Global populations and sustainability challenges

Global populations have grown rapidly in recent decades, leading to ever increasing demands for shelter, resources, energy and utilities. Coupled with the worldwide need to achieve lower impact buildings and conservation of resources, the need to achieve sustainability in urban environments has never been more acute.

Overview of the book's focus

This book critically reviews the fundamental issues and applied science, engineering and technology that will enable all cities to achieve a greater level of metropolitan sustainability, and assist nations in meeting the needs of their growing urban populations.

Part one: Key issues in metropolitan sustainability

Part one introduces key issues related to metropolitan sustainability, including the use of both urban metabolism and benefit cost analysis.

Part two: Urban land use and environmental impact

Part two focuses on urban land use and the environmental impact of the built environment. The urban heat island effect, redevelopment of brownfield sites and urban agriculture are discussed in depth, before part three goes on to explore urban air pollution and emissions control.

Part four: Urban water resources

Urban water resources, reuse and management are explored in part four, followed by a study of urban energy supply and management in part five.

Part five: Urban energy systems

Solar, wind and bioenergy, the role of waste-to-energy systems in the urban infrastructure, and smart energy for cities are investigated.

Part six: Sustainable urban development

Finally, part six considers sustainable urban development, transport and planning.

Target audience and significance

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, Metropolitan sustainability is an essential resource for low-impact building engineers, sustainability consultants and architects, town and city planners, local/municipal authorities, and national and non-governmental bodies, and provides a thorough overview for academics of all levels in this field.

Key features

- Critically reviews the fundamental issues and applied science, engineering and technology that will enable all cities to achieve a greater level of metropolitan sustainability

- Will assist nations in meeting the needs of their growing urban populations

- Chapters discuss urban land use, the environmental impact of the build environment, the urban heat island effect, urban air pollution and emissions control, among other topics