A handbook of sustainable building design and engineering

In this book we argue that understanding what makes a city sustainable requires a dialogue between a
variety of researchers. Engineers, geographers, architects, planners, designers, ecologists and sociologists
all conduct research in an effort to better understand the sustainable cities and communities. Chapter 1.1
states that multidisciplinary research can help us to analyse how sustainability of the urban environment
is framed, while disciplinary knowledges can complement each other in producing a perspective of the
subject. Chapter 1.1 also describes both the process and outcomes of developing a conceptual and
methodological framework to investigate sustainable communities within a multifarious research team:
combining social and physical perspectives. Equally broad, Chapter 1.2 focuses on offering a description
of an integrated approach to developing strategies at an initial stage of the masterplanning process. It
outlines the need to carefully consider the contextual issues of a given urban area that can inform the
development of a vision for the masterplan. The authors claim that this vision, which is informed by the
various actors within the development process, goes to setting out the objectives to which an environmental strategy must respond. These objectives are in turn embodied in targets that can be measured under a set of defined metrics. This authors further argue that environmental masterplanning process must emphasise the integration of the dynamic urban systems in order to achieve both synergy and resilience.
Adapting to and ameliorating the effects of urban heat islands on energy use, comfort and health will
require appropriate policies for urban planning, housing and transport. However, before these policies can be developed, quantitative tools are required to identify and quantify the net effectiveness of mitigation and adaptation strategies. Chapter 1.3 advocates that the wider picture should be considered. The authors explain that in summer, urban heat islands in the UK will tend to result in an increased cooling load and an increased number of excess deaths due to overheating. Conversely, in winter the urban heat islands will tend to result in reduced heating loads and a reduced number of cold-related excess deaths. This chapter therefore explains that the net effects of these impacts must be borne in mind when considering large-scale urban modifications. Taking into account the growing concerns related to the exposure of urban dwellers to air pollution, Chapter 1.4 aims to summarise air flow and air pollution patterns in urban environments and discuss possible implications to building design. The authors address the fundamental principles related to urban indoor/outdoor air quality modelling and monitoring, which are of importance to both building design and urban planning professionals.
This part of the book provides only a starting point for readers who are interested in urban environments.
It will develop with the rapidly increasing body of knowledge, which will form a science of cities.

source:

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