Search results for "Urban environment"
showing 10 items of 52 documents
La historia a la calle: aprendizaje significativo y competencias desarrolladas con proyectos de aprendizaje en el entorno urbano
2019
[EN] In this paper is presented a teaching-learning project carried out in the Degree of History at the University of Valencia in which we are combining the service to the community with academic knowledge. The group of students carries out a history project developed in relation to the historical spaces of the urban environment to explain the city and the local context in relation to the global economic connections during the Early Modern period. This activity allows students to develop multiple skills that they can put into practice in their future jobs. The results indicate that they have been able to solve historical problems in an innovative and creative way, allowing them to acquire a…
Evaluation of accelerated weathering effects on the surface of two coloured sicilian building stones
2007
The dark grey Breccia di Billiemi and the Ammonitico Rosso of Piana degli Albanesi, widely employed outdoor and indoor in monuments in Sicily, undergo significant alteration processes, affecting not only the chromatic aspect but also the state of aggregation. In a previous paper [1] the effects of accelerated weathering in laboratory was compared with natural ageing in the urban environment. The study included the description of lithofacies, the characterisation by means of petrographic and physical-chemical techniques and accelerated weathering experiments on both lithotypes.
A new opportunity for biomagnetic monitoring of particulate pollution in an urban environment using tree branches
2018
Abstract: Environmental magnetism, and the magnetic leaf signal in particular, is amply investigated and applied as proxy for atmospheric particulate matter pollution. In this study, we investigated the magnetic signal of annual segments of tree branches, and the composition of particles deposited hereon. Branches are, contrary to leaves of deciduous trees, available during leaf-off seasons and exposed to air pollution year-round. We examined the intra- and inter-tree variation in saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) of branch internodes of London plane (Platanus x aeerifolia Willd.) trees in an urban environment. The branch SIRM, normalized by surface area, ranged from 18 to…
Impact of 70 years urban growth associated with heavy metal pollution
2014
Historical trends in trace element deposition were analyzed using herbaria specimens. We determined Al, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, Na, P, K, S, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn contents in leaves of eight specimens collected in 1941. To assess changes, we collected the same plants from a botanical garden in 2012. The concentrations of major elements showed large species variability. However, temporal trends were predominately detected for heavy metals. The Cd, Ni and Cr contents in the 2012 leaves were 10, 13 and 16 times higher, respectively, than in 1941. Urban activities have substantially raised the levels of these metals in urban atmospheres due to changes in human activities over 70 years of urban …
Urban environment during early-life and blood pressure in children
2020
Background. The urban environment is characterised by many exposures that may influence hypertension development, but studies evaluating multiple urban exposures from pregnancy onwards are lacking....
Anthropic space and design for all. New knowledge paths for urban planning strategies
2019
Abstract Nowadays city environment shows the presence of a mixed variety of elements, as natural, semi natural and anthropic components that build up both structure and connections of the urban context. This specific structure shapes and directs space and its functions strictly connected with their sustainable potential uses and sustainable development opportunities. The lack of rules and proper planning methods produces inefficient use conditions by resident citizens, entropy, functions' reduction of ecological networks and deep environmental impacts. The consequence comes out to be a great widespread life quality decrease in urban areas. These thoughts lead the authors to rethink the defi…
Green infrastructures for the energetic and environmental sustainability of cities
2019
The inexorable extension of urbanization is consuming huge amounts of soil drastically reducing natural vegetation, replacing it with buildings and low albedo surfaces. The changes due to the different thermal properties of surface materials and the lack of evapotranspiration in urban areas lead to a phenomenon known as "urban heat island effect". By reintroducing the vegetation back into the urban landscape, a partnership between nature and cities should be strengthened to create a new sustainable urban environment. Since the outer surfaces of building offer a great amount of space for vegetation, planting on roofs and walls has become one of the most innovative way to provide several envi…
The Wheres and Hows of Residential Choice
2016
International audience; A wide variety of choices and decisions are open to individuals when looking for a place to live: a flat or a house, renting or buying depending on one’s resources and plans; living in a city centre to enjoy its buzz, or in a certain district to have a school close by, or on the outskirts in a more village-like setting; and in this last case, how far from urban centres and major access routes? What ultimately are individuals’ preferences? All these questions presuppose looking at how they perceive and evaluate the urban environment so as to better grasp what it is that leads to residential satisfaction. However, it is not the evaluation or satisfaction in itself that…
Study of the alien flora of the urban area of Palermo (Sicily)
2016
Alien plants are an integral part of the Mediterranean agricultural and urban landscape. Taking into account that man is an active voluntary or involuntary carrier of plant diasporas, cities and areas where human activity is predominant represent preferential targets for the study of new plant introductions. In addition, some species as Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. and Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., initially exclusive to high disturbed habitats, succeeded in penetrating in cliffs, degraded maquis and garrigues characterizing them. Thus the importance of studying these areas to predict future colonization of more natural habitats. Starting from literature and integrating it with f…
Age differences in adolescent identity exploration and commitment in urban and rural environments
1996
Sociocultural context may play an important role in identity development by shaping the opportunities adolescents are facing. To examine this, adolescents living in urban and rural environments were compared in terms of age differences in identity exploration and commitment. Younger (13-14-year-olds) and older (16-17-year-olds) males and females from urban and rural areas in both Australia (n=367) and Finland (n=316) were investigated. The participants completed the Exploration and Commitment Questionnaire which includes items concerning future education, occupation and family. The results showed that the older youths living in Australian urban environments showed higher levels of explorati…