This thesis develops and applies a number of methods for systems analysis and assessment within the field of sustainable urban water. These focus on the evaluation of distributed strategies. In line with arguments made within the thesis, the methods developed assess urban water on a whole-system basis, with the system defined in terms of the services provided. Further, the thesis argues for sustainable urban water planning to take a pluralist stance; both in the conception of sustainable urban water and the strategies considered. The challenges of sustainability and sustainable development are fundamentally problems of complex systems. Planning and assessment of sustainable urban water therefore require a systems-approach. Systems-thinking is not, however, a unified body of knowledge and this thesis develops a unique perspective on systems-thinking which is used to critically review the fields of sustainable urban water and its assessment. Within these reviews, the thesis develops a framework for understanding sustainable urban water in terms of a number of varied approaches, and describes a feasible theoretical basis for assessing sustainable urban water. Many, so called, sustainable strategies are small-scale and distributed in nature. Distributed strategies include decentralised systems, embedded technologies, and local measures for conservation. Traditional systems analysis methods have failed to account for distributed strategies. To adequately include distributed strategies, this thesis argues that assessment methods will need to be based on whole-system modelling, utilise end-use models of service provision, and include - in the form of a demand forecast - a time dimension in relation to service provision. This thesis proposes new methods for microbial risk assessment on a whole-system basis and Least cost planning for (urban water) Sustainable Scenarios (LeSS). A novel evaluation framework for least cost planning for water supply, which provides an equivalent comparison of demand- and supply-side options, is also developed. These methods are illustrated through case studies. These case studies illustrate the potential of distributed strategies. When assessed on an equivalent basis, in various examples, distributed strategies are shown to be particularly cost effective. Decentralised wastewater reuse systems are also shown to impose a theoretically lower level of pathogen risk on the community than equivalent centralised reuse schemes. Despite the advances in assessment methodologies made within the thesis, further development of practical tools for assessing and planning sustainable urban water remains an urgent goal.

Thesis (M.L.A.)--University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009. / Open access. Includes bibliographical references (p. 96-102).

Sustainability is vital to the success of our cities and settlements. While communities are becoming increasingly conversant with sustainability concepts, uncertainty remains over how to translate these into planning practice. This practicum explores the role of sustainability checklists as one tool for planning and designing more sustainable communities. The inquiry examines the design, implementation and effectiveness of these tools and seeks to understand the motivation and context in which they are developed, the varying approaches and components of checklist tools, and the impact that they are having on planning and development practices. A review of twenty-four sustainability checklists from a selection of BC municipalities, an online survey and key informant interviews were used to inform this study. Nine key findings are identified suggesting that while checklists are helping to communicate sustainability objectives and are encouraging better development, they are not resulting in the large scale shifts to development patterns and urban systems that are required to achieve sustainable outcomes; therefore, checklists need to be integrated with other policies, regulations and tools in order to assist in achieving sustainable settlements.

Sustainability is vital to the success of our cities and settlements. While communities are becoming increasingly conversant with sustainability concepts, uncertainty remains over how to translate these into planning practice. This practicum explores the role of sustainability checklists as one tool for planning and designing more sustainable communities. The inquiry examines the design, implementation and effectiveness of these tools and seeks to understand the motivation and context in which they are developed, the varying approaches and components of checklist tools, and the impact that they are having on planning and development practices. A review of twenty-four sustainability checklists from a selection of BC municipalities, an online survey and key informant interviews were used to inform this study. Nine key findings are identified suggesting that while checklists are helping to communicate sustainability objectives and are encouraging better development, they are not resulting in the large scale shifts to development patterns and urban systems that are required to achieve sustainable outcomes; therefore, checklists need to be integrated with other policies, regulations and tools in order to assist in achieving sustainable settlements.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is faced with the rapid rate of urban deterioration. With the unique and densely populated nature of the city, the road to urban revitalisation can be envisaged to be a long and painful one. The government is determined to expedite the urban renewal work by establishing of the Urban Renewal Authority in May 2001 to replace Land Development Corporation that was established in 1988 to tackle the issue. The new set up is to operate with more public accountability and transparency as demanded by the community at large. It is also commissioned with the task of completing 225 projects in the next 25 years involving an estimated cost of over A$75 billion. The government has also decided to make Hong Kong Special Administrative Region a truly sustainable city by incorporating both urban sustainability and quality in urban renewal. Thus, a re-thinking of the project management application to enhance urban renewal project implementation is necessary and is beneficial in terms of finance, public confidence and maintenance of the sustainable competitive advantage of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. This research is therefore justified. The research question formulated is:How can the project management body of knowledge and practice be applied to enable effective and efficient implementation of urban renewal projects in Hong Kong SAR?.Investigation of the extant literature in chapter 2 identified gaps in the body of knowledge and practice of applying professional project management principles and practices to urban renewal projects. A project management application model was formulated with five research issues that need to be resolved before the research question could be answered. These five research issues covered:• project organisational structure• team structure• attributes of team members• stakeholder management• communication and information technology enablersThe five research issues considered were:• Research Issue 1: What are the effects of projectised type organisational structure with integrated and multidisciplinary teams, corporate communication team, social services teams and informal project management community for each targeted district on urban renewal projects implementation?• Research Issue 2: What are the effects of a headquarters organisational structure with formal project management community, project auditing team, project support group and functional specialist advisory group on supporting the projectised organisational structure for each targeted district?• Research Issue 3: What are the effects of a flattened hierarchical structure with team members possessing sustainability knowledge and project managerial leaders being generalising specialists on the project team performance?• Research Issue 4: What are the effects of involving stakeholders at the outset of and throughout the projects with partnering relationship and formation of district advisory committee/community on urban renewal project implementation? • Research Issue 5: What are the effects of adopting information technology enablers by establishing computerised project management information system interlinked to Web site accessible to the public on communication to stakeholders?The case study research methodology was adopted to answer each of the research issues. In depth studies of Urban Renewal Authority with functional departments as embedded subunits were designed. Less in-depth case studies were also conducted for overseas cases in developed countries like Australia, United State of America, United Kingdom, Singapore, Denmark, Austria, Ireland and Spain for cross-case analysis. A total of 13 personal interviews with different levels of staff were conducted for seven embedded sub-units in the Urban Renewal Authority case. Information was obtained from ten overseas cases from their Web site and also via e-mail correspondence with the appropriate staff in the organisations.The data obtained were then analysed to show the patterns of the results for each of the five research issues developed in the literature review and also for the new findings that were not planned from the literature review. The findings were then compared with the extant literature to identify the contributions that this research makes to understanding how the project management body of knowledge and practice can be applied to enable effective and efficient implementation of urban renewal projects in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The application model for effective and efficient implementation of urban renewal projects modified to take into account the resolution of the research issues and the new findings is subsequently concluded.This research has contributed to both the knowledge of project management and urban renewal. The project management body of knowledge may need to put more emphasis on aspects of sustainability, multi-disciplinary and integrated approach, team hierarchical structure, team member attributes, stakeholder involvement and information technology enablers. Government support in both policy and implementation levels are of paramount importance in urban renewal work and needs more attention and focus. This research also provides some suggestions on the practice and policy especially on change management for introducing the application model in the existing organisation and the need of new legislation to supplement the existing one, on which the operation of Urban Renewal Authority is based.Finally, suggestions for further research are presented. These include quantitative research to test the application model built, generalisation of the research to other places with different operating environments for both governmental and non-governmental organisations, strategy for urban renewal, attributes of top management for managing urban renewal organisation, and cultural risk in managing urban renewal projects.

This research project takes the form of a creative, reflective and analytic investigation 'through theory and practice' into the role of the artist in enabling 'sustainable' urban environments. My initial focus on a spatial public art practice?s potential contribution to social sustainability should be understood as involving the capacity to contribute lasting benefits toward social well being whether of the individual or the community. My research later challenges the efficacy of this focus and argues for a more holistic approach to sustainability which addresses social, environmental, cultural and economic concerns simultaneously.

No description available.

This thesis investigates the sustainability of Gothenburg’s tourism development for local actors by analyzing their perceptions. Besides covering the underrepresented topic of sustainable urban tourism, this research also follows the aspect of sustainability as a holistic concept. Since Gothenburg has been praised as a sustainable destination for tourists, it is necessary to examine the effects of tourism development on the local community. For this purpose, a qualitative methodological approach was used, consisting of a review of Gothenburg’s tourism strategy and several interviews with local actors from inside and around Haga, Gothenburg. It was shown that tourism development in Haga is believed to contribute to a positive atmosphere as well as the preservation of the area’s character and local economy. Still, there is room for improvement as the direct involvement and information flow were identified as deficient. Following the results, it seems like the sustainability approach of Gothenburg’s tourism development does include the local actors. In general, high interconnectivity between tourism and urban developmentwas shown, which is a typical characteristic of urban tourism.

A população mundial aumenta a cada dia e, somado aos movimentos populacionais, a ocupação do território urbano tem crescido a taxas cada vez maiores. O Brasil segue a mesma tendência, já que quase dobrou sua população em pouco mais de trinta anos, essa se estabeleceu predominantemente nas cidades. O mundo está próximo de atingir níveis populacionais jamais imaginados e as pessoas estão migrando para os grandes centros urbanos, que crescem de forma descontrolada, causando impactos diversos, desde ambientais até relacionados ao bem-estar físico e mental de seus ocupantes. Como resultado, as cidades são os locais onde as maiores desigualdades sociais e impactos ao ambiente natural acontecem. Diante desse contexto, as estratégias de planejamento correntes estão fadadas ao fracasso, pois repetem estratégias utilizadas em séculos anteriores, e não estão preparadas para as demandas que surgem com o desenvolvimento humano e urbano do século XXI. Pesquisadores divergem sobre a forma de crescimento da cidade, são sugeridas soluções, que vão desde o controle do espalhamento da área urbana, incentivo à cidade compacta e até o incentivo à verticalização. Ao mesmo tempo, as cidades se espalham no território e verticalizam. A lacuna verificada foi determinada a partir da constatação da escassez de trabalhos que considerassem de forma sistêmica as características e os possíveis impactos de cada uma das formas de crescimento urbano, a falta de vinculação dessas informações aos princípios de desenvolvimento sustentável, tão preconizado, e a fragmentação dos temas relacionados ao desenvolvimento urbano sustentável. O entendimento sobre como as cidades crescem, e quais são os impactos das formas urbanas resultantes, e quais são as demandas para um crescimento sustentável pode se tornar a base para auxiliar os planejadores no processo de tomada de decisão. O desenvolvimento sustentável é um desafio a ser considerado nos ambientes consumidores, poluidores e opressores em que se transformaram as cidades. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de buscar um modelo conceitual para o planejamento sustentável do crescimento urbano. Por se tratar de uma proposta que procura atender uma demanda real, a melhoria nas práticas tradicionais de planejamento urbano, e contribuir com a construção do conhecimento sobre o assunto, através da organização das informações, foi adotada como estratégia a pesquisa construtiva. Para tanto, foi realizada na primeira etapa, de compreensão, ampla busca de referencial teórico para auxiliar na estruturação do trabalho. Na segunda etapa, na fase de desenvolvimento, foram propostos os resultados, organizados a partir de um modelo conceitual formado a partir de constructos relacionados ao crescimento urbano e ao planejamento urbano sustentável. O modelo foi complementado por uma sequência de etapas para a futura implementação em contextos reais (método). O modelo ainda foi avaliado por especialistas da área de sustentabilidade. Por fim, na etapa de reflexão foram definidos os avanços práticos, avanços teóricos, replicabilidade e possibilidades de pesquisas futuras. Através do desenvolvimento deste trabalho constatouse que, apesar da complexidade, é possível trabalhar de forma sistêmica com o planejamento do crescimento urbano, contemplando-se as metas para o desenvolvimento sustentável em todas as suas dimensões: social, econômica, ecológica, espacial e cultural. / The world population is increasing each day and, in addition to population movements, the occupation of urban territory has grown at rates ever higher. Brazil follows the same trend, almost doubled its population in little more than thirty years that has been established mainly in the cities. The world is approaching population levels never imagined before and people are migrating to the large urban centers, which grow in an uncontrolled manner, causing different impact, since environmental until related to physical and mental well-being of its occupants. As a result, cities are the places where the greatest social inequalities and impacts on the natural environment happen. In this context, the planning strategies are doomed to fail, because repeat strategies used in previous centuries, and are not prepared for the demands that arise with urban and human development of the 21st century. Researchers differ on the way to the city's growth, suggesting solutions, ranging from the control of the sprawl of the urban area, encouraging the compact city and until the incentive to vertical city. At the same time, the cities spread across the territory and get taller. The gap was determined from the observation of the scarcity of studies that consider in a systematic way the characteristics and the potential impacts of each of the forms of urban growth, the lack of binding of these information to the principles of sustainable development, as recommended, and the fragmentation of topics related to sustainable urban development. The understanding of how cities grow, what are the impacts of urban forms resulting from, and what are the demands for a sustainable growth can become the basis for helping the planners of the decision-making process. The sustainable development is a challenge that must be considered in consumer, polluters and oppressors environments that became the cities. This work has the objective to seek a conceptual model for the sustainable planning of urban growth. This is a proposal that seeks to meet a real demand, improving the traditional practices of urban planning, and contribute to the construction of knowledge on the subject, through the organization of the information, was adopted as a strategy the constructive research. For both, was performed in the first step, of understanding, broad search of theoretical framework to assist in structuring the work. In the second stage, the stage of development, were proposed results, organized from a conceptual model formed from constructs related to urban growth and urban planning sustainable. The model was complemented by a sequence of steps for the future implementation in real contexts (method). The model has been evaluated by experts in the area of sustainability. Finally, the reflection phase were defined the practical developments, theoretical advances, replicability and possibilities for future research. Through the development of this work it was found that, despite the complexity, it is possible to work in a systematic way with the planning of urban growth, contemplating the goals for sustainable development in all its dimensions: social, economic, ecological, spatial and cultural.

A população mundial aumenta a cada dia e, somado aos movimentos populacionais, a ocupação do território urbano tem crescido a taxas cada vez maiores. O Brasil segue a mesma tendência, já que quase dobrou sua população em pouco mais de trinta anos, essa se estabeleceu predominantemente nas cidades. O mundo está próximo de atingir níveis populacionais jamais imaginados e as pessoas estão migrando para os grandes centros urbanos, que crescem de forma descontrolada, causando impactos diversos, desde ambientais até relacionados ao bem-estar físico e mental de seus ocupantes. Como resultado, as cidades são os locais onde as maiores desigualdades sociais e impactos ao ambiente natural acontecem. Diante desse contexto, as estratégias de planejamento correntes estão fadadas ao fracasso, pois repetem estratégias utilizadas em séculos anteriores, e não estão preparadas para as demandas que surgem com o desenvolvimento humano e urbano do século XXI. Pesquisadores divergem sobre a forma de crescimento da cidade, são sugeridas soluções, que vão desde o controle do espalhamento da área urbana, incentivo à cidade compacta e até o incentivo à verticalização. Ao mesmo tempo, as cidades se espalham no território e verticalizam. A lacuna verificada foi determinada a partir da constatação da escassez de trabalhos que considerassem de forma sistêmica as características e os possíveis impactos de cada uma das formas de crescimento urbano, a falta de vinculação dessas informações aos princípios de desenvolvimento sustentável, tão preconizado, e a fragmentação dos temas relacionados ao desenvolvimento urbano sustentável. O entendimento sobre como as cidades crescem, e quais são os impactos das formas urbanas resultantes, e quais são as demandas para um crescimento sustentável pode se tornar a base para auxiliar os planejadores no processo de tomada de decisão. O desenvolvimento sustentável é um desafio a ser considerado nos ambientes consumidores, poluidores e opressores em que se transformaram as cidades. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de buscar um modelo conceitual para o planejamento sustentável do crescimento urbano. Por se tratar de uma proposta que procura atender uma demanda real, a melhoria nas práticas tradicionais de planejamento urbano, e contribuir com a construção do conhecimento sobre o assunto, através da organização das informações, foi adotada como estratégia a pesquisa construtiva. Para tanto, foi realizada na primeira etapa, de compreensão, ampla busca de referencial teórico para auxiliar na estruturação do trabalho. Na segunda etapa, na fase de desenvolvimento, foram propostos os resultados, organizados a partir de um modelo conceitual formado a partir de constructos relacionados ao crescimento urbano e ao planejamento urbano sustentável. O modelo foi complementado por uma sequência de etapas para a futura implementação em contextos reais (método). O modelo ainda foi avaliado por especialistas da área de sustentabilidade. Por fim, na etapa de reflexão foram definidos os avanços práticos, avanços teóricos, replicabilidade e possibilidades de pesquisas futuras. Através do desenvolvimento deste trabalho constatouse que, apesar da complexidade, é possível trabalhar de forma sistêmica com o planejamento do crescimento urbano, contemplando-se as metas para o desenvolvimento sustentável em todas as suas dimensões: social, econômica, ecológica, espacial e cultural. / The world population is increasing each day and, in addition to population movements, the occupation of urban territory has grown at rates ever higher. Brazil follows the same trend, almost doubled its population in little more than thirty years that has been established mainly in the cities. The world is approaching population levels never imagined before and people are migrating to the large urban centers, which grow in an uncontrolled manner, causing different impact, since environmental until related to physical and mental well-being of its occupants. As a result, cities are the places where the greatest social inequalities and impacts on the natural environment happen. In this context, the planning strategies are doomed to fail, because repeat strategies used in previous centuries, and are not prepared for the demands that arise with urban and human development of the 21st century. Researchers differ on the way to the city's growth, suggesting solutions, ranging from the control of the sprawl of the urban area, encouraging the compact city and until the incentive to vertical city. At the same time, the cities spread across the territory and get taller. The gap was determined from the observation of the scarcity of studies that consider in a systematic way the characteristics and the potential impacts of each of the forms of urban growth, the lack of binding of these information to the principles of sustainable development, as recommended, and the fragmentation of topics related to sustainable urban development. The understanding of how cities grow, what are the impacts of urban forms resulting from, and what are the demands for a sustainable growth can become the basis for helping the planners of the decision-making process. The sustainable development is a challenge that must be considered in consumer, polluters and oppressors environments that became the cities. This work has the objective to seek a conceptual model for the sustainable planning of urban growth. This is a proposal that seeks to meet a real demand, improving the traditional practices of urban planning, and contribute to the construction of knowledge on the subject, through the organization of the information, was adopted as a strategy the constructive research. For both, was performed in the first step, of understanding, broad search of theoretical framework to assist in structuring the work. In the second stage, the stage of development, were proposed results, organized from a conceptual model formed from constructs related to urban growth and urban planning sustainable. The model was complemented by a sequence of steps for the future implementation in real contexts (method). The model has been evaluated by experts in the area of sustainability. Finally, the reflection phase were defined the practical developments, theoretical advances, replicability and possibilities for future research. Through the development of this work it was found that, despite the complexity, it is possible to work in a systematic way with the planning of urban growth, contemplating the goals for sustainable development in all its dimensions: social, economic, ecological, spatial and cultural.