No description available.

No description available.

The distribution of trees across urban areas of the UK has been shown to be uneven, with lower density residential areas containing many more trees and much higher tree cover than areas of higher density housing. However, in Greater Manchester, tree number within high density housing areas also varies substantially. This thesis sought to explore the reasons for this variation in tree cover, whether tree cover should be increased and if so, how. The research investigated a potential cause for the variation in number of trees and tree cover within high density housing areas – housing type – for the study area of western Greater Manchester. Eleven different types of high density housing were categorised and all high density housing within the study area was classified as one of these types. Within these housing types, the amount of tree cover was determined, along with the proportions of other surface types. The land uses where the trees were growing were also determined. Finally, the potential increases in tree cover were also calculated for each housing type by a simulated planting technique. Maximum surface temperatures and rainfall runoff were calculated using computer models, for both existing and potential tree cover in each housing type. It was found that urban tree cover varies from 1.6% in pre 1919 terraced housing that opens directly onto the road to 14.8% in 1960s walkway-style housing. Tree cover could theoretically be increased by at least 5% in all housing types, reducing maximum surface temperatures by at least 1°C. In housing types with less than 4% existing tree cover, maximum surface temperatures could be reduced by up to 4.5°C. The views of residents were determined using a postal questionnaire about urban trees sent to residents of 4 different types of street environment. Residents of all street types surveyed were very positive about urban trees; their attitudes were not affected by whether there are trees in their street or not. The vast majority of respondents considered trees important to their quality of life, and that cost to the council should not prevent tree planting. The views and practices around urban trees and greening by practitioners were determined by running a workshop and their recommendations to increase tree cover are presented. These include changes in funding to include money for tree maintenance after planting, the importance of a full tree inventory and innovative ways to raise funding for trees. The effectiveness of a community greening scheme at increasing tree cover was compared with two regeneration schemes. The community tree planting scheme was found to deliver tree planting much closer to the potential than regeneration schemes.

As much of the growing population of North America is accommodated within cities or on their fringes, one needs to understand how these people are managing their private outdoor space. Within the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, Ontario, Canada a randomly selected set of residential occupancies were surveyed in 1994 and 2004 about their yard landscaping and maintenance practices. Parallel mail-out questionnaires were delivered to more than 1,000 randomly selected addresses in both 1994 and 2004. Approximately 30 percent of surveyed occupancies completed the questionnaire in both years. Over one-third of respondents from both 1994 and 2004 were matched together based on individual, household, or address information. The matched respondent results were used to validate similarities and identify any inconsistencies between survey years. In general, matched respondent trends did not differ substantially from the overall study trends. <br /><br /> This study found that much of the outdoor space on residential properties consists of turfgrass lawn. Lawns were the dominant form of landscaping in both 1994 and 2004. Although respondents' attitudes towards lawns shifted slightly in favour of more gardens in the 2004 survey compared to 1994, respondents' actual landscaping styles and behaviours did not follow suit. Regardless of minor differences in attitudes between survey years, turfgrass was reported to be present in more than 85 percent of respondents' yards. On average, lawns were estimated to cover more than half of respondents' total private outdoor space in both 1994 and 2004. Likewise, more than 60 percent of respondents in both survey years indicated that their yard reflected a monoculture lawn. When compared with five other styles of landscaping, the monoculture lawn was found attractive and well-liked by approximately half the respondents in both survey years. In addition to the prevalence and preference for lawns, lawns were seen as practical to maintain as: the majority of respondents had a lawnmower ? mostly gas-powered; respondents were willing to spend almost $200 a year to water their lawn, on average; the application of chemicals, particularly fertilizers, was common with approximately half the respondents; and more than 40 percent of respondents were willing to pay lawn-care professionals to look after their yards. Lawns were also perceived to be the landscaping style most acceptable to neighbours. Thus, given the ubiquitousness of lawns in urban residential environments, the presence of lawns not only represents the yard design preferences of homeowners, but is part of deeply entrenched societal norms. <br /><br /> With assistance from the media and advertisements, these implicit societal norms were found to influence household attitudes and preferences towards what is dubbed 'lawn-scaping'. As confirmation of these subtle norms, more than 60 percent of respondents in both survey years agreed that 'a yard has to have a lawn'. However, these landscaping norms are also explicitly established in municipal property regulations and lot-maintenance by-laws. Hence, the lawn landscape is implicitly linked with social norms and explicitly articulated in legal agreements, making it the unquestioned standard of landscaping styles. It is concluded that a change in local policies and regulations, along with greater education and awareness, will lay the foundation for more alternative styles of landscaping within urban residential areas.

As much of the growing population of North America is accommodated within cities or on their fringes, one needs to understand how these people are managing their private outdoor space. Within the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, Ontario, Canada a randomly selected set of residential occupancies were surveyed in 1994 and 2004 about their yard landscaping and maintenance practices. Parallel mail-out questionnaires were delivered to more than 1,000 randomly selected addresses in both 1994 and 2004. Approximately 30 percent of surveyed occupancies completed the questionnaire in both years. Over one-third of respondents from both 1994 and 2004 were matched together based on individual, household, or address information. The matched respondent results were used to validate similarities and identify any inconsistencies between survey years. In general, matched respondent trends did not differ substantially from the overall study trends. <br /><br /> This study found that much of the outdoor space on residential properties consists of turfgrass lawn. Lawns were the dominant form of landscaping in both 1994 and 2004. Although respondents' attitudes towards lawns shifted slightly in favour of more gardens in the 2004 survey compared to 1994, respondents' actual landscaping styles and behaviours did not follow suit. Regardless of minor differences in attitudes between survey years, turfgrass was reported to be present in more than 85 percent of respondents' yards. On average, lawns were estimated to cover more than half of respondents' total private outdoor space in both 1994 and 2004. Likewise, more than 60 percent of respondents in both survey years indicated that their yard reflected a monoculture lawn. When compared with five other styles of landscaping, the monoculture lawn was found attractive and well-liked by approximately half the respondents in both survey years. In addition to the prevalence and preference for lawns, lawns were seen as practical to maintain as: the majority of respondents had a lawnmower ? mostly gas-powered; respondents were willing to spend almost $200 a year to water their lawn, on average; the application of chemicals, particularly fertilizers, was common with approximately half the respondents; and more than 40 percent of respondents were willing to pay lawn-care professionals to look after their yards. Lawns were also perceived to be the landscaping style most acceptable to neighbours. Thus, given the ubiquitousness of lawns in urban residential environments, the presence of lawns not only represents the yard design preferences of homeowners, but is part of deeply entrenched societal norms. <br /><br /> With assistance from the media and advertisements, these implicit societal norms were found to influence household attitudes and preferences towards what is dubbed 'lawn-scaping'. As confirmation of these subtle norms, more than 60 percent of respondents in both survey years agreed that 'a yard has to have a lawn'. However, these landscaping norms are also explicitly established in municipal property regulations and lot-maintenance by-laws. Hence, the lawn landscape is implicitly linked with social norms and explicitly articulated in legal agreements, making it the unquestioned standard of landscaping styles. It is concluded that a change in local policies and regulations, along with greater education and awareness, will lay the foundation for more alternative styles of landscaping within urban residential areas.

Cílem diplomové práce se stane návrh designu solárního pouličního osvětlení, které bude splňovat nároky na design v 21. století. Přípravné analýzy ukáží možné směry, kterými by se měl úspěšný design zvoleného projektu vydat. Průzkum současných projektů existujících ve veřejném prostoru rovněz odhalí hlavní nedostatky stávajících návrhů. Na základě těchto poznatků bude možné přistoupit k tvorbě několika variant designu, ze kterých bude zvolena finální verze. Tato verze bude zpracována dle určených specifikací s ohledem na platné normy pro veřejné osvětlení.

Creating socially sustainable residential areas is an important topic as urbanisation and migration increase. This thesis is about Swedish residential areas built during the period 1965 to 1974 as the result of a political programme called the Million homes programme. The areas hold cultural historic values being the physical manifestation of an era of the Swedish history that has strongly shaped our present society, but is now threatened by lack of social sustainability. The Million homes areas constitute a large part of the residential areas in Sweden today. By the end of the programme there were an abundance of housing options in Sweden, and empty apartments were in a high degree located in the modernistic suburbs, as people with good economy chose to move elsewhere. To fill the apartment, the municipalities used them for social contracts. The areas became segregated, and still are today despite several attempts to improve their popularity. This thesis analyses various measures and strategies for improving social sustainability in the Million homes areas, and their effects on the cultural heritage. The ambition with the study is to give a broad, cross-functional view of the topic, studying various approaches, e.g. physical renovations to social activities to cooperation with the police. The thesis starts with a literature study of social sustainability in residential areas, and the factors influencing it. A classification of aspects influencing social sustainability is created, to be used for evaluating the results from the case study in the second part of the thesis. The case study is performed in six suburbs in the Stockholm region, being new developments during the Million homes program. Social sustainability in each area is evaluated using the aspects defined in the first part of the study, and measures to improve social sustainability in the areas, and their effect on the intangible cultural heritage, are discussed. The work is valid for goal number 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals Sustainable cities and communities, in particular target number 11.3 Inclusive and sustainable urbanisations, as well as goal number 5 Gender equality and goal number 10 Reduced inequalities

No description available.

The purpose of this paper is to study the variation of library visits and reading habits in different Swedish residential areas (e.g., countryside, towns, cities, and large cities). Furthermore, the paper aims to map out which residential areas that are less covered by library services in order to determine which resources need to be instated. The research questions touched onto the residential areas impact on library visits and reading habits, as well as whether the demography could explain the differences. The paper was based on the national SOM survey of 2015-2019. The results show that people from less populated areas visit the library and read books less frequently than those from more highly populated areas. It also became clear that both gender and education played a part in how often people read and visited the library. Women and those with a higher education were more likely to read and visit the library more often, although the residential area continued to have a clear impact on those habits, particularly amongst those with a lower education. In conclusion these results could help pinpoint where more library resources are necessary.

The increasing focus on sustainability necessitates careful planning of future construction projects, with human health and biodiversity being key factors to protect. Planning projects with significant environmental impacts must conduct an environmental impact assessment, which involves identifying potential environmental effects and propose sustainable measures. The aim of the study was to examine how urban and rural municipalities described and assessed sustainability in environmental impact assessments for residential areas. Using thematic analysis, categories such as climate, localization, and environmental goals were established and divided into representative themes. Chi2-tests were used to test statistical significance between the municipal groups. The results revealed significant differences in two climate-related themes and one localization theme. Municipalities primarily utilized various types of stormwater management to adapt projects to climate changes and incorporate green infrastructure. The differences between municipal groups are likely influenced by factors like population density, resources, and surrounding environment. While national environmental goals were included in all environmental impact assessments, did not all proposed plans take them into account Future studies could include a larger sample to enhance reliability and consider underlying factors that may affect municipal conditions.