Francesca Mosca – författare

This book introduces a groundbreaking approach to urban design, addressing site-specific challenges arising from the impacts of climate change. It provides an overview of the most relevant climate change impacts and related adaptation strategies, aligning with sustainable development goals. Nature-based solutions (NBS) are some of the most significant adaptation strategies, yet the book addresses the lack of quantitative approaches for their design. A design approach and related methodology that can be used by designers with different levels of complexity is presented, discussing its applicability and limitations according to selected key performance indicators and related thresholds. Such methodology and the related tools are applied to case studies with a focus on the performance of NBS in improving thermal comfort (microclimate regulation) and reducing flooding risks (stormwater retention). A final workflow for a coupled performance-driven design approach is presented for readers, offering a pathway to define design strategies based on site-specific key performance indicators. The target audience includes practitioners, urban designers and planners, researchers, and anyone interested in urban environment design, nature-based solutions, and computational approaches to sustainable design.

This book introduces a groundbreaking approach to urban design, addressing site-specific challenges arising from the impacts of climate change. It provides an overview of the most relevant climate change impacts and related adaptation strategies, aligning with sustainable development goals. Nature-based solutions (NBS) are some of the most significant adaptation strategies, yet the book addresses the lack of quantitative approaches for their design. A design approach and related methodology that can be used by designers with different levels of complexity is presented, discussing its applicability and limitations according to selected key performance indicators and related thresholds. Such methodology and the related tools are applied to case studies with a focus on the performance of NBS in improving thermal comfort (microclimate regulation) and reducing flooding risks (stormwater retention). A final workflow for a coupled performance-driven design approach is presented for readers, offering a pathway to define design strategies based on site-specific key performance indicators. The target audience includes practitioners, urban designers and planners, researchers, and anyone interested in urban environment design, nature-based solutions, and computational approaches to sustainable design.

This book explores the multifaceted relationship between urban environments, anthropic activities, and ecosystem functioning, emphasizing the complexity of contemporary cities. It begins by analyzing the rapid pace of urbanization and its negative impacts on ecosystems, stressing the urgency of sustainable development strategies. The text examines the role of cities in driving climate change, advocating for integrated adaptation and mitigation approaches. In addition, biodiversity loss is addressed through an analysis of anthropogenic pressures, and biodiversity-friendly urban planning approaches and strategies are described. The work emphasizes the relevance of incorporating environmental principles into urban design, highlighting Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as key strategies. It investigates major urban environmental challenges, such as rising temperatures, greenhouse gas emissions, altered precipitation, and pollinator decline, exploring how NbS, particularly vegetation, can mitigate these issues. Relevant parameters and assessment methodologies are discussed to support effective implementation. Then, the book provides a comprehensive overview of design strategies and best practices for fostering urban resilience, reinforcing the need for ecosystem-based approaches to urban planning. The target audience includes practitioners in the field of urban and architectural design, urban planners, and researchers interested in urban environment design, nature-based solutions, and climate resilience.