Metropolitan Housing Development in Urban Fringe Areas-A Case Study of Three Metropolitan Cities of South Africa: Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane

Purpose:The metropolitan cities of Johannesburg,Ekurhuleni and Tshwane play an important role in the economy of the Gauteng province in South Africa.The region constitutes to 22.4 percent of the total population of South Africa and has a strong presence and contributes in areas of manufacturing sector,financial and business services,retail and wholesale trade,etc.The rapid urban population,increase in the informal settlements and socio-economic opportunities has resulted in considerable urban sprawl in and around the urban fringe areas of these metropolitan cities.The urban fringe areas of these metros often come under the influence of rapid urbanization process and pressures.Coupled with the economical and potential land dynamics and lack of priority of spatial development guidelines,these areas attract rapid and haphazard development from communities and developers.Research Design/Methodology:This research is based on a qualitative approach through a comprehensive literature review that included content analysis of key documents on housing sector such as IDPs(Integrated Development Plans),Municipal Annual Reports,Growth Development Strategies,and among other sectoral documents on housing sector.Some of the key priority issues considered in the housing sector included:eradication of housing backlogs,spatial restructuring of housing,provision of choice in terms of location,tenure and housing typology.Findings:The current paper discusses the approaches of metropolitan housing development processes in three metropolitan cities of South Africa from Gauteng region,namely:Johannesburg,Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.The paper discusses the existing housing sectoral scenario along with the fringe areas in three cities with focus on:formal and informal settlements,housing segregation and the backlogs,current institutional arrangements,role of public private participation,and scope for alternate mechanisms.The paper concludes in discussion on sustainable development options for housing development in urban fringe areas.

Mapping ecosystem services in urban and peri-urban areas.A systematic review

Urban and peri-urban ecosystems are subjected to an intense impact.The demand for ecosystem services(ES)is higher in these areas.Nevertheless,despite the anthropogenic pressures,urban and peri-urban ecosystems supply important ES.Mapping is a crucial exercise to understand ES dynamics in these environments better.This work aims to systematically review mapping ES in urban and peri-urban areas studies,following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-alpha Methods.A total of 207 studies were selected.The results show increased work between 2011 and 2023,mainly conducted in Europe and China.Most work were developed in urban areas and did not follow an established ES classification.Most studies focused on the ES supply dimension,the regulation and maintenance section.Regarding provisioning ES,most studies focused on Cultivating terrestrial plants for nutrition,regulating and maintainin g Atmospheric composition and conditions,and for cultural ES on Physical and experiential interactions with the natural environment.Quantitative methods were mostly applied following Indicator-based(secondary data:biophysical,socio-economic)models.Very few work validated the outputs.Several studies forecasted ES,primarily based on land use changes using CA-Markov approaches.This study provides an overview of the most mapped urban and peri-urban ES globally,the areas where more studies need to be conducted,and the methods developed.

Exploring well-being disparities between urban and rural areas:A case study in the Stavropol Territory,Russia

Rural areas are crucial for a country’s sustainable economy.New strategies are needed to develop rural areas to improve the well-being of rural population and generate new job opportunities.This is especially important in countries where agricultural production accounts for a significant share of the gross product,such as Russia.In this study,we identified the key indicators of satisfaction and differences between rural and urban citizens based on their social,economic,and environmental backgrounds,and determined whether there are well-being disparities between rural and urban areas in the Stavropol Territory,Russia.We collected primary data through a survey based on the European Social Survey framework to investigate the potential differences between rural and urban areas.By computing the regional well-being index using principal component analysis,we found that there was no statistically significant difference in well-being between rural and urban areas.Results of key indicators showed that rural residents felt psychologically more comfortable and safer,assessed their family relationships better,and adhered more to traditions and customs.However,urban residents showed better economic and social conditions(e.g.,infrastructures,medical care,education,and Internet access).The results of this study imply that we can better understand the local needs,advantages,and unique qualities,thereby gaining insight into the effectiveness of government programs.Policy-makers and local authorities can consider targeted interventions based on the findings of this study and strive to enhance the well-being of both urban and rural residents.

Spatio-temporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Forces of Winter Urban Heat Island:A Case Study of Rapid Urbanization Area of Fuzhou City,China

Under the influence of anthropogenic and climate change,the problems caused by urban heat island(UHI)has become increasingly prominent.In order to promote urban sustainable development and improve the quality of human settlements,it is significant for exploring the evolution characteristics of urban thermal environment and analyzing its driving forces.Taking the Landsat series images as the basic data sources,the winter land surface temperature(LST)of the rapid urbanization area of Fuzhou City in China was quantitatively retrieved from 2001 to 2021.Combing comprehensively the standard deviation ellipse model,profile analysis and GeoDetector model,the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of the winter urban thermal environment were systematically analyzed.The results showed that the winter LST presented an increasing trend in the study area during 2001–2021,and the winter LST of the central urban regions was significantly higher than the suburbs.There was a strong UHI effect from 2001 to 2021with an expansion trend from the central urban regions to the suburbs and coastal areas in space scale.The LST of green lands and wetlands are significantly lower than croplands,artificial surface and unvegetated lands.Vegetation and water bodies had a significant mitigation effect on UHI,especially in the micro-scale.The winter UHI had been jointly driven by the underlying surface and socio-economic factors in a nonlinear or two-factor interactive enhancement mode,and socio-economic factors had played a leading role.This research could provide data support and decision-making references for rationally planning urban layout and promoting sustainable urban development.

Multi-source Data-driven Identification of Urban Functional Areas:A Case of Shenyang,China

Urban functional area(UFA)is a core scientific issue affecting urban sustainability.The current knowledge gap is mainly reflected in the lack of multi-scale quantitative interpretation methods from the perspective of human-land interaction.In this paper,based on multi-source big data include 250 m×250 m resolution cell phone data,1.81×105 Points of Interest(POI)data and administrative boundary data,we built a UFA identification method and demonstrated empirically in Shenyang City,China.We argue that the method we built can effectively identify multi-scale multi-type UFAs based on human activity and further reveal the spatial correlation between urban facilities and human activity.The empirical study suggests that the employment functional zones in Shenyang City are more concentrated in central cities than other single functional zones.There are more mix functional areas in the central city areas,while the planned industrial new cities need to develop comprehensive functions in Shenyang.UFAs have scale effects and human-land interaction patterns.We suggest that city decision makers should apply multi-sources big data to measure urban functional service in a more refined manner from a supply-demand perspective.

Rainwater harvesting systems: An urban flood risk mitigation measure in arid areas

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems have been developed to compensate for shortage in the water supply worldwide. Such systems are not very common in arid areas, particularly in the Gulf Region, due to the scarcity of rainfall and their reduced efficiency in covering water demand and reducing water consumption rates. In spite of this, RWH systems have the potential to reduce urban flood risks, particularly in densely populated areas. This study aimed to assess the potential use of RWH systems as urban flood mitigation measures in arid areas. Their utility in the retention of stormwater runoff and the reduction of water depth and extent were evaluated. The study was conducted in a residential area in Bahrain that experienced waterlogging after heavy rainfall events. The water demand patterns of housing units were analyzed, and the daily water balance for RWH tanks was evaluated. The effect of the implementation of RWH systems on the flood volume was evaluated with a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model. Flood simulations were conducted in several rainfall scenarios with different probabilities of occurrence. The results showed significant reductions in the flood depth and flood extent, but these effects were highly dependent on the rainfall intensity of the event. RWH systems are effective flood mitigation measures, particularly in urban arid regions short of proper stormwater control infrastructure, and they enhance the resilience of the built environment to urban floods.

Urban Expansion in Major Grain Producing Area from 1978 to 2017:A Case Study of Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area,China

The spatial form of urbanization in China has developed from single-core city expansion to a multi-center metropolitan area.However,little attention has been paid to the growth process of the emerging metropolitan area situated in major grain producing locations in the central China.Taking the Zhengzhou metropolitan area(ZZMA)as a case study,we developed an inverse S-shape model to characterize the spatial distribution of urban land density,and constructed an urban expansion core index,urban expansion intensity index,and urban compactness index to quantify the spatial structure change that has taken place from 1978 to 2017 during the process of urban expansion.Moreover,cropland contribution rate(CR)was constructed to evaluate the impacts of urban expansion on croplands.We uncovered four key findings.First,over the past 40 yr,the ZZMA has experienced dramatic expansion,and the central city of Zhengzhou expanded faster than other cities.The gravity centers of urban expansion of surrounding cities were moving toward to Zhengzhou City.Second,the urban land density decreased with the distance from the city center to the outskirts.As the only large city,Zhengzhou has experienced the fastest and most compact centralized urban expansion,especially after 2000,while other medium-and small-sized cities have experienced low-intensity decentralized expansion.Third,the urban core has been gradually expanding outward.From 1978 to 2017,the hot-zone of urban growth has moved progressively with the acceleration of urbanization.All cities except Jiaozuo had a single peak in different periods.Forth,the cities in national core grain-producing areas has higher cropland contribution rates and lower urban expansion areas,which was closely related to cropland protection.Further analysis showed that large city was relatively better positioned than smaller cities in the efficiency of their urban infrastructure and the effectiveness of wealth creation efficiency in the urbanized area could be tested in all cities,and the policy factor seemed to play an important role in the urban expansion process.

Monitoring Study of Long-Term Land Subsidence during Subway Operation in High-Density Urban Areas Based on DInSAR-GPS-GIS Technology and Numerical Simulation

During subway operation,various factors will cause long-term land subsidence,such as the vibration subsidence of foundation soil caused by train vibration load,incomplete consolidation deformation of foundation soil during tunnel construction,dense buildings and structures in the vicinity of the tunnel,and changes in water level in the stratum where the tunnel is located.The monitoring of long-term land subsidence during subway operation in high-density urban areas differs from that in low-density urban construction areas.The former is the gathering point of the entire urban population.There are many complex buildings around the project,busy road traffic,high pedestrian flow,and less vegetation cover.Several existing items requiremonitoring.However,monitoring distance is long,and providing early warning is difficult.This study uses the 2.8 km operation line between Wulin Square station and Ding’an Road station of Hangzhou Subway Line 1 as an example to propose the integrated method of DInSAR-GPS-GIS technology and the key algorithm for long-term land subsidence deformation.Then,it selects multiscene image data to analyze long-termland subsidence of high-density urban areas during subway operation.Results show that long-term land subsidence caused by the operation of Wulin Square station to Ding’an Road station of Hangzhou Subway Line 1 is small,with maximumsubsidence of 30.64 mm,and minimumsubsidence of 11.45 mm,and average subsidence ranging from 19.27 to 21.33 mm.And FLAC3D software was used to verify the monitoring situation,using the geological conditions of the soil in the study area and the tunnel profile to simulate the settlement under vehicle load,and the simulation results tended to be consistent with the monitoring situation.

Architecture as a Means of Developing Social Exchange:Learning from a Danish Case Study of Refurbishment and Urban Transformation in a Disadvantaged Housing Area

Disadvantaged housing areas from the postwar period typically consist of relatively monotonous and monofunctional multi-storey blocks and have a separate traffic system rendering the areas isolated enclaves in the urban fabric.It is argued that this spatial isolation contributes to social isolation,and current refurbishments are therefore aimed at linking the housing areas with the surrounding neighbourhoods to enable social exchange between the residents and people from the surrounding areas.Based on a case study in a Danish social housing area,this paper discusses to what extent architectural development and urban strategic transformations can contribute to enabling social exchange in disadvantaged housing areas.Do neighbours enter the disadvantaged housing area as intended?If so,how does this influence their perception of the housing area?The analysis shows that architectural development and urban transformations are interdependent in establishing a social mix in disadvantaged housing areas.It is argued that refurbishments can reduce the stigma surrounding the housing area and its residents.However,the applicability of such strategies is highly dependent on the local context of the housing area.

Spatial patterns and driving forces of urban vegetation greenness in China:A case study comprising 289 cities

Urban vegetation in China has changed substantially in recent decades due to rapid urbanization and dramatic climate change.Nevertheless,the spatial differentiation of greenness among major cities of China and its evolution process and drivers are still poorly understood.This study examined the spatial patterns of vegetation greenness across 289 cities in China in 2000,2005,2010,2015,and 2018 by using spatial autocorrelation analysis on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI);then,the influencing factors were analyzed by using the optimal parameters-based geographical detector(OPGD)model and 18 natural and anthropogenic indicators.The findings demonstrated a noticeable rise in the overall greenness of the selected cities during 2000-2018.The cities in northwest China and east China exhibited the rapidest and slowest greening,respectively,among the six sub-regions.A significant positive spatial correlation was detected between the greenness of the 289 cities in different periods,but the correlation strength weakened over time.The hot and very hot spots in southern and eastern China gradually shifted to the southwest.While the spatial pattern of urban greenness in China is primarily influenced by wind speed(WS)and precipitation(PRE),the interaction between PRE and gross domestic product(GDP)has the highest explanatory power.The explanatory power of most natural factors decreased and,conversely,the influence of anthropogenic factors generally increased.These findings emphasize the variations in the influence strength of multiple factors on urban greenness pattern,which should be taken into account to understand and adapt to the changing urban ecosystem.

Influence of Transportation Accessibility on Urban-rural Income Disparity and Its Spatial Heterogeneity

Transportation accessibility has been treated as an important means of reducing the urban-rural income disparity.However,only a few studies have examined the effects of different types of transportation accessibility on urban-rural income disparity and their spatial heterogeneity.Based on data from 285 prefecture-level(and above)Chinese cities in 2000,2005,2010,2015,and 2020,this study uses spatial econometric models to examine how highway accessibility and railway accessibility influence the urban-rural income disparity and to identify their spatial heterogeneity.The result reveals that highway accessibility and railway accessibility have‘coreperiphery’ring-like circle structures.The urban-rural income disparity exhibits strong spatial clustering effects.Both highway accessibility and railway accessibility are negatively associated with urban-rural income disparity,and the former having a greater effect size.Moreover,there is a substitution effect between highway accessibility and railway accessibility in the whole sample.Furthermore,these associations differ in geographic regions.In the central region,highway accessibility is more important in reducing the urban-rural income disparity,but its effect is weakened with the increase of railway accessibility.In the western region,railway accessibility has a larger effect on narrowing the urban-rural income disparity,and this effect is strengthened by the increase of highway accessibility.We conclude that improving transportation accessibility is conducive to reducing the urban-rural income disparity but its effect is spatial heterogenetic.Highways and railways should be developed in a coordinated manner to promote an integrated transport network system.

Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Heart Diseases within the Urban and Rural Communities of the Town of Bougouni and Its Surroundings (Southern Mali): A Comparative Study

In Mali, few studies have been conducted on the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases according to place of residence. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of risk factors and cardiovascular diseases according to residents in town of Bougouni and its rural area (southern Mali). Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study from February 2019 to March 2024. All patients who visited the “CENTRE MEDICAL DE BOUGOUNI” clinic with known or suspected heart disease during the study period were included. Data were collected from medical records. Incomplete or unusable records were excluded. Data were processed using SPS version 22 software. Results: we included 452 patients with an average age of 50 ± 19 years. High blood pression has been found in 42.70% of cases, with higher prevalence in urban areas (47.01%) than in rural areas (41.50%). Diabetes and smoking were found respectively 5.31% and 8.19% in our population. The prevalence of diabetes was higher in urban areas (5.97%) than rural area (5.35%). smoking prevalence was higher in rural areas (8.49%) than urban areas (6.72%). Alcoholism was found in 2.21% of cases with a little difference between rural area (2.24%) and urban area (2.20%). 31.63% of our patients had no cardiovascular factor. Dyspnea was the reason of consultation in 5.75% of cases and atypical precordialgia in 13.72%. Headaches and dizziness in 8.63% of cases and 21.90% of patients presented other non-specific symptoms. Diagnosis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy was found in 23.45% of cases with higher prevalence in rural areas (28.30%) than urban areas (13.43%). Ischaemic heart disease accounted for 9.29% of cases with a higher prevalence in rural areas (10.38%) than in urban areas (6.71%). PPCMs accounted for 5.98% of cases, with a slight increase in urban areas (6.66%) compared with rural areas (5.68%). Rheumatic valvulopathy accounted for 2.21% of cases;2.84% in rural areas and 0.74% in urban areas. Other valvular diseases accounted for 3.76% of cases;4.73% in rural areas and 1.48% in urban areas. Right heart diseases accounted for 3.98% of cases and stroke for 1.77%. Conclusion: The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and heart diseases is high in the rural and urban population of the town of Bougouni and its surroundings (Mali). Excepted smoking, the prevalence of other CV risk factors is higher in urban areas, whereas the prevalence of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and ischemic heart disease is higher in rural areas. These data could serve as a basis for developing tailored preventive strategies, depending on the place of residence.

Fundamental Ideas and Basic Concepts of HSR Route Selection in Complicated Urban Areas

Up till now,no systematic studies on railway route selection in urban areas,HSR route selection in particular,have been taken in China.Based on the Shenzhen Railway Terminal Project and the Shenzhen-Shanwei Railway Project,research on HSR route selection in complicated urban areas has been conducted.An optimal route selection plan is determined after studying the local geological and environmental conditions and the complexity of tunnel construction.The research concludes that there are four major concerns in HSR route selection:the match between the new route and the urban planning,the potential economic return for the massive investment,the likely impacts of land expropriation on social stability,and the best synthesis of multiple controlling factors to meet the HSR standard.Moreover,six principles should be followed in railway route selection in complicated urban areas:the new route should be in alignment with the railway deployment;the route should align with the existing passage as much as possible;extensive analysis and in-depth demonstrations should be done to find the most appropriate combination of open and hidden excavation in tunnel construction;geological conditions and tunnel construction complexities are among the priorities;environmental sensitive sites and environmental vibration noise should be avoided as much as possible;special attention should be paid to the relocation of the power supply,television and communication facilities and the rearrangement of tubes and wires.

Mitigating Urban Heat Island Effects: A Review of Innovative Pavement Technologies and Integrated Solutions

In this review paper,we present a thorough investigation into the role of pavement technologies in advancing urban sustainability.Our analysis traverses the historical evolution of these technologies,meticulously evaluating their socio-economic and environmental impacts,with a particular emphasis on their role in mitigating the urban heat island effect.The evaluation of pavement types and variables influencing pavement performance to be used in the multi-criteria decision-making(MCDM)framework to choose the optimal pavement application are at the heart of our research.Which serves to assess a spectrum of pavement options,revealing insights into the most effective and sustainable practices.By highlighting both the existing challenges and potential innovative solutions within thefield,this paper aims to offer a directional compass for future urban planning and infrastructural advancements.This review not only synthesizes the current state of knowledge but also aims to chart a course for future exploration,emphasizing the critical need for innovative and environmentally sensitive pavement tech-nologies in the creation of resilient and sustainable urban environments.

Analysis of Urban Agglomeration Network Structure Based on Baidu Migration Data: A Case Study of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Urban Agglomeration

The inter-city linkage heat data provided by Baidu Migration is employed as a characterization of inter-city linkages in order to facilitate the study of the network linkage characteristics and hierarchical structure of urban agglomeration in the Greater Bay Area through the use of social network analysis method.This is the inaugural application of big data based on location services in the study of urban agglomeration network structure,which represents a novel research perspective on this topic.The study reveals that the density of network linkages in the Greater Bay Area urban agglomeration has reached 100%,indicating a mature network-like spatial structure.This structure has given rise to three distinct communities:Shenzhen-Dongguan-Huizhou,Guangzhou-Foshan-Zhaoqing,and Zhuhai-Zhongshan-Jiangmen.Additionally,cities within the Greater Bay Area urban agglomeration play different roles,suggesting that varying development strategies may be necessary to achieve staggered development.The study demonstrates that large datasets represented by LBS can offer novel insights and methodologies for the examination of urban agglomeration network structures,contingent on the appropriate mining and processing of the data.

Statistical Modelling of Extreme Precipitation Indices Supporting Urban Spatial Planning Processes

In this paper,we analyze how statistical modelling of extreme precipitation indices can support urban planners in the analysis and classification of the level of climate sensitivity of the territory and in the subsequent definition of sustainable adaptive planning and design choices.These activities are part of a research project that addresses the issue of climate change from the urban planning perspective to identify solutions to current and future environmental challenges,increasing the climate resilience of infrastructures and communities in urban,rural and coastal areas.These research activities are based on the desire to promote integration between the approaches commonly adopted by urban planners and climate specialists to plan adequate joint risk reduction strategies.As part of this study,the focus will be on the risks produced by the greater frequency and intensity of floods,assessed by the IPCC(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)as one of the key risks for Europe.Specifically,our attention focuses on pluvial flooding,proposing the definition of a statistical modelling of indices related to extreme precipitation and its application to the context of the Calabria Region,in Italy.The indices are recommended by the ETCCDI(Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices)and elaborated starting from official historical data recorded by 146 telemetry active rain gauges,disseminated in the experimentation context.

Study of Urban Sprawl and Its Impact on Vegetation, Land Surface Temperature and Air Pollution Using Remote Sensing and GIS in Kathmandu Valley from 2015 to 2020

The Kathmandu Valley has seen substantial urbanization over the past decades while being the nation’s economic centre. Built-up areas have expanded quickly along with the population, having a significantly negative influence on the environment. Recently, Kathmandu was named as the most polluted city in Asia. Urban sprawl has had a negative influence on Kathmandu’s residents in several ways. The state of urban sprawl and the effects it has had on the Kathmandu Valley have been examined using land sat imagery. In this study, IDW was used in GIS to analyze the pollution status using data of PM 2.5 and PM 10 obtained from various monitoring sites. A supervised classification was used to create a LULC map of Kathmandu for the years 2015, 2018, and 2020. To assess the state of the vegetation and determine whether the Kathmandu Valley is being affected by urban heat, NDVI and Land sat temperature calculations were also made. The study’s results were obtained using remote sensing and GIS technology. The built-up area in Kathmandu Valley has grown by 20% over the past five years, impacting land use patterns and deteriorating vegetation cover. Due to the rise of built-up area, which is a good heat absorber, the temperature in the Kathmandu Valley is rising along with the degradation of the vegetation cover. The pollution in the Kathmandu Valley is at its worst, and residents are compelled to breathe air that is significantly more polluted than the prescribed limit.

Research on the Impact and Strategies of Rail Transit Network Integration in the Context of Metropolitan Area Development:A Case Study of the Wuhan Metropolitan Area

The metropolitan area is one of the key focal points in the construction and development of China’s new urbanization.Urban integration is an emerging trend in metropolitan areas.This paper explores the traffic demand characteristics and economic aspects of rail transit within metropolitan regions and argues that the construction of an integrated urban rail transit network is an effective approach to support their development.Rail transit in metropolitan areas offers both technical and economic advantages,improving the efficiency of time and space resource utilization,fostering economic cooperation,and ultimately contributing to an integrated development model.However,the integration of rail transit networks faces several challenges,including road network planning,technical standards,and operational organization.Using the Wuhan metropolitan area as a case study,this paper analyzes the challenges of rail transit network integration and proposes strategic solutions for development.

The Study on Protection and Construction Mode of Urban Ecologically Sensitive Areas

The paper had analyzed the necessity and feasibility for the protection and utilization of urban ecologically sensitive areas, proposed planning urban ecologically sensitive areas reasonably and combining ecological protection with development construction. Guiding the healthy and ordered development of urban spaces was the key part and important approach to realize ecological cities. The guiding thought for development construction of ecological cities had been discussed, which was conducting laddered development according to the location and coverage of urban ecologically sensitive areas and protection grades of these sensitive areas. Then, it had proposed four kinds of protection and construction modes, which were tourism leisure green lands, relevant expositions, industrial areas and new city groups, and which had been analyzed by combining with successful cases, so as to provide feasible win-win development strategies of ecology and economy for the planning of urban ecologically sensitive areas in the future.

Study on the Urban Tourism Development in Qin-Ba Area Based on SWOT Analysis——A case study of Dazhou City

The urban tourism of Dazhou City was analyzed by SWOT analysis method,and corresponding exploration strategies were put forward.