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Dr. Vivek Shandas
Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97212, USA

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0 Ecosystem Services
0 Nature Based Solutions
0 Disproportionate exposure to extreme urban heat
0 Air quality and pluvial flooding
0 Equitable access to and control over decision making processes

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Ecosystem Services
Disproportionate exposure to extreme urban heat
Air quality and pluvial flooding

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Journal article
Published: 07 January 2021 in Land
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Municipalities worldwide are increasingly recognizing the importance of urban green spaces to mitigate climate change’s extreme effects and improve residents’ quality of life. Even with extensive earlier research examining the distribution of tree canopy in cities, we know little about human perceptions of urban forestry and related ecosystem services. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the variations in socioeconomic indicators and public perceptions by asking how neighborhood trees and socioeconomic indicators mediate public perceptions of ecosystem services availability. Using Portland, Oregon (USA) as our case study, we assessed socioeconomic indicators, land cover data, and survey responses about public perceptions of neighborhood trees. Based on over 2500 survey responses, the results indicated a significant correlation among tree canopy, resident income, and sense of ownership for urban forestry. We further identified the extent to which the absence of trees amplifies environmental injustices and challenges for engaging communities with landscape management. The results suggested that Portland residents are aware of tree maintenance challenges, and the inclusion of cultural ecosystem services can better address existing environmental injustices. Our assessment of open-ended statements suggested the importance of conducting public outreach to identify specific priorities for a community-based approach to urban forestry.

ACS Style

Lorena Alves Carvalho Nascimento; Vivek Shandas. Integrating Diverse Perspectives for Managing Neighborhood Trees and Urban Ecosystem Services in Portland, OR (US). Land 2021, 10, 48 .

AMA Style

Lorena Alves Carvalho Nascimento, Vivek Shandas. Integrating Diverse Perspectives for Managing Neighborhood Trees and Urban Ecosystem Services in Portland, OR (US). Land. 2021; 10 (1):48.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lorena Alves Carvalho Nascimento; Vivek Shandas. 2021. "Integrating Diverse Perspectives for Managing Neighborhood Trees and Urban Ecosystem Services in Portland, OR (US)." Land 10, no. 1: 48.

Journal article
Published: 13 January 2020 in Climate
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The increasing intensity, duration, and frequency of heat waves due to human-caused climate change puts historically underserved populations in a heightened state of precarity, as studies observe that vulnerable communities—especially those within urban areas in the United States—are disproportionately exposed to extreme heat. Lacking, however, are insights into fundamental questions about the role of historical housing policies in cauterizing current exposure to climate inequities like intra-urban heat. Here, we explore the relationship between “redlining”, or the historical practice of refusing home loans or insurance to whole neighborhoods based on a racially motivated perception of safety for investment, with present-day summertime intra-urban land surface temperature anomalies. Through a spatial analysis of 108 urban areas in the United States, we ask two questions: (1) how do historically redlined neighborhoods relate to current patterns of intra-urban heat? and (2) do these patterns vary by US Census Bureau region? Our results reveal that 94% of studied areas display consistent city-scale patterns of elevated land surface temperatures in formerly redlined areas relative to their non-redlined neighbors by as much as 7 °C. Regionally, Southeast and Western cities display the greatest differences while Midwest cities display the least. Nationally, land surface temperatures in redlined areas are approximately 2.6 °C warmer than in non-redlined areas. While these trends are partly attributable to the relative preponderance of impervious land cover to tree canopy in these areas, which we also examine, other factors may also be driving these differences. This study reveals that historical housing policies may, in fact, be directly responsible for disproportionate exposure to current heat events.

ACS Style

Jeremy S. Hoffman; Vivek Shandas; Nicholas Pendleton. The Effects of Historical Housing Policies on Resident Exposure to Intra-Urban Heat: A Study of 108 US Urban Areas. Climate 2020, 8, 12 .

AMA Style

Jeremy S. Hoffman, Vivek Shandas, Nicholas Pendleton. The Effects of Historical Housing Policies on Resident Exposure to Intra-Urban Heat: A Study of 108 US Urban Areas. Climate. 2020; 8 (1):12.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jeremy S. Hoffman; Vivek Shandas; Nicholas Pendleton. 2020. "The Effects of Historical Housing Policies on Resident Exposure to Intra-Urban Heat: A Study of 108 US Urban Areas." Climate 8, no. 1: 12.

Journal article
Published: 16 November 2019 in Remote Sensing
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The urban heat island (UHI) concept describes heat trapping that elevates urban temperatures relative to rural temperatures, at least in temperate/humid regions. In drylands, urban irrigation can instead produce an urban cool island (UCI) effect. However, the UHI/UCI characterization suffers from uncertainty in choosing representative urban/rural endmembers, an artificial dichotomy between UHIs and UCIs, and lack of consistent terminology for other patterns of thermal variation at nested scales. We use the case of a historically well-enforced urban growth boundary (UGB) around Portland (Oregon, USA): to explore the representativeness of the surface temperature UHI (SUHI) as derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature data, to test common assumptions of characteristically “warm” or “cool” land covers (LCs), and to name other common urban thermal features of interest. We find that the UGB contains heat as well as sprawl, inducing a sharp surface temperature contrast across the urban/rural boundary. The contrast ranges widely depending on the end-members chosen, across a spectrum from positive (SUHI) to negative (SUCI) values. We propose a new, inclusive “urban thermal deviation” (UTD) term to span the spectrum of possible UHI-zero-UCI conditions. We also distinguish at finer scales “microthermal extremes” (MTEs), discrete areas tending in the same thermal direction as their LC or surroundings but to extreme (hot or cold) values, and microthermal anomalies (MTAs), that run counter to thermal expectations or tendencies for their LC or surroundings. The distinction is important because MTEs suggest a need for moderation in the local thermal landscape, whereas MTAs may suggest solutions.

ACS Style

Kevan B. Moffett; Yasuyo Makido; Vivek Shandas. Urban-Rural Surface Temperature Deviation and Intra-Urban Variations Contained by an Urban Growth Boundary. Remote Sensing 2019, 11, 2683 .

AMA Style

Kevan B. Moffett, Yasuyo Makido, Vivek Shandas. Urban-Rural Surface Temperature Deviation and Intra-Urban Variations Contained by an Urban Growth Boundary. Remote Sensing. 2019; 11 (22):2683.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kevan B. Moffett; Yasuyo Makido; Vivek Shandas. 2019. "Urban-Rural Surface Temperature Deviation and Intra-Urban Variations Contained by an Urban Growth Boundary." Remote Sensing 11, no. 22: 2683.

Chapter
Published: 28 August 2019 in Land Degradation in India
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Taken together, the studies presented for Qatar point toward a number of planning guidelines that can be adopted at different scales, ranging from regional down to neighborhood level. While the recent physical development of Qatar is discernable through an analysis of satellite images, the quality of growth and its implications for the social, economic, and environmental conditions of the region all require further study and analysis. These studies have analyzed the patterns of urbanization that led to significant challenges in thermal comfort and provide guidance on alleviating urban heat, depending on thermal regimes in different areas of Doha. Findings suggest that the the built enviornment can, in fact, mediate extreme urban heat, though likely only at the 'shoulder periods', which consist of periods in the morning and evening. The ability for creating outdoor spaces that are inviting and habitable is essential for livability. Though these chapters are an early examination of the opportunities for improving urban livability, they are, admittedly, an early exploration. Future work will need to find a way to refine further the models, analyses, and ultimate applications of this work. Without doubt, the field of urban climate adapation sciences will provide a springboard for society to advance livability on a burning planet.

ACS Style

Vivek Shandas. Conclusion: Livability in a Warming Climate. Land Degradation in India 2019, 93 -96.

AMA Style

Vivek Shandas. Conclusion: Livability in a Warming Climate. Land Degradation in India. 2019; ():93-96.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vivek Shandas. 2019. "Conclusion: Livability in a Warming Climate." Land Degradation in India , no. : 93-96.

Chapter
Published: 28 August 2019 in Land Degradation in India
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The rapidly changing climate is a crisis that, at its core, challenges many of the systems that support human habitation in cities, where the majority of people now live. The local effects of our destabilizing climate are most profound through extreme events, and heat waves are the most notorious for killing more people than all other natural disasters combined. In places like Doha, Qatar, where ambient temperatures can reach upward of 50 °C, will, by necessity, be at the forefront of adaptation strategies to improve livability through mediating extreme heat. Even though the region has long considered extreme heat in planning urban development, increasing temperatures require further reformulation of planning and development systems to accommodate new questions relevant to livability. This chapter provides a description of the relationship between rapidly growing urban regions, such as Doha, and the relationship between the built environment and human livability.

ACS Style

Vivek Shandas. Urban Heat and Livability. Land Degradation in India 2019, 1 -4.

AMA Style

Vivek Shandas. Urban Heat and Livability. Land Degradation in India. 2019; ():1-4.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vivek Shandas. 2019. "Urban Heat and Livability." Land Degradation in India , no. : 1-4.

Chapter
Published: 28 August 2019 in Land Degradation in India
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Changes to the built environment are a result of myriad decisions over the decades (and sometimes centuries) by policy-makers, architects, planners, and landscape designers. Our cities reflect historic decisions that have crafted the built environment and our capacities to transform landscapes to address emerging and acceptable threats to our health and safety. This chapter traces the history of cities, identifies examples of current movements, and begins to define a twenty-first-century concept of livability. While we focus on the interaction of the built environment with governance systems, we highlight Doha’s transformation, over time, to argue that the study of this city is important, not only because it represents the trajectory and ambitions for thousands of others but also because contains many of the characteristics that make it ideal to study urban adaptation. Results from climate models suggest that Doha will be uninhabitable, further making it a poster child for taking urban measures for safeguarding its rapidly growing population.

ACS Style

Vivek Shandas; Cynthia Skelhorn; Salim Ferwati. Urban Transformations, Past and Present. Land Degradation in India 2019, 5 -11.

AMA Style

Vivek Shandas, Cynthia Skelhorn, Salim Ferwati. Urban Transformations, Past and Present. Land Degradation in India. 2019; ():5-11.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vivek Shandas; Cynthia Skelhorn; Salim Ferwati. 2019. "Urban Transformations, Past and Present." Land Degradation in India , no. : 5-11.

Chapter
Published: 28 August 2019 in Land Degradation in India
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While scholars in North America, China, India, and Western Europe have examined the extent to which urban planning policies have contained growth, we still have yet to understand the role of urban growth containment strategies in mediating growth dynamics in non-Western regions of the world. We examine the case of Doha, Qatar to assess two future growth scenarios: (a) future growth, based on historical patterns of development; and (b) the extent to an urban growth boundary will mediate future growth. By using a combination of spatial analysis, and the application of a land transformation model, we address two research questions: (1) what landscape features help to explain the rapid expansion? And (2) how much land does an urban growth boundary help to conserve from future development? The results suggest that Doha has grown by approximately 213% between 1987 and 2013, and that if similar trends continue, the region will see another 26,350 hectares of urban development by 2028. We identify approaches for rapidly growing cities to apply modeling technique for evaluating the extent to which urban containment policies can support more sustainable forms of development.

ACS Style

Yasuyo Makido; Vivek Shandas; Salim Ferwati. Predicting Urban Growth. Land Degradation in India 2019, 75 -92.

AMA Style

Yasuyo Makido, Vivek Shandas, Salim Ferwati. Predicting Urban Growth. Land Degradation in India. 2019; ():75-92.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yasuyo Makido; Vivek Shandas; Salim Ferwati. 2019. "Predicting Urban Growth." Land Degradation in India , no. : 75-92.

Chapter
Published: 28 August 2019 in Land Degradation in India
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Amidst the chaotic growth of Asian cities, the expansion of urban infrastructure in the Middle East’s Gulf region is arguably outpacing any other region on the planet. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the types of urban form or the extent to which this rapid urbanization is giving rise to sustainable patterns of growth. We ask, what is the pace and character of urban growth in one Middle East city, Doha, Qatar. By using remotely sensed imagery from 1987 to 2013, we examined the pace, quality, and characteristics of urban growth. We further use the results to create a typology of urban growth that integrates historical and spatial dimensions for describing the qualitative aspects of growth and its implications on regional landscapes. Our results suggest that Doha is creating development patterns similar to many Western cities and that planners may need to consider whether the emerging urban form offers opportunities for more sustainable growth in the future.

ACS Style

Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido; Salim Ferwati. Rapid Land-Cover Change in Doha. Land Degradation in India 2019, 13 -29.

AMA Style

Vivek Shandas, Yasuyo Makido, Salim Ferwati. Rapid Land-Cover Change in Doha. Land Degradation in India. 2019; ():13-29.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido; Salim Ferwati. 2019. "Rapid Land-Cover Change in Doha." Land Degradation in India , no. : 13-29.

Chapter
Published: 28 August 2019 in Land Degradation in India
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Recent evidence suggests that urban forms and materials can help to mediate temporal variation of microclimates and those landscape modifications can potentially reduce temperatures and increase accessibility to outdoor environments. To understand the relationship between urban form and temperature moderation, we examined the spatial and temporal variation of air temperature throughout one desert city—Doha, Qatar—by conducting vehicle traverses using highly resolved temperature and GPS data logs to determine spatial differences in summertime air temperatures. To help explain near-surface air temperatures using land-cover variables, we employed three statistical approaches: ordinary least squares (OLS), regression tree analysis (RTA), and random forest (RF). We validated the predictions of the statistical models by computing the root mean square error (RMSE) and discovered that temporal variations in urban heat are mediated by different factors throughout the day. The average RMSE for OLS, RTA, and RF are 1.25, 0.96, and 0.65 (in Celsius), respectively, suggesting that the RF is the best model for predicting near-surface air temperatures at this study site. We conclude by recommending the features of the landscape that have the greatest potential for reducing extreme heat in arid climates.

ACS Style

Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido; Salim Ferwati. Regional Variations in Temperatures. Land Degradation in India 2019, 31 -49.

AMA Style

Vivek Shandas, Yasuyo Makido, Salim Ferwati. Regional Variations in Temperatures. Land Degradation in India. 2019; ():31-49.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido; Salim Ferwati. 2019. "Regional Variations in Temperatures." Land Degradation in India , no. : 31-49.

Chapter
Published: 28 August 2019 in Land Degradation in India
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This chapter examines microclimate modeling to evaluate the effects of changing landscape features on ambient temperatures in Doha, Qatar. By modeling three study sites around Doha—one highly urbanized, one newly urbanizing, and one coastal low-density urbanized—the research indicates that at the neighborhood-scale, the most effective scenario was that of adding mature trees along the sides of roads. In the coastal study area, the model results estimated a maximum hourly air temperature reduction of 1.35 °C, and in the highly urbanized inland site, surface temperature reductions were up to 15 °C at 12:00. While other scenarios were effective at reducing air and surface temperatures, the mean radiant temperature was also increased or nearly neutral for most of the other scenarios. This result highlights the need to develop improved shading measures for pedestrian pathways and outdoor recreational areas, especially for highly urbanized inland areas in Doha and cities with similar climatic conditions.

ACS Style

Cynthia Skelhorn; Salim Ferwati; Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido. Urban Form and Variation in Temperatures. Land Degradation in India 2019, 51 -73.

AMA Style

Cynthia Skelhorn, Salim Ferwati, Vivek Shandas, Yasuyo Makido. Urban Form and Variation in Temperatures. Land Degradation in India. 2019; ():51-73.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cynthia Skelhorn; Salim Ferwati; Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido. 2019. "Urban Form and Variation in Temperatures." Land Degradation in India , no. : 51-73.

Chapter
Published: 26 June 2019 in Landscape Series
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The legal and governance context for landscape planning in countries outside the EU can differ greatly from their EU counterparts. We propose a framework for characterizing that context in order to enable readers from non-EU countries to relate their planning systems to the European baseline for landscape planning. Methodologies for the assessment of ES in landscape planning, such as presented in this book, can be applied in principle in most countries. However, their planning context often will be very different. Legal, political, economic, demographic, cultural and physical-environmental conditions define whether comprehensive environmental planning is possible at all, or whether incremental actions are the only feasible strategy. The context also influences the role of citizen participation and different spatial or political tiers at which particular planning tasks take place. The methodologies applied in any kind of landscape planning must also be adapted to the quality and availability of data, and particularly to the evaluation standards and roles of citizen preferences in different legal and political systems. We present two particular examples from advanced economy countries – Oregon in the USA and Japan. These examples illustrate the different governance contexts for environmental planning in the selected jurisdictions and their possible consequences for managing ecosystem services.

ACS Style

Vivek Shandas; Christina Von Haaren; Hiroyuki Shimizu; Rachelle Alterman; Andrew A. Lovett. Perspectives From Outside the EU: The Influence of Legal and Planning Frameworks on Landscape Planning. Landscape Series 2019, 463 -494.

AMA Style

Vivek Shandas, Christina Von Haaren, Hiroyuki Shimizu, Rachelle Alterman, Andrew A. Lovett. Perspectives From Outside the EU: The Influence of Legal and Planning Frameworks on Landscape Planning. Landscape Series. 2019; ():463-494.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vivek Shandas; Christina Von Haaren; Hiroyuki Shimizu; Rachelle Alterman; Andrew A. Lovett. 2019. "Perspectives From Outside the EU: The Influence of Legal and Planning Frameworks on Landscape Planning." Landscape Series , no. : 463-494.

Research article
Published: 24 June 2019 in Journal of Environmental Planning and Management
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To mitigate the harmful effects of stormwater runoff, many cities in the United States are constructing green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), yet the varied perceptions of GSI by local municipal managers can make or break the implementation of GSI in any given city. We conducted a series of focus groups with municipal managers from two adjacent regions in the Pacific Northwest (US) – Portland, Oregon and Clark County, Washington – where many of the earliest and most extensive applications of urban GSI have occurred. We aimed to understand the extent to which municipal managers fundamentally differ in their considerations of GSI, even within one metropolitan region. Results indicate that Portland respondents were optimistic about GSI implementation emphasizing stakeholder buy-in and regulatory systems. Alternatively, in Clark County, an unfunded state mandate, public concern, and uncertainties about facility performance culminated in a cautionary approach to GSI. The variation in findings has many implications for implementing GSI.

ACS Style

Vivek Shandas; A. Marissa Matsler; Liliana Caughman; Ashley Harris. Towards the implementation of green stormwater infrastructure: perspectives from municipal managers in the Pacific Northwest. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 2019, 63, 959 -980.

AMA Style

Vivek Shandas, A. Marissa Matsler, Liliana Caughman, Ashley Harris. Towards the implementation of green stormwater infrastructure: perspectives from municipal managers in the Pacific Northwest. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 2019; 63 (6):959-980.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vivek Shandas; A. Marissa Matsler; Liliana Caughman; Ashley Harris. 2019. "Towards the implementation of green stormwater infrastructure: perspectives from municipal managers in the Pacific Northwest." Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 63, no. 6: 959-980.

Journal article
Published: 21 May 2019 in Atmosphere
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Urban heat is a growing environmental concern in cities around the world. The urban heat island effect, combined with warming effects of climate change, is likely to cause an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events. Alterations to the physical, built environment are a viable option for mitigating urban heat, yet few studies provide systematic guidance to practitioners for adapting diverse land uses. In this study, we examine the use of green infrastructure treatments to evaluate changes in ambient temperatures across diverse land uses in the city of Portland, Oregon. We apply ENVI-met® microclimate modeling at the city-block scale specifically to determine what built environment characteristics are most associated with high temperatures, and the extent to which different physical designs reduce ambient temperature. The analysis included six green infrastructure interventions modeled across six different land-use types, and indicated the varying degrees to which approaches are effective. Results were inconsistent across landscapes, and showed that one mitigation solution alone would not significantly reduce extreme heat. These results can be used to develop targeted, climate- and landscape-specific cooling interventions for different land uses, which can help to inform and refine current guidance to achieve urban climate adaptation goals.

ACS Style

Yasuyo Makido; Dana Hellman; Vivek Shandas. Nature-Based Designs to Mitigate Urban Heat: The Efficacy of Green Infrastructure Treatments in Portland, Oregon. Atmosphere 2019, 10, 282 .

AMA Style

Yasuyo Makido, Dana Hellman, Vivek Shandas. Nature-Based Designs to Mitigate Urban Heat: The Efficacy of Green Infrastructure Treatments in Portland, Oregon. Atmosphere. 2019; 10 (5):282.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yasuyo Makido; Dana Hellman; Vivek Shandas. 2019. "Nature-Based Designs to Mitigate Urban Heat: The Efficacy of Green Infrastructure Treatments in Portland, Oregon." Atmosphere 10, no. 5: 282.

Journal article
Published: 30 January 2019 in Sustainability
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Recent evidence suggests that many densely populated areas of the world will be uninhabitable in the coming century due to the depletion of resources, climate change, and increasing urbanization. This poses serious questions regarding the actions that require immediate attention, and opportunities to stave off massive losses of infrastructure, populations, and financial investments. The present study utilizes microclimate modeling to examine the role of landscape features as they affect ambient temperatures in one of the fastest growing regions of the world: Doha, Qatar. By modeling three study sites around Doha—one highly urbanized, one newly urbanizing, and one coastal low-density urbanized—the research indicates that at the neighborhood scale, the most effective scenario was that of adding mature trees along the sides of roads. In the coastal study area, the model results estimated a maximum hourly air temperature reduction of 1.35 °C, and in the highly urbanized inland site, surface temperature reductions were up to 15 °C at 12:00. While other scenarios were effective at reducing air and surface temperatures, the mean radiant temperature was also increased or nearly neutral for most of the other scenarios. This result highlights the need to develop improved shading measures for pedestrian pathways and outdoor recreational areas, especially for highly urbanized inland areas in Doha and cities with similar climatic conditions.

ACS Style

Salim Ferwati; Cynthia Skelhorn; Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido. A Comparison of Neighborhood-Scale Interventions to Alleviate Urban Heat in Doha, Qatar. Sustainability 2019, 11, 730 .

AMA Style

Salim Ferwati, Cynthia Skelhorn, Vivek Shandas, Yasuyo Makido. A Comparison of Neighborhood-Scale Interventions to Alleviate Urban Heat in Doha, Qatar. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (3):730.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Salim Ferwati; Cynthia Skelhorn; Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido. 2019. "A Comparison of Neighborhood-Scale Interventions to Alleviate Urban Heat in Doha, Qatar." Sustainability 11, no. 3: 730.

Journal article
Published: 03 January 2019 in Climate
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The emergence of urban heat as a climate-induced health stressor is receiving increasing attention among researchers, practitioners, and climate educators. However, the measurement of urban heat poses several challenges with current methods leveraging either ground based, in situ observations, or satellite-derived surface temperatures estimated from land use emissivity. While both techniques contain inherent advantages and biases to predicting temperatures, their integration may offer an opportunity to improve the spatial resolution and global application of urban heat measurements. Using a combination of ground-based measurements, machine learning techniques, and spatial analysis, we addressed three research questions: (1) How much do ambient temperatures vary across time and space in a metropolitan region? (2) To what extent can the integration of ground-based measurements and satellite imagery help to predict temperatures? (3) What landscape features consistently amplify and temper heat? We applied our analysis to the cities of Baltimore, Maryland, and Richmond, Virginia, and the District of Columbia using geocomputational machine learning processes on data collected on days when maximum air temperatures were above the 90th percentile of historic averages. Our results suggest that the urban microclimate was highly variable across all of the cities—with differences of up to 10 °C between coolest and warmest locations at the same time—and that these air temperatures were primarily dependent on underlying landscape features. Additionally, we found that integrating satellite data with ground-based measures provided highly accurate and precise descriptions of temperatures in all three study regions. These results suggest that accurately identifying areas of extreme urban heat hazards for any region is possible through integrating ground-based temperature and satellite data.

ACS Style

Vivek Shandas; Jackson Voelkel; Joseph Williams; Jeremy Hoffman. Integrating Satellite and Ground Measurements for Predicting Locations of Extreme Urban Heat. Climate 2019, 7, 5 .

AMA Style

Vivek Shandas, Jackson Voelkel, Joseph Williams, Jeremy Hoffman. Integrating Satellite and Ground Measurements for Predicting Locations of Extreme Urban Heat. Climate. 2019; 7 (1):5.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vivek Shandas; Jackson Voelkel; Joseph Williams; Jeremy Hoffman. 2019. "Integrating Satellite and Ground Measurements for Predicting Locations of Extreme Urban Heat." Climate 7, no. 1: 5.

Journal article
Published: 03 July 2018 in Environmental Science & Policy
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Green stormwater infrastructure (GI) is gaining traction as a viable complement to traditional “gray” infrastructure in cities across the United States. As cities struggle with decisions to replace deteriorating stormwater infrastructure in the face of looming issues such as population growth and climate change, GI may offer a cost-effective, efficient, and sustainable approach. However, decision makers confront challenges when integrating GI within city plans, including uncertainties around GI capacity and maintenance, resistance to collaboration across city governance, increasingly inflexible financing, accounting practices that do not incorporate the multiple values of GI, and difficulties in incorporating ecological infrastructure into stormwater management. This paper presents an ecosystem services framework for assessing the context-specific needs of decision makers, while considering the strengths and limitations of GI use in urban stormwater management. We describe multiple dimensions of the planning system, identify points of intervention, and illustrate two applications of our framework – Durham, North Carolina and Portland, Oregon (USA). In these case studies, we apply our ecosystem services framework to explicitly consider tradeoffs to assist planning professionals who are considering implementation of GI. We conclude by offering a research agenda that explores opportunities for further evaluations of GI design, implementation, and maintenance in cities.

ACS Style

Todd K. BenDor; Vivek Shandas; Brian Miles; Kenneth Belt; Lydia Olander. Ecosystem services and U.S. stormwater planning: An approach for improving urban stormwater decisions. Environmental Science & Policy 2018, 88, 92 -103.

AMA Style

Todd K. BenDor, Vivek Shandas, Brian Miles, Kenneth Belt, Lydia Olander. Ecosystem services and U.S. stormwater planning: An approach for improving urban stormwater decisions. Environmental Science & Policy. 2018; 88 ():92-103.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Todd K. BenDor; Vivek Shandas; Brian Miles; Kenneth Belt; Lydia Olander. 2018. "Ecosystem services and U.S. stormwater planning: An approach for improving urban stormwater decisions." Environmental Science & Policy 88, no. : 92-103.

Journal article
Published: 30 March 2018 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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Extreme urban heat is a powerful environmental stressor which poses a significant threat to human health and well-being. Exacerbated by the urban heat island phenomenon, heat events are expected to become more intense and frequent as climate change progresses, though we have limited understanding of the impact of such events on vulnerable populations at a neighborhood or census block group level. Focusing on the City of Portland, Oregon, this study aimed to determine which socio-demographic populations experience disproportionate exposure to extreme heat, as well as the level of access to refuge in the form of public cooling centers or residential central air conditioning. During a 2014 heat wave, temperature data were recorded using a vehicle-traverse collection method, then extrapolated to determine average temperature at the census block group level. Socio-demographic factors including income, race, education, age, and English speaking ability were tested using statistical assessments to identify significant relationships with heat exposure and access to refuge from extreme heat. Results indicate that groups with limited adaptive capacity, including those in poverty and non-white populations, are at higher risk for heat exposure, suggesting an emerging concern of environmental justice as it relates to climate change. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity and inclusion, in combination with effectively distributing cooling centers in areas where the greatest burden befalls vulnerable populations.

ACS Style

Jackson Voelkel; Dana Hellman; Ryu Sakuma; Vivek Shandas. Assessing Vulnerability to Urban Heat: A Study of Disproportionate Heat Exposure and Access to Refuge by Socio-Demographic Status in Portland, Oregon. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2018, 15, 640 .

AMA Style

Jackson Voelkel, Dana Hellman, Ryu Sakuma, Vivek Shandas. Assessing Vulnerability to Urban Heat: A Study of Disproportionate Heat Exposure and Access to Refuge by Socio-Demographic Status in Portland, Oregon. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018; 15 (4):640.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jackson Voelkel; Dana Hellman; Ryu Sakuma; Vivek Shandas. 2018. "Assessing Vulnerability to Urban Heat: A Study of Disproportionate Heat Exposure and Access to Refuge by Socio-Demographic Status in Portland, Oregon." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 4: 640.

Journal article
Published: 11 September 2017 in Urban Climate
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Doha, Qatar is one of the arid coastal cities of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Like similar cities, temperatures can vary widely throughout, with rapid and extensive development that has contributed to micro-climate changes. While numerous studies since the 1950s have assessed urban micro-climates, few have offered insights into urban corridor environments. This research is one of few projects to examine temperature records along two major roadways and identify factors that explain variation. The research uses vehicle-based air temperature traverses during late spring and summer 2016 using a Type T fine gauge thermocouple mounted in a white plastic tube and supported above the vehicle on the passenger-side window. The data were assessed in terms of four factors that may impact temperature along the corridors, including: distance from the coast, traffic volume, vegetation density, and building volume density from 50 m up to 400 m (in 50 m intervals) from the centerline of the traverse. Results indicated that the two most critical variables that predict air temperature patterns along the corridors are the distance to the coast and the traffic volume. This knowledge can be incorporated into urban planning and design practice for extreme arid environments to maintain temperatures that reduce heat-related stress.

ACS Style

Salim Ferwati; Cynthia Skelhorn; Vivek Shandas; Jackson Voelkel; Ayla Shawish; Mohammad Ghanim. Analysis of urban heat in a corridor environment – The case of Doha, Qatar. Urban Climate 2017, 24, 692 -702.

AMA Style

Salim Ferwati, Cynthia Skelhorn, Vivek Shandas, Jackson Voelkel, Ayla Shawish, Mohammad Ghanim. Analysis of urban heat in a corridor environment – The case of Doha, Qatar. Urban Climate. 2017; 24 ():692-702.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Salim Ferwati; Cynthia Skelhorn; Vivek Shandas; Jackson Voelkel; Ayla Shawish; Mohammad Ghanim. 2017. "Analysis of urban heat in a corridor environment – The case of Doha, Qatar." Urban Climate 24, no. : 692-702.

Journal article
Published: 10 July 2017 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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Understanding how local land use and land cover (LULC) shapes intra-urban concentrations of atmospheric pollutants—and thus human health—is a key component in designing healthier cities. Here, NO2 is modeled based on spatially dense summer and winter NO2 observations in Portland-Hillsboro-Vancouver (USA), and the spatial variation of NO2 with LULC investigated using random forest, an ensemble data learning technique. The NO2 random forest model, together with BenMAP, is further used to develop a better understanding of the relationship among LULC, ambient NO2 and respiratory health. The impact of land use modifications on ambient NO2, and consequently on respiratory health, is also investigated using a sensitivity analysis. We find that NO2 associated with roadways and tree-canopied areas may be affecting annual incidence rates of asthma exacerbation in 4–12 year olds by +3000 per 100,000 and −1400 per 100,000, respectively. Our model shows that increasing local tree canopy by 5% may reduce local incidences rates of asthma exacerbation by 6%, indicating that targeted local tree-planting efforts may have a substantial impact on reducing city-wide incidence of respiratory distress. Our findings demonstrate the utility of random forest modeling in evaluating LULC modifications for enhanced respiratory health.

ACS Style

Meenakshi Rao; Linda A. George; Vivek Shandas; Todd N. Rosenstiel. Assessing the Potential of Land Use Modification to Mitigate Ambient NO2 and Its Consequences for Respiratory Health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2017, 14, 750 .

AMA Style

Meenakshi Rao, Linda A. George, Vivek Shandas, Todd N. Rosenstiel. Assessing the Potential of Land Use Modification to Mitigate Ambient NO2 and Its Consequences for Respiratory Health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2017; 14 (7):750.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Meenakshi Rao; Linda A. George; Vivek Shandas; Todd N. Rosenstiel. 2017. "Assessing the Potential of Land Use Modification to Mitigate Ambient NO2 and Its Consequences for Respiratory Health." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14, no. 7: 750.

Journal article
Published: 30 June 2017 in European Journal of Sustainable Development Research
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ACS Style

Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido; Salim Ferwati. Rapid Urban Growth and Land Use Patterns in Doha, Qatar: Opportunities for Sustainability? European Journal of Sustainable Development Research 2017, 1, 1 -13.

AMA Style

Vivek Shandas, Yasuyo Makido, Salim Ferwati. Rapid Urban Growth and Land Use Patterns in Doha, Qatar: Opportunities for Sustainability? European Journal of Sustainable Development Research. 2017; 1 (2):1-13.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vivek Shandas; Yasuyo Makido; Salim Ferwati. 2017. "Rapid Urban Growth and Land Use Patterns in Doha, Qatar: Opportunities for Sustainability?" European Journal of Sustainable Development Research 1, no. 2: 1-13.