Download or read book Urban Environment and Infrastructure written by Anthony G. Bigio and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2004 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Urban Environment and Infrastructure written by Anthony G. Bigio and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 'brown agenda, ' or urban environmental issues, became an important part of the international policy agenda following the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. Urban environmental issues continue to remain a major challenge in the cities of developing countries. The World Bank strengthened its focus on urban environmental management with the adoption of this brown agenda as part of the Bank's urban livability program. 'Urban Environment and Infrastructure' reviews the World Bank's activities to improve urban environmental quality. It sets out the Bank's expanded brown agenda and emphasizes the crucial importance of infrastructure and environmental interventions in order to improve livability in cities in developing countries. The World Bank has more than US$12 billion worth of active commitments aimed at improving urban environmental quality. While the Bank's investments are directed at much needed basic environmental services especially for the urban poor, the challenge of improving urban environment or livability in large cities needs further attention. Increasing climate variability, its impacts, especially sea-level rise, and urban impacts of natural disasters are becoming more and more part of the daily challenges facing cities in the developing world, seventy percent of which are located on the coasts. The volume provides pragmatic recommendations on how to deal with the challenge of this expanded brown agenda.
Download or read book Urban Infrastructure in Transition written by Timothy Moss and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-05-13 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Achieving sustainable energy and resource use is vital if cities are to thrive or even function in the long term. Focusing on cities in the United Kingdom, Germany and Denmark, this book examines the mounting pressures for changes in the management style of utility services in Europe, pressures that stem from a wide range of sources such as liberalization and privatization of markets, tighter environmental standards, new economic incentives, competing technologies and changing consumption patterns. The authors show how changes in the management of utility services can contribute to achieving greater sustainability in urban regions. Whilst more efficient technology has a part to play, truly significant improvements in quality of life will be delivered only when the flow of material and energy through cities is focused on the goal of sustainability in each local context.
Download or read book Green Infrastructure written by John W. Dover and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-07-16 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With more than half of the world's population now living in urban areas, it is vitally important that towns and cities are healthy places to live. The principal aim of this book is to synthesize the disparate literature on the use of vegetation in the built environment and its multifunctional benefits to humans. The author reviews issues such as: contact with wildlife and its immediate and long-term effects on psychological and physical wellbeing; the role of vegetation in removing health-damaging pollutants from the air; green roofs and green walls, which provide insulation, reduce energy use and decrease the carbon footprint of buildings; and structural vegetation such as street trees, providing shading and air circulation whilst also helping to stop flash-floods through surface drainage. Examples are used throughout to illustrate the practical use of vegetation to improve the urban environment and deliver ecosystem services. Whilst the underlying theme is the value of biodiversity, the emphasis is less on existing high-value green spaces (such as nature reserves, parks and gardens), than on the sealed surfaces of urban areas (building surfaces, roads, car parks, plazas, etc.). The book shows how these, and the spaces they encapsulate, can be modified to meet current and future environmental challenges including climate change. The value of existing green space is also covered to provide a comprehensive textbook of international relevance.
Download or read book Urban Sustainability and River Restoration written by Katia Perini and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-02-06 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban Sustainability and River Restoration: Green and Blue Infrastructure considers the integration of green and blue infrastructure in cities as a strategy useful for acting on causes and effects of environmental and ecological issues. River restoration projects are unique opportunities for sustainable development and smart growth of communities, providing multiple environmental, economic, and social benefits.This book analyzes initiatives and actions carried out and developed to improve environmental conditions in cities and better understand the environmental impact of (and in) dense urban areas in the United States and in Europe.
Download or read book Urban Environment Management written by Archana Ghosh and published by Concept Publishing Company. This book was released on 2003 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides Insight About The Environmental Problems Plaguing The Urban Areas In A Cross-Country Perspectives. Emphasizes The Partnership Between The Local Government And The Community In Urban Environmental Management Sustainable Development. Provides Case Studies Also.
Download or read book Network Infrastructure and the Urban Environment written by Lars Lundqvist and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is the result of an international collaboration, which started with a conference at Smadalaro Gfrrd in Sweden. The workshop was supported by the National Science Foundation of the USA (INT-9215114) and by the Swedish National Road Administration, the Swedish Council for Building Research, the Swedish Transport and Communications Research Board and the Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of Research. This support is gratefully acknow ledged. The collaboration started as a bilateral u.S.-Swedish endeavour but was soon widened to other scholars in Europe, Asia, Australia and South-America. Network Infrastructure and the Urban Environment is a policy area of growing importance. Sustainable cities and sustainable transport systems are necessary for attaining a sustainable development. The research and policy field, represented in this volume, comprises a number of challenging contrasts: - the contrast between infrastructure investments, mobility and environmental sustainability; - the contrast between policy contexts, modelling traditions and available decision support systems in various parts of the world; - the contrast between available best practice methods and the majority of models applied in planning; the contrast between static models of cross-sectionary equilibria and dynamic models of disequilibrium adjustments; and the contrast between state-of-the-art operationalland-use/transport models and new demands for land-use/transportlenvironment models due to changing policy contexts. Bridging some of these gaps constitutes important research tasks, that are discussed in the twenty-two chapters of this book. A number of emerging research directions are identified in the introduction and summary chapter.
Download or read book Urban Ecology written by Kimberly Etingoff and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2015-07-28 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. With increasing global urbanization, the environments and ecologies of cities are often perceived to suffer. While pollution and destruction of green space and species may occur, cities also remain part of natural systems. Cities provide natural processes necessary for survival for humans and ot
Download or read book Sustainable Urban Environments written by Ellen M. van Bueren and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-09-15 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The urban environment – buildings, cities and infrastructure – represents one of the most important contributors to climate change, while at the same time holding the key to a more sustainable way of living. The transformation from traditional to sustainable systems requires interdisciplinary knowledge of the re-design, construction, operation and maintenance of the built environment. Sustainable Urban Environments: An Ecosystem Approach presents fundamental knowledge of the built environment. Approaching the topic from an ecosystems perspective, it shows the reader how to combine diverse practical elements into sustainable solutions for future buildings and cities. You’ll learn to connect problems and solutions at different spatial scales, from urban ecology to material, water and energy use, from urban transport to livability and health. The authors introduce and explore a variety of governance tools that support the transformation process, and show how they can help overcome institutional barriers. The book concludes with an account of promising perspectives for achieving a sustainable built environment in industrialized countries. Offering a unique overview and understanding of the most pressing challenges in the built environment, Sustainable Urban Environments helps the reader grasp opportunities for integration of knowledge and technologies in the design, construction and management of the built environment. Students and practitioners who are eager to look beyond their own fields of interest will appreciate this book because of its depth and breadth of coverage.
Download or read book Sustainable Urban and Regional Infrastructure Development Technologies Applications and Management written by Yigitcanlar, Tan and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2010-05-31 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book aims to bridge the gap in the current literature by addressing the overall problems present in major infrastructure in society, and the technologies that may be applied to overcome these problems"--Provided by publisher.
Download or read book Sustainable Infrastructure for Cities and Societies written by Michael Neuman and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-12-31 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The central role of infrastructure to cities, and in particular their sustainability, is essential for proper planning and design since most energy and materials are themselves consumed by or through infrastructures. Moreover, infrastructures of all types affect matters of economic and social equity, due to access that they provide or prevent. Sustainable Infrastructure for Cities and Societies shows how fundamental planning, design, finance, and governance principles can be adapted for sustainable infrastructure to provide solutions to make cities significantly more sustainable. By providing a contemporary overview on infrastructure, cities, planning, economies, and sustainability, the book addresses how to plan, design, finance, and manage infrastructure in ways that reduce consumption and harmful impacts while maintaining and improving life quality. It considers the interrelationships between the economic, political, societal, and institutional frameworks, providing an integrative approach including livability and sustainability, principles and practice, and planning and design. It further translates these approaches that professionals, policymakers, and leaders can use. This approach gives the book wide appeal for students, researchers, and practitioners hoping to build a more sustainable world.
Download or read book Planning Sustainable Cities written by Spiro N. Pollalis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-05-20 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Planning Sustainable Cities: An infrastructure-based approach provides an analytical framework for urban sustainability, focusing on the services and performance of infrastructure systems. The book approaches infrastructure as a series of systems that function in synergy and are directly linked with urban planning. This method streamlines and guides the planning process, while still highlighting detail, each infrastructure system is decoded in four "system levels". The levels organize the processes, highlight connections between entities and decode the high-level planning and decision making process affecting infrastructure. For each system level strategic objectives of planning are determined. The objectives correspond to the five focus areas of the Zofnass program: Quality of life, Natural World, Climate and Risk, Resource Allocation, Leadership. Developed through the Zofnass Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, this approach integrates the key infrastructure systems of Energy, Landscape, Transportation, Waste, Water, Information and Food and explores their synergies through land use planning, engineering, economics and policy. The size and complexity of infrastructure systems means that multiple stakeholders facing their own challenges and agendas are involved in planning; this book creates a common, collaborative platform between public authorities, planners, and engineers. It is an essential resource for those seeking Envision Sustainability Professionals accreditation.
Download or read book The Urban Forest written by David Pearlmutter and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-02-27 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book focuses on urban "green infrastructure" – the interconnected web of vegetated spaces like street trees, parks and peri-urban forests that provide essential ecosystem services in cities. The green infrastructure approach embodies the idea that these services, such as storm-water runoff control, pollutant filtration and amenities for outdoor recreation, are just as vital for a modern city as those provided by any other type of infrastructure. Ensuring that these ecosystem services are indeed delivered in an equitable and sustainable way requires knowledge of the physical attributes of trees and urban green spaces, tools for coping with the complex social and cultural dynamics, and an understanding of how these factors can be integrated in better governance practices. By conveying the findings and recommendations of COST Action FP1204 GreenInUrbs, this volume summarizes the collaborative efforts of researchers and practitioners from across Europe to address these challenges.
Download or read book Handbook on Green Infrastructure written by Danielle Sinnett and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2015-11-27 with total page 493 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Green infrastructure encompasses many features in the built environment. It is widely recognised as a valuable resource in our towns and cities and it is therefore crucial to understand, create, protect and manage this resource. This Handbook sets the context for green infrastructure as a means to make urban environments more resilient, sustainable, liveable and equitable. Including state-of-the-art reviews that summarise the existing knowledge as well as research findings, this Handbook provides current evidence for the beneficial impact of green infrastructure on health, environmental quality and the economy. It discusses the planning and design of green infrastructure as a strategic network down to the individual features in a neighbourhood and looks at the process of green infrastructure implementation, emphasising the importance of collaboration across multiple professions and sectors. This comprehensive volume operates at multiple spatial scales, from strategic networks at the regional level to individual features in neighbourhoods, with international case studies used throughout to illustrate key examples of good practice. This collection of expert contributions will be invaluable to students and academics in the fields of planning, urban studies and geography. Practitioners and policy-makers will also find the policy discussion and examples enlightening.
Download or read book Making Cities Work written by Richard Gilbert and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-11-05 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For too long, cities have been thought of as environmental blackspots, with high levels of air and soil pollution, overcrowding, poor sanitation and growing waste disposal problems. This book takes a more positive attitude: cities can be made to work sustainably. Their high population density can work in the environment's favour if they can achieve efficient use of resources such as energy and water supplies, and improve transport and infrastructure. The best cities today are clean, resource efficient, green and pleasant, and not only act as cultural and entertainment centres, but also harbour great varieties of wildlife. Making Cities Work looks at the vital role which local authorities can - and must - play in safeguarding and developing our towns and cities. Their role is crucial, and the aim of the book is to make governments, international bodies and local authority associations aware of how potential environmental and social problems can be overcome, and what can be achieved. This book is being written by urban development experts, based on material supplied by the world's leading city associations. It is being edited by one of the world's most highly regarded cultural ecologists, and has been commissioned by UNHCS for the Habitat II conference. Clearly written, accessible, and fully illustrated throughout with photographs, figures and graphs, it is ideal for students, fascinating reading for the general public, and essential for those involved in local authorities, planning and development.
Download or read book Town and Infrastructure Planning for Safety and Urban Quality written by Michèle Pezzagno and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2018-07-16 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today, citizens advocate greater environmental sustainability, better services and the improvement of urban quality by promoting safer mobility, especially for the most vulnerable road users. Addressing these issues, Town and Infrastructure Planning for Safety and Urban Quality contains papers presented at the XXIII International Conference “Living and Walking in Cities” (Brescia, Italy, 15-16 June 2017). The contributions discuss town planning issues, look at best practices and research findings across the broad spectrum of urban and transport planning, with particular attention to the safety of pedestrians in the city. The main topics of the book are: - Urban regeneration. A focus on walkability (vulnerable road users; boosting and planning soft mobility) - Road safety and urban planning - vulnerable road users: planning for safety (integrated land use and transport planning; methodological approaches and case studies; integrated tools for town and transport planning; shaping public spaces and walkability; transport solutions for tourism) - Innovative and traditional solutions for Italian cities - Extra-European approaches to town and infrastructure planning - Different perspectives in road safety: prevention, infrastructure, sharing - Advances in road safety Town and Infrastructure Planning for Safety and Urban Quality is a powerful plea for a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive approach to urban mobility and planning, and will be of interest to academics, consultants and practitioners interested in these areas.
Download or read book Urban Infrastructure written by K. Wellman and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-07-30 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The magnitude of investment, the long time-frames involved and the influence of pre-existing infrastructure on urban infrastructure provision make a co-ordinated approach to forward-planning, policy development and implementation essential. There are major challenges in making decisions on urban infrastructure and getting management structures and processes in place. Getting it right generates long-term dividends; getting it wrong involves major costs, often borne by taxpayers. Urban Infrastructure: finance and management is posited on a strong belief that the physical structure of cities and the efficiency of infrastructure services delivered are driven by efficiencies within individual infrastructure sectors, lessons learnt across these sectors and the ability to co-ordinate and integrate sectors to generate economies of scale. This necessitates an interdisciplinary approach, integrating knowledge from finance, governance, planning and management as well as the characteristics of the individual urban infrastructure sectors involved. Here it is not only about getting the initial decisions and policy settings right, but also ensuring effective implementation. A major theme running through the book is the nature of institutions and the governance structures responsible for delivery and management of urban infrastructure and the decision making processes involved. The editors have taken a deliberately pragmatic approach to the finance and management of urban infrastructure; chapters are cross-sectorial and present both theory and practice. This book is for students and practitioners in policy, planning, urban management, infrastructure finance and management.
