“Science for Environment Policy” presents a scientific paper about a new tool that helps to choose urban designs that positively influence flows of energy, carbon, water and pollutants in cities. The tool is described in a recent study, and it is designed to integrate scientific knowledge into the planning process and support cities in achieving sustainability objectives.

A city can be conceived of as a system with energy and materials that flow between the city itself and the wider environment – comparable to a natural ecosystem. Unlike ecosystems, however, the flow of energy and materials through cities is usually one-way and not self-sustainable.

Analysing the environmental and human activities that define the ‘urban metabolism’ of cities allows these systems to be manipulated through strategic urban development. Urban metabolism considers and quantifies the inputs, outputs and storage of energy, water, nutrients, materials and wastes in urban regions.

The study considered the metabolism of five European cities to develop and evaluate a Decision Support System (DSS) tool that could assess planning options for sustainable urban development. (Continue on Science for Environment Policy).

Donatella Spano (CMCC – IAFENT Division), is among the authors of the study that was conducted under the Bridge (SustainaBle uRban plannIng Decision support accountinG for urban mEtabolism), an FP7 project on the understanding of patterns of energy and material flows through the urban community’s economy to provide a systemic reading of the present situation for goal and objective setting and development of indicators for sustainability.

Resources:

• The paper Sustainable urban metabolism as a link between bio-physical sciences and urban planning: The BRIDGE project, Landscape and Urban Planning
• The full article New planning tool to improve flows of energy and materials in cities from “Science for Environment Policy”: European Commission DG Environment News Alert Service, edited by SCU, The University of the West of England, Bristol.
• Bridge Project: visit the project webpage at CMCC and the official website