The livability of spaces: Performance and/or resilience?

Reflections on the effects of spatial heterogeneity in transport and energy systems and the implications on urban environmental quality

Journal article (2017)

Authors

Laura Estévez-Mauriz Chalmers University of Technology
Jimeno A. Fonseca ETH Zürich
C. Forgaci Environmental Technology and Design - Architecture and the Built Environment
Nils Björling Chalmers University of Technology
Research Group
Environmental Technology and Design (Architecture and the Built Environment) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2017 L. Estévez-Mauriz, J.A. Fonseca, C. Forgaci, N. Björling
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2016.10.001
More Info
expand_more

Published Date

2017

Language

English

Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Department

Urbanism

Research Group

Environmental Technology and Design

Abstract

Cities can be seen as systems of organized complexity formed by interrelated and highly dynamic sub-systems. This paper reflects on the interactions and tensions between socio-ecological and/or socio-technical sub-systems in cities and their capacity to either improve or block urban processes. In this context, spatial heterogeneity could enhance or hinder the performance and resilience of critical urban sub-systems such as transport and energy. The consequence of this interaction might be detrimental to environmental quality (air and acoustic) and the livability of urban areas. This rationale may improve political and expert decision-making processes toward sustainable, resilient and livable cities.