is thesis explores the overarching topic of the capacity of strategic urban development decisions and initiatives (including planning initiatives) to positively and powerfully influence the ability of a city to promote sustainable patterns of development. The work is presented in six scientific papers, the first four of which focus on the development of an inter-disciplinary conceptual framework and research methodology. The concept of Situations of Opportunity and its related Field of Options is proposed as a means to identify and analyse periods in the growth of cities when urbanisation can be more easily managed so as to promote sustainable development goals. Historical studies in the cities of Stockholm, Dar es Salaam and Curitiba are used to develop the methodology. Another paper looks ahead and refines the methodology in combination with future studies, presenting a research strategy that employs Situations of Opportunity as a means to identify and explore periods in the future urban growth with significant potential for change. Building on the method developed, the remaining two papers consider the social dimension of sustainable development and how it can be promoted in the urban context, during ongoing Situations of Opportunity. The concept of social sustainability is reviewed and discussed from two different disciplinary perspectives (urban development; companies and products), exploring commonalities and differences in approaches, and identifying core themes that cross disciplinary boundaries. A case study of Eastside, a brownfield redevelopment site in Birmingham (UK), reveals how the retention of established small food outlets can provide opportunities for promoting social sustainability goals in an urban regeneration area. Overall, this thesis provides a better understanding of how transformative change can happen in cities. The Situations of Opportunity concept developed here can be a helpful way to study strategic initiatives that promote sustainability in cities. / <p>QC 20101216</p>

Thesis (D.Phil. (Town and Regional Planning)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (D.Phil. (Town and Regional Planning)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Sustainable urban development is a concept that has become increasingly important as the urbanization continues and more and more challenges are focused to the cities.  The Swedish government and authorities regulates and sets goals for how a sustainable urban development is to be achieved. These laws and goals are vaguely defined, which leads to disputes between the actors about how the term should be interpreted. By examining Västermalms Strand, an urban development project in Stockholm, this study strives to describe how involved actors interpret the concept of sustainable urban development and what the consequences of this are for urban development in Stockholm from an ecological, social and economic perspective. A case study has been carried out where a document study and interviews have been conducted. The interviews were conducted with four key actors from the private and public sector. The study shows that there exists no unified definition of what sustainable urban development is among the interviewees. Possible consequences of this are that the economic aspect can gain higher priority than the ecological and social, this because the economics of a project rarely can be compromised. However, there is a large common desire to develop a good city, which can be seen as a prerequisite for future sustainable urban development in Stockholm.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 2003. Graduate Programme in Environmental Studies. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 341-370). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004 & res_dat=xri:pqdiss & rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation & rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR00376.

Urban green spaces and trees are increasingly recognised as crucial elements in the quest for urban sustainability internationally, and for the promotion of urban liveability and quality of life in cities. So much so that many countries now have guidelines or regulations regarding either the amount of urban greenery that must be provided per capita, or the maximum distance that any dwelling can be from green spaces of stipulated sizes. For example, the European Union recently more than doubled its recommendation of 9 m2 of public green per person to 20 m2 per person.

A intensificação do fenômeno da urbanização, em nível global, constitui um grande desafio para a estruturação de um futuro mais sustentável. As cidades contemporâneas são responsáveis por grandes impactos de ordem social e ambiental, e também sofrem as consequências negativas dessa circunstância. Tornar a sustentabilidade uma realidade, também exige repensar a forma como executamos nossas cidades. À vista disso, o “Continuous Productive Urban Landscape (CPUL)” é um conceito recente de projeto urbano, que busca integrar, de forma coerente, infraestrutura sustentável às cidades. Uma “Paisagem Urbana Produtiva Contínua” pode ser definida como uma paisagem multifuncional, que apoia simultaneamente a produção de alimentos, uma mobilidade mais sustentável, o equilíbrio ecológico e o lazer da população. Ao reconhecer relevância para a sustentabilidade urbana no conceito “CPUL”, a presente pesquisa voltou-se a investigar sua aplicação no contexto de pequenos municípios brasileiros. Desse modo, o objetivo principal da pesquisa foi o desenvolvimento de uma abordagem para o lançamento de uma “Paisagem Urbana Produtiva Contínua”, adaptada ao contexto do planejamento físico-territorial de municípios brasileiros de pequeno porte. A estratégia de pesquisa adotada foi a pesquisa construtiva, valendo-se de revisão de literatura, uma aplicação prática e dois ciclos de avaliação para a construção da abordagem. O município de Feliz, RS, foi o objeto de estudo empírico que serviu à aplicação da abordagem. Os resultados obtidos fundamentaram a construção de uma abordagem, que compreendeu a reunião sistemática de técnicas e procedimentos de planejamento simplificados para o lançamento de uma “CPUL” local. Ciclos de avaliação indicaram que a abordagem proposta poderia ser reproduzida, sem dificuldades, em municípios de pequeno porte. Contudo, foram identificadas muitas barreiras a serem enfrentadas em etapas posteriores de planejamento, até a implantação de um projeto “CPUL”. Ainda assim, o lançamento de uma “CPUL” inaugura um debate público mais amplo sobre a cidade, estimulando uma reflexão mais profunda dos atores envolvidos sobre o território, como foi observado em oficinas realizadas no município de Feliz. Nesse caso, o lançamento de uma “CPUL” local também é instrumento auxiliar para superar uma das principais barreiras identificadas: a conscientização da população. Assim, entende-se que os resultados desta pesquisa disponibilizam uma alternativa para orientar o início de um planejamento físico-territorial, potencialmente capaz de promover o desenvolvimento local sustentável de pequenas cidades. / The global urbanization growth establishes a big challenge for a more sustainable future. The contemporary cities are responsible for the big impacts in social and environmental aspects of our lives, while do also suffer from the negative consequences of such circumstances. To transform sustainability a reality it requires rethinking the way we plan and produce our cities. In this context, Continuous Productive Urban Landscape (CPUL) is a recent concept of urban design, which aims at integrating sustainable infrastructure to the cities in a coherent manner. CPUL is also defined as a multifunctional landscape that simultaneously supports food production, more sustainable mobility, ecological balance and people leisure. This research recognizes the relevance of CPUL for urban sustainability and investigates the potential for its application into small Brazilian cities. The main research goal is the development of an approach to launch a CPUL suitable for the urban space planning of small Brazilian cities. The research strategy was a “constructive research”, based on literature review, a practical application and two evaluation cycles targeted at the approach development. Feliz (city situated in the State of Rio Grande do Sul) was chosen as the object of an empirical study for such approach. The obtained outcomes established the development of an approach, which comprises a systematic combination of simplified planning techniques and procedures for the launch of a local CPUL. Evaluation cycles indicated that the proposed approach could be easily reproduced in small cities within the research scope. However many barriers have been identified for the posterior phases of planning and implementation. Despite that, the launch of a CPUL initiates a broader public debate about the city, instigating a deeper reflection on participating actors about the territory, as it has been observed in workshops which took place in Feliz. In this case, the launch of a CPUL is also an auxiliary instrument to overcome one of the main barriers identified: people awareness. The research results provide an alternative to guide the urban space planning, which might potentially promote the local sustainable development in small cities.

abstract: Despite widespread acknowledgement of the need for transformation towards sustainability, the majority of cities appear stuck in incremental change instead of far-reaching, radical change. While there are numerous obstacles to transformational change, one critical aspect is the process of selecting impactful sustainability programs. The unique and complex nature of sustainability suggests a different approach is needed to program selection than is normal. But, to what extent are cities adapting selection processes in response to sustainability and what effect does this have on sustainable urban transformation? Could there be a more effective process to select programs with greater transformational potential? This dissertation investigates these questions using case studies and action research to add to the general knowledge of urban sustainability program selection and to develop practical knowledge (solutions) for more effective sustainable urban transformation. The dissertation consists of three studies. Study 1 uses a case study approach to investigate existing sustainability program selection processes in three cities: Avondale, USA; Almere, the Netherlands; and Freiburg, Germany. These cities all express commitment to sustainability but have varying degrees of sustainable development experience, accomplishment, and recognition. Study 2 develops a program selection framework for urban sustainable transformation drawing extensively from the literature on sustainability assessment and related fields, and on participatory input from municipal practitioners in Avondale and Almere. Study 3 assesses the usefulness of the framework in a dual pilot study. Participatory workshops were conducted in which the framework was applied to real-world situations: (i) with the city’s sustainability working group in Avondale; and (ii) with a local energy cooperative in Almere. Overall, findings suggest cities are not significantly adapting program selection processes in response to the challenges of sustainability. Processes are often haphazard, opportunistic, driven elite actors, and weakly aligned with sustainability principles and goals, which results in selected programs being more incremental than transformational. The proposed framework appears effective at opening up the range of program options considered, stimulating constructive deliberation among participants, and promoting higher order learning. The framework has potential for nudging program selection towards transformational outcomes and more deeply embedding sustainability within institutional culture. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Sustainability 2015

Thesis (DTech (Civil Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / South Africa’s government is faced with the challenge of providing housing for its citizens, especially the historically disadvantaged population who seek job opportunities and improvement on their life style in urban areas. To achieve this laudable goal, the South African construction industry must be proactive in its approach to the construction of affordable housing, and must adopt construction strategies that enhances sustainable housing development. Born from this challenge is the need for research to establish how sustainable development concepts could be integrated into housing construction processes, with a view to develop strategies to achieve affordable housing that enhances sustainability, to cater for South Africans in need of decent accommodation. The study developed a conceptual model through extensive review of extant literature; South Africa housing policy and legislation, sustainable construction and development, socioeconomic considerations for sustainable building development, and strategies for sustainable building construction amongst other were reviewed. The study adopted a sequential mixed method approach for data gathering, whereby an initial qualitative pilot survey was conducted to test the existence of the research problems identified in this study and to validate the conceptual model constructs.

A intensificação do fenômeno da urbanização, em nível global, constitui um grande desafio para a estruturação de um futuro mais sustentável. As cidades contemporâneas são responsáveis por grandes impactos de ordem social e ambiental, e também sofrem as consequências negativas dessa circunstância. Tornar a sustentabilidade uma realidade, também exige repensar a forma como executamos nossas cidades. À vista disso, o “Continuous Productive Urban Landscape (CPUL)” é um conceito recente de projeto urbano, que busca integrar, de forma coerente, infraestrutura sustentável às cidades. Uma “Paisagem Urbana Produtiva Contínua” pode ser definida como uma paisagem multifuncional, que apoia simultaneamente a produção de alimentos, uma mobilidade mais sustentável, o equilíbrio ecológico e o lazer da população. Ao reconhecer relevância para a sustentabilidade urbana no conceito “CPUL”, a presente pesquisa voltou-se a investigar sua aplicação no contexto de pequenos municípios brasileiros. Desse modo, o objetivo principal da pesquisa foi o desenvolvimento de uma abordagem para o lançamento de uma “Paisagem Urbana Produtiva Contínua”, adaptada ao contexto do planejamento físico-territorial de municípios brasileiros de pequeno porte. A estratégia de pesquisa adotada foi a pesquisa construtiva, valendo-se de revisão de literatura, uma aplicação prática e dois ciclos de avaliação para a construção da abordagem. O município de Feliz, RS, foi o objeto de estudo empírico que serviu à aplicação da abordagem. Os resultados obtidos fundamentaram a construção de uma abordagem, que compreendeu a reunião sistemática de técnicas e procedimentos de planejamento simplificados para o lançamento de uma “CPUL” local. Ciclos de avaliação indicaram que a abordagem proposta poderia ser reproduzida, sem dificuldades, em municípios de pequeno porte. Contudo, foram identificadas muitas barreiras a serem enfrentadas em etapas posteriores de planejamento, até a implantação de um projeto “CPUL”. Ainda assim, o lançamento de uma “CPUL” inaugura um debate público mais amplo sobre a cidade, estimulando uma reflexão mais profunda dos atores envolvidos sobre o território, como foi observado em oficinas realizadas no município de Feliz. Nesse caso, o lançamento de uma “CPUL” local também é instrumento auxiliar para superar uma das principais barreiras identificadas: a conscientização da população. Assim, entende-se que os resultados desta pesquisa disponibilizam uma alternativa para orientar o início de um planejamento físico-territorial, potencialmente capaz de promover o desenvolvimento local sustentável de pequenas cidades. / The global urbanization growth establishes a big challenge for a more sustainable future. The contemporary cities are responsible for the big impacts in social and environmental aspects of our lives, while do also suffer from the negative consequences of such circumstances. To transform sustainability a reality it requires rethinking the way we plan and produce our cities. In this context, Continuous Productive Urban Landscape (CPUL) is a recent concept of urban design, which aims at integrating sustainable infrastructure to the cities in a coherent manner. CPUL is also defined as a multifunctional landscape that simultaneously supports food production, more sustainable mobility, ecological balance and people leisure. This research recognizes the relevance of CPUL for urban sustainability and investigates the potential for its application into small Brazilian cities. The main research goal is the development of an approach to launch a CPUL suitable for the urban space planning of small Brazilian cities. The research strategy was a “constructive research”, based on literature review, a practical application and two evaluation cycles targeted at the approach development. Feliz (city situated in the State of Rio Grande do Sul) was chosen as the object of an empirical study for such approach. The obtained outcomes established the development of an approach, which comprises a systematic combination of simplified planning techniques and procedures for the launch of a local CPUL. Evaluation cycles indicated that the proposed approach could be easily reproduced in small cities within the research scope. However many barriers have been identified for the posterior phases of planning and implementation. Despite that, the launch of a CPUL initiates a broader public debate about the city, instigating a deeper reflection on participating actors about the territory, as it has been observed in workshops which took place in Feliz. In this case, the launch of a CPUL is also an auxiliary instrument to overcome one of the main barriers identified: people awareness. The research results provide an alternative to guide the urban space planning, which might potentially promote the local sustainable development in small cities.