From self-sufficient provision of water and energy to regenerative urban development and sustainability: exploring the potentials in Mashhad City, Iran

Shahrzad Gholizadeh Sarabi and Mohammad Rahim Rahnama

Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 2021, vol. 64, issue 14, 2459-2480

Abstract: Increased resource demand due to rapid urbanization has made cities like Mashhad highly dependent on their surroundings for resource supply and waste disposal, and has negatively impacted their local-regional hinterlands. To reduce the metabolic footprint of cities and create an environmentally restorative relationship between cities and their supporting ecosystems, a transition toward local alternative and renewable sources is essential. This paper explores potentials for water and energy self-sufficient provision in Mashhad using the Urban Harvesting method to practically illustrate how cities could seek opportunities to meet their needs within their boundaries before relying on external supplies. Results showed that solar photovoltaic and biogas could provide 4495.2 and 472.6 GWh/yr electricity, altogether enabling Mashhad to offset 100% of its consumption. Water cascading and recycling have the potential to meet 72% of the demand, and replace around 125 mcm/yr of imported water. Similarly, water self-sufficiency would increase by 5%–8% (8.6–14.7 mcm/yr) when collecting rainwater from rooftops.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1080/09640568.2021.1874894

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