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- The potential impact of cycling on urban transport energy and modal share: a GIS-based methodologyPublication . Monteiro, João Pedro Medina; Sousa, Nuno; Jesus, Eduardo Natividade; Rodrigues, João CoutinhoThis article presents a methodology to estimate the maximum potential impact of a well- built and conserved cycling infrastructure, measured as modal share for accessibility trips, as well as the associated transport energy that can be saved in those trips. The methodology uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to estimate active trip probabilities, from which the output variables can be obtained. It was applied to a case study of a mid-sized city in Southern Europe, and results show that an adequate cycling infrastructure can achieve cycling mode share in that city on par with the world’s most cycling-friendly cities. Concerning transport energy, a full-cycling scenario is estimated to reduce fossil energy intensity by approximately 20%, mainly by inducing a mode change for residents on the closest outskirts. It is also argued that cycling investment in commuting routes will have the most impact on reducing fossil transport energy.
- Benchmarking city layouts: a methodological approach and an accessibility comparison between a real city and the garden cityPublication . Monteiro, João Pedro Medina; Sousa, Nuno; Jesus, Eduardo Natividade; Rodrigues, João CoutinhoThis article presents a comparative accessibility study between a real city and its redraft as a Garden City. The benchmarking methodology involves defining and evaluating a location-based accessibility indicator in a GIS environment for the city of Coimbra, Portugal, and for the same city laid out as a Garden City, with the same number of inhabitants, jobs, and similar number of urban facilities. The results are derived as maps and weighted average distances per inhabitant to the facilities and jobs, and show that, for the Garden City, average distances drop to around 500 m for urban facilities and 1500 m for the combination of facilities and jobs, making much of the city accessible by walking and practically the whole of it accessible by cycling, with positive impact on transport sustainability and accessibility equity. The methodology can be extended to other benchmarking indicators and city layouts, and the quantitative results it yields make a valuable contribution to the debate on the ideal layout of cities. Moreover, it gives directions on how to improve real cities to address current and future sustainability concerns.
- Filling in the spaces: compactifying cities towards accessibility and active transportPublication . Monteiro, João Pedro Medina; Para, Marvin; Sousa, Nuno; Jesus, Eduardo Natividade; Ostorero, Carlo; Rodrigues, João CoutinhoCompactification of cities, i.e., the opposite of urban sprawl, has been increasingly presented in the literature as a possible solution to reduce the carbon footprint and promote the sustainability of current urban environments. Compact environments have higher concentrations of interaction opportunities, smaller distances to them, and the potential for increased active mode shares, leading to less transport-related energy consumption and associated emissions. This article presents a GIS- based quantitative methodology to estimate on how much can be gained in that respect if vacant spaces within a city were urbanized, according to the municipal master plan, using four indicators: accessibility, active modal share, transport energy consumption, and a 15-minute city analysis. The methodology is applied to a case study, in which the city of Coimbra, Portugal, and a compact version of itself are compared. Results show the compact layout improves all indicators, with averages per inhabitant improving by 20% to 92%, depending on the scenario assumed for cycling, and is more equitable.
- Metodologia multicritério para avaliação da adequabilidade da infraestrutura viária urbana à bicicletaPublication . Monteiro, João Pedro Medina; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, João Coutinho; Jesus, Eduardo NatividadeA bicicleta é um modo de transporte promissor para a mobilidade em contexto urbano devido aos seus múltiplos benefícios, por comparação com os transportes motorizados. Para além de ser um modo de transporte competitivo para distâncias até 5 km e livre de emissões, tem também benefícios para a saúde do utilizador e custos sócioeconómicos e infraestruturais reduzidos. Apresenta-se neste trabalho uma metodologia de análise multicritério para avaliar a adequação da rede viária pré-existente à circulação de bicicletas, focada essencialmente em aspetos de conforto e segurança, e tendo em vista o subsequente melhoramento das condições de ciclabilidade. A metodologia é aplicada a um caso de estudo, a zona central da cidade de Coimbra, Portugal, e os resultados mostram uma baixa adequabilidade geral da rede viária e consequente necessidade de intervenções de fundo para se conseguir um maior recurso a este modo ativo.
- Walking to public transport: rethinking catchment areas considering topography and surrogate buffersPublication . Pais, Filipe; Sousa, Nuno; Monteiro, João Pedro Medina ; Rodrigues, João Coutinho; Jesus, Eduardo NatividadeService, or catchment areas of public transport stops are traditionally assessed using Euclidean or network distances, often neglecting other relevant factors such as topography. This study proposes a refined approach that integrates network-based accessibility with terrain variations and the effect they have on walking time and on the physical effort required for pedestrian movement. Using geographic information systems-based analysis that include walking time and walking energy cost models, the impact of topography on accessibility to public transport is evaluated in a case study of the hilly city of Coimbra, Portugal. Results show that, as compared to their flat counterparts, network distance-based service areas that consider hilliness, exhibit a decrease in accessibility of circa 10% in terms of area covered and population affected. These findings highlight the need for more realistic accessibility assessments to support more realistic and equitable public transport planning. Because extensive network datasets are not always available to decision-makers, this article also introduces the concept of surrogate buffers as a practical alternative for obtaining catchment areas, summarized by the “0.7/0.6R rule”.
- Benchmarking real and ideal cities: a multicriteria analysis of city performance based on urban formPublication . Monteiro, João Pedro Medina; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, João Coutinho; Jesus, Eduardo NatividadeThe debate on the ideal urban layout, or form has long been an active topic of research. As cities expand and population demands rise, the quest for efficient and sustainable urban designs gains greater significance, necessitating objective and quantitative evaluation of their performance. This article adds to the debate by presenting a multicriteria analysis of city performance, based on quantitative indicators obtainable from geographic information systems calculations, which focus on sustainability and physical pleasantness issues. Indicator values were derived for a real city, its infill version, and five redrafts as classic city models existing in the literature. The city layouts were then compared using the TOPSIS multicriteria ranking method, results showing a preference for the more compact urban layouts due to the multiple advantages of having shorter distances between supply and demand points. The methodology provides quantitative insights on city performance and efficiency and can be used to compare options for city expansions or major urban regeneration projects.
- Do people adapt to where they live?: a comparative analysis of perceived physical urban pleasantness using a quantitative modelPublication . Medina Monteiro, João Pedro; Sousa, Nuno; Jesus, Eduardo Natividade; Rodrigues, João Coutinho; Oliveira, Leise Kelli; Santos, Patrícia da SilvaThis article examines the question of whether people perceive their own urban environment more favourably than people from other urban environments, i.e., whether residents, in a sense, adapt to where they live. To analyse this question, a quantitative statistical model that uses geometric and land use elements was applied to a case study of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, to estimate the perception of physical pleasantness of the urban environment using two calibrations: a global one and one obtained from a survey carried out in Belo Horizonte. The article then contrasts findings specific to Belo Horizonte with global perceptions, highlighting that local residents tend to evaluate their city's geometry and land use more positively than a worldwide audience. This difference suggests that familiarity and acclimatisation to the urban environment can significantly influence residents’ perceptions of their physical living environment.
- The impact of city form and active modes of transport on urban mobility energy consumptionPublication . Rodrigues, João Coutinho; Monteiro, João Pedro Medina; Sousa, Nuno; Jesus, Eduardo NatividadeThe transport sector is vital in any modern economy, but, during the past century, dependence on vehicles burning petroleum- based fuels has become a defining component of modern societies. Transport share of final global energy consumption is very important - for example, in the EU it accounts for about 32%. On the other hand, sustainable mobility issues, particularly urban mobility, are on the agenda, and it is even predicted that by 2050 there will be no cars running on conventional fuels in cities. The layout, or form of the city has a decisive impact on energy consumption in urban mobility and the modes of transport used. Active modes of transport, in particular, contribute to reduce transport energy requirements, making it important and timely to consider them in city planning. Estimations using computer models of cities implemented in a GIS environment allow the calculation and comparison of transport energy needs associated with different city forms and allow important conclusions to be drawn about the positive impact of adopting active modes of transport. This research presents test energy calculations carried out both for the current configuration of the city of Coimbra, Portugal, using real georeferenced data of buildings, facilities, jobs, transport infrastructure network, etc., and its redraft as other city forms (e.g., garden city, transit-oriented development city, compact city, 15-minutes city, etc.). Results allow conclusions to be drawn about the associated transport energy needs and modal share, and can provide valuable information to decision makers, infrastructure managers, and planners of more sustainable cities. In practice, the study reveals that in cities with planned urbanism, mobility requires significantly less energy.
- Challenges ahead for sustainable cities: an urban form and transport system reviewPublication . Medina Monteiro, João Pedro; Sousa, Nuno; Coutinho-Rodrigues, João; Natividade-Jesus, EduardoThis article reviews the critical issues surrounding the development of sustainable urban environments, focusing on the impact of transport and urban form on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art on the subject and to unravel what directions the literature suggests for sustainable urban planning. Current research and practices are synthesized, highlighting the interdependence of urban design and transportation systems in achieving sustainability goals. Important dimensions and practices of city planning and transport policies are explored, including urban form, urban sprawl, mixed land use, densification and infill, and urban public spaces, and how these directly influence transport dynamics, including modal choices and energy consumption. Innovative approaches in urban planning, such as transit-oriented development, and technological advancements, such as electric mobility, are also examined and their potential roles in sustainable urban transport. The conclusion underscores the urgency of adopting holistic and adaptable strategies to foster sustainable urban environments, calling for concerted efforts from policymakers, urban planners, and communities. Awareness of the conclusions can help municipal decision-makers in planning their cities for a sustainable future. Finally, the authors analyze important directions for future research and practical applications towards developing cities that are environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically viable.
- The impact of geometric and land use elements on the perceived pleasantness of urban layoutsPublication . Sousa, Nuno; Monteiro, João Pedro Medina; Jesus, Eduardo Natividade; Coutinho, JoãoThis article presents a model to estimate the impact of geometric and land use elements on citizens’ perception of urban layout pleasantness. An ordinal regression cumulative link mixed model with those elements as regressors is proposed and calibrated using data from an online survey. Results show that landscape building height and density of green areas are the factors that most impact the perception of pleasantness. Based on the model, a methodology to derive pleasantness mean scores for a city is also proposed and applied to a case study. The methodology allows for benchmarking the pleasantness of different cities or comparing neighborhoods within a city. It can be used both as an urban evaluation tool and a decision-aid for city expansion programs.