Urban Metabolism Information
Systems
- Proposed CPS TAFT linked to ANCHA Process
CPS TAFT Charter on UMIS
March 17th 2014
Context: UMIS combines with GIS to create a foundation for systems thinking, design, management
- a combination of methods supported by software apps and tablets –
technologies that are becoming more powerful and more accessible every day
- the maps and diagrams provide a transdisciplinary lens on the urban environment,
bringing together architects, engineers, planners, resource managers, decision-makers and stakeholders
Nodes and
Networks
Flows
Forms
Water
Process
Inputs
Forest
Outputs
Settlement
Layered Maps of the Urban Landscape
(Ecological Assets, Land Uses)
‘Metamporhose’
Flow Diagrams for Energy, Water,
Materials, People, Food, Carbon)
‘Metabolism’
Interest in Urban Metabolism is Growing Rapidly
UNEP,
Asia Development Bank,
Industrial Ecology,
University Courses,
Climate Action Planning
World Bank UM 100 Cities
“With the growing importance of tackling the global and local
resource impacts of cities, collection of urban metabolism data should
become a mainstream activity for all medium to large cities.
If cities are monitored through a common suite of UM diagnostic
indicators, comparisons and learning across countries become more
valuable.
Rio de Janeiro
With good UM information cities can be built better, operated more
efficiently, and quality of life enhanced in as cost-effective and
comprehensive a manner possible. “
MAINSTREAMING URBAN METABOLISM: ADVANCES AND
CHALLENGES IN CITY PARTICIPATION
Hoornweg, D. et al
Manilla
Problem Statement
 No agreed method – just pieces from other sectors
– Lack of comparability, transparency, learning
 No easy process from data to analysis to visualisation
– Awkward, costly, one of a kind
 No common terms or structures (templates)
– Poor comprehension, poor integration
 No City-led Process
Functional Objectives:
Combining a broad set of hard and soft flows, an Urban Metabolism Information System enables a shared perspective
The city becomes a ‘system of systems’ that can easily be represented and altered.
This creates a foundation for integrated management and design.
Using Sankeys and other visualization tools, UM can combine with GIS to support every phase of planning and design.
Rigorous method, stateof-art tools, distinctive
Leadership,
Capacity Building
Calculating indicators and
overall performance values
in transparent ways
Scoping, Indicators,
Benchmarking
Identifying priorities
and opportunities
Vision, Goals,
Target - setting
Holistic solutions easily
communicated to
decision-makers
Scenario Planning,
Strategic Design
UM Assessment Method
Information accessibility
(open data)
Adaptive
Management
Society Objectives:
 Helping to translate the ANCHA iconic schematic and systems perspective into
methods and tools that add value in the workplace day to day
 Rapid display of competency and capacity to deliver real value
 Substantial cross-cutting advance in how cities can learn from each other
A Progression
Theory
Methods
Tools
ANCHA Systems Model
Built Environment
Environmental Accounting (LCA)
Materials Flow Analysis (Mass Balance)
Framework and Templates
Visualisation Tools
ANCHA Systems Model as a theoretical construct
The ‘Natural Environment’
Material
World
‘Built Environment’
The Built Environment
Buildings, Infrastructure, Artefacts,
Managed landscapes
(or Habitat) describes the
overlap between
Material World and Society
Cultural ‘Intangibles’
Society
From this perspective, the Built Environment
Materials
becomes a ‘system of systems’,
including Hard flows and Soft Flows
Hard
that cross key boundaries and interact
‘Built Environment’
Soft
Money
At all scales, from parcel to neighbourhood to urban region
Urban Region
Neighbourhood
Parcels
Neighbourhood
City
Flows and interactions can be aggregated and redrawn for
different scales, or combined into common units
Development Site / Neighbourhood
System of Systems
SubSystem
SubSystem
Parcel
Parcel
Parcel
Whole
System
Parcel
Parcel
Parcel
Parcel
UM inputs for a variety of parcels
can be aggregated, to create UMIS
for whole area.
UM inputs from different subsystems can be converted and
aggregated to create UMIS for the
system as a whole.
Natural Skyline
What is Natural?
City Skyline
What is built?
Community Structures & Spaces
What is culture?
Cultural Attributes
 condition of aquifers
 biodiversity  bio-productivity
 soil quality and quantity
 Net value of constructed assets
 health
 education,
 NGOs
 credit
 listed buildings
 debt
Built
 employment
 volunteerism
 deficit
 tourism
Natural
Human
 crime
 start-ups
Social
Financial
Cultural
Information
Sensors and Collection
Data availability & Suitability
Analysis & Modeling
Representation & Interpretation
Questions and Desires
Governance
Implementing, & Investing
Exploring & Strategic Planning
Visioning & Goal Setting
Surveying & Assessment
Leadership & Collaboration
Sankeys have been used to present results for UM since the first efforts.
The visualisation technique is closely tied to environmental accounting because nothing else works.
0.04
0.03
70 t/c
A
Operation
old
Buildings
70 t/c
Operation
redev.
Buildings
Demolition
19
0.01
Construct
New
Buildings
1.6
Gravel
1.6
2.6
0.04
0.01
70 t/c
Operation
old
Buildings
Operation
redev.
Buildings
11.7
12
Hong Kong
HongWater
KongSankey
11
Energy Transformation
33
B
Operation
new.
Buildings
70 t/c
Demolition
0.03
Gravel
Construct
New
Buildings
0.02
0.05
0.1
Operation
new.
Buildings
0.1
Energy Transformation
Swiss Lowlands
India
Source BOYDEN 81
Water and Energy Metabolism for Lloyd
Crossing, Oregon USA
Amman, Jordan
A well structured, Sankey, is equivalent to approximately 25 to 400 pie charts or tables,
and is still legible. Or in the words of E. Tuft: “One Sankey is worth a thousand pie charts”
London, UK Eco Footprint
Vancouver, Canada Eco Footprint
After collecting data or estimating flows, the biggest challenge
for UM has been drawing and redrawing the Sankeys
Junctions
Stage 1
Direction
(of flow)
Tubes
Stage 1
Quantities
In order to be transdisciplinary, with comparable outputs,
UMIS requires a protocol:
–
–
–
shared terminology or nomenclature
Standard templates for flows
Protocols for disaggregating and aggregating flows (scalability)
Sources
Sinks
Converters (Upstream)
Converters (Downstream)
DEMANDS FOR SERVICES
HABITAT
Fixed Stages
SOURCES
CONVERTERS
DEMANDS
RECONVERTERS
Water Flows
for Delhi Residence
SINKS
UMIS Method can include scaling up from a library of
reference buildings (proxies)
Reference Parcels for Modeling of SW Shanghai Province
Recent case study of Metro Vancouver illustrates how UMIS provides
multiple perspectives on the systems
TRANSPORT
MOBILITY
WATER
FOOD
ENERGY
Eco-Footprint
Eco-Efficiency
GHG Emissions
The Natural Step
CONSUMABLES
ENERGY





Key role for jet fuel
Very small amount of local
electricity
Lack of diversity
Minimal cascading
Typical modern style of system
Metro Vancouver
TJ per year
WATER







Large amount of losses
Minimal reclaimed water (looping)
Minimal secondary use of water (cascading)
Large discharge into river
Large amount of storm water treatment (combined
sewer and water)
Remainder of rain not shown
(it would overwhelm info)
Need to zoom to understand water demands
Metro Vancouver
ML per year
WATER
(zooming in)
Now it is apparent that toilets are the
largest use, but lawn and garden are
also large and can be managed
Metro Vancouver
ML per year
MOBILITY
This quickly reveals the carbased lifestyle of
Vancouver.
Metro Vancouver
Person Trips per Day (‘000)
FOOD
Fruits and veggies are a
substantial amount of total
flow.
Metro Vancouver
tonnes per year (‘000)
MATERIALS
 Most challenging of all sub-systems
due to the scope and diversity
 Difficult to address transport at the
same time as the conversions
 Highly complex and often
incompatible categories (e.g.
Packaging vs. old corrugated
cardboard)
 Subsystems follow very different
flow pathways (e.g. organic, nonorganic)
Metro Vancouver
tonnes per year (‘000)
 Materials are a key part
of the ‘big picture’ but a
special challenge for
UMIS and Sankeys
Ecological Footprint for Metro Vancouver
Ha equiv.
Key Performance Indicators and Assessments are clarified
using the UMIS as a foundation
Every tube is a potential indicator for
benchmarking, target-setting and monitoring
Combinations of tubes also create indicators.
For example:
Percentage of Total Energy
Derived from Renewable Sources
Any indicators deducted from the Sankey
can be automatically drawn on a Benchmark Scales:
India Energy System PJ per year
Tasks and Deliverables
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Build the team
Refine Scope and Objectives
Engage technical advisors and prepare CPS method
Test method and templates with 4 ‘Charter’ Cities
Refine and adapt based upon pilot applications
Circulate widely for feedback and to reinforce our open stand approach
Prepare CPA
Barcelona
Vancouver
Stockholm
???
World Bank Team
UNEP Team
Academy
Civil
SEI
CONSENSUS /Eco City Builders
MacArthur Foundation,
Etc.
Cities
Team
March
2014
Private
IT firms
Utilities
Method
Trials
Refine
Circulate
December
2014