Insights from i-Tree Eco-efficiency Assessment Management of Urban Trees in Oxford,UK

In the era of stock development following the acceleration of urbanization,the revitalization of urban green space has assumed an increasingly significant role.Consequently,the management of urban trees has emerged as a critical focus of urban governance,contributing to the enhancement of livability in human settlements.This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the urban tree management system in Oxford,UK,identifying that its primary objective is to optimize and maintain a harmonious balance between human activities and the natural environment through the implementation of high-quality planting practices.The system emphasizes enhanced management practices and establishes a robust framework for the development of targeted policies and management regulations,utilizing i-Tree eco-efficiency assessment and real-time feedback mechanisms.China’s urban tree management is in its nascent stages,and there is an urgent need for the development of urban green space.By adopting the refined management assessment methodologies employed for urban trees in Oxford,UK,it is possible to enhance the ecological value of urban trees,which represent a significant green resource within cities,and contribute to the creation of more livable urban spaces.

A New Approach to Urban Rainwater Management

Based on an analysis of our research results and the main problems relating to urban rainwater treatment, we propose a new approach to urban rainwater management in China. The necessity and feasibility of such a new approach are discussed. From an ecological point of view all components of the global system, including residents living in cities, have the same right to enjoy rainwater. Therefore, urban rainwater should neither be simply drained as waste water, nor be completely harvested as a kind of resource. The objective of this new approach is to maintain the natural hydrological cycle in urban areas during urbanization. When necessary, it could also be used to regulate the amount of runoff, evaporation and infiltration in a city in order to rehabilitate the hydrological cycle given the local conditions. Three basic principles should be adopted in rainwater management, i.e., separation of rainfall from sewage, limited utilization and small and decentralized facilities. Four methods can be used for urban rainwater management: rainwater harvest, rainwater infiltration, rainwater storage and rainwater pipes. The natural hydrological cycle in urban areas could be rehabilitated through rainwater management, which is of great importance for sustainable development of our cities.

Strategies for Enhancing the Efficiency of Bioretention Swales and Basins for Urban Stormwater Management in Temperate Region

Among various schemes to reuse and recycle the limited urban fresh water resources, sustainable urban stormwater management, such as water sensitive urban design and rainwater harvesting, has been recognized as one of the most efficient and economically viable approaches. Storm runoff shall be treated as close as possible to its source before it is reused or discharged into public drainage network or receiving waters to enhance the water environment quality. Bioretention swale/basin, which has been commonly applied to treat runoff from roads, car parks, cyclist and pedestrian paths, rooftops, etc., is recognized to be the most efficient and aesthetic pleasing way to harvest rainwater in urban settings, and other longish shape runoff catchment area. This paper studied over 10 bioretention swales/basins applications in temperate region worldwide covering China, Germany, Norway, Austria, USA, and Australia. Key steps in bioretention swale/basin design and implementation in temperate region were investigated, such as strategic bioretention scheme selection, flow conveyance and hydraulic capacity design, filtering media profile, vegetation scheme selection and maintenance scheme, and suggestion and key design parameters. The critical path and parameters of bioretention swale/basin design which enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of its application for rainwater harvesting in temperate regions were derived.

Modelling of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for Urban Water Management—Investment and Outscaling Implications at Basin and Regional Levels

This manuscript is an attempt to demonstrate effectiveness of nature-based solutions (NBS) and measures to reduce risk of flooding and environmental impact in urban settings. The nature-based solutions (NBS) were assessed as scenarios from experience of urban storm drainage and sewerage systems based on practices that improve urban water management through modelling using urban stormwater management model (SWMM). The model has been applied in a typical urban environment in the second city in Botswana, the City of Francistown, which has a population of more than one hundred thousand. By considering the 2-yr and 10-year storm events in a calibrated SWMM, NBS scenarios from a mix of low impact and drainage measures were considered. The considered NBS scenarios were used to determine their effectiveness in terms of reducing and controlling peak runoff, flood volumes, infiltration and evapotranspiration in the study area, which are vital in assessing the opportunity and challenge for sustainable management of water resources and associated tradeoff of investments in the urban contexts. The study demonstrates the usefulness of implementing effective measures for achieving NBS in urban context and possibility of outscaling at basin and regional levels.

Population distribution, urban construction and urban management in the process of China urbanization

Along with China＇s urbanization, a series of problems came, such as the rapidly expanding urban population, large-scale urban construction and investment, the financing gap of government＇s investment in construction, and urban management, etc. This article first describes the growth of urban population, the scale and the input of urban construction, and then analyzes the financial revenue and expenditure, and at last argues for the necessity of urban management, and puts forward the research content of urban management.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR PARALLEL HYBRID ELECTRIC URBAN BUSES

A novel parallel hybrid electrical urban bus （PHEUB） configuration consisting of an extra one-way clutch and an automatic mechanical transmission （AMT） is taken as the study subject. An energy management strategy combining a logic threshold approach and an instantaneous optimization algorithm is proposed for the investigated PHEUB. The objective of the energy management strategy is to achieve acceptable vehicle performance and drivability requirements while simultaneously maximizing the engine fuel consumption and maintaining the battery state of charge in its operation range at all times. Under the environment of Matlab/Simulink, a computer simulation model for the PHEUB is constructed by using the model building method combining theoretical analysis and bench test data. Simulation and experiment results for China Typical Bus Driving Schedule at Urban District （CTBDS_UD） are obtained, and the results indicate that the proposed control strategy not only controls the hybrid system efficiently but also improves the fuel economy significantly.

Urban management in China: Problems and solutions

This essay describes the general situation of the cities in China and analyzes the problems appearing in planning, land use and government behavior in the process of urban management. The key to solving the problems existing in urban management and realizing the delicate growth of the cities in China, in terms of urban economics, urban management theory, public administration and administrative management, lies in standardizing government behavior, coordinating the relationships between the government and the market, improving the planning system, scientifically compiling planning, strengthening the market mechanism and encouraging public participation.

Problems on the application of geographic information systems to urban environmental management

Geographic information systems (GIS) are a widely used tool in urban planning and management. More and more cities and decision-makers require its attributes of promptness, precision and visualization. But the application of GIS in urban environmental management is still a new field and relevant researches are getting on tardily. As a subsystem of GIS, an urban environmental management geographic information system (UEMGIS) should be a complex multi-discipline and multi-objective tool to perform quantitative multi-dimension analysis and to transfer the results into an expression legible to an ordinary user. It should be a dynamic system of prompt functions based on upgradable databases, and be composed of many subsystems respectively specialized in items about water, air, waste and noise as well as relative standards and regulations. However, existing UEMGISs mostly rely on the basic GIS too much to design the actual requirements of applications and managements in themselves, and the unavailability of sufficient fundamental data has retarded their improvement. In the design of a UEMGIS, the standardization of data classification should be taken into consideration to make the data exchangeable and shareable among its subsystems and within every subsystem, and the applicable error limits for input data should be defined in accordance with the user抯 required precision of data out. Data acquisition can be easy and quick if remote sensing, global positioning system (GPS) and other technologies are combined with GIS. Rapidly progressing information technologies have been giving a bright prospect for the melioration of UEMGIS that will have great potential and wide application in environmental conservation.

A New Sustainability Controlling Approach for Urban Water Systems： Multidimensional Risk Identification and System Analysis

There are many pressures on urban water systems in today＇s highly dynamic world. These include the diverse impacts that are summarized under the term ＂Global Change＂. At the same time, high demands on water utilities to act sustainably do exist. For this purpose, the collaborative project ＂Sustainability Controlling for Urban Water Systems＂ （NaCoSi） introduces an innovative approach with which sustainability risks can be identified and controlled. The sustainability controlling is based on common process-oriented management systems. The starting point is a system of sustainability objectives, which were developed together with practice partners from the German water sector. A method for multidimensional risk identification is introduced to identify sustainability risks. Complex networks of cause-effect relationships are disaggregated into unbranched linear causal chains, which are managed as records in a risk database. The subsequent analysis of the risk database allows the examination of cross-linked risks. Severe risk factors, vulnerable processes and sustainability objectives can thereby be identified and subsequently analyzed. The sustainability controlling was successfully tested and improved by an iterative process of case studies in cooperation with practice partners. The results of the case studies demonstrate the benefit of the project＇s interdisciplinary approach and the applicability of the sustainability controlling.

The Impact of Life Sciences Developments on the UK Urban Environment

Life sciences urban developments are a relatively recent phenomenon, and follow the emergence of knowledge based urban developments as a potential driver of urban regeneration and local economic growth. The role of these new centres in transforming the inner cities of some of the UK＇s larger conurbations is examined and the key planning issues are discussed. The article concludes that the key principles of urban planning and control must still apply in shaping the role these new developments have in the UK＇s evolving urban landscape.

Fresh Water Demand Minimization in Residential Urban Buildings

In the last decades, there is a lot of discussion in many scientific fields, about the high importance of water as a basic element for the existence and the maintenance of life, aiming to the right and proper usage of water in our everyday basic water-needs due to its limited resources and the growing demand. This research deals with simple ways and technological systems applicable in urban residential buildings for the better management of domestic fresh water, as far as its maintenance and sustainability. Main aim of the survey is the effective minimization of urban daily water usage. All measurements of water quantities have estimated in the imperial gallon （1 gallon = 4.546 liter）, and in liter （1 liter = 0.2 gallon）.

Gross Pollutants Study in Urban Areas under Tropical Climates

Gross pollutants are the primary targeted pollutants in urban catchment management for urban water quality improvement as well as mitigation of flood. Apart from aesthetically unattractive because of its visibility, gross pollutants also contributes to degradation of river water quality and loss of aquatic habitat as it carries harmful pollutants such as oxygen demanding material, hydrocarbons and heavy metals. This study analyzed trend of gross pollutant generated from two urban residential areas located in Selangor, Malaysia. The median value of gross pollutant load obtained fi＇om the Amanah Apartment and Bandar Botanic are 347.41 kg/ha/year and 32.46 kg/ha/year, respectively. Relationship between gross pollutant wet load with rainfall depths was derived using regression equation. A significant trend of increasing gross pollutant wet load into drainage system with increasing rainfall depth was observed. The behavior of pollutant load is related to the one observed in Australia.

On the Use of Agent Based Modelling for Addressing the Social Component of Urban Water Management in Europe

The paper aimed to provide a review of different tools that estimate how human behavior changes by water management strategies and quantify this change to support the decisions of urban water managers. To support decision makers, it is essential to be able to model the urban water system’s human part explicitly and link it to the hydro system’s response, rather than only explore the reaction of the system based on scenarios. To do so, tools are needed that can model the human part of the system, explore its reaction to potential changes and dynamically link back this to the techno-environmental model of the water system. This work reviews state-of-the-art ABMs that are publicly available focusing on the human part of the urban water system in Europe. The review leads to the proposals of three pillars for future development of ABMs for urban water management in Europe: end-user enablement;Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence integration and adversaries modelling.

重庆市城乡规划效能监察系统建设探索

重庆市城乡规划效能监察系统采用多层体系架构进行建设,建设内容涵盖数据仓库建设、绩效分析模型建设、效能监察软件建设和分析统计报表建立等方面,从逻辑上分为数据访问层、业务逻辑层和表现层三个层次,提供了业务监管、业务动态、智能搜索和统计分析等核心业务功能,支持多种客户端访问方式。城乡规划效能监察系统的建设有利于建立高效的行政管理体制,提高规划管理工作的效能和效率,建立和完善城乡规划编制、决策、实施、监督和责任追究的长效机制。

USERS′ PERCEPTION OF KOWLOON PARK, HONG KONG:VISITING PATTERNS AND SCENIC ASPECTS

Hong Kong is a hyper-dense city with 7x10(6) people living in an area of 1100km(2). One way to improve the livability of compacted and congested cities like Hong Kong is through the provision of urban parks, an aspect that has largely been under-researched. This study focuses on how users perceive and utilize various facilities in the Kowloon Park. The findings revealed that the Kowloon Park is one of the most preferred parks in Hong Kong for both local residents and tourists. Users were quite satisfied with the park's facilities. Notably, the most important component of an urban park is its greenery. This is followed by water elements, seating places, and facilities for various recreational activities. The improvements users would like to see in urban parks include good design and management, meeting users' needs, overcoming barriers to use, and providing a high quality and varied experience for different groups in the community. The findings of this study provide a good basis to address park management issues from the users' perspective. In particular, parks should provide easy access, encourage optimum usage and enable complimentary improvements to the environment.

重庆市主城区生态空间规划管理与引导方法

重庆市主城区的生态空间保护及利用存在用地范围受到侵蚀、农村发展和建设无序、生态环境被破坏等问题,需建立协调、统一的规划实施管理构架,采用适合管理的用地规划分类指导策略,制定跨部门协调统一的分类引导策略。

Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting as an Alternative Domestic Water Resource in Zambia

Within the last decade, substantial progress has been achieved in the management of centralized water reticulation in Zambia. Characterized by diversified fiscal resourcing, concurrent institutional restructuring and introduction of new players in water governance, the water sector is set to achieve improved reliability on sustainable grounds. However, the threat of underground water pollution resulting from increased urbanization besides the unreliable energy sector presents new challenges for the current urban water. In effect, urban areas are affected by chronic water rationing creating public stress and insecurity which impacts domestic development. While the course of development has meant investment in the extension and expansion of water infrastructure in Zambia, alternative urban water resources are being sought to address challenges of traditional water systems globally. This paper therefore attempts to make a case for the modernization of Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting (RRWH) as an augmenting water resource in the Zambian urban housing sector. Here—in, it is identified as a Low Impact Development technology within the Integrated Urban Water Management framework currently being forged by local water. Based on a desktop literature survey and online questionnaire survey, an argument to support the development of RRWH in Zambia was developed. While literature survey results revealed evidence of economic loss and a growing compromise to public health resulting from inconsistent water supply in the study area of Lusaka city, the online questionnaire survey depicted significant domestic stress due to erratic water supply. Results confirmed that at one time residents observed an average of eight hours of power blackouts which effectively induced water disruption forcing homeowners to engage in various water storage methods which in turn are costly on domestic time, health and finances. A retrospective discussion based on both survey results attempts to present benefits and opportunities of urban RRWH to water sector stakeholders providing recommendations towards the mainstreaming of the practice in Zambia.

Operation and Maintenance Challenges in China“Sponge City”Program

China started a Sponge City program to offset the adverse impacts of urban developments and to tackle many water-related problems.By emphasizing stormwater management practices with“natural solutions”,many positive results have been achieved.The operation and maintenance(O&M)of Sponge City to support long-term success gained considerable focus.China is facing challenges many developed countries have encountered,as well as unique ones due to specific social,economic,and environmental conditions.This study identified and discussed Sponge City O&M challenges:(1)scheduling challenges,(2)technical challenges,(3)in short of local regulation/ordnance,(4)inadequate O&M assessment standard,(5)underprovided training,(6)PPP related concerns,(7)inter-agency coordination needs,(8)ownership and responsible party issues,(9)substandard documentation,and(10)funding and financial concerns.Selected cases and progress in pilot cities are introduced in the discussions.

An Integrated Remote Sensing and GIS in Monitoring Landuse and Land Cover Change in Egbeda Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

Effective planning relies on accurate and up-to-date information on existing land use and land cover. The timely detection of trends in land use and land cover change and a quantification of such trends are of specific interest to planners and decision makers. The aim of this research is to use remote sensing and GIS to monitor landuse and land cover change in Egbeda Local Government Area, Oyo State with a view to determining how useful such information can be to planners and decision makers for effective urban management. The research was conducted using remote sensing and Geographical information System at determining the trend and extent of land use and land cover change and its driving force in Egbeda Local Government Area, Oyo State. The methods used include: digitization, digital image processing and spatial analysis using an inverse distance weighted (IDW) technique, Maximum likelihood supervised classification and post classification change detection techniques were applied to Landsat imageries acquired in 1984, 2006 and 2018. Imageries were classified into built-up area, vegetation, bare surface, cultivation and water body. The results of the analysis obtained showed drastic change in built-up area which rose to 32.8% from 25.4% between 1984 and 2018 periods. To reduce the effect of land use expansion in the study areas, policy measures were recommended which include proper inventory of land use and land cover, regular monitoring of urban areas spread of development and regional development programs. These will enable the government, stakeholders, policy makers and planners to make informed decisions provided by these technologies to attain and sustain future urban development.

Evaluation of the efficiency of urban solid waste management in Brazil by data envelopment analysis and possible variables of influence

This article has the general objective of estimating the efficiency of urban solid waste management in 940 Brazilian munici-palities through Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA)technique and has specific objectives:(i)to estimate efficiency scores;(ii)to compare the performance between different groups of municipalities;and(ii)to analyze the profile of efficient munici-palities from the perspective of the guidelines of Law 12,305/2010 and socio-economic and environmental indicators.The technique used was DEA with output-oriented and variable scale to return modeling.The results showed higher efficiency scores in the municipalities with populations above 500,000 inhabitants.The score variation ranged from 0.5(municipalities with populations<10,000 inhabitants)to 0.9(municipalities with more than 500,000 inhabitants).Of the sample set,only 12.34%of the municipalities were considered efficient,and when analyzing the efficient group,it was found that adherence to legislation was not a major factor in achieving efficiency.