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Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (13 May 2019) | Viewed by 44085

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Carl Smith

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Guest Editor

Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Interests: landscape architecture; urban design and planning; housing environments; sustainability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Beyond the four walls of the building, the planning and landscape design of residential development has a profound impact on environmental performance, community function and economic viability. This special issue of Sustainability will address residential landscape sustainability in all its facets and scales; from considerations of residential urbanism and its broad disposition of built and natural fabric, to detailed design and materiality of external spaces in housing development. This special issue will bring the discourse on residential landscape sustainability up to date, and provide an overview of current directions, trajectories and issues that complements the recent Sustainability edition, Sustainability Assessments of Buildings (December 2017).

Just over a decade ago the book, Residential Landscape Sustainability: a checklist tool (Smith et al. 2007) laid out a “serious attempt to reflect on and improve sustainable practice” (Kim Sorvig, Landscape Architecture Magazine, March 2008). The book provided a framework around seven key topics: energy, transport, pollution, materials, water, ecology and land use, and health and well-being. Although these categories may provide a structure for ongoing discussion, current research and speculation may well blur these distinctions, rightfully reflecting their close interconnection and synergy within sustainability discourse. In turn, inter or intra-disciplinary research may be especially helpful in elucidating emerging challenges and opportunities for residential landscape sustainability. Furthermore, this special issue would be remiss if it did not look to incorporate research into contemporary, international issues that have emerged over the past decade: for example, the rise of resiliency thinking in design disciplines, housing and the European refugee crisis, autonomous vehicles, and shifts in demographics and housing preference; as well as ongoing challenges such as biodiversity loss, land management, and sprawl. In closing, this call is intended to encourage a diverse and vital volume on contemporary residential landscape sustainability that:

Traverses scales of consideration, from urban planning to detailed design;
Addresses long-standing issues, emerging challenges and speculations on future trajectories;
Tackles areas of social, economic or environmental sustainability, or a combination of these;
Springs from traditional research and/or design speculation; and
Represents the work of scholars in single disciplines as well as in collaboration across disciplinary-lines of science, design, engineering, art and humanities.

Prof. Dr. Carl Smith
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Sustainable housing
Landscape architecture and urban design
Resilient communities
Emerging challenges and opportunities
Ongoing issues

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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41 pages, 9466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Conservation of Settled Territories in the Bolivian Amazon

by César J. Pérez and Carl A. Smith

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 6099; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11216099 - 01 Nov 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4623

Abstract

Landscapes settled by indigenous communities represent nuanced inter-relationships between culture and environment, where balance is achieved through Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). Through IKS, native peoples worldwide live, farm, and consume resources in a manner that is responsive to natural systems and, as such, their lands present less deforestation and more sustainable production per capita than is exhibited by non-indigenous practices. In Bolivia, the Origin Farmer Indigenous Territory (TIOC) communities of Yaminahua-Machineri and Takana-Cavineño, located in the North Amazon, are facing external threats of non-indigenous anthropogenic land use change, such as road-building and industrial-scale resource extraction. In order to understand the potential environmental and cultural loss to these territories, the present work seeks to determine the present, base-line conservation state within these Bolivian communities, and forecast land use change and its consequences until the year 2030. This was undertaken using a three-stage protocol: (a) the TIOC communities’ current forest-based livelihoods, characteristics and management were determined using on-site observation techniques and extensive literature review; (b) the historical land use change (LUC) from natural vegetation to anthropogenic use was estimated using multitemporal satellite imagery; and, finally, (c) geographically explicit non-indigenous anthropogenic land-use change threat was extrapolated until 2030 using the GEOMOD modeler from the TerraSet software. Preliminary results show that both TIOCs case-sites are fairly conserved due to their forest dependence. However, deforestation and degradation could be evidenced, particularly within TIOC areas not officially recognized by the central government, due to pressures from surrounding, new non-indigenous settlements, road infrastructure, connection to markets, and the threat of the oil exploitation. Projected LUC suggest serious threats to the unrecognized TIOC areas if community governance is not reinforced, and if extractivist and non-indigenous development patterns continue to be promoted by state and central government. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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44 pages, 7523 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Opportunities to Improve Sustainable Environmental Design of Dwellings in Rural Southwest China

by Adrian Pitts, Yun Gao and Vinh Tien Le

Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5515; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11195515 - 06 Oct 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3469

Abstract

This paper addresses the need, established following consultation with stakeholders, for more detailed environmental design guidance to support construction of more sustainable and comfortable rural dwellings in Southwest China. Despite increasing focus on sustainable design in urban developments in China, there are considerable gaps in research and information dissemination for sustainable building in more diverse rural areas. Multiple methods of investigation and analysis have been utilized. Contextual research was undertaken in relation to location, ethnic group, site/location, and building construction options. Visits to typical villages allowed discussions with stakeholders and the gathering of data on existing and new dwelling types and their surroundings. This led to the conclusion that there is insufficient attention paid in understanding residents’ knowledge and skills related to design options; further specific accessible guidance is needed. Resulting from this, quantitative analyses using climate data for 46 locations in Southwest China were used to determine the value of design opportunities to create comfortable internal environments. A need for a more detailed level of guidance that can be used by the stakeholders is presented, and 15 exemplar locations were studied in parametric fashion for typical dwelling design configurations. Outcomes indicated the value of location-specific design optimization; something now recommended for all new/redeveloped dwellings. These findings impact across a wide geographical area and could benefit daily living conditions across many rural settlements in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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19 pages, 4431 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recovering Subsidized Housing Developments in Northern México: The Critical Role of Public Space in Community Building in the Context of a Crime and Violence Crisis

by Gabriel Díaz Montemayor

Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5473; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11195473 - 02 Oct 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2633

Abstract

México has subsidized and built millions of low-income homes and thousands of subdivisions in the period of 2000–2012. These occupied and expanded urban peripheries far away from work, learn, service, commerce, and recreational amenity centers. These communities had no chance to offer a high quality of life. They were rapidly abandoned and deteriorated physically and socially. Amid the still ongoing crime and violence, inhabitants experienced a loss of trust in their neighbors, a deep sense of insecurity, and consequently reduced public life and activity to a minimum. This article describes and reflects on a project implemented in two neighborhoods of two northern México cities, with the objective of mitigating crime and violence, while recovering public spaces in these communities. The project implemented a hybridized methodology, including Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), attention to Youth at Risk, and the prevention of Gender Based Violence. All these were integrated transversally with a community participation approach incorporated throughout the project actions. This article reflects on the successes and failures of this pilot project, as demonstrated by differentiated results between a neighborhood located in Chihuahua City and another in the municipality of Guadalupe, within Monterrey’s Metro Area. The lessons learned, include the relevance of local political timing and interests, the importance of accurate and manageable geographic definitions for the areas of implementation, the role of NGOs, the importance of local educational institutions—in particular schools of architecture and the need for community oriented strategic consultants, to appropriately advise local governments in the implementation of projects of this nature. The article demonstrates the effort to make it accessible, and to anticipate the issues and opportunities as many Mexican, and other Latin American countries and cities engage in the spatial and social recovery of public spaces, neighborhoods, communities, and cities after years of high crime and violence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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23 pages, 7988 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reflections on Service Learning for a Circular Economy Project in a Guatemalan Neighborhood, Central America

by Peter A. Kumble

Sustainability 2019, 11(17), 4776; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11174776 - 02 Sep 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3045

Abstract

The research presented in this paper explored multiple objectives. First, what are the requirements for establishing a new composting business that embraces the principles of circular economy? Second, how can employment opportunities for at-risk youths from the most impoverished neighborhood in Guatemala City be created, while adhering to the tenets of social sustainability, of which human rights is the corner stone? Third, what were the requirements involved in making compost in the challenging climatic conditions of Guatemala City? And finally, from an educational perspective, how can this be taught to university students incorporating community service learning in its pedagogy, coupled with the model of action research? What are the obstacles to overcome when initiating a startup business, balancing what appeared to be a mix of complex economic, environmental, and social elements? These three elements are the recognized pillars of sustainability, and as such, there existed a great opportunity to meld the principles of circular economy, community service learning, and action research within the context of putting theories into practice. This applied research attempted to explore how effectively this could be accomplished in Guatemala while overcoming complex cultural, environmental, and economic barriers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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16 pages, 1123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fostering Social Sustainability through Intergenerational Engagement in Australian Neighborhood Parks

by Tracy L. Washington, Debra Flanders Cushing, Janelle Mackenzie, Laurie Buys and Stewart Trost

Sustainability 2019, 11(16), 4435; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11164435 - 16 Aug 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4261

Abstract

Social sustainability includes aspects of equity and is associated with two of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals focused on promoting good health and well-being for all ages. Yet, this pillar of sustainability is considered the least understood, as compared to economic and environmental components. To address this, our study focused on intergenerational engagement within residential neighborhood parks to foster social sustainability and encourage healthy and active living. This study included an intercept survey with open-ended questions of 386 adult park users within 12 parks in South-East Queensland, one of Australia’s fastest-growing areas. Approximately two-thirds (68%) of adult participants visited the park with one or more children, primarily to use the playground. Further thematic analysis shows that intergenerational interactions predominantly include adults playing with or teaching children. However, intergenerational interactions were limited in numerous situations, such as when adults accompany older children. This paper concludes with a discussion on potential ways to increase intergenerational interactions in parks to promote health and well-being for all ages, thus increasing social sustainability within residential developments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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30 pages, 6449 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparing the Residential Sustainability of Two Transformation Models for Chinese Urban Villages: Demolition/Relocation Market-Oriented and New Rural Construction

by Yongchun Yang, Qing Liu and Meimei Wang

Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4123; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11154123 - 30 Jul 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3586

Abstract

In China, large-scale urban village transformation has profoundly influenced the residential sustainability and interests of indigenous villagers. Local governments have widely adopted a demolition/relocation market-oriented model (D/RMM) for transformation of most of the urban villages (UVs) in China. During the D/RMM process, the interests of indigenous villagers have generally suffered to a certain extent. Originally, the new rural construction model (NRCM) was only used to improve rural development and sustainability. However, it has now occasionally been applied in the UV transformation process to safeguard and guarantee the interests of the village collective and villagers. Given the considerable difference between the two transformation models, we explored the sustainability and impact mechanisms of residential landscapes in terms of housing condition sustainability, community environment sustainability, and livelihood sustainability, through the cases of Beimiantan New Village (BNV) with NRCM and Xiaoyantan Village (XV) with D/RMM in Lanzhou, Gansu, China. The research findings reveal the differences in institutional design and social influence, and changes in the redistribution of benefits between the two transformation models. Overall, the residential sustainability of NRCM is higher than the D/RMM’s. Meanwhile, the influence factors in the residential sustainability of the two transformation models can mostly be attributed to three aspects: (1) Land development rights allocation models and earning redistribution fundamentally affect villagers’ housing condition sustainability; (2) The collective economy and the informal economy are the potential drivers of sustainable village community transformation; (3) Informal institutions and village social networks protect and continue the social capitals in village. Specifically, the NRCM in BNV has the following advantages in improving residential sustainability: (1) Collective land assets can be further activated; (2) Villagers’ vested interests are largely safeguarded; (3) The main role of social low-rent housing and informal employment places in the original village is optimized to a larger extent; (4) The original villagers’ social networks remain stable and intact. In summary, villagers’ rights are maintained and enhanced via informal institutions, informal economies, and original social relationship networks are completely preserved through NRCM in BNV, as much as possible. Therefore, NRCM can maximize the villagers’ interests, that may be conducive to residential sustainability in the transformation of China’s urban villages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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23 pages, 5129 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Landscape Performance for Coordinated Development of Rural Communities & Small-Towns Based on “Ecological Priority and All-Area Integrated Development”: Six Case Studies in East China’s Zhejiang Province

by Tiezheng Zhao, Yang Zhao and Ming-Han Li

Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4096; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11154096 - 29 Jul 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3306

Abstract

Over the last decade, the Chinese government has focused on addressing development challenges in rural areas. The “Ecological Priority and All-Area Integrated Development” concept was thus developed, and it was found to be crucial for rural areas in Eastern Zhejiang Province. A new comprehensive evaluation system was composed by comparing and synthesizing existing Chinese assessment criteria, and landscape performance metrics developed by the Landscape Architecture Foundation. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method (FCE) were used to conduct post-development evaluation on six cases using the new evaluation system. The results of four cases show that ecology should be considered a high priority when dealing with rural community and small town developments. The other two cases emphasizing infrastructure development verified that “coordinating the development of rural communities and small town area” is crucial for building sustainable and livable rural communities, and avoiding redundancy and inefficiency. The newly developed comprehensive evaluation system integrates existing systems with a broader vision and is more holistic in its objectives for the region. The development-led intervention (based on landscape performance evaluation) is conducive to the implementation of a more scientific and comprehensive development model, with predictable performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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14 pages, 3613 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Offset Service and Design Guideline of Tree Planting for Multifamily Residential Sites in Korea

by Hyun-Kil Jo, Hye-Mi Park and Jin-Young Kim

Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3543; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11133543 - 27 Jun 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3409

Abstract

Multifamily residential sites (MRS) are practical alternatives for securing a carbon uptake source in urban areas where hardscape is dominant, as trees must be planted in the lot area, according to the current landscape-related ordinances in Korea. Tree planting contributes to sustainability of residential sites through carbon reduction. This study quantified direct and indirect carbon reduction from tree planting in MRS in Korea and explored sustainable design guidelines to maximize the carbon offset service of MRS. The total annual direct and indirect carbon reduction through tree planting in all the MRS was estimated to be about 101.1 kt/year. This carbon reduction equaled 3.3% of the total annual carbon emissions from the heating and cooling energy consumption of multifamily buildings. This study considered both direct and indirect carbon reduction from trees in MRS which was insufficient in previous studies. The results of this study can be useful internationally by sharing the information of sustainable residential design in enhancing carbon offset service. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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18 pages, 608 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing Sustainability of Residential Areas Using Rain Gardens to Improve Pollutant Capture, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience

by Jennifer Morash, Amy Wright, Charlene LeBleu, Amanda Meder, Raymond Kessler, Eve Brantley and Julie Howe

Sustainability 2019, 11(12), 3269; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123269 - 13 Jun 2019

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 7543

Abstract

Rain gardens have become a widespread stormwater practice in the United States, and their use is poised to continue expanding as they are an aesthetically pleasing way to improve the quality of stormwater runoff. The terms rain garden and bioretention, are now often used interchangeably to denote a landscape area that treats stormwater runoff. Rain gardens are an effective, attractive, and sustainable stormwater management solution for residential areas and urban green spaces. They can restore the hydrologic function of urban landscapes and capture stormwater runoff pollutants, such as phosphorus (P), a main pollutant in urban cities and residential neighborhoods. Although design considerations such as size, substrate depth, substrate type, and stormwater holding time have been rigorously tested, little research has been conducted on the living portion of rain gardens. This paper reviews two studies—one that evaluated the effects of flooding and drought tolerance on the physiological responses of native plant species recommended for use in rain gardens, and another that evaluated P removal in monoculture and polyculture rain garden plantings. In the second study, plants and substrate were evaluated for their ability to retain P, a typical water pollutant. Although plant growth across species was sometimes lower when exposed to repeated flooding, plant visual quality was generally not compromised. Although plant selection was limited to species native to the southeastern U.S., some findings may be translated regardless of region. Plant tissue P was higher than either leachate or substrate, indicating the critical role plants play in P accumulation and removal. Additionally, polyculture plantings had the lowest leachate P, suggesting a polyculture planting may be more effective in preventing excess P from entering waterways from bioretention gardens. The findings included that, although monoculture plantings are common in bioretention gardens, polyculture plantings can improve biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and rain garden functionality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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Review

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24 pages, 1944 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Conceptual Framework for Urban Commoning in Shared Residential Landscapes in the UK

by Aimee Felstead, Kevin Thwaites and James Simpson

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 6119; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11216119 - 03 Nov 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 7268

Abstract

This paper uses ideas central to the notion of urban commoning to develop a conceptual framework that can be used to inform the design and management of shared residential landscapes in the UK. Shared residential landscapes provide an important backdrop for everyday social interaction, chance encounters and mutual understanding. A recent revival of the commons concept within the urban context has brought forth new ideas for the design and long-term management of shared urban resources through participation and collective action. However, despite the potential benefits of urban commons for improved quality of urban living, there remains a disconnect between commons and spatial theory, obstructing effective application. Of particular significance are the role of physical space and the design professions in enabling or hindering the collective practice of urban commoning. To address this, this paper reviews the evolution of the commons, the implications for applying them to the urban context, and spatial theories in developing a conceptual framework for their application within the UK residential sector. Finally, the example of cohousing in the UK is drawn upon as an illustration of the urban commons framework. The framework creates a foundation for further research on the design and long-term management of shared residential landscapes as urban commons to benefit the everyday social lives of residential communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Residential Landscapes: An International Perspective)

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