K. Chithra ¹, P. P. Anilkumar ¹, M. A. Naseer ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Calicut – 673601, Kerala, IN

Abstract

United Nation’s World urbanization prospects Report 2001, projected that the proportion of urban population in the world will touch 70% by 2050. In 2012, according to the World Bank data catalogue, 53% of the world population can be categorized as urban population, people living in urban areas as defined by respective national statistical offices. Increasing trend of this urbanization has made the residential land use a major shareholder in urban land uses. Residential land use predominantly consist of buildings used or constructed or adopted to be used wholly for human habitation and also include garages, and other out-houses necessary for the normal use of the building as a residence. There are systems/methods like Environmental Impact Assessment in place to check on the impacts of individual buildings/projects on environment. However a method/system to check the environmental implications of specific/critical land uses from a holistic viewpoint is totally missing. To conduct such a check it is mandatory to know basic traits of the land use under consideration. This paper fundamentally discusses on how to capture the innate characteristics of residential land use in an area and thereby its impact generation capacity and to express it as a site specific index. For this an expert survey was performed to integrate the various characteristics of residential land use in an urban area of a large city. The study was conducted in an Indian Urban context where there is multiplicity in scale of residential development and socioeconomic back ground of people. The expert group’s organized inputs are gathered, compared and composed in this regard and the results are presented and communicated.

Keywords

Analytical Hierarchy Process, Environmental Impacts, Index Generation, Land Use Characteristic’s

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P. P. Anilkumar ¹, Ar. K. Chithra ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, IN

Abstract

Background: The paper is based on a study aimed at arriving a more rational method to estimate quantity of solid waste generated type-wise, replacing the per capita based system practiced at present. Methods: It tries to understand how ‘residential land use and associated activities’ based specific key generator parameters of solid waste in a small/medium scale urban area influence quantity of waste generated. Criticality of residential landuse and related generators are identified through a Delphi/AHP based expert survey. Their relationship to waste generation is established using a field survey conducted in 2 select wards of three cities in South India. A statistically relevant sample size of 150 households/ward was surveyed. Results: The results show that when solid waste estimation based on land use parameters is attempted for residential land use not only factors like household size, income and food habits matter but also factors like housing typology, educational back ground, household size, existing systems in place for waste management etc have a decisive role to play in waste generation. Results of the Delphi/AHP process showing landuse criticality and weightage of the relevant parameters of residential landuse are first presented. Then, the paper discusses the field survey findings linking the stated parameters to the type and quantities of waste produced in the surveyed cities. In conclusion, the paper briefly outlines a system that can be developed to estimate solid waste generation at a suitable level (like ward) incorporating the parameters listed. Application: At the application level, such a system will have superior quantitative and qualitative precision of waste estimation and thus can help better in waste management, capacity building and mitigation measures as the case may be.

Keywords

Generators, Landuse, Solidwaste Estimation, Sustainable Urban Areas

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P. K. Amritha ¹, P. P. Anilkumar ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Architecture, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kozhikode - 673601, Kerala, IN

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The paper looks into an approach to develop landscape solution to landfill sites or an unused land which allows a sustainable disposal option of urban organic waste as well as a sustainable maintenance of land in urban areas. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The paper identifies landfills as specific examples of urban landscapes which can be transformed to landscaped landfills. Such a plan can be formulated only by knowing the quantity and quality of the waste generated the available resources and the environmental conditions of a particular region. This paper looks into an innovative approach where source separated biodegradable waste that is taken to a landfill could be a source for landscape development. Findings: As a result the paper describes a conceptual model for landscaped landfills where it considers two options; one is rehabilitating existing dump sites (due for a clean-up) and another for setting up new sites for disposal. For both these solutions the organic/biodegradable nature of the waste can provide nutrient for plant growth which is an essential element of landscape. However, for a continuous maintenance and management of such sites the model tries to integrate certain existing waste management techniques without overlooking the environmental risks associated. Further, the paper explains the cyclic process of landscaped landfills in three different phases which includes the dumping phase, degradation phase and the planting phase. The paper briefly outlinesthat the extent and intensity these phases are site specific and depends on the quantity and quality of the waste, plant growth period and climate. Application/Improvement: The model describes a strategy and methodology to convert landfills/open dumps or any vacant land into a fitting component of typical urban landscapes through enhancing its environmental significance and visual quality for sustainability.

Keywords

Environment, Landfills, Landscape, Solid Waste, Sustainability.

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