Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the 21st century, cities play a vital role in social, economic and environmental
changes. They are the largest places of human settlement and it is expected that
more than 80 percent of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050 (UNEP,
2012). At the same time, as the role of cities significantly increases, it also
contributes to negative outcomes on the planet. In particular, the current cities’
demand for materials and energy consumption accounts for almost 80 percent of the
world’s consumption and it leads to serious environmental problems. The main
problems are climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification, and ecosystem
degradation.
In response to these urban issues, sustainable cities have emerged as an alternative
way of urban life. Since cities consume a massive amount of energy, an efficient
resource management system has to be established for the sustainable urban future.
In addition, finding ways to reconcile economic growth, social well-being and the
sustainable use of resources is imperative in urban sustainability. Since people’s
lifestyle and their material footprint are dependent on the urban design, construction
and operation of urban infrastructures, ways to make an urban infrastructural system
more sustainable will contribute to the transition towards sustainable cities.
In this study, the thesis applies Material Flow Analysis (MFA) to one of the
sustainable cities, Songdo, South Korea. Before delving into the analysis, it explores
the overview of the New Songdo City (NSC) project and describes its sustainable
urban infrastructures. Then it examines the material flow of inputs and outputs of the
city in order to reveal their sustainability and suggests a guideline for the realisation
of sustainable cities. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies are used to assess
and compare the material and energy flow trends for this city.
The results indicate that the general material consumption in Songdo is higher than
the average in South Korea. It reflects the high-income households’ consumption
patterns in Songdo. In addition, one could see that the sustainable networks have
merely contributed to the overall consumption. The findings from this study can be
used to formulate sustainable development policies and strategies in terms of
increasing the efficiency of resource and energy use in urban areas. Furthermore,
this research is expected to provide a platform for realisation of sustainable cities by highlighting the important role of urban infrastructures and their material resource
flow. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die 21ste eeu speel stede 'n belangrike rol in die sosiale, ekonomiese en
omgewingskwessies veranderinge. Stede is die grootste vorm van menslike
nedersetting en daar word verwag dat meer as 80 persent van die wêreld se
bevolking in stede sal woon teen 2050 (UNEP, 2012). Op dieselfde tyd, namate die
rol van stede aansienlik verhoog, dra dit ook by tot negatiewe uitkomste op die
planeet. Veral huidige stede se vraag na materiaal en energie reken vir byna 80
persent van die wêreld se verbruik, en dit lei tot ernstige omgewingsprobleme. Die
grootste probleme is klimaatsverandering, biodiversiteit verlies, verwoestyning en die
agteruitgang van ekostelsels.
In reaksie op hierdie stedelike kwessies het volhoubare stede na vore gekom as 'n
alternatiewe vorm van stadsbewoning. Aangesien stede 'n massiewe hoeveelheid
energie gebruik, moet 'n doeltreffende hulpbronbestuur stelsel vasgestel word.
Daarbenewens, is dit noodsaaklik om maniere te vind om ekonomiese groei te
integreer met sosiale welsyn en die volhoubare gebruik van hulpbronne. Aangesien
mense se lewenstyl en hul impak op die omgewing afhanklik is van die stedelike
infrastruktuur, sal maniere om hierdie infrastruktuurstelsel meer volhoubaar te maak
bydra tot die oorgang na volhoubare stede.
In hierde studie word, stedelike materiaalvloeiontleding toegepas op een van die
volhoubare stede, Songdo, Suid-Korea. Voor die analise, sal 'n oorsig van die nuwe
Songdo stad projek en die stad se volhoubare infrastruktuur gegee word. Dan word
die vloei van materiaal in-en uitgange van die stad ondersoek om hul volhoubaarheid
te illustreer, en stel dit 'n riglyn voor vir die verwesenliking van volhoubare stede.
Kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe metodologie word gebruik om die materiaal en energie
vloei tendense vir hierdie stad te bepaal en vergelyk.
Die resultate dui daarop dat die algemene materiaal verbruik in Songdo hoër is as
die gemiddelde in Korea. Dit weerspieël die hoë-inkomste huishoudings se
verbruikspatrone in Songdo. Daarbenewens kan 'n mens sien dat die volhoubare
netwerke slegs bygedra het tot die algehele verbruik. Die bevindinge van hierdie
studie kan gebruik word om die volhoubare ontwikkeling van beleid en strategieë te
formuleer in terme van die verhoging van die doeltreffendheid van die hulpbron-en
energie gebruik in stedelike gebiede. Verder word verwag dat hierdie navorsing 'n platvorm in terme van die realisering van volhoubare stede sal voorsien deur die
belangrike rol van stedelike infrastruktuur, en die materiaal hulpbron vloei te
beklemtoon.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96906 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Baek, Insoo |
| Contributors | Swilling, Mark, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xii, 106 pages : colour illustrations |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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