Sustainable urban energy planning: The case study of a tropical city

The urbanization of modern societies has imposed to the planners and decision-makers a more precise attention to facts not considered before. Several aspects, such as the energy availability and the deleterious effect of pollution on the populations, must be considered in the policy decisions of cities urbanization. The current paradigm presents centralized power stations supplying a city, and a combination of technologies may compose the energy mix of a country, such as thermal power plants, hydroelectric plants, wind systems and solar-based systems, with their corresponding emission pattern. A goal programming multi-objective optimization model is presented for the electric expansion analysis of a tropical city, and also a case study for the city of Guaratinguetá, Brazil, considering a particular wind and solar radiation patterns established according to actual data and modeled via the time series analysis method. Scenarios are proposed and the results of single environmental objective, single economic objective and goal programming multi-objective modeling are discussed. The consequences of each dispatch decision, which considers pollutant emission exportation to the neighborhood or the need of supplementing electricity by purchasing it from the public electric power grid, are discussed. The results revealed energetic dispatch for the alternatives studied and the optimum environmental and economic solution was obtained. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Applying GIS tools for analysing urban thermal environment

A methodology for analyzing the solar access and its influence on both air temperature and thermal comfort of the urban environment was here developed by applying the potentiality of GIS tools. Urban canyons in a specific area of a Brazilian medium sized city were studied. First, a computational algorithm was applied in order to allow the determination of sky view factors (SVF) and sun-paths in urban canyons. Then, air temperatures in 40 measurement points were collected within the study area. Solar radiation values of these canyons were determined and subsequently stored in a GIS database. The creation of thermal maps for the whole neighbourhood was possible due to a statistical treatment of the data, by promoting the interpolation of values. All data could then be spatially cross-examined. In addition, thermal comfort maps for summer and winter periods were generated. The methodology allowed the identification of thermal tendencies within the neighbourhood, what can be useful in the conception of guidelines for urban planning purposes.

Open urban spaces quality: A study in a historical square in Bath - UK

The quality of open urban spaces is very important for urban vitality. Nowadays urban designers have to face the great challenge of designing urban spaces able to respond to people's need for liveable spaces. The success of these spaces depends on various aspects and the microclimatic condition has been recognized as one of the most influential. However, studies on thermal comfort in open space have shown that the user's thermal sensation does not depend only on microclimate parameters but also on other local qualitative aspects. Thus, environmental quality evaluation of successful public spaces can contribute to understand this issue. This paper focuses on a case study regarding Queen Square's environmental quality, a public space of historical importance in Bath-UK. The first stage of the research, a study on local characteristics and people observations, allowed a preliminary evaluation of the space performance, their social aspects, while it characterized and quantified the hourly variation of the space use in different days and seasons. In the second stage, short microclimatic surveys were carried out simultaneously with a perception survey through a questionnaire. The results show the strong vitality of the square and socioenvironmental significance, not only for its location in the urban context, but also for its historical value. The environmental quality of the square contributes to the users' sensation of comfort even in adverse climatic conditions. This research is part of a project that aims to investigate the impact of the environmental stimuli in the use of open spaces and intend to develop design strategies that aim to maximise the use of open spaces in different weather conditions.

Environmental impacts of urban sprawl in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil

Public policies encouraging the insertion of large industrial and commercial developments near highways, associated to exclusionary housing policies, have shaped over the past decades a new urbanization phenomenon; the sprawl. This is largely characterized by discontinuous and fragmented occupation, with random population densities. This phenomenon brings environmental and social impacts to the urban and rural population, in addition to a great burden for the Government. In line with this and considering the lack of discussion about the topic, this paper discusses some of those impacts observed in Londrina - PR, Brazil. The influence of urban sprawl in this city has shown to impact traffic, waterproofing rates and green areas, in addition to underutilizing the infrastructure due to large urban voids and vacant lots. With the data presented here, it is hoped that debates emerge on the importance of rethinking the plan, so that everyone can have legal access to the city (endowed with infrastructure), as well as the importance of developing strategies to contain urban sprawl. © 2011 Journal of Urban and Environmental Engineering (JUEE). All rights reserved.

Sprawling and Urban transportation system: Impacts in the city of Londrina, Parana, Brazil

After nearly 80 years since the construction of its core, represented today by the city's central area, Londrina, located in the state of Parana, has the appearance of a new city but its features and trends of planning policies depict the bad examples of Brazilian cities. With a booming urban growth, from north to south of the county, the urban interstices represented by big voids in the middle of the city created speculation and the concept of an ideal city slowly disappeared. With a metropolitan appearance and, at the same time, with small town aspects, Londrina stands out as an automobile-oriented city, a fact that has impacted the livelihood of the population, generating environmental impacts for all social classes. This paper discusses how the form of occupation in Londrina, characterized by the sprawl phenomenon and its relation to car preference as a mode of transportation has generated urban environmental impacts. It was concluded that the choice of using cars in Londrina, as well in other medium-sized Brazilian cities studied by the comparative method, has increased and has generated bottlenecks in traffic. As a consequence, there is a constant expropriation of properties for widening roads and at the same time, the presence of various densities and urban voids that form an uneven urban space and an obstacle to efficient urban planning. © 2012 WIT Press.

Geoprocessing applied to the assessment of environmental noise: a case study in the city of Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Noise mapping has been used as an instrument for assessment of environmental noise, helping to support decision making on urban planning. In Brazil, urban noise is not yet recognized as a major environmental problem by the government. Besides, cities that have databases to drive acoustic simulations, making use of advanced noise mapping systems, are rare. This study sought an alternative method of noise mapping through the use of geoprocessing, which is feasible for the Brazilian reality and for other developing countries. The area chosen for the study was the central zone of the city of Sorocaba, located in So Paulo State, Brazil. The proposed method was effective in the spatial evaluation of equivalent sound pressure level. The results showed an urban area with high noise levels that exceed the legal standard, posing a threat to the welfare of the population.

Método monoscópico para a determinação automática da altura de edifícios em fotografias aéreas

This paper proposes a monoscopic method for automatic determination of building's heights in digital photographs areas, based on radial displacement of points in the plan image and geometry at the time the photo is obtained. Determination of the buildings' heights can be used to model the surface in urban areas, urban planning and management, among others. The proposed methodology employs a set of steps to detect arranged radially from the system of photogrammetric coordinates, which characterizes the lateral edges of buildings present in the photo. In a first stage is performed the reduction of the searching area through detection of shadows projected by buildings, generating sub-images of the areas around each of the detected shadow. Then, for each sub-image, the edges are automatically extracted, and tests of consistency are applied for it in order to be characterized as segments of straight arranged radially. Next, with the lateral edges selected and the knowledge of the flight height, the buildings' heights can be calculated. The experimental results obtained with real images showed that the proposed approach is suitable to perform the automatic identification of the buildings height in digital images.

Utilização de métodos combinados de avaliação imobiliária para a elaboração da planta de valores genéricos

The Plant of Generic Values (PVG) is part of the cadastral system of a city hall and is about an important document or support for the urban planning. For its conception some stages are necessary, amongst which the most remarkable: the collection of information and the proper evaluation. A norm number 14653-2 of the ABNT recommends the application of the comparative method of data of market for the evaluation of lands values, but not always this procedure is possible due to absence of significant samples, as in urban areas densely constructed the real estate transactions is restricted, practically, to remarkable are the constructed ones. Thus, this work aims at showing which one, the sources of these data and the problematic found to get them. Moreover, a method is presented, that is an alternative to get the values of lands in the regions where yhere is scarcity of these data, so as to make the results beter. This method deals with the junction of other methods of evaluation to the comparative method of market data. The use of the methodology provided better performance in the procedures, having as a consequence bigger uniformity between the data, that is, the value of evaluation and the value of market equalize. Besides, the separation of the area of work in zones of homogeneous data made possible to generate more models, making use of fewes variables, due to the similarity among the data.

Aplicação da geologia de engenharia na redução de risco geológico urbano em Itapecerica da Serra - SP: estudo de caso

O município de Itapecerica da Serra, Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP), possui uma população de 162 mil habitantes e cerca de 150 km² de área. As características geológicas e geomorfológicas do seu território e o fato de localizar-se quase inteiramente em área de proteção aos mananciais que abastecem a RMSP implicam restrições ao uso do solo e à expansão da ocupação nos moldes em que vem ocorrendo. O diagnóstico das áreas de risco geológico do município foi uma das atividades implementadas para a execução do Plano Municipal de Redução de Riscos (PMRR) do município. O PMRR tem por objetivo apresentar os resultados da identificação e da análise das situações de risco geológico-geotécnico, criando propostas de intervenções estruturais para a sua eliminação e/ou redução, estimativas de custo e estratégias para a gestão de risco no município. O mapeamento do risco geológico foi realizado em 35 áreas, onde foram identificados 66 setores de risco englobando, 419 moradias, sendo 175 moradias em setores cujo grau de risco foi classificado como alto ou muito alto. As propostas de intervenção estrutural buscaram a aderência entre o processo geodinâmico atuante e a tipologia de intervenção sugerida para estabilização e controle. A definição de critérios para a hierarquização das intervenções propostas contribuiu para a inserção das propostas do PMRR no planejamento plurianual do município de Itapecerica da Serra.

Multi-criteria spatial decision analysis for demarcation of greenway: A case study of the city of Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil

Concern regarding hydrological resources has been a theme of growing importance in Brazil, associating the development of new management policies and maintenance of natural areas related to rivers. An efficient way to maintain natural areas around rivers has been the development of greenways, and some cites have already adopted specific legislation in this respect. Following this growing evolution in the treatment of hydrological resources, this study was carried out to demarcate a greenway along the Corumbatai River in the state of São Paulo, Using multi-criteria analysis in a GIS environment. First, thematic maps were elaborated based on Landsat 7 satellite, aerial photographs and digital topographic base, Supported by field activities. With the use of multi-criteria analysis, for which ad hoe consultations were conducted to attribute weights to the thematic maps, a suitability map was elaborated for the allocation of the greenway. Sites that should be included in the greenway were also selected, such as areas appropriate for leisure activities, and ecologically important areas. Based on the suitability map, a pathway analysis was done, connecting the relevant points of interest, thus generating a greenway that runs along the Corumbatai River, with the aim of contributing to the conservation of this important hydrological resource. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sprawl e o modal de transporte motorizado: impactos na cidade de Londrina, PR

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The influence of the physigraphic and geologic condition aspects on the environmental degradation in the city of Guaratingueta

The present paper deals with environmental degradation in the city of Guaratingueta, Brazil; as a result of disordered urban settlement and development. Three site areas in the city resting on different geologic units were selected for the analyses, i.e.: precambrian rocks, tertiary sedimentary basin, and recent quaternary soil deposits. It has been found that geological and geotechnical aspects are fundamental to form the basis for environmental preservation and urban planning.

Indicadores de floresta urbana a partir de imagens aéreas multiespectrais de alta resolução

The present work evaluated urban forest indicators, acquired through airborne high-resolution multiespectral images, on the quality of the urban design and its vegetative fraction, in special its trees, in nine neighborhoods of Piracicaba, SP. There were made supervised classifications for characterization of intra-urban elements and the proportions obtained, as exposed soil, tree cover, lawns, asphalt, concrete pavements and roofs. They were studied for the measurement of the urban forest in each place. These variables were related to each other, as well as with the independent variables: population density, people with more than fifteen years of study and family heads with income above twenty minimum wages, obtained through population census. Through the analysis of linear regression variables were identified for intra-urban areas evaluation. Correlations were made and linear regressions among the data obtained from the image and among the proposed indicators. Negative correlations were obtained among population density and arboreal covering and the evaluated indices, in accordance with the predicted in the literature. Composite indicators are proposed, as: the proportion between arboreous space on waterproof space (PAW) and the proportion between arboreous space on building space (PAB). It is concluded by the possibility of the use of those indicators for evaluation of the urban forest and definition of priorities in the execution of ordinances to the improvement of the urban forestry, being prioritized the application of resources in the most lacking neighborhoods.

Planejamento urbano e geração de empregos: A cidade de São Paulo (Brasil) nos anos 90

This paper attempts to show the convergence of principles between labor market politics and urban management, emphasizing it relationship with pro-market theories. Limits and possibilities of the application of this theoretical frame were investigated by examining the changes in both composition and stock of labor in three important business spaces in São Paulo: Central Area, Paulista Avenue and the new expansion front near Luiz Carlos Berrini and Águas Epraiadas avenues. Despite the claims of pro-market theoreticians, information provided by Labor Ministry showed that between 1996 and 2000, a re-arrangemenet of the workers contingent among the investigated areas occurred, instead of the expected growth. The favorable behavior registered in Berrini/ Águas Espraiadas, because of the bulky volume of investments, took place at the same time that a decrease of labor in the Downtown; meanwhile, in Paulista, a growth of the number of employees was observed, in spite of the landing less elevated of investments.

Evaluation of neighborhood impacts caused by companies of the high-tech industrial cluster of São Carlos, SP, Brazil

The purpose of this study was to develop a methodology for evaluating neighborhood impacts using a Geographic Information System (GIS) and to apply the procedures to the companies of the High-Technology Industrial Cluster of São Carlos. To this end, an evaluation was made of the neighborhood impacts on the physical environment, urban components, quality of life, and urban infrastructure using impact matrices, and the impacts were assigned scores according to type, order, magnitude and duration. Fifty one companies were examined based on data provided by the companies themselves and on field surveys. The impacts are represented spatially in proportional symbols maps, based on the spatial distribution of the companies in the urban area of the city of São Carlos and the areas of influence of each company. The application of the proposed methodology served to validate it and indicated that the neighborhood impacts caused by the companies of this study are related to each company's type of activity, its size, and its occupation of the area. © 2008 Journal of Urban and Environmental Engineering (JUEE). All rights reserved.