Sustainable Urban Open Green Spaces Opportunities and Challenges

International Conference on Environmental Forensics 2015

(iENFORCE2015)

Mehdi Rakhshandehroo Mohd Johari Mohd Yusof

Osman Mohd Tahir Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos

Faculty of Design and Architecture

Universiti Putra Malaysia

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Table of contents:

1. Introduction Problem statement, Sustainability

2. Methodology 3. Opportunities and challenges

Physical features , Public accessibility, Vibrant space, Ecological principles

4. Universal standards 5. Interaction of multiple sustainable parameters 6. Conclusion and recommendations

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Problem statement:

• urban development & compact cities

• shortage of open green space

• environmental pollution, shortage of resources, overpopulation and urban heat islands

Urban open green spaces are not only aesthetic qualities but also

• significant ecosystem service

• climate proof

• carbon sequestration

• quality of life

1. Introduction :

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Sustainable urban development:

• concerned with maximizing economic and social development in a balance with environmental protection

• covers land use, urban transport, urban ecology, social justice and socio-cultural issues

Benefits:

• 1. Social: social interaction, social cohesion, crime reduction, reduced accident probability, aesthetic, regional identity, recreation, nature education, and nature experience, children’s play, sport, direct and indirect health (mental and physical) effects.

• 2. Environment: nature conservation (ecological benefits), biodiversity and wild life, urban climate, cooling (reduction of air temperature and urban heat island), air flow, air quality, reduction of air pollution, carbon sequestration, noise reduction and clean up contaminants.

• 3. Economic: water management (soil protection – rain water drainage), tourism, property price, food production, energy saving and enhancing workers’ productivity.

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2. Methodology :

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• Literature was chosen to explain the relationship of urban green spaces and sustainability.

• This study applied multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary

approach. • Papers were selected from those published between the years

1994 to 2014 and they included theoretical, empirical, and reviewed ones.

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Urban open green spaces

Urban landscape, natural resources, urban ecology, urban

management, urban biogeography, urban horticulture, urban

forestry, urban planning and design

Subjects Sustainability

Finding related categories

Selection of key words

Search databases

Analysis and summarize

Urban green space, open space, public space, urban environment,

sustainability and sustainable development

Science Direct, Scopus, ProQuest …

Emerged papers

3. Opportunities and challenges:

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3.1. Physical features Larger green areas • Foster more animal and plant species than smaller or isolated ones. • Exceeded number of visitors and also physical activity. Facilities and amenities • Positively influence social and environmental sustainability Such as playgrounds, football field, paths or trails, sport complexes, shade structures, rest rooms, drinking fountains, and water features

3.2 Public accessibility: • Proximity to green spaces is an equity parameter that can raise

physical activities.

3.3 Vibrant space:

• Different active land uses such as restaurants, hotels and shops

assistance vibrant, live public space

• By attracting “eyes on street” these spaces promote safety, supports cultural diversity and eliminates social distinction

3.4. Ecological principles

The ecological design could create a spatial pattern, biomass structure, community assemblage and natural species composition.

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Open green spaces should :

• Be accessible to both genders, all ages, ethnic and cultural groups

• Have a variety of transportation facilities: walking and biking paths and public transportation

• Be safe, clean, well maintained, culturally sensitive and aesthetically pleasing

• Foster social interaction and cohesion

• Improve ecological function and biological diversity in geographically appropriate locations.

• Create habitats to support native biodiversity

• Be connected by green corridors and form a green network.

4. Universal standards:

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• There are intercommunications between environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability.

• It emphasized the necessity of diversity, connectivity, and access for:

human and natural life.

• Sustainable park: combining sustainable development with human well-being

Can be achieved by: providing environmental education, opportunities for social interaction, and access to nature, with emphasis on human health and landscape restoration, while facilitating public and private partnership, developing community stewardship and regional pride.

5. Interaction of sustainable parameters:

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Innovative ideas and opportunities to enhance greenery:

• Not only traditional green spaces (e.g. urban parks and playing fields) but also informal urban green spaces (e.g. brownfields, vacant lots, streets, and railways) potentially are part of urban nature.

• A setback along roadsides could create a planting strip

• Elevated green space:

rooftop gardens and vertical greening (high-tech construction and native Species)

• Brownfields, vacant land are opportunities in old urban areas

• Old rivers, canals or power lines are potential for linear green spaces

6. Conclusion and recommendations:

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References:

• Alexandre, F. (2013). The Role of Vegetation in the Urban Policies of European Cities in the Age of the Sustainable City. European Spatial Research and Policy, (20/2), 11-26.

• ARAbI, R., SHAHIdAn, M. F., Kamal, M. M., Jaafar, M. F. Z. B., & Rakhshandehroo, M. (2015). Mitigating Urban Heat Island Through Green Roofs. Current World Environment, 10(Special Issue 1 (2015)), 918-927.

• Jim, C. Y. (2004). Green-space preservation and allocation for sustainable greening of compact cities. Cities, 21(4), 311-320.

• Kellet, J., & Rofe, M. (2009). Creating Active Communities: How Can Open and Public Spaces in Urban and Suburban Environments Support Active Living. Report by the Institute for Sustainable Systems and Technologies, University of South Australia. Adelaide, SA Active Living Coalition.

• Rakhshandehroo, M., Yusof, M., Johari, M., Ale Ebrahim, N., Sharghi, A., & Arabi, R. (2015). 100 most cited articles in urban green and open spaces: A bibliometric analysis. Current World Environment, 10(2), 1-16. http://works.bepress.com/rakhshandehroo/2/

• Zang, X., Tian, C., & Qiao, W. (2014, November). Construction of Sustainable Development Indicator System of Green Blocks. In ICSI 2014@ sCreating Infrastructure for a Sustainable World (pp. 589-603). ASCE.

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Thank You

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