The Experts below are selected from a list of 30663 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Sara Meerow - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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How do heat and flood risk drive residential Green Infrastructure implementation in Phoenix, Arizona?
Urban Ecosystems, 2021Co-Authors: Sara Meerow, Alysha M. Helmrich, Riley Andrade, Kelli L. LarsonAbstract:Green Infrastructure is an increasingly popular strategy to simultaneously address challenges associated with urbanization and global environmental change, including increased flooding and rising temperatures. While many cities aim to expand Green Infrastructure to deliver ecosystem services, their impacts will be limited without significant uptake on private property. Most studies and programs to date focus on public land, so little is known about what would motivate private residents to implement Green Infrastructure. This study addresses this gap, combining household survey and spatial data from the Phoenix metropolitan region in Arizona by examining what factors predict Green Infrastructure implementation, with a particular focus on flooding and heat risks. The results suggest that residents are generally aware of their relative exposure to these hazards, but their risk perceptions do not translate into increased implementation of Green Infrastructure. Prior experience of flood damage is a predictor of stormwater Infrastructure implementation, but experience with heat did not impact planting vegetation to mitigate the effects of extreme temperatures. Instead, the decision to implement Green Infrastructure is likely constrained by limited capacity based on income and homeownership, which can impede people’s ability to make management decisions on private residential property. More research is needed to unpack the seemingly complex factors that shape residents’ decisions to implement Green Infrastructure on their property.
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The politics of multifunctional Green Infrastructure planning in New York City
Cities, 2020Co-Authors: Sara MeerowAbstract:Abstract Cities are expanding Green Infrastructure and presenting it as a panacea for social and environmental challenges, but the reality is more complex and inherently political. We need to advance our understanding of these politics, which I divide into the politics of Green Infrastructure performance and planning. I use New York City as a case study to begin unpacking these politics of planning. New York City's Green Infrastructure program focuses on water quality, but aims to provide other sustainability benefits. How are potential benefits prioritized, factored into planning, and what are the implications of these decisions? I examine these questions by combining spatial analyses, survey, and interview data. I survey local stakeholders about the relative importance of six benefits of Green Infrastructure (managing stormwater, reducing social vulnerability, increasing access to Green space, improving air quality, mitigating the urban heat island effect, and increasing landscape connectivity). Second, I use spatial multi-criteria analysis to identify priority neighborhoods for Green Infrastructure based on those criteria. I examine tradeoffs and synergies between criteria and compare modeled priorities with existing Green Infrastructure locations. Interviews with key decision-makers provide a deeper understanding of planning processes. Results illustrate why spatial planning represents a critical challenge for Green Infrastructure planning.
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Spatial planning for multifunctional Green Infrastructure: Growing resilience in Detroit
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2017Co-Authors: Sara Meerow, Joshua P NewellAbstract:Cities are expanding Green Infrastructure to enhance resilience and ecosystem services. Although Green Infrastructure is promoted for its multifunctionality, projects are typically sited based on a particular benefit, such as stormwater abatement, rather than a suite of socio-economic and environmental benefits. This stems in part from the lack of stakeholder-informed, city-scale approaches to systematically identify ecosystem service tradeoffs, synergies, and ‘hotspots’ associated with Green Infrastructure and its siting. To address this gap, we introduce the Green Infrastructure Spatial Planning (GISP) model, a GIS-based multi-criteria approach that integrates six benefits: 1) stormwater management; 2) social vulnerability; 3) Green space; 4) air quality; 5) urban heat island amelioration; and 6) landscape connectivity. Stakeholders then weight priorities to identify hotspots where Green Infrastructure benefits are needed most. Applying the GISP model to Detroit, we compared the results with the locations of current Green Infrastructure projects. The analysis provides initial evidence that Green Infrastructure is not being sited in high priority areas for stormwater abatement, let alone for ameliorating urban heat island effects, improving air quality, or increasing habitat connectivity. However, as the Detroit GISP model reveals, it could be developed in locations that simultaneously abate stormwater, urban heat island, and air pollution. Tradeoffs exist between siting to maximize stormwater management versus landscape connectivity. The GISP model provides an inclusive, replicable approach for planning future Green Infrastructure so that it maximizes social and ecological resilience. More broadly, it represents a spatial planning approach for evaluating competing and complementary ecosystem service priorities for a particular landscape.
David Hsu - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Stated preferences for smart Green Infrastructure in stormwater management
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2019Co-Authors: Ting Meng, David HsuAbstract:Abstract Many smart technologies have been proposed to improve existing or new Infrastructures by adding sensing, controls, communications and computing, but it is not well understood which actual functions and capabilities are desired by potential users. Since water systems in the United States are largely run by public sector agencies, this study conducted a national survey with officials in water utilities and agencies to understand what kinds and capabilities of smart Green Infrastructure are desired for stormwater management. Analyzing the stated preferences of these users using a discrete choice model, our results indicate that these officials are willing to invest more upfront in smart technologies if they lower the costs associated over time with construction, maintenance, and labor. For example, in a typical rain garden, water agencies are willing to pay 12.1% more for construction to reduce maintenance costs by 20% and would pay 12.9% more to add self-irrigating capabilities. Preferences for smart Green Infrastructure among agencies are also affected by their characteristics. Agencies with large service areas or prior experience with Green Infrastructure are more likely to adopt smart Green Infrastructure. These results should assist in the further design and development of smart technologies and Green Infrastructure in stormwater management.
Gemma Jerome - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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A framework for assessing the quality of Green Infrastructure in the built environment in the UK
Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 2019Co-Authors: Gemma Jerome, Danielle Sinnett, Sarah Burgess, Thomas Calvert, Roger MortlockAbstract:The advocacy argument for Green Infrastructure has largely been won. Policy and statutory guidance for Green Infrastructure planning and development exists at international, national and regional/local levels and the functions and benefits of Green Infrastructure interventions are well evidenced in academic literature. To support this, professional bodies and experts from the built and natural environment have produced a multitude of practice guidance on the delivery of individual Green Infrastructure features. And yet, examples of high quality Green Infrastructure in new development schemes remain difficult to find, and the success of statutory guidance to accelerate this phenomenon surprisingly ineffective to manage change within the development sector. This paper presents a new framework for the delivery of high quality Green Infrastructure. Consultation with stakeholders in the UK suggested that a key factor affecting the translation of Green Infrastructure evidence, and policy and practice guidance, into delivery through planning and development is a lack of confidence amongst practitioners regarding the qualities and characteristics of high quality Green Infrastructure in the built environment. The key characteristics of high quality Green Infrastructure, based on a review of both academic and grey literature, and extensive work with stakeholders are grouped into principles that underpin high quality Green Infrastructure (including the presence of a multifunctional network, and provision for long-term management), and principles related to health and wellbeing, water management and nature conservation. The resulting framework is presented as twenty three principles for delivering Green Infrastructure. This can be used internationally as a set of standards to assess the quality of Green Infrastructure to ensure that it contributes to quality of life, health and wellbeing of individuals and communities, flood resilient towns and cities, and places where nature can flourish and be more viable as a result of development.
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Defining community-scale Green Infrastructure
Landscape Research, 2016Co-Authors: Gemma JeromeAbstract:AbstractOver the last 15 years, we have seen Green Infrastructure planning develop and refine its focus. The observable shift is from a focus on what, to why and more recently, how we deliver Green Infrastructure. In the urban context, there is often an emphasis on the capacity of strategic level projects to deliver the plurality of functions and benefits we have come to expect from our towns and cities. However, PhD research conducted at the University of Liverpool brings into focus the potential for small scale Green Infrastructure sites to respond to Green Infrastructure needs. As such a new concept of community-scale Green Infrastructure is introduced to describe activity at the local level. With reference to examples from research in The Mersey Forest Community Forest area of the north-west of England, community-scale Green Infrastructure is understood as a network of groups and projects who aim to deliver locally relevant functions and benefits to respond effectively to changing social and environme...
Ting Meng - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Stated preferences for smart Green Infrastructure in stormwater management
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2019Co-Authors: Ting Meng, David HsuAbstract:Abstract Many smart technologies have been proposed to improve existing or new Infrastructures by adding sensing, controls, communications and computing, but it is not well understood which actual functions and capabilities are desired by potential users. Since water systems in the United States are largely run by public sector agencies, this study conducted a national survey with officials in water utilities and agencies to understand what kinds and capabilities of smart Green Infrastructure are desired for stormwater management. Analyzing the stated preferences of these users using a discrete choice model, our results indicate that these officials are willing to invest more upfront in smart technologies if they lower the costs associated over time with construction, maintenance, and labor. For example, in a typical rain garden, water agencies are willing to pay 12.1% more for construction to reduce maintenance costs by 20% and would pay 12.9% more to add self-irrigating capabilities. Preferences for smart Green Infrastructure among agencies are also affected by their characteristics. Agencies with large service areas or prior experience with Green Infrastructure are more likely to adopt smart Green Infrastructure. These results should assist in the further design and development of smart technologies and Green Infrastructure in stormwater management.
Mazlina Mansor - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Green Infrastructure As Green Health Promotion Agenda For Urban Community
2012Co-Authors: Mazlina Mansor, Ismail SaidAbstract:The study investigates how the presence of Green Infrastructure network enhances urban residents’ physical health. The study reviews the literature related to Green Infrastructure benefits to physical health of urban individuals. In addition, it investigates the relationships of Green Infrastructure experience to physical health and well-being via a case study exploration on residents in Taiping, a small town in Central Peninsular Malaysia. Green Infrastructure network is a composite of open space and Greenery that is linked by walkways, streets and waterways around and between urban areas at all spatial scales. It is found that an accumulated literature review especially from the western world has produced a considerable amount of evidences on benefits of Greenery and nature to health. Hence, this paper discusses the findings from various researches on the benefits of Green Infrastructure to physical health of urban residents. The paper also elaborates the results on Green Infrastructure experience and interaction derived from a survey (n=335) of residents in Taiping. Findings show that, regardless of ages, residents frequently visited the Green Infrastructure in the town. Effects from the existence of various types of Green Infrastructure in the town promote frequent visitation and participation in active recreation. The relationship suggests that the Green spaces allow residents to experience active and leisure activities, which in turn afforded healthy feeling and wellness for residents. The findings implicates that the existence of Green Infrastructure network are essential in an urban fabric that may foster active living. Thus, as aspired by the Malaysian government, Green Infrastructure is a significant health promotion agenda that is seen as a way to improve healthy living in a community.
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experiential contacts with Green Infrastructure s diversity and well being of urban community
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012Co-Authors: Mazlina Mansor, Ismail Said, Ismail MohamadAbstract:Abstract The study explores residents’ experiential contacts with Green Infrastructure in Taiping, a small town in Peninsular Malaysia. Green Infrastructure network is Green spaces linked by streets and waterways encircling and connecting urban areas, at all spatial scales. Questionnaires (n=335) and semi-structured interviews (n=33) explored the diversity of Green Infrastructure in Taiping and its relationship with well-being. The findings suggested that various Green Infrastructure afford the residents participation in physical, leisure and social activities. The participations trigger relaxation, comfort and satisfaction. Thus, provision and planning of Green Infrastructure with care by urban planners and designers are essential for urban fabrics.
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Biophilia: residents’ connection with Green Infrastructure in a town
2011Co-Authors: Mazlina MansorAbstract:Green Infrastructure is urban nature consisting of Greenery and Green spaces distributed in and around town. It facilitates residents’ contact with natural environment that may fulfil their needs for nature in urban places. Human’s inherent affiliation with the natural environment or Biophilia has been long hypotesised. The paper draws the findings of a case study exploration on the connection between residents with Green Infrastructure in Taiping, a small colonial town in Peninsular Malaysia. Biophilic tendency of residents to Green Infrastructure in the town was elicited using questionnaire survey (n=335) and semi-structured interviews (n=33). The results show that residents who participated in activities within the Greenery and open spaces in the town experienced various benefits that fulfil their needs for nature. Physically, participating in activities provided the residents active living. Physical and visual experience afforded relaxation, comfort and calmness. More social interactions were experienced resulting in community satisfaction. The study concludes that existence of matured Green Infrastructure extends beyond aesthetic enjoyment. It provides urban residents with a connection to nature that induces affiliation with Green Infrastructure in a town. Thus, planning and provision of Green Infrastructure with care by urban planners and designers are essential in the urban fabrics.
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Green Infrastructure in Cities and Towns in Southeast Asian Countries: Quest for Research
2011Co-Authors: Ismail Said, Mazlina MansorAbstract:The cities in Southeast Asia are rapidly urbanised. Urbanisation in the region causes urban residents to live in a city with less balanced ecological system. Green Infrastructure is known to be a vital indicator for urban environmental sustainability. The Green Infrastructure is all landscape types comprise of Greenery and open spaces. Its network of park, playing field, pocket and incidental Green space and neighbourhood space that is linked by tree-lined streets and waterways around and between urban areas provides Green lung for cities, hence promotes healthy society through spaces for recreational, social and leisure activities. These are the places where urban residents have access and contact with nature, and interactions with other individuals. This paper explores the roles of Green Infrastructure in the Southeast Asian cities and towns, and its implications to urban residents’ well-being. The Green Infrastructure acts as an important countermeasure to alleviate negative effects of urbanisation to residents and urban ecological system. A multidisciplinary literature review on urban open space, Greenery and urban natural ecosystem was conducted to assess the body of research that highlights Green Infrastructure in Southeast Asia cities which include Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Bangkok. The major themes derived from the findings were categorised into three: (i) quantity of existing Green Infrastructure, (ii) studies on Green Infrastructure contributions to well-being of urban residents, and (iii) significant attribute parameters that emerged from the studies. The review has found that even though the concept of Green Infrastructure may be new for many countries in the region, the areas of research have gained recognition in the urban public health dimension. In other words, the governments of the region must consider urban residents’ health derived from Green Infrastructure to be of important resources for future urban sustainability. There are also challenges especially on Green Infrastructure’s implementation that need to be addressed in city planning and urban design. The findings implicates that accumulation of research can promote public health of Southeast Asian cities that ultimately lead to environmental sustainability.
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Experiential Context of Residents With Green Infrastructure Network in Taiping
2011Co-Authors: Mazlina MansorAbstract:Green Infrastructure network is a composite of various Green spaces linked by streets, waterways and drainages encircling and connecting urban areas, at all spatial scales. It facilitates residents’ ability to recreate, socialise and perform other regular transactional activities. Despite such understanding, little is known about the relationships of Green Infrastructure network with urban residents’ experiences and well-being. This study explores residents’ experiential contacts with the properties and attributes of Green Infrastructure in Taiping, a town in Malaysia, and their effects to the residents’ well-being. The town’s Green Infrastructures consist of a town park, a large open playfield, various pocket and loose-fit spaces, neighbourhood open spaces, home gardens and Green networks. Theoretical framework of this study was grounded by landscape perceptual theories which link diversity, naturalness and coherence of a Green Infrastructure to well-being of the residents. Data were gathered from the mixed-methods approach involving three strategies: survey questionnaire (n=335), semi-structured interview (n=33) and unobtrusive behavioural observation. Quantitative statistics and qualitative content analysis were used to analyse the data that were triangulated to examine the relationships. The findings suggest that the presence of diversity, naturalness and coherence in the Green Infrastructures facilitates the residents’ experiential contacts affording them physical, cognitive and social well-being. The attributes encourage frequent use, in which the Green Infrastructure support physical-kinetic, leisure and social activities that fulfil the residents’ nature and social interaction needs. Physically, the residents feel active, healthy and happy from engagements in the activities. The residents attain cognitive well-being through physical and visual experience with the Green Infrastructures which are dominated by matured Greenery, plants, water and hills that relieve negative emotions affording relaxation, comfort and calmness. Socially, the Green Infrastructures allow more social encounters with other individuals resulting in satisfaction towards the community which induces friendliness and happiness for living in the town. Hence, the experience of the residents with the attributes suggests that different types of Green Infrastructure should be integrated as a network as to benefit the residents.
