Volume 54

Sustainable Urban Development: Balancing Decarbonisation and Well-being Using GIS Scenario Analysis Yoshiyuki Kimura, Yoshiki Yamagata

Abstract

This research aims to propose sustainable urban development strategies that harmonise decarbonisation with urban residents’ well-being through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) scenario analysis. Modern urbanisation enhances quality of life but escalates energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental degradation. In urban areas, CO2 emissions from transportation, industrial activities, and households significantly contribute to global warming, while overcrowding deteriorates living conditions and impacts health and well-being.
Decarbonisation is essential to address these environmental issues, but enhancing urban well-being is equally crucial. This study utilises GIS to explore urban development pathways that balance decarbonisation and well-being. Scenarios evaluate the impact of increased green spaces on CO2 absorption, enhanced public transportation on reducing private vehicle usage, and energy-efficient buildings on lowering energy consumption and emissions.
The study includes practical interventions in The Nihonbashi Initiative Project, comparing sustainable measures such as greening projects, energy efficiency improvements, and well-being initiatives against a control office floor. Spatial analyses assess the environmental and well-being impacts, providing empirical data for sustainable urban planning. Building owners in the area collaborate to promote energy management, with an expected energy savings effect of approximately 10%. This collaborative effort aims to create a model for sustainable urban development that balances decarbonisation and resident well-being.
Expected outcomes throughout the investigation include the development of a new model for sustainable urban development that integrates renewable energy, green space enhancement, and low-carbon transportation. The study contributes a novel framework for GIS-based scenario analysis, advancing the understanding of achieving decarbonisation and well-being concurrently in urban environments, bridging theory and practice with evidence-based insights.

Keywords Sustainable urban development, decarbonisation, Well-being, Geographic Information Systems (GIS)