Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi,which translates to 'place of cool waters',a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper had a population of 4,397,073 in the 2019 census. The city is commonly referred to as 'The Green City in the Sun'.
Urban design is an approach to the design of buildings and the spaces between them that focuses on specific design processes and outcomes. In addition to designing and shaping the physical features of towns,cities,and regional spaces,urban design considers 'bigger picture' issues of economic,social and environmental value and social design. The scope of a project can range from a local street or public space to an entire city and surrounding areas. Urban designers connect the fields of architecture,landscape architecture and urban planning to better organize physical space and community environments.
Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country,city,or other area,and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy,households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and private physical structures such as roads,railways,bridges,airports,public transit systems,tunnels,water supply,sewers,electrical grids,and telecommunications. In general,infrastructure has been defined as "the physical components of interrelated systems providing commodities and services essential to enable,sustain,or enhance societal living conditions" and maintain the surrounding environment.
Commuting is periodically recurring travel between a place of residence and place of work or study,where the traveler,referred to as a commuter,leaves the boundary of their home community. By extension,it can sometimes be any regular or often repeated travel between locations,even when not work-related. The modes of travel,time taken and distance traveled in commuting varies widely across the globe. Most people in least-developed countries continue to walk to work. The cheapest method of commuting after walking is usually by bicycle,so this is common in low-income countries but is also increasingly practised by people in wealthier countries for environmental and health reasons. In middle-income countries,motorcycle commuting is very common.
Sustainable transport refers to ways of transportation that are sustainable in terms of their social and environmental impacts. Components for evaluating sustainability include the particular vehicles used for road,water or air transport;the source of energy;and the infrastructure used to accommodate the transport. Transport operations and logistics as well as transit-oriented development are also involved in evaluation. Transportation sustainability is largely being measured by transportation system effectiveness and efficiency as well as the environmental and climate impacts of the system. Transport systems have significant impacts on the environment,accounting for between 20% and 25% of world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. The majority of the emissions,almost 97%,came from direct burning of fossil fuels. In 2019,about 95% of the fuel came from fossil sources. The main source of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union is transportation. In 2019 it contributes to about 31% of global emissions and 24% of emissions in the EU. In addition,up to the COVID-19 pandemic,emissions have only increased in this one sector. Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are increasing at a faster rate than any other energy using sector. Road transport is also a major contributor to local air pollution and smog.
Sustainable urban infrastructure expands on the concept of urban infrastructure by adding the sustainability element with the expectation of improved and more resilient urban development. In the construction and physical and organizational structures that enable cities to function,sustainability also aims to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the capabilities of the future generations.
The Earth Institute is a research institute at Columbia University created in 1995 for addressing complex issues facing the planet and its inhabitants,with a focus on sustainable development. With an interdisciplinary approach,this includes research in climate change,geology,global health,economics,management,agriculture,ecosystems,urbanization,energy,hazards,and water. The Earth Institute's activities are guided by the idea that science and technological tools that already exist could be applied to greatly improve conditions for the world's poor,while preserving the natural systems that support life on Earth.
A sustainable city,eco-city,or green city is a city designed with consideration for the social,economic,and environmental impact,as well as a resilient habitat for existing populations. This is done in a way that does not compromise the ability of future generations to experience the same. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 defines sustainable cities as those that are dedicated to achieving green sustainability,social sustainability and economic sustainability. In accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11,a sustainable city is defined as one that is dedicated to achieving green,social,and economic sustainability. They are committed to this objective by facilitating opportunities for all through a design that prioritizes inclusivity as well as maintaining a sustainable economic growth. Furthermore,the objective is to minimize the inputs of energy,water,and food,and to drastically reduce waste,as well as the outputs of heat,air pollution. Richard Register,a visual artist,first coined the term ecocity in his 1987 book Ecocity Berkeley:Building Cities for a Healthy Future, where he offers innovative city planning solutions that would work anywhere. Other leading figures who envisioned sustainable cities are architect Paul F Downton,who later founded the company Ecopolis Pty Ltd,as well as authors Timothy Beatley and Steffen Lehmann,who have written extensively on the subject. The field of industrial ecology is sometimes used in planning these cities.
In urban planning,walkability is the accessibility of amenities by foot. It is based on the idea that urban spaces should be more than just transport corridors designed for maximum vehicle throughput. Instead,it should be relatively complete livable spaces that serve a variety of uses,users,and transportation modes and reduce the need for cars for travel.
A smart city is an urban area that uses digital technology to collect data and to operate/provide services. Data can be collected from citizens,devices,buildings,cameras. Applications include traffic and transportation systems,power plants,utilities,urban forestry,water supply networks,waste disposal,criminal investigations,information systems,schools,libraries,hospitals,and other community services. The foundation of a smart city is built on the integration of people,technology,and processes,which connect and interact across sectors such as healthcare,transportation,education,and infrastructure,etc. Smart cities are characterized by the ways in which their local governments monitor,analyze,plan,and govern the city. In a smart city,the sharing of data extends to businesses,citizens and other third parties who can derive benefit from using that data. The three largest sources of spending associated with smart cities as of 2022 were visual surveillance,public transit,and outdoor lighting.
Janmarg,also known as Ahmedabad BRTS,is a bus rapid transit system in Ahmedabad,Gujarat,India. It is operated by Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited,a subsidiary of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and others. It is designed by CEPT University. It was inaugurated in October 2009. The network expanded to 89 kilometres (55 mi) by December 2017 and 160 km by March 2023;with daily ridership of 3,49,000 passengers. BRTS won several nation and international awards for design,implementation and operation. It was rated Silver on BRT Standard in 2013.
Public transport is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport,typically managed on a schedule,operated on established routes,and that may charge a posted fee for each trip. There is no rigid definition of which kinds of transport are included,and air travel is often not thought of when discussing public transport—dictionaries use wording like "buses,trains,etc." Examples of public transport include city buses,trolleybuses,trams and passenger trains,rapid transit and ferries. Public transport between cities is dominated by airlines,coaches,and intercity rail. High-speed rail networks are being developed in many parts of the world.
Ongata Rongai is a town located in Kajiado North,Kajiado County,Kenya. The town is situated 17 km (10.6 mi) south of the Nairobi CBD,East of the Ngong hills,and within the greater Nairobi Metropolitan Region. It lies 1,731 meters (5,682 feet) above sea level. According to the 2019 Census,it is the most populous town in Kajiado County and eleventh largest urban centre by population in Kenya.
Green urbanism has been defined as the practice of creating communities beneficial to humans and the environment. According to Timothy Beatley,it is an attempt to shape more sustainable places,communities and lifestyles,and consume less of the world's resources. Urban areas are able to lay the groundwork of how environmentally integrated and sustainable city planning can both provide and improve environmental benefits on the local,national,and international levels. Green urbanism is interdisciplinary,combining the collaboration of landscape architects,engineers,urban planners,ecologists,transport planners,physicists,psychologists,sociologists,economists and other specialists in addition to architects and urban designers.
Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) is an independent non-profit research organization located in Kochi,India. It was established in the year 2004. It conducts professional research,integrating developments in the areas of education,livelihood,governance,urban reforms and environment. The four focus study centers are:CPPR Centre for Urban Studies,CPPR Centre for Comparative Studies,CPPR Centre for Strategic Studies and CPPR Academy.
Urban planning,also known as town planning,city planning,regional planning,or rural planning in specific contexts,is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment,including air,water,and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas,such as transportation,communications,and distribution networks,and their accessibility. Traditionally,urban planning followed a top-down approach in master planning the physical layout of human settlements. The primary concern was the public welfare,which included considerations of efficiency,sanitation,protection and use of the environment,as well as effects of the master plans on the social and economic activities. Over time,urban planning has adopted a focus on the social and environmental bottom lines that focus on planning as a tool to improve the health and well-being of people,maintaining sustainability standards. Similarly,in the early 21st century,Jane Jacobs's writings on legal and political perspectives to emphasize the interests of residents,businesses and communities effectively influenced urban planners to take into broader consideration of resident experiences and needs while planning.
The Urban Design Lab (UDL) is an interdisciplinary research unit of Columbia University’s Earth Institute in New York City. Established in 2005,it advances design-based solutions to issues in sustainable development and global urbanization. Richard Plunz,founder of the UDL,currently directs the program.
A walking city or walkable city is a type of city that is created to avoid internal transportation,and therefore be small enough that a person can use walking to navigate the city. It is characterized by narrow,often winding streets. Its transport system is inherently egalitarian,with no one being disadvantaged by a lack of transport,unlike modern automotive cities. Walkability within areas positively impacts equity,sustainability,health,social benefits,less demand on other modes,economic development,and enjoyment.
Sustainable Development Goal 11,titled "sustainable cities and communities",is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The official mission of SDG 11 is to "Make cities inclusive,safe,resilient and sustainable". The 17 SDGs take into account that action in one area will affect outcomes in other areas as well,and that development must balance social,economic and environmental sustainability.
The 15-minute city is an urban planning concept in which most daily necessities and services,such as work,shopping,education,healthcare,and leisure can be easily reached by a 15-minute walk,bike ride,or public transit ride from any point in the city. This approach aims to reduce car dependency,promote healthy and sustainable living,and improve wellbeing and quality of life for city dwellers.
