variables and ride-hailing pick-ups. With the goal of global optimal goodness-of-fit, we determined the optimal spatial unit by using the log-linear Ordinary Least-Squares (OLS) model. A multi-scale geographically weighted elastic regression (MGWER) model is formulated to explore the relative effect of the built environment on the ride-hailing ridership and spatial heterogeneity. The average value of positive elastic local regression coefficient of different variables is used to measure the relative positive impact of built environment factors, and the absolute value of the average value of negative elastic local regression coefficient is used to measure the relative negative impact of built environment factors. The results show that: (1) The MGWER model under the community unit division has the best global goodness-of-fit. (2) Different built environment variables have different elastic impacts on the demand for ride-hailing. For the morning peak hours and evening peak hours, the top three built environment factors with positive impacts are ranked as follows: commercial POI density > average house price > population density, and distance to CBD has the highest negative impacts on pick-up ridership. (3) The different local elasticity coefficients of the built environment factors at different stations are discussed, which indicate the spatial heterogeneity of the ride-hailing ridership. The optimal community zoning method can provide a basis for the zoning and scheduling management of ride-hailing. The results of the built environment variables with greater impact are conducive to the formulation of targeted urban renewal strategies in the process of adjusting the ridership of ride-hailing.