Abstract Book

process, who have helped to define the city’s future.
This methodology aims to help close the gap between ‘where we are now’ and ‘where we
need to be’, which can be problematic given the all-encompassing nature of climate
change and its cause, and the traditionally shorter-term policy making of local
government. Given that approximately half the world’s population now lives in urban
areas, rising to about 70% by 2050, and the IEA’s World Energy Outlook (2008)
estimates the global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emission contribution of cities
is 71%, they are critical for effective mitigation.
Improvement Of The Urban Design Model To Support Energy Efficiency And
Reduce The Effects Of The Urban Heat Island Phenomenon (59)
C. J. Watson, R. Peters; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Urban form has experienced various changes in past decades, once the most efficient
model for living and working, through modern design has become our least. In this post
industrial age we are finding that our urban design model is contributing to several
adverse environmental effects. According to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), in
2007 50% of the world’s population resided in an urban area, with a predicted increase to
53% in 2015 and 60% in 2030[1]. This expected population growth will have significant
impacts on both energy and resource use. Modern urban design strategies have lead to
significant increases in ambient air temperature (up to 22°F[2]) compared to surrounding
rural areas, referred to as the urban heat island effect, and is the result of displacing trees
and vegetation with hard surfaces (building facades and paved roads).
This project will analyze the city of Birmingham, Alabama in the following area; 1)
building materials, 2) building codes used for construction, 3) age of urban infrastructure,
4) comparison of rural and urban ambient temperatures, 5) surface temperatures (green
space, paved areas, building facades, and roofs), 5) investigate the impacts of the city
block and how its components/characteristics influence shading effects, exposure to
sunlight, and cooling and heating effects, and 6) analysis of city characteristics (zoning,
land use patterns and population). This data will provide the base reference material to
provide retrofit improvements for existing cities and suggestions for new urban
construction in the United States.
[1] http://www.prb.org/Articles/2007/UrbanPopToBecomeMajority.aspx
[2] Environmental Protection Agency
(http://www.epa.gov/climate4action/learn/glossary.htm)
Greywater Characterization In Saudi Arabia (117)
A. O. Al-Jasser, S. M. Mogren; King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Water conservation and the use of reclaimed wastewater are currently being considered
as strategic solutions to limited water supplies in Saudi Arabia and other arid and semiarid
countries. Greywater is non-industrial wastewater generated from domestic sources;
it includes drainage water from showers, baths, hand-washing sinks and washing
machines. Greywater, which does not include toilet wastewater (known as blackwater),
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