Wenrui Yang

Comprehensive urban planning and management at multiple scales based on ecological principles: a case study in Beijing, China

SUMMARY Rapid urbanisation and serious environmental problems have led people worldwide to realise the significance of urban planning and management towards a sustainable environment. Beijing was used as a case study to develop a framework and strategies for sustainable development using ecological principles. At the regional level, Beijing-Tianjin agglomeration and Hebei Province are considered together. At the Beijing administrative level, some important measures are put forward for revision of the Beijing Urban Master Plan. At the Beijing plain level, the future spatial structure of Beijing city and the relationship between settlements, green space and transportation are considered, and three basic development patterns are proposed. At the inner district level, the ecological corridor system is suggested, based on ecosystem services. At the selected area level, a comprehensive strategy and key measures for conservation and renewal of old Beijing city core are provided. Once strategies for Beijing urban development are implemented step-by-step, a vision for future development can be achieved. This paper provides considerations for improvement of urban planning and management in China and other countries.

Simulation of thermal effects due to different amounts of urban vegetation within the built-up area of Beijing, China

Urban heat islands (UHI) are a common phenomenon in most cities, and one of the most effective ways to mitigate UHI negative effects is with urban vegetation. This paper uses the mono-window algorithm for retrieving land surface temperature (LST) based on remote-sensing data, and simulates thermal effects in five situations, using different amounts of urban vegetation within the built-up area of Beijing. Our analyses indicated that the computed Near Surface Air Temperature (NSAT) of the current situation (25 July 2005) was 295.86 K at 02:47 which is comparable to the real observed mean NSAT (296 K) at that time. When all urban vegetation was removed, the mean LST and NSAT increased by 1.95 K and 0.92 K compared to the current situation. In addition, the mean NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) increased to 0.22–0.42, while the mean NSAT decreased to 294.98–293.08 K, which is close to a temperature comfortable to humans (295–293 K) in that area. Our work should provide information for the government of Beijing and the public on the importance of urban vegetation in counteracting effects of UHI during urban land use and management projects.