Talking TOD: learning about transit-oriented development in the United States,Canada, and the Netherlands

City and regional governments in North America and the Netherlands are implementing transit-oriented development (TOD) policies to provide residents with accessible and compact communities that are socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable. Through 13 in-depth semi-structured interviews with planners and transportation professionals in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands, this study attempts to identify the factors that practitioners in these regions determine to be essential for the post-development success of TOD. Our analysis reveals that seven key elements contribute to the success of TOD which are approached differently by planners in the three regions. The study concludes by suggesting ways in which professionals could integrate land use and transportation projects based on planning for flexibility, accessibility, and collaboration.     

Determining transit nodes for potential transit-oriented development: Along the LRT corridor in Addis Ababa,Ethiopia

The aim of transit-oriented development (TOD) is to create a livable urban environment by improving the integration between land-use and transportation systems. The capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, aims to promote a sustainable transportation system by launching its first light rail transit (LRT) network to control the current pattern of increased congestion and the need for mass transport. Planning for TOD around existing transit stations helps achieve improved transit choice and encourages local economic development. Therefore, this article proposes a methodology to quantitatively measure the existing TOD in terms of a TOD index within the walkable distance of transit nodes by measuring the criteria that define TOD levels. The TOD index is calculated for areas of 22 stations on the East-West LRT line of Addis Ababa. Depending on the value of the TOD index, certain stations are identified to have a potential TOD but poor transit accessibility. With these results, the recommendation to improve TOD planning can become accurate for each station, depending on its relevant factors. Such results also help identify each station's potential for TOD planning and its improvements toward future local developments.     

基于轨道交通站点的综合开发与整合设计实践——以北京轨道交通9号线花乡站周边地区设计方案为例

促进轨道交通与土地利用的协调发展,发挥轨道交通车站地区的综合效益已经成为轨道交通建设运营可持续发展的重要条件.为此,本文以北京市轨道交通9号线花乡站站点周边地区的整合设计竞赛方案为例,对基于轨道变通站点的地区规划设计中关键问题进行剖析,借鉴TOD理论,从规划设计的层面,对站点周边和站点核心区设计实践进行了探讨.提出轨道...     

Wind energy potential,development and current trends in India: a review

The demand for electricity is increasing day by day in the world. In a developing country such as India, the electricity demand is increasing at a terrifying rate as compared to the meagre supply. At present, the Indian power industry is mostly based on fossil fuel. Nowadays, wind energy has emerged as a renewable energy source which has a huge power generation capacity. India is one of the leading producers of wind energy but has the potential to generate even more energy through it. This paper presents a review of wind energy resources, its potential, development and current trends in India. A wind turbine can be easily set up as it takes less space as compared to other power stations and can be easily located at places such as deserts, remote areas, offshore, etc.     

轨交枢纽站域步行系统发展的模式、逻辑与机制--基于三个亚洲案例的比较研究

在中国城市轨道交通快速发展背景下,轨交枢纽站域步行系统面临转型重构问题,一些亚洲高密度城市的发展模式可资借鉴。大阪梅田枢纽、香港中环枢纽和新加坡政府大厦枢纽分别代表了站城一体、广域互联和活力导向的步行系统发展模式。通过系统归纳与比较分析,它们在结构、功能和品质层面上体现出层化与网络、内化与关联、包容与持续的共性特征,而在具体的建构方式上又呼应了不同建成环境的有机差异。这些发展模式的成功实践依赖于有效的城市设计运作与导控机制,三个案例在持续推进、协同组织、精细导控等方面的经验对于我国现代城市设计实践与制度创新具有启发意义。     

Burden of disease attributable to air pollutants from municipal solid waste incinerators in Seoul, Korea: a source-specific approach for environmental burden of disease

Few studies have attempted to quantify the integrated health burden, incorporating both mortality and morbidity as these factors pertain to air pollutants, on the population in the vicinity of the incinerators. The aims of this study are to estimate the attributable burden of disease caused by incinerators in Seoul, Korea and to present an approach based on source-specific exposure for the estimation of the environmental burden of disease (EBD). With particular attention on the development of a measurement means of the source-specific, exposure-based population attributable fraction (PAF), we integrated air dispersion modeling, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the population distribution of exposure, and the exposure-response relationship. We then estimated the PAFs caused by additional concentrations of four air pollutants (PM₁₀, NO_2, SO₂, and CO) emitted from four municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) in Seoul in 2007. We, finally, estimated the attributable burden of disease, using the estimated PAF and the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) method developed by the Global Burden of Disease Group of the World Health Organization (WHO).The PAF for NO₂ to all-cause mortality was assessed at approximately 0.02% (95% CI: 0.003-0.036%), which was the highest among all air pollutants. The PAFs for respiratory and cardiovascular disease were 0.12% (95% CI: 0.01-0.16%) and 0.10% (95% CI: 0.04-0.16%), respectively. The sum of the attributable burden of disease for four pollutants was about 297 person-years (PYs) (95% CI: 121-472 PYs) when the incinerators observed to the emission standards. The attributable burdens of respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease were about 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively, of the total burden of respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease of Seoul citizens for the year 2007. Although the air emissions from one risk factor, an incinerator, are small, the burden of disease can be significant to the public health when population exposure is considered.     

Identifying a research gap in relation to family and domestic violence accommodation design within Victoria,Australia: A systematic review

Within Australia, domestic and family violence (DFV) is a major health and welfare issue that disproportionately impacts on women, children, and vulnerable segments of the population. This paper examines the results of a systematic literature review aimed at identifying the existing evidence base in relation to the nexus between accommodation design and the health and well-being of women seeking shelter within Victoria, Australia. The review focused on three primary questions: a. What literature currently exists in relation to the design of refuges? b. How does the design of DFV refuges impact on those within refuges? c. What methods and metrics have been used to assess the effectiveness of the design of housing interventions to support and promote agency, and better health and wellbeing?The review found that there is a significant lack of research into housing interventions for those seeking refuge. Of the 6038 records screened, only 2 studies were identified that fit within the review criteria, both of which focused exclusively on refuges within the USA. Among the very limited research that exists, there is little interrogation of the design of the refuge, nor an intersectional and geographically contextualized examination of how experiences of DFV and the shelter environment impact on wellbeing outcomes. Despite literature that demonstrates the positive impacts of well-being centered design approaches, the application of such research to the evaluation and design of DFV refuges, both within Australia and globally, remains an area in need of further research.     

Joint building ventures as a new instrument for urban development: a qualitative analysis of Baugruppen in Freiburg,Germany

Abstract

This article reviews a special type of collaborative housing that has emerged in the German housing market in response to the growing need for urban housing and increasing focus on active and networking housing communities and stable neighbourhoods. Joint building ventures are projects in which private individuals jointly establish residential property. However, the academic literature on this issue is underdeveloped. To foster a better understanding of the topic, this article focuses specifically on detecting the strengths and weaknesses of this type of joint building venture and its contribution to a higher homeownership rate. The qualitative interview data were collected between December 2015 and March 2016 in Freiburg, Germany. The findings reveal perceived advantages in terms of supportive networks, customised solutions and potential cost savings, whereas the identified disadvantages are high financial risks, mutual dependencies and personal efforts. Practical implications and avenues for future research are derived.     

Team development and performance in construction design teams: an assessment of a hierarchical model with mediating effect of compensation

A high-performance construction workplace invests in its human resources and facilitates their technical and innovation skills through team development. Though team development has been explored in many studies, to date, little research has disentangled how team development and compensation methods enhance team performance in construction companies. Accordingly, team development as a hierarchical, reflective construct, incorporating six associated components was extended and the variables of the model in a nomological network analysed using partial least squares (PLS). As a result, with the help of PLS path modelling, a hierarchical team development construct with the mediating effects of compensation on the relationship between team development and team performance was developed. The research analysis was completed on a sample population of 128 construction design teams and the results lead to the development of a model that shows team development has a significant direct and indirect impact on team performance. The results also confirm the mediating role of group compensation on the relationship between team development and team performance. In general, it is suggested that the design teams achieved better performance when the leaders adapted team compensation methods consistent with the team development practices.     

Impact of urbanization on the quality of water in a natural reservoir: a case study with the Deepor Beel in Guwahati city,India

The Deepor Beel is a natural, freshwater wetland in the south-west corner of Guwahati, India. The Beel harbours a large number of migratory aquatic birds, especially in winter, and is a Ramsar site since 2002. The wetland provides livelihood to the people of the surrounding villages through collection and sale of fish, nymphaea nuts and flower, ornamental fish, orchids, medicinal plants, etc. The water quality of the Beel is threatened by excessive fishing, hunting of water birds, pollution from pesticides and fertilizers and infestation by water hyacinth. The present work reports on the water quality of the wetland by continuous monitoring from February to July, covering the dry, temperate period and the wet, hot and humid period. Sampling was carried out at 10 sites for physical and aggregate properties, metallic and nonmetallic constituents, organic contaminants and microbiological parameters.