Positive Energy Districts and Energy Efficiency in Buildings: An Innovative Technical Communication Sheet to Facilitate Policy Officers’ Understanding to Enable Technologies and Procedure

The Horizon 2020 framework programme is defining funding strategies for research and innovation projects in European cities and promoting policies and solutions for the transition to a competitive energy system at an urban scale. Given that Horizon Europe, thanks to the Driving Urban Transition Partnership, will fund RD&I projects regarding transitions to urban sustainability; how municipalities will implement different strategies is a relevant key to developing replicable models. We conducted this study on Italian cities through a mapping exercise on selected case studies. The aim was to provide a knowledge framework to municipalities undertaking sustainable urban development actions. We selected case studies based on energy efficiency in buildings, both in retrofits and new constructions. This highlighted how the adoption of multifaceted technological solutions blended well with each other, and led, not only, to satisfy the initial requirements, in terms of expected impacts from the single actions, but also provided relevant and replicable samples. For this, the analysis of solutions tested by different municipalities in the selected projects led to spreadsheets and indicators related to energy efficiency in buildings, which enabled a transition to a PED, which could facilitate an understanding of elements that must be clearly indicated in a preliminary design document (Directive 2014/24/UE).

Urban–Rural Gradients Predict Educational Gaps: Evidence from a Machine Learning Approach Involving Academic Performance and Impervious Surfaces in Ecuador

Academic performance (AP) is explained by a multitude of factors, principally by those related to socioeconomic, cultural, and educational environments. However, AP is less understood from a spatial perspective. The aim of this study was to investigate a methodology using a machine learning approach to determine which answers from a questionnaire-based survey were relevant for explaining the high AP of secondary school students across urban–rural gradients in Ecuador. We used high school locations to construct individual datasets and stratify them according to the AP scores. Using the Boruta algorithm and backward elimination, we identified the best predictors, classified them using random forest, and mapped the AP classification probabilities. We summarized these results as frequent answers observed for each natural region in Ecuador and used their probability outputs to formulate hypotheses with respect to the urban–rural gradient derived from annual maps of impervious surfaces. Our approach resulted in a cartographic analysis of AP probabilities with overall accuracies around 0.83–0.84% and Kappa values of 0.65–0.67%. High AP was primarily related to answers regarding the academic environment and cognitive skills. These identified answers varied depending on the region, which allowed for different interpretations of the driving factors of AP in Ecuador. A rural-to-urban transition ranging 8–17 years was found to be the timespan correlated with achievement of high AP.

Tokyo, Japan – urbanistic hybridity in a networked metropolis

Purpose This paper aims to identify relevant innovations in Tokyo’s spatial articulation of infrastructure, building and public space, intertwining large-scale networks with local scale urban fabrics, to inform urban management towards sustainable urban transitions. Design/methodology/approach The research used a methodological combination of literature review, relevant case identification and analysis, on-site survey and photography, morphological interpretation through cartographic analysis and urban space and architectural redrawing and discussion under the conceptual framework. Findings Under Japan’s cultural construct, public/private thresholds are blurred and layered, defining a public space network which includes not only large-scale urban objects, such as railroad and commercial hubs but also small scale, hybrid and rather aweless forms of urban space, which can be of interest to the challenges of sustainable urban transition. Research limitations/implications Adaptations in urban management and design need to consider the multi-scalar embeddedness of urban networks in local fabrics, considering public space structure and socio-cultural specificities. Limitations to growth-oriented rationale require increasingly decentralized networks and more hybrid spatial configurations in buildings, infrastructures and public space. Originality/value Tokyo represents an example of how a network-dependent metropolis, accommodates highly adaptive, inconspicuous and decentralized forms of basic service provision with an impact on the perception, use and management of public space. The main argument lies in the potential that these spatial arrangements hold as references for contemporary urban management and design in what pertains to societal challenges, low-carbon transition and network optimization.