Effects of Greenbelts in Different Variety under Solar Thermal Radiation on Temperature Reduction

[Objective] The aim was to study on effects of greenbelts in different varieties on temperature drop under solar thermal radiation. [Method] In residential regions, effects of temperature reduction by five varieties of greenbelts （megaphanerophyte, dungarunga, shrub, herbaceous plant and bare land） and changing rules with days under the same solar thermal radiation were researched. [Result] Greenbelts＇ temperature changed with intensity of solar thermal radiation, among which greenbelt of megaphanerophyte absorbed, transfered and reflected thermal radiation through crown canopy. Temperature of underlying surface was reduced accordingly, where correlation between underlying surface＇s temperature and solar thermal radiation （R） was 0.156 and the temperature declined by 1.9 ℃. In contrast, correlation of temperature of underlying surface （of lawn） with solar thermal radiation （R） was as high as 0.820, but the temperature only declined by 0.6℃. [Conclusion] The established linear relationship between crown＇s temperature and air temperature actually provides references for temperature measurement of greenbelts at scale.

Study on Construction Strategy of Rainwater Landscape System in Urban Residential Community

On the basis of analyzing the function and restriction conditions of water features in residential community, the feasibility and specific strategies of using rain- water to construct the waterscape system in residential community were proposed, with the aim to deal with the problems of urban water shortage, urban waterlogging and initial rainwater non-point source pollution.

Research on the Green Planning in Rural Settlements of Hui Nationality in Central Ningxia

Targeted at the residence status in rural settlements of Hui people in central Ningxia Hui Nationality Autonomous Region, this research revealed that the construction of new countryside and the transformation of old countryside all have to be on the basis of present topography, landform, environment, social-economic level, education, religion, customs, living habits and so on. The primary goal of this research was to find a method of ecology, low energy consumption and sustainable development to bring the green planning implementation strategies, to provide guidance for sustainable planning in the rural settlements of Hui Nationality in central Ningxia.

“小”体验

前不久，我参加了《住区》杂志的微住宅沙龙，借此机会我才想了想微住宅这回事。结果发现，我好像还真跟微住宅有点关系。

Human Settlement Evaluation in Mountain Areas Based on Remote Sensing,GIS and Ecological Niche Modeling

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the word＇s highest and largest plateau. Due to increasing demands for environment exploration and tourism, a large transitional area is required for altitude adaptation. Hehuang valley, which locates in the transition zone between the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has convenient transportation and relatively low elevation. Our question is whether the geographic conditions here are appropriate for adapted stay before going into the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Therefore, in this study, we examined the potential use of ecological niche modeling （ENM） for mapping current and potential distribution patterns of human settlements. We chose the Maximum Entropy Method （Maxent）, an ENM which integrates climate, remote sensing and geographical data, to model distributions and assess land suitability for transition areas. After preprocessing and selection, the correlation between variables and spatial auto- correlation input data were removed and 106 occurrence points and 9 environmental layers were determined as the model inputs. The threshold- independent model performance was reasonable according to lO times model running, with the area under the curve （AUC） values being 0.917± 0.01, and 0.923±0.002 for test data. Cohen＇s kappa coefficient of model performance was 0.848. Results showed that 82.22% of the study extent was not suitable for human settlement. Of the remaining areas, highly suitable areas aceounted for 1.19%, moderately for 5.3% and marginally for 11.28%. These suitable areas totaled 418.79 km2, and 86.25% of the sample data was identified in the different gradient of suitable area.The decisive environmental factors were slope and two climate variables： mean diurnal temperature range and temperature seasonality. Our model showed a good performance in mapping and assessing human settlements. This study provides the first predicted potential habitat distribution map for human settlement in Ledu County, which could also help in land use management.

Urban China in Transformation:Hybrid Economy,Juxtaposed Space,and New Testing Ground for Geographical Enquiries

History has brought us into a significant moment when the majority of the human kind has taken up resi-dence in urban settlements. The focus of global urbanization has shifted to the developing world and the center of manufacturing is no longer confined to the Global North. This paper provides a periodical assessment of the current status of China's urban transformation in the global context of a shifting emphasis of industrialization and urbaniza-tion. China's phenomenal urban transformation deserves a special attention not only because of its unparalleled scale and speed but also because of its distinct trajectory of growth that does not conform to normal theoretical ex-pectations. The results of assessment revealed an urban economy with remarkable hybridity, a society that is in-creasingly stratified, polarized, and segregated, and a juxtaposed urban space undergoing restless and pervasive transformation. A decentering world should entail a decentering knowledge production. A critical reflection upon the Chinese patterns and processes of urban transformation has identified 4 main issues with great potentials for inno-vative knowledge production, namely: 1) privatization and economic development; 2) state, society, and space; 3) urbanization of capital, labor, and land; and 4) the environment and Chinese political ecology. The paper closes with the remark that a rapidly transforming urban China has presented itself as a fertile and resourceful testing ground for critical and innovative geographic enquiries.

Soil and Vegetation Spectral Coupling Difference (SVSCD) for Minerals Extraction from Hyperion Data in Vegetation Covered Area

Remote sensing data have been widely applied to extract minerals in geologic exploration, however, in areas covered by vegetation, extracted mineral information has mostly been small targets bearing little information. In this paper, we present a new method for mineral extraction aimed at solving the difficulty of mineral identification in vegetation covered areas. The method selected six sets of spectral difference coupling between soil and plant(SVSCD). These sets have the same vegetation spectra reflectance and a maximum different reflectance of soil and mineral spectra from Hyperion image based on spectral reflectance characteristics of measured spectra. The central wavelengths of the six, selected band pairs were 2314 and 701 nm, 1699 and 721 nm, 1336 and 742 nm, 2203 and 681 nm, 2183 and 671 nm, and 2072 and 548 nm. Each data set's reflectance was used to calculate the difference value. After band difference calculation, vegetation information was suppressed and mineral abnormal information was enhanced compared to the scatter plot of original band. Six spectral difference couplings, after vegetation inhibition, were arranged in a new data set that requires two components that have the largest eigenvalue difference from principal component analysis(PCA). The spatial geometric structure features of PC1 and PC2 was used to identify altered minerals by spectral feature fitting(SFF). The collecting rocks from the 10 points that were selected in the concentration of mineral extraction were analyzed under a high-resolution microscope to identify metal minerals and nonmetallic minerals. Results indicated that the extracted minerals were well matched with the verified samples, especially with the sample 2, 4, 5 and 8. It demonstrated that the method can effectively detect altered minerals in vegetation covered area in Hyperion image.

Empirical Research on Carrying Capacity of Human Settlement System in Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China

Using the theories of population carrying capacity and ecological elasticity in other fields for reference, the connotation of regional human settlement system was defined from the viewpoint of the complex relationship among the factors such as regional population, resources, environment and economic and social development in the context of China′s rapid urbanization. Then the concept and characterization methods of the regional human settlement carrying capacity were proposed by means of population scale. Furthermore, a model of carrying capacity-pressure-state-response(CPSR) on regional human settlement system was established by referencing pressure-state-response(PSR) model, and the Catastrophe Theory was introduced to determine the corresponding standards of multi-criteria programming and evaluation. Taking Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China as an example, an empirical analysis on evaluation of human settlement system from 2000 to 2012 was carried out. The results showed that the carrying capacity of human settlement system in Dalian was fluctuating between 9.6 × 106 to 10 × 106 persons with a quantitative stage of the dynamic regulation. During the research period the load index of human settlement system in Dalian dropped from 0.96 to 0.84 with a lower pressure of human settlement system than the national average level. And the emergency response grades of human settlement system in Dalian were kept in grade Ⅱ(orange warning) or grade Ⅲ(yellow warning). Human settlement system of Dalian was in slight security state as a whole, but the load had a tendency of increase in recent years. The related departments should pay close attention to regional human settlement system and take active measures to improve human settlement by both intensity control and total quantity control. By comparison, analysis and discussion, it was considered that the results were basically accordded with the current situations of human settlement in Dalian, and the evaluation results were more reliable, visualized and easily applied in practice. Therefore, the above-mentioned concepts, characterization and evaluation methods of the regional human settlement system and carrying capacity could provide a new thought and method for quantitative evaluation of human settlement.

A preliminary sustainability assessment of innovative rainwater harvesting for residential properties in the UK

Rainwater harvesting RWH has yet to see significant uptake in UK households primarily due to a lack of innovation in residential RWH system types.This ppa er presents the results of per liminary investigations into a range of traditional and innovative residential-scale RWH systems. These systems are examined using a patent application search informal interviews with industry professionals cost-benefit analysis and a simple multi criteria analysis MCA .The latter examines the sustainability of the systems based on a priori social economic and ne vironmenat l criteria.Two of the innovative systems are subject to a more detailed analysis and benchmarked agains ta rt aditional system.Results of the MCA indicate that the innovative RWH systems achieve better sustainability scores than the traditional RWH with a lower capital cost.Further research is focused on monitoring the identified systems to generate empir cal datasets in order to undertake the WLC/LCAs and to identify challenges associated with installation.

Gentrification and Residential Differentiation in Nanjing,China

The institutional environment in China has quite evidently changed during modern socio-economic transitions.Driven both by local government and by marketing force,urban social space was redistributed after the reform of urban land and real estate policies.Urban renewal makes for wide differential rent and therefore gentrification is occurring in China.This paper analyzes the background and institutional environment of gentrification in China,and further discusses the process,characteristics and evolutionary mechanisms in the case of Nanjing,through investigation of the attributes of 1075 residential communities built during the 1998-2008 at a macro level,and interviewing the residents and analyzing questionnaires in 6 different and typical communities at a micro level.As a socio-spatial course of two-way interaction,gentrification is divided into 3 stages of incubation,occurrence and fast development,according to the time of landmark events and policy reform on the leasehold of land in Nanjing during socio-economic transition.In terms of the socio-spatial characteristics of gentrification in Nanjing,the gentrification process under the trajectory of urban renewal makes urban social space present a new circle-layer structure;the rise of quite a number of gated communities results in the fragmentation of social space and privatization of public space;the management mode of modern communities and the change of life style have aggravated the indifference of neighborhood relationship of gentrified communities.Based on the empirical evidence of this study,this paper indicates that gentrification is quite different between China and western countries with respect to spatio-temporal order,dominant forces,paths of realization and spatial expression,and it further reveals the dynamic mechanism of gentrification developing in China at the present stage.

A comparison of landscaping plant utilization in some residential quarters in Beijing

A dwelling district is the most direct space of people’s living environment. The environmental construction should take the improvement and maintenance of the ecologically balance in housing estate as its aim and the coexistence between man and nature as its goal. By making an analysis of the current situation of afforestation, landscape, functional requirements and humanistic environment of the six residential quarters of Huilongguan Fengyayuan, Sainaweila,Xinxinjiayuan of the Asian Games, and others in Beijing, this paper presents an arrangement mode of plants in dwelling districts.

APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGY TO POPULATION ESTIMATION

This paper attempts to explore a new avenue of urban small-regional population estimation by remote sensing technology, creatively and comprehensively for the first time using a residence count method, area (density) method and model method, incorporating the application experience of American scholars in the light of the state of our country. Firstly, the author proposes theoretical basis for population estimation by remote sensing, on the basis of analysing and evaluating the history and state quo of application of methods of population estimation by remote sensing. Secondly, two original types of mathematical models of population estimation are developed on the basis of remote sensing data, taking Tianjin City as an example. By both of the mathematical models the regional population may be estimated from remote sensing variable values with high accuracy. The number of the independent variables in the latter model is somewhat smaller and the collection of remote sensing data is somewhat easier, but the deviation is a little larger. Finally, some viewpoints on the principled problems about the practical application of remote sensing to population estimation are put forward.

Informal Settlements： A Shape Grammar Approach

Informal urban development is seldomly covered in academic studies or professional architectural training. This article sets forth the first stage of a novel study that observes the informal city using the methodology of analysis of architecture called shape grammars. The idea is to recognize peculiarities in the occupation of the land and the volumetric features of the buildings. Rocinha favela, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is taken as a case study with the primary aim of extrapolating a set of rules for its morphological features so that these rules can be used to generate new shapes, whilst bearing in mind the issues of adaptation and transformation which are so characteristic of informal settlements. There is some expectation that this study may help improve the housing and public space in the favela and enable new housing programs to observe the way the buildings and different architectural elements combined, forming a new channel of interchange with the spatial organization of the favela.

Optimal design of vegetation in residential district with numerical simulation and field experiment

Vegetation plays a key role in improving wind environment of residential districts,and is helpful for creating a comfortable and beautiful living environment.The optimal design of vegetation for wind environment improvement in winter was investigated by carrying out field experiments in Heqingyuan residential area in Beijing,and after that,numerical simulation with SPOTE(simulation platform for outdoor thermal environment) experiments for outdoor thermal environment of vegetation was adopted for comparison.The conclusions were summarized as follows:1) By comparing the experimental data with simulation results,it could be concluded that the wind field simulated was consistent with the actual wind field,and the flow distribution impacted by vegetation could be accurately reflected;2) The wind velocity with vegetation was lower than that without vegetation,and the wind velocity was reduced by 46%;3) By adjusting arrangement and types of vegetation in the regions with excessively large wind velocity,the pedestrian-level wind velocity could be obviously improved through the simulation and comparison.

Research on the Significance and Approaches of Productive Landscape Introduced in Residential Districts

With the urbanization increasingly advancing at a high speed, a large number of farmlands have been turned into building lands, which leads the urban-rural conflicts more and more evident than before. Introducing the concept of productive landscape into residential districts, could relieve the contradiction between agricultural land and urban construction land, improve the modern lifestyle, provide a new perspective of landscape design philosophy. In this paper, based on the analysis of the present situation of residential green space, the significance and approaches of productive landscape in residential areas have been put forward, and suggestions of daily management and countermeasures about agricultural pollution problem have also been given.

Analyzing Land-use Change in Farming-pastoral Transitional Region Using Autologistic Model and Household Survey Approach

Land change science （LCS） strives to understand and model land-use change, which will further advance the understanding of multiple issues in the socio-ecological systems. Based on GIS/RS techniques, autologistic model, and household survey method, this study investigated major land use changes and their causes from 1978 to 2008 in Uxin Banner （county-level）, Inner Mongolia in China and then developed an understanding of the relationships between household livelihood and land-use pattern. Results showed that cultivated land increased from 1988 to 2000, and leveled offafter 2000. Built-up land increased stably for the period 1978 2008. The change of grassland and bare land differed among the three periods. From 1978 to 1988, grassland increased by 23.3%, and bare land decreased by 20.48%. From 1988 to 2000, bare land expanded by 1.7%, but grassland declined by 1.3%. From 2000 to 2008, an increase in grassland area by 1.8% was observed, but a decrease in bare land area by 9.0% was witnessed. The autologistic models performed better than logistic models as indicated by lower Akaike Information Criterion （AIC） values. Factors associated with human activities significantly correlated with the change of cultivated land, forest land, grassland, and built-up land. The produce prices and extensive cultivated land use are major issues in the farming area. This study suggests that completing land circulation systems and maintaining the stability of price are effective solutions. By contrast, reclamation and overgrazing are major concerns in the pastoral areas. Implementing environmental policies effectively, transferring population out of rural pastoral areas, and developing modem animal husbandry are effective ways to address these issues.

Integrating Climate Change Factors into Environmental Planning Innovation of the National 12^(th) Five Year Development Plan towards Climate Change in China

Effects on sustainable development of climate change have been going further nowadays.National Five Year Development Plan in China should have specific policies on how to take climate change impacts into account through the environmental planning.Key fields distribute in three levels of natural bearing capacity,production system and human settlements,and include seven aspects:ecosystems,water resources,disasters and risks,low-carbon economy,vulnerable departments,urbanization,and coastland.

Partial Least Squares Regression Model to Predict Water Quality in Urban Water Distribution Systems

The water distribution system of one residential district in Tianjin is taken as an example to analyze the changes of water quality.Partial least squares(PLS) regression model,in which the turbidity and Fe are regarded as control objectives,is used to establish the statistical model.The experimental results indicate that the PLS regression model has good predicted results of water quality compared with the monitored data.The percentages of absolute relative error(below 15%,20%,30%) are 44.4%,66.7%,100%(turbidity) and 33.3%,44.4%,77.8%(Fe) on the 4th sampling point;77.8%,88.9%,88.9%(turbidity) and 44.4%,55.6%,66.7%(Fe) on the 5th sampling point.

Geotop of Lut Playa： Quaternary Geomorphologic Evidence and Civilization

The cultural and geomorphological heritages in Playas as a key address to find out past fluctuations called geotop. Iran is strategically located on an important trade route （Silk Road） between four cradles of civilization namely, Babylon, Mesopotamia, Indus and Yangtze （Chinese）. Iran is grafting point of four human civilizations which creates Persian civilization about 4,000 years ago. The Lut Desert and Dasht-e Kavir located the central and eastern Iran have been focal points for human settlements since 7,000 years ago. The geoarcheological findings on the Siyalk hills of Kashan located in the Dasht-e Kavir and Jiroft region located in the Lut desert are confirmations for human settlement since more than 7,000 years ago. Shorehzar that is a Persian equivalent word for Arabic word of Sabkha is considered as a Playa geomorphic type which involves precious evidences of quaternary fluctuations. In this article, geomorphological and paleoenvironmental investigations are integrated to provide a framework of environmental change for the late Pleistocene and early-mid Holocene periods in the main deserts of Iran, Lut. In this article based on main geotops of Lut, the quaternary evolutions have been discussed. The investigations are showing that Playas were bed of civilization in Iran Deserts.

Sustainable Post-Disaster Solutions--London 1666, Lisbon 1755 and Japan 2011reLearning from the Past

Natural disasters have impacted human settlements throughout the centuries, imparting lessons as new ways and strategies to avoid or minimize the damage inflicted by the natural processes. This on-going process has created new landscapes instrumental to man＇s balance of the use of the land by taking into account the probability of further natural disasters. This paper discusses the responses to disaster challenges taking past experiences on ＂after disaster decisions＂ in London 1666, in Lisbon 1755 as a framework to analyse the more recent Great East Japan Earthquake disaster. The concept of sustainability which adds a new perspective to the subject of more resistant solutions and strategies as the opportunity for a new design is presented by the destruction. Sustainable environmental, social and cultural issues improvements are important goals introduced in the 20th century and enrich long-term human adaptations to natural processes. They are also considered in this analysis as an evolving final product of the human adaptation that results in more durable cultural landscapes.