A card game to renew urban parks: Face-to-face and online approach for the inclusive involvement of local community

Urban parks are often designed and renewed using standardized models that fail to incorporate the different functions and services required by the local communities served. Furthermore, when the citizens are involved in co-design, the participation processes are seldom fully inclusive, and the results are not representative of the entire local community. The paper starts from these considerations for developing an innovative participatory design method to renew urban parks. This method simultaneously uses multiple and alternative participation tools for adapting to the different technical skills of the citizens and to their inclinations. Furthermore, it entails the analysis and interpretation of the expectations of the local community in light of the urban green network. The method uses the conceptual framework of the SWOT analysis and the Trochim's concept mapping for developing a card game playable face to face or online. The results of the card game are processed using the statistical analysis to identify the main design themes (the clusters), and to split the participants’ suggestions into different design alternatives. Successively, the participants vote these alternatives for selecting the renewal design respondent to the local community's needs.     

Conceptions of Progress: How is Progress Perceived? Mainstream Versus Alternative Conceptions of Progress

Progress is a powerful political concept, encompassing different and sometimes contradictory conceptions. This paper examines the results of a survey on progress conducted at the OECD World Forum entitled “Measuring and Fostering the Progress of Societies” held in Istanbul in June 2007. First, a distinction is drawn between the two approaches to progress (skeptical and optimistic) and four theories of progress (Liberal, Social Liberal, Green, and Conservative). Second, the survey results are examined in order to find the prevailing conception among the participants. Findings show that while the literature regards the Liberal, economically based theory of progress as sitting at the heart of the mainstream conception of progress, it is notable that, in fact, there emerged among the participants a different mainstream conception of progress: one that is optimistic in approach, yet both Social Liberal and Green in its theory.

中国“福”文化与北京奥运会“人文奥运”

"福"文化是中国文化长河中的一颗闪亮的明珠,也是中国文化神奇而富于魅力的文化因素之一。通过对中国"福"文化的理解和探究,来揭示出它与2008年北京奥运会的"人文奥运"理念的一些契合点,旨在借助北京奥运会这一世界体育盛世舞台,来展示中国优秀文化,丰富北京奥运会提出的"人文奥运"的理念,使得"人文奥运"的理念得到真正实现。     

河北省绿色大学建设研究

分析世界上绿色大学的产生及在我国的发展历程。对照我省高校现状,总结出我省建设绿色大学的意义在于绿色大学是国家和我省生态文明建设的有力支撑,绿色大学是培养可持续发展人才的重要载体,绿色大学是我省高校实现跨越式发展的内在要求。发现我省绿色大学建设存在政府部门和高校重视不够,理论研究严重滞后于实践,绿色教育开发不足的问题,提出了我省绿色大学建设应充发挥政府部门的引导作用,持续加大建设绿色大学的宣传力度,科学制定实施方案并全力组织实施等措施。     

从历史和哲学层面谈人文奥运理念的内涵

人文奥运理念是北京申办和举办2008年奥运会提出的三大理念之一,从人文奥运理念内涵的系统、历史、哲学三个层面出发,对"人文奥运"理念何以可能及可能的现实化途径进行了阐述。     

Green facades—a view back and some visions

Building facades are under permanent environmental influences, such as sun and acid rain, which age and can ultimately destroy them. Living wall systems can protect facades and offer similar benefits to those gained from installing a green roof. A view back in history shows that vegetated facades are not new technology but can offer multiple benefits as a component of current urban design. In the 19th century, in many European and some North American cities, woody climbers were frequently used as a cover for simple facades. In Central Europe in the 1980s a growing interest in environmental issues resulted in the vision to bring nature into cities. In many German cities incentive programmes were developed, including some that supported tenant initiatives for planting and maintaining climbers in their backyards and facades. Since the 1980s, research has been conducted on issues such as the insulating effects of plants on facades, the ability of plants to mitigate dust, plants’ evaporative cooling effects, and habitat creation for urban wildlife, including birds, spiders and beetles. The aim of this paper is to review research activities on the green wall and facade technology with a focus on Germany. The potential of green facades to improve urban microclimate and buildings’ ecological footprint is high, but they have not developed a widespread presence outside of Germany because they are not as well known as green roofs and there is a lack of implementation guidelines and incentive programs in other countries.     

Green roofs are not created equal: the hydrologic and thermal performance of six different extensive green roofs and reflective and non-reflective roofs in a sub-tropical climate

Green roofs have the potential to retain stormwater on the roof surface and lower the thermal loading on buildings. Because of this, the greatest environmental benefits from green roofs might be achieved in subtropical climates characterized by high temperatures and intense rain events. There is, however, little research to support this. In a replicated study in Texas, we compared the performance of six different extensive green roof designs vegetated with native species, to non-reflective (black) roofs, and reflective (white) roofs. Preliminary hydrologic and thermal profile data indicated not only differences between green and non-vegetated roofs, but also among green roof designs. Maximum green roof temperatures were cooler than conventional roofs by 38°C at the roof membrane and 18°C inside air temperature, with little variation among green roofs. Maximum run-off retention was 88% and 44% for medium and large rain events but some green roof types showed very limited retention characteristics. These data demonstrate indicate that: 1. Green roofs can greatly affect the roof temperature profile—cooling surface layers and internal space on warm days. 2. Green roofs can retain significant amounts of rainfall, this is dependent on the size of the rain event and design and can fail if not designed correctly. We suggest that as green roofs vary so much in their design and performance, they must be designed according to specific goals rather than relying on assumed intrinsic attributes.     

绿色壁垒对我国贸易的影响及应对策略

本文介绍了绿色壁垒的概念、特征、产生背景和表现形式,分析了绿色壁垒对我国外贸造成的影响,并从政府和企业层面提出了我国应对绿色壁垒的建议和措施。     

城市森林的布局模式与“绿色南京”营建

综述了城市森林的概念,城市森林的布局模式放射状、圈层式、跳跃式、依地貌和人文景观布局型及综合型.每一类型列举了典型的例子,并与南京城市森林的布局模式做了比较.提出了几点关于营造"绿色南京"的建议.     

黑龙江省农垦九三分局绿色畜牧业发展战略

农垦九三分局的畜牧业,近几年呈现快速发展的势头,走在黑龙江省农垦系统畜牧业发展的前列。中国加入 WTO 对九三畜牧业的发展既是机遇,又是挑战。适应国际市场竞争的要求,绿色畜牧业的发展是其必然的选择。