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Key research themes
1. How do urban greening initiatives contribute to socio-spatial inequalities and green gentrification processes?
This body of research examines the socio-political and economic dynamics underlying urban greening interventions, highlighting how such projects may unintentionally or strategically catalyze gentrification, displacement, and environmental privilege. Understanding these processes is critical for developing equitable urban sustainability policies that mitigate exclusion and address the distribution of green benefits across socially vulnerable populations.
Key finding: The study introduces the concepts of 'green gentrification' and the 'environmental rent gap,' revealing that urban greening—though beneficial ecologically and socially—can paradoxically increase socio-spatial inequities by... Read more
Key finding: Through multi-city case studies including Barcelona, Medellin, and New Orleans, the paper demonstrates that urban greening often consolidates socio-economic disparities by linking environmental improvements to real estate... Read more
Key finding: This empirical study finds that the health benefits of active green space exposure are not equitably distributed, as only residents in gentrifying neighborhoods with higher education or incomes report better health associated... Read more
Key finding: This paper conceptualizes urban greening as a structural intervention with complex socio-political consequences, emphasizing that the health benefits from green space can be offset by gentrification-driven displacement and... Read more
Key finding: Through an interdisciplinary thematic review, this work highlights how urban greening strategies, while addressing climate resilience and environmental sustainability, frequently generate socio-spatial injustices such as... Read more
2. What are the patterns and determinants of socio-economic and racial disparities in access to different types of urban green spaces?
This research theme focuses on measuring and understanding the uneven distribution of various urban green space types—such as street greenery, private yards, urban parks, and informal green spaces—and how these relate to residents' socio-economic status and race/ethnicity. These spatial disparities contribute to environmental justice concerns and influence quality of life, health outcomes, and neighborhood satisfaction, highlighting the need for nuanced metrics and differentiated planning interventions.
Key finding: Using high-resolution and in situ data, this study reveals significant socio-economic and racial disparities in street greenery visibility in Hartford, with higher-income residents enjoying more street greenery. It shows that... Read more
Key finding: By disaggregating urban greenery into street greenery, private yard vegetation, and proximity to urban parks, this study demonstrates distinct socio-economic and racial patterns where higher income and owner-occupancy... Read more
Key finding: Focusing on Warsaw and Łódź, the paper quantifies how informal green spaces (IGS), such as vacant lots and unmanaged vegetation, compensate for insufficient formal green space, particularly benefiting children and elderly... Read more
Key finding: This paper employs Google Street View image analysis combined with socioeconomic data to quantify street greenery disparities in Hartford, showing that street greenery is unevenly distributed and positively correlates with... Read more
3. How can urban planning and design balance increased density with preserving and integrating green spaces for sustainable and equitable urban development?
This set of papers investigates the challenges and strategies related to maintaining and enhancing urban green spaces amidst pressures of densification, redevelopment, and market-driven urban expansion. It explores the relationships between green building practices, green infrastructure, housing marketing, and green space availability, addressing both spatial planning innovations and the tensions around real estate development, community needs, and sustainability goals.
Key finding: The case study of Rzeszów reveals that greenfield housing developments marketed as ecologically beneficial often replaced prior urban green infrastructure, leading to net losses in green space despite promotional claims. The... Read more
Key finding: This paper advances a building-oriented 3D urban green space index integrating vegetation coverage, proximity to green, building sparsity, and structure height to measure the quality and quantity of green space relative to... Read more
Are Green Spaces More Available and Accessible to Green Building Users? A Comparative Study in Texas
Key finding: Through geospatial analyses, the study reveals that green buildings (GBs) are spatially associated with higher accessibility and availability of urban green spaces compared to non-green buildings, suggesting that green... Read more
Key finding: This conceptual paper synthesizes frameworks connecting urban green space management, community involvement, and sustainable development. It argues that strategic innovations in governance and planning, including typologies... Read more
Key finding: Utilizing survey data from diverse Dublin neighborhoods, this study identifies positive perceptions of green and open spaces as significant predictors of neighborhood satisfaction, second only to dwelling characteristics. The... Read more