Reducing Seismic Vulnerability and Energy Demand of Cities through Green Infrastructure

Riccardo Privitera and Daniele La Rosa
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Riccardo Privitera: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania CT, Italy
Daniele La Rosa: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania CT, Italy

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-21

Abstract: Historically, urbanization processes in Italy resulted in built environments with high levels of seismic vulnerability, low energy efficiency and a lack of green spaces. The latter represent the main providers of ecosystem services in cities and play a relevant role in reducing the effects of climate change by the regulation of microclimate and urban heat islands that are responsible for building energy consumption. Despite their importance in providing ecosystem services, the implementation of green infrastructure challenges limited financial resources for the public acquisition of private plots. This paper proposes a strategy to implement an urban green infrastructure aimed at generating a double positive effect on cities by triggering seismic retrofitting and the reduction of cooling energy demand of the existing urban fabric. This is proposed through a transfer of development rights program where landowners gain economic incentives to adopt seismic retrofitting interventions and, at the same time, public administrations implement the green infrastructure in the portion of areas transferred to the municipality. The energy efficiency of buildings closer to the green infrastructure, therefore, benefits from the cooling effects of this new greenery. The strategy is tested under different scenarios of acquisition of private land by public administrations in the metropolitan area of Catania (Italy).

Keywords: green infrastructure; seismic retrofitting; energy retrofitting; ecosystem services; urban planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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