Search Results (3,728)

The dehesa, as a socio-ecological system and cultural landscape, is a strategic resource for environmental education, territorial sustainability, and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge. This study analyzes the perception of primary school students in Extremadura regarding this environment, using a mixed methodology that combines statistical, semantic, and spatial analysis. The results show a generally positive assessment of the dehesa heritage, although accompanied by a disconnect between this symbolic assessment and direct experience of the territory, especially in urban contexts. It identifies significant differences between students from rural and urban environments in terms of their knowledge of trades, products, and dehesa spaces, as well as their preferred activities in the dehesa. While rural students show greater interest in operational activities and direct contact with the environment (such as feeding livestock and milking), urban students lean toward sensory or symbolic experiences (such as consuming products or occasional harvesting), reflecting different ways of connecting with the territory. Spatial analysis reveals that more than 80% of schools are located less than 5 km from well-preserved dehesa areas, which represents an opportunity to integrate these landscapes into formal education. However, inequalities in access from special education centers have been detected, posing challenges in terms of territorial and educational equity. This study concludes that the dehesa should be recognized as an open classroom, capable of fostering roots, ecological literacy, and cultural sustainability through contextualized and territory-sensitive pedagogical approaches. Full article

Renewable energy sources offer a promising future, backed by mature technologies and a viable pathway toward sustainable energy systems. However, careful planning is necessary to efficiently utilize these resources, especially during site selection. Many rural areas lack access to grid electricity, making off-grid hybrid wind-solar power an attractive solution. In the Tigray region of Ethiopia, no such research has been conducted before. This study aims to identify suitable sites for hybrid wind-solar power for rural electrification using Geographic Information System (GIS), Analytic Hierarchy Process, and Monte Carlo simulation. The criteria fall into three categories: Climate, Topography, and Infrastructure, prioritized through pairwise comparisons by thirteen experts from five organizations engaged in renewable energy research, planning, and operations. Monte Carlo simulation was used for sensitivity analysis to address uncertainties in expert judgments and validate the rankings. The spatial analysis reveals 6470 km² as highly suitable for off-grid solar, 76 km² for off-grid wind with predominant easterly winds, and 177 km² as most favorable for hybrid generation. Areas of good suitability measure 447 km² for wind, 44,128 km² for solar, and 16,695 km² for hybrid systems. Based on this assessment, techno-economic analysis quantified the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) under varying solar–wind shares and battery autonomy days. The analysis shows a minimum LCOE of $0.23/kWh with one-day storage and $0.58/kWh with three-day storage, indicating shorter autonomy is more cost-effective while longer autonomy enhances reliability. Sensitivity analysis shows financial parameters, particularly discount rate and battery capital cost, dominate system economics. Full article

As ergonomic and user-centered kitchen design gains importance, integrating built-in appliances such as refrigerators has become common in modern households. However, spatial misalignment and circulation conflicts often disrupt kitchen routines. This study introduces the BEHAVIOR model (Behavioral Embeddedness Evaluation for Appliance-Versatile Integrated Operation Routing), a multidimensional framework for evaluating the movement path adaptability of embedded refrigerators in integrated kitchen–dining environments. The model identifies eight behavioral dimensions: Body Clearance, Embedded Compatibility, Handling Logic, Accessibility, Visual Feedback, Interaction Conflict, Operating Time, and Routing Simplicity, from a user–space–product coordination perspective. Expert-based AHP weighting and user entropy methods were combined to construct adaptability scores across five kitchen layouts (L-shaped, U-shaped, single-line, G-shaped, and island). The findings indicate that Routing Simplicity and Accessibility are the core determinants of layout adaptability, while Operating Time and Body Space show layout-dependent variations. Interaction Conflict and Embedded Compatibility are significantly influenced by spatial compactness. This research identifies key behavioral bottlenecks in kitchen workflows and presents a scalable model for appliance–space compatibility analysis, contributing to behavioral product evaluation and highlighting the role of user dynamics in design decisions. Full article

Wet markets serve as critical infrastructure for access to fresh food for urban residents in China, playing a vital role in daily life and public well-being. However, their accessibility is often shaped by disparities between urban cores and rapidly expanding peripheral districts, raising concerns over spatial equity in the urban food environment. This study investigates these disparities in Shanghai by comparing wet market accessibility in Putuo district (urban core) and Minhang district (periphery). Accessibility is measured using the Gaussian-enhanced two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method, incorporating travel time data from the Baidu Map API for multiple transportation modes. The Gini coefficient is further employed to evaluate the equity of accessibility distribution. The results reveal a notable disparity: residents in the periphery (Minhang) experience a higher average level of accessibility, but their access is distributed significantly less equitably compared to those in the traditional urban core (Putuo). These findings underscore a critical trade-off between development efficiency and spatial equity, highlighting the need for targeted planning strategies and policies to address spatial inequalities in fresh food access in rapidly transforming cities. Full article

This paper introduces a novel BIM-based computational workflow that embeds spatial analysis directly within the Building Information Modelling (BIM) environment to support the evaluation and design of hospital emergency department (ED) layouts. Conventional analyses often depend on external software and repeated data exchange, which limit efficiency and integration with the design process. The proposed method integrates space syntax principles into Revit through Dynamo and custom Python scripts, enabling automated calculation of spatial measures linked to healthcare-specific performance indicators. The workflow was applied to two UK-based ED floor plans in a comparative case study, assessing patient-oriented aspects such as wayfinding, emergency access, and spatial privacy, alongside staff-oriented factors including workstation accessibility and visibility. Results were validated against DepthmapX to ensure consistency and reproducibility. The findings demonstrate that a BIM-native approach can streamline spatial analysis by eliminating import–export cycles, enhancing design iteration, and supporting post-occupancy evaluation. The significance of the study is in providing a decision-support framework for architects and healthcare planners in both designing new and evaluating existing ED layouts, where spatial configuration directly affects efficiency and user experience. Its main contribution is a reproducible workflow that enables real-time evaluation and strengthens the link between spatial analysis and evidence-based healthcare design. Full article

Urban park green spaces (UPGSs) play a critical role in enhancing residents’ quality of life, particularly for older adults. However, inequities in accessibility and resource distribution remain persistent challenges in aging urban areas. To address this issue, this study takes Gulou District, Nanjing City, as an example and proposes a comprehensive framework to evaluate the overall quality of UPGSs. Furthermore, an enhanced Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method is introduced that incorporates (1) a multidimensional park quality score derived from an objective evaluation system encompassing ecological conditions, service quality, age-friendly facilities, and basic infrastructure; and (2) a Gaussian distance decay function calibrated to reflect the walking and public transit mobility patterns of the older adults in the study area. The improved method calculates the accessibility values of UPGSs for older adults living in residential communities under the walking and public transportation scenarios. Finally, factors influencing the social equity of UPGSs are analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients. The experimental results demonstrate that (1) high-accessibility service areas exhibit clustered distributions, with significant differences in accessibility levels across the transportation modes and clear spatial gradient disparities. Specifically, traditional residential neighborhoods often present accessibility blind spots under the walking scenario, accounting for 50.8%, which leads to insufficient accessibility to public green spaces. (2) Structural imbalance and inequities in public service provision have resulted in barriers to UPGS utilization for older adults in certain communities. On this basis, targeted improvement strategies based on accessibility characteristics under different transportation modes are proposed, including the establishment of multi-tiered networked UPGSs and the upgrading of slow-moving transportation infrastructure. The research findings can enhance service efficiency through evidence-based spatial resource reallocation, offering actionable insights for optimizing the spatial layout of UPGSs and advancing the equitable distribution of public services in urban core areas. Full article

This article analyses the design aspects of multisensory colour experience in interior architecture. It presents the results of comparative studies on the perception of red and blue spatial environments through various senses (vision, hearing, smell, touch, and thermal sensation). The phenomenon of synaesthesia and its potential application in design are discussed, demonstrating how colors can be encoded and perceived through senses other than sight. Spatial solutions are proposed to enable blind individuals to experience color through touch (e.g., differentiated surface textures), sound (appropriate tones or rhythms), temperature (warm vs. cool lighting), and other environmental properties. The text includes references to the cultural and symbolic meanings of red and blue—covering cross-cultural differences and spatial characteristics attributed to these colors—based on an analysis of Stanisław Lem’s novel Solaris. Furthermore, the article formulates design recommendations from the perspective of sustainable development and inclusivity, taking into account European accessibility guidelines and universal design principles. The aim is to present an integrated approach to interior design, in which color becomes an experience accessible to all users, in line with the concept of “Design for All” and the principles of sustainable design. Full article

In the context of the global growth of the collaborative economy, Airbnb has established itself as one of the most influential players in the transformation of the tourist accommodation market, especially in the reconfiguration of urban tourist accommodation. This article examines empirically and critically how this platform operates in Buenos Aires, the most visited city in Argentina and one of the main tourist hubs in South America. Based on a database of 17,249 active listings, the price formation of accommodations is analyzed using a comparative methodological approach between a general linear model (GLM) and a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. While the GLM allows for capturing general patterns, the GWR reveals significant territorial differences, offering a detailed reading of the spatial behavior of prices in the city. The results show that variables such as the capacity of the accommodation, its type (full house), the host’s condition, the users’ ratings and the proximity to strategic points such as the subway or Plaza de Mayo have a significant influence on prices. In addition, it is shown that the influence of these variables varies by neighborhood, confirming that the pricing logic in Airbnb is deeply territorialized. This study not only provides novel empirical evidence for a Latin American city that has been little explored in the international literature, but also offers useful tools for hosts, urban planners and public decision makers. Its main contribution lies in showing that prices respond not only to accommodation attributes, but also to broader spatial inequalities, opening the debate on the effects of Airbnb on housing access and urban management in cities with strained real estate markets. By shedding light on these territorial asymmetries, the study offers valuable insights for public policy and urban governance and contributes directly to the achievement of Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), while also supporting Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), by providing practical knowledge that fosters more equitable and sustainable urban development. Full article

Rapid population aging calls for a shift from static facility configuration toward understanding how spatial structures coordinate with everyday behavior. This study develops a structure–behavior coordination framework to examine how the spatial embedding of community service centers and surrounding facilities aligns with older adults’ mobility and activity chains. Using Guangzhou as a case, three representative facility aggregation forms—clustered, linear, and patchy—were identified through POI-based spatial analysis. Behavioral mapping supported by Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) and social network analysis captured facility co-use and path continuity, while rank-based measures (Rank-QAP and Rank-Biased Overlap) evaluated correspondence between structural and behavioral centralities. Findings show form-sensitive rather than typological coordination: the clustered case (FY) exhibits compact, mixed-use integration; the linear case (DJ) requires ground-level access along main pedestrian corridors; and the patchy case (LG) relies on a few highly accessible dual-core nodes where improved connectivity strengthens cohesion. Everyday facilities such as markets, parks, and plazas act as behavioral anchors linking routine routes. The framework offers a transferable tool and comparable metrics for diagnosing alignment between built structure and everyday behavior, guiding adaptive, evidence-based planning for age-friendly community systems. Full article

This study examines how Windhoek’s urban form, shaped by apartheid-era planning, continues to influence neighbourhood travel behaviour, socio-economic disparity, and residential perceptions. It addresses three key questions: (1) How do socio-economic characteristics, neighbourhood perceptions, and travel patterns differ between compact and sprawled areas? (2) Which socio-economic, perceptual, and spatial factors are associated with the likelihood of neighbourhood-based shopping in compact versus sprawled urban forms? (3) What are the determinants of entertainment and recreational travel behaviour within neighbourhoods across the two urban forms? Using survey data from 1000 residents, the analysis employs chi-square tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, binary logistic regression, and multivariate regression models. Findings reveal that compact areas, characterised by higher incomes, stronger place attachment, and greater infrastructural diversity, support more frequent neighbourhood travel. By contrast, sprawled peripheries, despite higher population densities, remain marked by socio-economic marginalisation, limited amenity access, and negative perceptions that constrain neighbourhood mobility. Across both forms, long-term residence and belonging strongly predict neighbourhood travel, while concerns over traffic safety and crime consistently suppress participation. The results show that spatial proximity alone does not ensure accessibility; emotional, perceptual, and structural barriers mediate neighbourhood mobility. The study highlights the need for integrated planning that addresses both physical infrastructure and lived experience to advance equitable and sustainable mobility in post-colonial contexts. Full article

Tourism performance often depends on the joint provision of built (“hard”) and environmental (“green”) infrastructure, yet their combined effects are not well established. Using official data for Saudi Arabia’s 13 regions (2023–2024), this study constructs composite hard and green indices, estimates ordinary least squares models with heteroskedasticity-consistent inference, and probes spatial heterogeneity using geographically weighted regression (exploratory) alongside k-means/hierarchical clustering. Hard infrastructure is the strongest and most consistent correlate of overnight visitors and spending, whereas green infrastructure exhibits non-positive marginal effects over the observed range of hard capacity; a negative, statistically significant Hard × Green interaction indicates diminishing returns to greening as built capacity increases. Clustering differentiates metropolitan hubs from nature-oriented regions, underscoring place-specific policy needs. Practically, results support sequencing prioritizing foundational access and basic accommodation in under-served regions, quality upgrades and public-realm enhancement in mature centers, and targeted green interventions where marginal gains are greatest. Key limitations (cross-sectional design; coarse green metrics) motivate richer environmental indicators and longitudinal data to clarify dynamics and thresholds over time. Full article

Urban green spaces (UGSs) are critical to ecological sustainability and human well-being, but equitable access remains a key challenge, particularly in high-density cities. While existing studies have predominantly focused on parks, the role of non-park green spaces (NPGSs) has received limited attention. This study examines the spatial equity of NPGSs—an overlooked but essential component of urban green infrastructure in Inner London—using a typological classification informed by previous research, along with multi-threshold accessibility assessment and spatial justice evaluation. We apply GIS-based buffer analysis, decomposed Gini coefficients, and Moran’s I clustering to quantify distributional disparities. The main findings are as follows: (1) five NPGS types are defined and mapped in Inner London: Natural and Protected, Community and Household, Purpose-Specific, Linear, and Underutilized; (2) significant accessibility inequities exist among NPGS types, with Community and Household demonstrating high equity (Gini coefficient < 0.25), while Underutilized exhibit severe deprivation (Gini coefficient > 0.74); (3) spatial clustering analysis reveals a core–periphery differentiation, characterized by persistent low–low clusters in central boroughs and emerging high–high hot spots in southeastern/northwestern boroughs. This study underscores the critical role of NPGS in complementing park-based greening strategies and provides a transferable framework to assess green equity, thereby contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Full article

Smart polyester materials with embedded near-infrared (NIR) functionalities offer a promising pathway for low-cost, covert tagging, and object identification. In this study we present the development and characterization of polyester packaging surfaces printed with spectrally matched twin dyes that are invisible under visible light but selectively absorbed in the NIR region. The dye patterns were applied using a Direct-to-Film transfer (DTF) method onto polyester substrates. To validate their optical behavior, we applied a dual measurement approach. Laboratory grade NIR absorbance spectroscopy was used to characterize the spectral profiles of the twin dyes in the 400–900 nm range. A custom photodiode-based detection system was constructed to evaluate the feasibility of low-cost, embedded NIR absorbance sensing. Results from both methods show correlation in absorbance contrast between the dye pairs, confirming their suitability for spectral tagging. The developed materials were evaluated in a real-world detection scenario using commercially available NIR cameras. Under dark field conditions with edge illuminated planar lighting, the twin dye patterns were successfully recognized through custom software, enabling non-contact identification and spatial localization of the NIR codes. This work presents a low-cost, scalable approach for smart packaging applications based on optical detection of actively illuminated twin dyes using accessible NIR imaging systems. Full article

Drive-through establishments are becoming increasingly prominent in urban transport systems; however, their impacts on traffic generation, spatial form, and sustainability remain insufficiently understood. Conventional trip generation manuals often rely on static predictors, such as gross floor area, which can misrepresent demand in high-turnover, convenience-driven contexts and fail to capture operational, behavioral, and environmental effects. This knowledge gap underscores the need for an integrated framework that supports both effective planning and congestion mitigation, particularly in cities experiencing rapid motorization and shifting mobility behaviors. This study investigated the evolving dynamics in trip generation associated with drive-through services and their influence on urban development patterns. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a systematic literature review, meta-analysis of queue data, cross-comparison of trip generation rates from international and Asian datasets, and case-based scenario modeling. The results revealed that drive-throughs intensify high-frequency, impulse-driven vehicle trips, thereby causing congestion, reducing pedestrian accessibility, and reinforcing auto-centric land use configurations, while also enhancing consumer convenience and commercial efficiency. This study contributes to the literature by synthesizing inconsistencies in regional datasets; introducing a systems-based framework that integrates structural, behavioral, and environmental determinants with road network topology; and outlining policy applications that align trip generation with zoning, design standards, and sustainable infrastructure planning. Full article

Renewable energy integration is no longer a solely technical endeavor; it necessitates a multidimensional transformation that spans technological, economic, environmental, social, and regulatory dimensions. This review presents a visual and strategic framework for addressing the complex challenges of integrating solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass energy systems. The objective is to redefine traditional approaches by linking specific integration barriers to tailored strategies and measurable outcomes. The study uses comparative analysis, regional case studies, and a variety of visual tools—such as flowcharts, spider charts, and challenge–strategy–outcome maps—to spatially express interdependencies and trade-offs. These tools enable stakeholders to determine the best integration pathways based on performance measures, regional restrictions, and system synergies. The results reveal that visual mapping not only clarifies complex system dynamics, but also enhances stakeholder collaboration by translating technical data into accessible formats. The framework supports adaptive planning, smart grid adoption, and community-centered microgrid development. In conclusion, the study provides a forward-looking strategy for developing resilient, inclusive, and intelligent renewable energy systems. It highlights that future energy resilience will be built on integrated, regionally informed, and socially inclusive design, with technology, policy, and community engagement combined to drive sustainable energy transitions. Full article