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Sustainability
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Well-Being and Urban Green Spaces: Advantages for Sustainable Cities
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Well-Being and Urban Green Spaces: Advantages for Sustainable Cities

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 13 January 2025 | Viewed by 6848

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rui Leandro Maia

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Human and Social Sciences Faculty, Fernando Pessoa University, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
2. RISE–Health Research Network, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
Interests: demography; family sociology; migrations; urban studies; life styles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nelson Barros

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Science and Technology, Fernando Pessoa University, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
2. RISE–Health Research Network, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-309 Porto, Portugal
Interests: environmental science and engineering; earth and planetary sciences; social sciences; pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics; medicine; chemistry; energy decision sciences
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue (SI) focuses on the advantages of urban green spaces for building sustainable cities and for the well-being of city inhabitants. This SI aims to showcase public, private and community projects and initiatives that, individually or in association with practices and policies, pave the way for building sustainable cities and contribute to the promotion of well-being. This SI also welcomes papers on research studies and reviews addressing the concepts, issues and interconnection of the three main themes: well-being, urban green spaces and sustainable cities.

Urban green spaces can be quite diverse, with different natural elements, formats, areas and service provisions; they can be as simple as a green corridor or as complex as an urban farm or a wide park. Papers analyzing and discussing the different contributions of urban green spaces to the promotion of well-being and to sustainability in cities are particularly important for this SI.

Studies that discuss the impact of integrating natural and semi-natural elements in cities, making them more resilient to the harmful effects of climate change, converge with this SI.

Dr. Rui Leandro Maia
Dr. Nelson Barros
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • building environment and urban green spaces planning and design
  • outdoor activities and healthy lifestyles
  • green spaces, cities metabolism and resource efficiency
  • urban integrating of natural and semi-natural elements
  • urban resilience to the harmful effects of climate change

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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18 pages, 20633 KiB  
Article
Integrated Assessment of Health Benefits and Burdens of Urban Greenspace Designs
by Bram Oosterbroek, Joop de Kraker, Maud M. T. E. Huynen and Pim Martens
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7534; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177534 - 30 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1500
Abstract
Urban greening is a major goal in policies for sustainable cities, and spatial planners are nowadays strongly interested in the benefits of greenspace for the well-being of urban residents. We present a novel, model-based approach to support the development of effective greening strategies. [...] Read more.
Urban greening is a major goal in policies for sustainable cities, and spatial planners are nowadays strongly interested in the benefits of greenspace for the well-being of urban residents. We present a novel, model-based approach to support the development of effective greening strategies. The approach is quantitative and spatially explicit and accounts for multiple health benefits as well as burdens. In our study, we applied this generic approach to the city of Maastricht (The Netherlands) and conducted an integrated, city-scale assessment of the health benefits and burdens of four urban greenspace designs. These included: ‘No greenspace’, ‘Current greenspace’, ‘Green parking lots and squares’, and ‘Optimized greenspace locations’. For each greenspace design, indicator values were calculated for five determinants of health and well-being: heat stress, air pollution, perceived unsafety, unattractive views, and tick-bite risk. To assess the health contribution of urban greenspace in a given design, these indicator values were compared with the values in the ‘No greenspace’ design. The study produced clear, quantitative conclusions about the health benefits and burdens of the urban greenspace designs for the case of Maastricht but also generated novel, more general insights relevant to the planning of urban greenspace for health and well-being. These insights concern the importance of translating health policy objectives into specific target values or thresholds and the importance of ‘smart’ choices in greenspace type and location that can effectively reduce trade-offs between health benefits and burdens, as well as the insights that adding more greenery not always improves urban health and that urban greenspace alone cannot solve major air pollution problems. The priorities for future research, which will address the limitations of the presented approach, concern a further expansion of the range of health benefits and burdens covered by the model and the development of a common metric for the entire range of health benefits and burdens to optimize greenspace design and maximize its overall net health benefit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Well-Being and Urban Green Spaces: Advantages for Sustainable Cities)
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26 pages, 3614 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Association of Urban Agricultural Practices with Farmers’ Psychosocial Well-Being in Dar es Salaam and Greater Lomé: A Perceptual Study
by Akuto Akpedze Konou, Kossiwa Zinsou-Klassou, Victoria M. Mwakalinga, Baraka Jean-Claude Munyaka, Armel Firmin Kemajou Mbianda and Jérôme Chenal
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 6747; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166747 - 7 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1151
Abstract
African urban agriculture (UA) has garnered attention for its contributions to food security and socio-economic improvement. However, its impact on the psychological well-being of farmers has received minimal focus. This study explores the psychosocial effects of UA by surveying 733 farmers in Dar [...] Read more.
African urban agriculture (UA) has garnered attention for its contributions to food security and socio-economic improvement. However, its impact on the psychological well-being of farmers has received minimal focus. This study explores the psychosocial effects of UA by surveying 733 farmers in Dar es Salaam and Greater Lomé. Utilizing the Mental Health Continuum–Short Form (MHC-SF) and bespoke questionnaires, our research evaluates the emotional benefits of urban farming. Findings from regression analyses and spatial assessments conducted using Python and QGIS 3.32.2-Lima indicate significant variations in UA-related happiness across different city zones, with peripheral farmers experiencing greater satisfaction than their urban counterparts. Notably, female farmers reported higher levels of happiness, underscoring UA’s potential to empower women. This study advocates for the integration of UA into urban planning frameworks to foster psychologically beneficial urban environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Well-Being and Urban Green Spaces: Advantages for Sustainable Cities)
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39 pages, 14595 KiB  
Article
Therapeutic Playground: Typology of Solutions and Analysis of Selected Public Playgrounds as Places with Therapeutic Potential
by Magdalena Czalczynska-Podolska
Sustainability 2024, 16(15), 6414; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156414 - 26 Jul 2024
Viewed by 889
Abstract
The article highlights the need for a change in the approach to playground design toward creating spaces with therapeutic qualities that are fully inclusive and therefore meet the principles of sustainable design. The aim of the research was to identify different types of [...] Read more.
The article highlights the need for a change in the approach to playground design toward creating spaces with therapeutic qualities that are fully inclusive and therefore meet the principles of sustainable design. The aim of the research was to identify different types of therapeutic playgrounds, to identify components that build the therapeutics of playgrounds, and to evaluate selected contemporary playgrounds in terms of therapeutic potential based on the author’s evaluation tool. The research methodology was based on interpretive, qualitative, and comparative studies. As a result of the research, the author’s typology of therapeutic playgrounds was created, solutions responsible for specific therapeutic effects were identified, and selected realizations of new playgrounds located in Szczecin (Poland) were evaluated in terms of adaptation of these solutions. The conducted research demonstrates the great possibilities of introducing the therapeutic function of play into public spaces and adapting to public playgrounds the solutions characteristic of the five types of therapeutic playgrounds identified. Unfortunately, the research also shows that the evaluated playgrounds use the therapeutic potential of play to a very limited extent. The research connects the issue of playground design with therapeutics, going beyond the accessibility problem, and leading to the identification of desirable directions in playground design. It is necessary to implement an integrated approach, based on the implementation of the identified components of therapeutics and three paths to the implementation of a therapeutic playground. This can contribute to improving not only the quality of playgrounds but also public spaces in cities and realizing the idea of a city that is friendly to all residents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Well-Being and Urban Green Spaces: Advantages for Sustainable Cities)
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16 pages, 1563 KiB  
Perspective
Renaturing for Urban Wellbeing: A Socioecological Perspective on Green Space Quality, Accessibility, and Inclusivity
by Alessio Russo
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5751; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135751 - 5 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2508
Abstract
This perspective examines renaturing cities, the strategic reintroduction of nature, as a potential solution to the negative health impacts of rapid urbanisation. By utilising nature-based solutions to maximise ecosystem services and reintegrate human and natural systems, renaturing offers access to high-quality, accessible green [...] Read more.
This perspective examines renaturing cities, the strategic reintroduction of nature, as a potential solution to the negative health impacts of rapid urbanisation. By utilising nature-based solutions to maximise ecosystem services and reintegrate human and natural systems, renaturing offers access to high-quality, accessible green spaces. Studies suggest such access is associated with reduced depression, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease risk. Renaturing also presents opportunities for physical activity and daily exposure to nature, which can further enhance well-being and happiness. However, challenges include ensuring equitable access to these spaces and avoiding gentrification. To achieve this equitable distribution and ensure the project truly benefits the community, a bottom-up approach involving residents in the planning process is crucial. Longitudinal studies and evidence from design projects are necessary to understand which types of nature-based solutions can most effectively improve wellbeing and happiness for disadvantaged groups. Further research is needed to better refine the renaturing concept, as it is sometimes used interchangeably with other similar but distinct approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Well-Being and Urban Green Spaces: Advantages for Sustainable Cities)
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