SUSTAINABLE URBANIZATION

Introduction
What is Urbanization?
❑ Urbanization corresponds to the shift of the population from rural areas to urban ones,
❑ It represents the proportion decrease of people living in rural areas, and how societies adapt to this
change,
❑ Urbanization includes increase in the number and extent of cities,
❑ Causes of Urbanization include: Industrial Growth and Modernization
❑ Common problems associated with Urbanization are:
• High population density • Slum creation (district inhabited by very poor people)
• Inadequate infrastructure • Crime
• Lack of affordable housing • Congestion (to concentrate in a small or narrow space)
• Flooding • Poverty
• Pollution
2
 Introduction
What is Sustainable Urbanization?
❑ Sustainable Urban Development seeks to create cities and towns that improve the long-term health of
the planet’s human and ecological systems
❑ It is the way forward for cities to mitigate climate change
❑ Sustainable Urbanization is the study of cities and the practices to build them
❑ It focuses on promoting the long term viability of cities by reducing consumption, waste and harmful
impacts on people and place while enhancing the overall well-being of both people and place

3
 Introduction
The Decline of Sustainable Planning
o Contemporary social, economic, and environmental challenges that
affect the built environment require an innovative approach when
planning cities.

o Current practices must change, yet, it is vital that these changes be

understood as an evolution- a transition with a direct connection to the
path.

o Historically, the way cities were built were, in part, inherently

sustainable – without the idea of sustainability being a recognized
concept at the time.

o Some cities have even maintained this role, in cases where the
topography does not allow for anything else, or where economic and
social activities continue to support foot traffic.

o The progressive and severe decline of the aforementioned sustainable

planning can be identified in the decades following WWII.
 Introduction
The Decline of Sustainable Planning
o This period saw a drastic change in the way cities were planned and
lived in.

o Planning prioritized the development of grand, individual buildings which

served separate purposes, rather than mixed-use areas and
conglomerations of city spaces as a whole.

o The explosive use of vehicles is a phenomenon which coincides with

both the decline in sustainable planning and the expansion of the
modernist movement.

o Increased traffic lead to lifeless communities devoid of people, where

vehicular mobility was prioritized over active mobility and open public
space.

o This also coincided with the growth of suburbs which is characterized by

mass-produced housing units, increased use of automobiles, and a
highly privatized landscapes which led to urban sprawl in many nations.
 Introduction
The Decline of Sustainable Planning
o Nowadays, after the wave of modernism and unsustainable practices,
that the importance of sustainability has been recognized and become
particularly relevant in urban planning: there is growing consensus that
current practices must change.

o Development of single-family and dwellings only connected by roads,

such as suburbs, has become too costly and isolates residents from
each other.
 Contemporary Urban Challenges
General context
o Globally, the proportion of people living in cities continues to rise, putting
enormous pressure on already dense urban spaces.

o This pressure is exacerbating existing social challenges such as climate

change, traffic congestion, public health, and an aging population.

o Social, environmental and economic changes are transforming the

places we live in, and policies and strategies must be introduced in order
to adapt and build in resiliency.

o It should be noted that variations exist in the prevalence of these issues

between continents, nations and cities.

o The specific challenges experienced in a city are unique to that place

and the solution required should be developed by considering the local
context.
 Contemporary Urban Challenges
Social transformations
o Significant demographic changes are occurring in urban populations.

o The proportion of citizens age of 55 or above is rapidly increasing in western countries.

o The increase in aging population coupled with a shrinking youth population is expected to strain the provision
of public services; it will be necessary to adapt infrastructure and public services in order to address the
needs of this cohort.

o These adaptations can also offer an opportunity for communities to implement sustainable health and social
infrastructure for future generations.

o Another important demographic trend is the decline in the size of the average household, coupled with the
increasing cost of living in urban areas; this has led to increased demand for homes and apartments of
smaller size.
 Contemporary Urban Challenges
Environment Challenges
o Within the environmental domain there are a few changes which will have consequence for how people
live in cities.

o There is a clear connection between economic development, urban form and their environmental
implications.

o In order to reduce negative environmental impacts, incorporating and considering environmental factors
in urban policy is crucial.

o Urban sprawl is linked to a number of negative environmental impacts, including:

➢ Loss of environmentally fragile lands,

➢ Reduced regional open space,

➢ Greater air pollution

 Contemporary Urban Challenges
Environment Challenges
o Urban sprawl is linked to a number of negative environmental impacts, including:

➢ Higher energy consumption,

➢ Loss of farmland,

➢ Reduced diversity of species,

➢ Increased number of stormwater,

➢ Increased risk of flooding,

➢ Excessive removal of native vegetation,

➢ Ecosystem fragmentation.
 Contemporary Urban Challenges
Environment Challenges
o The negative environmental impacts of urban sprawl and
single-family home development which increases the carbon
dioxide emissions have given rise to a need for densification.

o The extensive use of private vehicles is characteristic of low-

density neighborhoods and demonstrative of unsustainable,
energy-intensive means of transportation (See figure).

o Another characteristic is the use of zoning policies to separate

spaces by function, meaning citizens must travel longer
distances between activities, increasing dependence on
vehicles.

o When a development is dense and mixed-use, residents

share resources and do not have to travel long distances to
use different services.
 Contemporary Urban Challenges
Environment Challenges

o This form of development largely resembles premodernist urban planning, designing urban spaces to
accommodate pedestrians rather than cars.

o Within this model, residents live in close proximity to a variety of shops and services or use public transit
to travel.

o Other environmental issues pose a threat to urban spaces:

➢ Rising sea levels,

➢ Floods,
➢ Extreme weather events,
➢ Earthquakes.

o Due to the increase of floods, and other unpredictable climatic phenomena, adapting to environmental
changes is a necessity.

o Cities should be planned with systems in place to protect residents from these environmental factors.
 Contemporary Urban Challenges
New Economic Realities

o Commerce has evolved, economic activities around the world are

increasingly interconnected, blurring the line between global and
local.

o Companies no longer need to be tied to a location and can organize

operations from afar using digital communication.

o This has had a ripple effect on the nature of commerce, namely with
the rise of online shopping and the closing of traditional main street
commerce.

o It is difficult to predict what kind of shopping experience consumers

will prefer in the future, but consumption trends will shape
communities and their needs in relation to their immediate built
environment.
 Contemporary Urban Challenges
New Economic Realities
Housing in cities:

o Relating to the affordability of housing in cities, new economic and

social realities also put the single-family detached home beyond the
reach of a growing number of first time home buyers in many nations.

o There is an increased demand for less expensive, smaller units as a

result of the increased cost of living and shrinking family sizes.

o An affordability gap has emerged, where the rate of increase of

housing prices has far surpassed the increase of family incomes.

o This widening gulf in affordability in some regions can be explained by

a higher land and infrastructure costs, offering another argument for
densification and the building of affordable neighborhoods.
 Urbanization and Smart Sustainable Cities
What is Smart Sustainable Cities?
❑ A Smart Sustainable City is an innovative city that uses Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs) and other means to improve:
• Quality of life
• Efficiency of urban operation and services
• Competitiveness
❑ It should as well ensure that it meets the needs of present and future generations with respect to:
• Economic aspect
• Social aspect
• Environmental aspect

15
 Urbanization and Smart Sustainable Cities
Is Urbanization equivalent to Smart Sustainable Cities?
❑ Urbanization is a necessity for economic development, especially in developing countries
❑ If Urbanization is not well managed and prepared for, it can certainly lead to low standards of living
❑ Urbanization will only equal to Smart Sustainable Cities:
• Only in case of convergence between the Energy world and the Digital technology
• This convergence will pave way for a new ecosystem of services which will enable both reduced energy
consumption and a better quality of life

16
 Key elements of Sustainable Urbanization

The key aspects to work on:

• Density, land use and spatial planning Main elements:

• Mobility 1- Science

• Resilience regarding natural hazards 2- Technology

• Energy for cities 3- Innovation

• Solid waste management

• Resource-efficient buildings Their use may not solve all urbanization problems,

• Water and agriculture but it can provide several solutions that can be
adopted by cities around the world

17
 Key elements of Sustainable Urbanization
Possible impact of Science, Technology and Innovation on Sustainable Urbanization
Example 1: Kuala Lumpur SMART Tunnel
• Stormwater Management And Road Tunnel (SMART)
• It diverts floodwater from entering Kuala Lumpur, using the storm drainage and road tunnel

Avoiding the floods in Kuala Lumpur and also reducing road traffic

18
 Key elements of Sustainable Urbanization
Possible impact of Science, Technology and Innovation on Sustainable Urbanization
Example 1: Kuala Lumpur SMART Tunnel
Mode 1: No flood The tunnel functions as an ordinary tunnel for vehicles
Mode 2: Moderate flood If there is a slight flood, the SMART system activates and the flood water is
diverted into the stormwater tunnel. The motorway will still be opened to cars

19
 Key elements of Sustainable Urbanization
Possible impact of Science, Technology and Innovation on Sustainable Urbanization
Example 1: Kuala Lumpur SMART Tunnel
Mode 3: Heavy flood In case of major storm, the tunnel is closed to traffic use and any remaining cars in the
tunnel will be evacuated in preparation for entering Mode 4
Mode 4: Severe flood If the storm prolongs, the motorway tunnel will begin to fill with floodwater, up until
it is no longer able to contain any more water (8 times so far since 2007)

20
 Key elements of Sustainable Urbanization
Possible impact of Science, Technology and Innovation on Sustainable Urbanization
Example 1: Kuala Lumpur SMART Tunnel
Won the UN-Habitat’s Scroll of Honour in 2011

21
 Key elements of Sustainable Urbanization
Possible impact of Science, Technology and Innovation on Sustainable Urbanization
Example 2: Solar panels in India
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) emphasis on national-level science,
and technology policy also points to several energy programs with urban implications
• The report highlights, how an Indian target to reduce fossil-fuel energy sources by 10% in 60 cities
between 2007 and 2012 led to a boom in solar panels

22
 Key elements of Sustainable Urbanization
Possible impact of Science, Technology and Innovation on Sustainable Urbanization
Example 3: Offshore wind farms in China
• Among the various offshore wind farms in China, Shanghai embarked on a major offshore wind farm
project, which would produce around 2.1 gigawatts of wind power

Enough electricity for 4 million households

• China now operates almost half of the world's installed offshore wind

23
 Key elements of Sustainable Urbanization
Example: Wind turbine
• It should be installed in a land far away from population due to its noise
• It should be installed in an area, not interrupting the path of migrating birds and thus not causing any
danger to its existence
• It should be installed in a place where wind is guaranteed all around the year if possible, ensuring therefore
energy production all year long

Any missing factor can highly affect the feasibility study of the project

24
 Key elements of Sustainable Urbanization
It is essential to note that several factors should be taken into account when presenting a solution to
Urbanization and Sustainability problems, such as:
• Vibration of equipment
• Location of the project, and its neighbourhood
• The impact of the project on other environmental resources
• The budget of the project and its return on investment
• The possible long term evolution of the project and its development
• The usage of any generated energy for other applications instead of it going to waste

25
 Building Smart Sustainable cities
Key aspects of Building Smart Sustainable cities in developing nations:
❑ Political will:
• Policies, framework and strategies
• Affordable access and availability of Internet to all
• Enhance the infrastructure development – renewable energy source
• More intergovernmental and inter-sectoral collaborations
• Subsidies for adoption to sustainable development
❑ Investing in tech infrastructure – developing incubators and innovation centres/hubs
❑ Tech and entrepreneurship skills
❑ Local content – accurate, appropriate, local relevance
❑ Create more cities – spread the population

26
 Building Smart Sustainable cities
Perception of Sustainable Urbanization
In the developed World:
❑ High tech – digital infrastructure
❑ Perfect transport system: hybrid and electric car models
❑ Robotic assistance
❑ Artificial Intelligence
In developing countries:
❑ Cities are still grappling to achieve
• In rural areas: Access to basic needs like water, shelter, food
• In urban areas: Improved living conditions – education and health for all (urban)
• Economic growth

27
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban metabolism: the meteorological view
o Meteorologists are most interested in understanding how energy in the form of radiation and heat influences
the urban climate and how this energy is transported, transformed and stored (e.g. in urban building
structures).

o They are also interested in the effects of precipitation on cities, how storm water runoff is changed and how
much water is emitted into the atmosphere through evapotranspiration.

o In addition, they want to know how much cities worldwide contribute to climate change through their
emissions to the global carbon cycle.

o For meteorologists, to address the challenges of sustainable cities and urban planning, information
on the distribution and flows of energy, water and carbon in typical urban systems have to be
known.
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban metabolism: the meteorological view

o From a meteorological perspective, the urban metabolism of a city is strongly dependent on the prevailing
regional and local climate and its built-up structure.

o Together these define the microclimate within the street canyons, on the roads, in the buildings, and at any
place in an urban area.
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Methods
o The energy, water and carbon balances of an urban system can be determined by considering their physical
flows in and out of a control volume, which considering mass conservation, leads to a volume balance
approach.

Urban Energy Balance Urban Water Balance Urban Carbon Balance

 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
o Following the volume balance approach, the energy balance of an urban system (Urban Energy Balance –
UEB) can be determined by considering the energy flows in and out of the control volume:

➢ Rn: net all-wave radiation,

➢ QF: anthropogenic heat flux,
➢ H: turbulent sensible heat flux,
➢ λE: turbulent latent heat flux,
➢ ∆Qs: net storage change within the control volume,
➢ ∆QA: net advected flux.
➢ All terms are usually expressed as energy flux density per horizontal or vertical area (MJ m-2 d-1, W m-2).
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Exercise 1:

o Between these five cities, which one posses the lowest QF:

City H λE ∆Qs ∆QA Rn

A 100 150 0 20 30
B 150 200 0 10 15
C 120 205 0 8 35
D 180 190 0 70 20
E 140 160 0 80 60
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Net all-wave radiation Rn
o It is the balance between the incoming (↓) and outgoing (↑) short- (SW) and Long-wave (LW) radiation fluxes
and represents the primary source of Energy in the UEB:

o A typical urban atmosphere radiative fluxes are altered by pollutants, if compared to their rural counterparts.
o In urban atmosphere SW↓ will be reduced, LW↓ is greater.
o In typical mid-latitude cities, these changes are normally opposed by a lower short-wave due to darker
surface materials (whereas in low-latitude cities, walls and roofs are generally brighter) and a higher surface
temperature at night, which increases the long-wave emission.
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Net all-wave radiation Rn
Exercise 2:

o Between these five cities, which one posses the Highest radiative input:

City SW SW LW LW
(incoming) (outgoing) (incoming) (outgoing)
A 150 150 20 10
B 250 250 20 0
C 150 120 12 8
D 190 170 50 20
E 180 140 70 0
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Anthropogenic heat flux QF
o The anthropogenic heat flux (QF) derives mainly from combustion exhausts by stationary and mobile
sources.

o Its contribution to the UEB tends to be the highest in cold climates in the winter time, when the energy input
from human sources is comparatively large (primarily due to domestic heating).

o Even in summertime, it may become significant for cities with high air conditioning usage.

o QF is difficult to determine because of its strongly varying patterns in space and time and because it cannot
be measured directly. Therefore it is determined via Modelling techniques.
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Turbulent Sensible Heat Flux
o The vertical transport of energy by the sensible heat flux (H) is expressed:

➢ ρ: air density (kg m-3),

➢ Cp: specific heat capacity of air (J kg-1 K-1),
➢ (K m s-1): average of the product of the turbulent fluctuations of air temperature T and vertical wind
speed.
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Turbulent Sensible Heat Flux
Exercise 3:

o Between these five apartment, which one posses the lowest Turbulent Sensible Heat Flux (H: MJ m-2 d-1):

Apparent ρ (kg/m3) Cp (J.g-1 C-1) w (m/s) T (oC)

A 1.225 1.012 1 25
B 1.22 1.012 1.1 26
C 1.21 1.012 1.2 27
D 1.23 1.012 1.3 20
E 1.228 1.012 1.4 25.5
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Turbulent Sensible Heat Flux
Exercise 3:

o Between these five apartment, which one posses the lowest Turbulent Sensible Heat Flux (H: MJ m-2 d-1):
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Turbulent Latent Heat Flux
o The turbulent latent heat flux “λE” transports moisture away from the surface because of a change of state
(e.g. condensation, evaporation).
o This depends primarily on the availability of water, particularly the presence of vegetated areas
(transpiration) or wet surfaces (evaporation).
o It can be written as:

➢ Lv: Latent heat of vaporization (J kg-1)

➢ : fluctuating water vapor density (kg m-3)
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Turbulent Latent Heat Flux
Exercise 4:

o Between these five apartments, which one posses the lowest Turbulent Sensible Heat Flux (λE: MJ m-2 d-1):

Apartment Lv (Btu/lb) ρv (lb/ft3) w (m/s) T (oC)

A 1020 0.0301 1 25Conversions factors:
B 1025 0.0281 1.1 261 Btu = 1055.6 J
C 1030 0.0271 1.2 27
1 ft3 = 0.0283168 m3
D 1040 0.027 1.3 20
E 1049.5 0.026 1.4 25.5
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Turbulent Latent Heat Flux
Exercise 4:

o Between these five apartments, which one posses the lowest Turbulent Sensible Heat Flux:

Apparment Lv (Btu/lb) ρv (lb/ft3) w (m/s) T (oC)

A 1020 0.0301 1 25
B 1025 0.0281 1.1 26
C 1030 0.0271 1.2 27
D 1040 0.027 1.3 20
E 1049.5 0.026 1.4 25.5
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Net Storage Change (∆Qs)
o The rate of change of heat storage (∆Qs) consists of the uptake or release of energy by the ground,
buildings, and vegetation and in the volume.
o It includes the changes of latent and sensible heat content in the air of the considered control volume.
o The latter changes are often neglected as they are small compared to the heat storage changes in urban
materials.
o ∆Qs within an urban control volume can be theoretically expressed as the sum of storage fluxes for single
surface elements:

Non-Examinable
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Net Storage Change (∆Qs)
o ∆Qs within an urban control volume can be theoretically expressed as the sum of storage fluxes for single
surface elements:

➢ ∆T/∆t: rate of temperature change,

➢ ρC: volumetric heat capacity (J m-3 K-1),
➢ ∆x: element thickness (m),
➢ λp: plan area index for each element i (m2).

o As cities are not expected to cool down, or heat up during a year, the annual total of ∆Qs has to be zero by
definition.
o This is helpful in calculating annual surface energy balances and in assigning annual residuals to other
terms as for example, the anthropogenic heat flux. Non-Examinable
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Net Storage Change (∆Qs)
Exercise 5:
o Between these five elements, which one posses the lowest Net Storage Changes:

Element Rate of temperature change (K/m2min) ρ (kg/m3) Cp (J/ kg K) ∆x (m) λp (m2)

A 2 2300 1 25 300
B 3 2100 1.1 26 300
C 4 2200 1.2 27 300
D 5 2600 1.3 20 300
E 6 2800 1.4 25.5 300

Non-Examinable
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Net Storage Change (∆Qs)
Exercise 5:
o Between these five elements, which one posses the lowest Net Storage Changes:

Non-Examinable
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Urban Energy Balance
Net Advected Flux (∆QA)
o Storage change in a control volume due to advection can be expressed as a result of the flow in and out of
the volume:

o The scale of the advection is critical relative to the scale of interest.

o Local-scale advection has largely been neglected for a long time in urban measurement studies based on
assuming that the fetch conditions were similar so the term could be considered to be small and theoretical
assumption of horizontal homogeneity was adopted.

o However the fetch is rarely sufficiently extensive and consistent so it’s often questionable.
 Physical Fluxes in the Urban Environment
Tutorials
Exercise 6:

o Between these two cities, which one posses the lowest QF (Assuming a ΔQs = 0):

City ρ (kg/m3) Cp w (m/s) T (oC) Lv (Btu/lb) ρv (lb/ft3) QA)in QA)out Rn

(J.g-1 K-1) (MJ m-2d-1) (MJ m-2d-1) (MJ m-
2d-1)

A 1.225 1.012 1 25 1020 0.0301 20 10 30

B 1.22 1.012 1.1 26 1025 0.0281 30 4 40