For proper implementation of digital contact tracing technologies for fighting against SARS-CoV-2, participants' privacy vulnerability and the uncertainty from the relevant institutions' side could be seen as two core elements that should be dealt with, among others. In this paper, we propose to understand the current approaches for preserving privacy, referred to as privacy by legislation and privacy by technological design, as distrusting strategies that primarily work to reduce participants' vulnerability by specifying and implementing privacy standards related to this digital solution. We point out that mere distrusting strategies are insufficient for the ethically appropriate development of this digital solution, nor can they eliminate the need for institutional trust that plays an essential role in fostering voluntary support for this solution. To reach well-grounded trust in both an ethical and epistemological sense, we argue that trust in institutions concerning personal data protection in the case of digital contact tracing ought to be built on the relevant institutions' and individuals' goodwill towards the public and their competence in improving the actual effectiveness of this solution. We conclude by clarifying three dimensions, including the purpose, procedure, and outcome, where the relevant trustees can work to signal and justify their intentions and increase their trustworthiness via an effective communication strategy. Given the complementary qualities shown by the distrusting and trusting strategies, a combined strategy including both sorts seems closer to what we expect from the responsible implementation of this digital solution, which could also improve the effectiveness of this institutional response.@en

The subject of modern landscape architecture in the Netherlands has a history of more than one hundred years. During this period, have not only many well-known landscape architects been educated, but also a modern and characteristically Dutch teaching system for landscape architecture has been developed. This article looks at three universities in the Netherlands that have master and doctoral degrees in landscape architecture in order to analyse their teaching and research systems. Firstly, by comparing the curricula, research specialisations and summer schools of each university, this article summarises the framework of the Dutch landscape architecture education system. Secondly, by analysing the different research themes selected in the graduation projects and theses in recent years, this article explores the practice and research trends within Dutch landscape architecture. Finally, the analysis results are combined with the feedback of Chinese students studying landscape architecture in the Netherlands to discuss the differences in practice and research between Chinese and Dutch landscape architecture educations. This article aims to learn from the diverse as well as interconnected landscape architecture teaching system in the Netherlands and provide suggestions for the current landscape architecture teaching system in China.@en

The on-line exhibition presents the results of the Horizon20 Project REPAiR in virtual exhibition rooms. Check-out this next generation experience to learn all about circular economy contexts and solutions:@en

Urban metabolism has been advanced as an approach to quantifying energy and resource use and supply in the modern urban system. It is a multidisciplinary approach focused on providing insight into the behaviour of cities for drafting effective proposals for a more humane and ecologically responsible future.
Urban metabolism indicators could play an important role in promoting the science and practice of urban metabolism for sustainability. This paper presents a systematic review of literature centred on defining sustainabilityaimed urban metabolism indicators to improve the integration of urban metabolism and urban sustainability. Furthermore, this paper concentrates on two indicator sets (emergy synthesis and material flow analysis [MFA]), examining the relationship between these indicators and the three dimensions of sustainability (environment, economy, and society) in the literature. The paper thus builds
a bridge between urban metabolism and urban sustainability in the hope that urban metabolism indicators can be used to measure and assess urban sustainability. @en

Biotopes reveal a crucial role in the urban ecology, as they positively create habitat for the biodiversity development. With the increasing severe ecological challenge of urban high-density area and rising ecological awareness, people gradually realized the importance of biodiversity and began to explore the impact of urbanization on the biotope. This study in the city of Shanghai sets the framework for a study of the relation between spatial morphology and urban biotope, aims to discuss the impact of urbanization on the urban biotope. Two of high-density urban spaces and sub-urban spaces in the context of Shanghai area were examined as case studies, Huangpu District and Pujin Block, to demonstrate the biotope situations by disparate urbanization impact. In each study area, the urban biotope mapping methodology was developed base upon a general biotope classification method adapted to urban context. Main outputs are GIS based maps representing different biotopes, showing spatial difference in each area. Seven core biotope evaluation indicators of urban biodiversity were calculated: 1) area; 2) density; 3) shape index; 4) diversity index; 5) saturation index; 6) fragmentation index; 7) value index. Huangpu District and Pujin Block, although similar in size, exhibit distinct characteristics and perform different biotope situation by the impact of urbanization. This research aims to contribute to a better understanding and promotion of the relationship between biotope and urbanization, particularly for the disciplines involved in urban landscape planning, design and management.@en

Urban metabolism is a multi-disciplinary approach to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate resource flows in urban systems, which aims to provide important insights into the dynamics of cities to make them more ecologically responsible. It has been also introduced into the urban design domain, however most of the attempts concern only tracking of energy and/or material flows to reduce environmental impacts by redesigning closed loops in a specific area. The hypothesis of this paper is that the concept of urban metabolism, and its indicators, could play an important role in advancing the science and practice related to sustainability in urban design and development. At the moment, however we lack indicators to support evaluation of urban design related decisions from the perspective of urban metabolism. The aim of this paper is to explore the application of urban metabolism indicators in urban design based on their characteristics. It reviews development periods of the concept and analytical models of urban metabolism, in order to identify crucial urban metabolism indicators for urban design. Next, these urban metabolism indicators are classified regarding type of analytical model, accounting method, indicator type, and indicator level. Finally, several suggestions are offered on how to integrate urban metabolism indicators into urban design. In addition, directions for future research on the topic are discussed.@en

A shift of scientific inquiries towards the urban domain has taken place due to significant urbanisation processes around the globe. Many urban transition instruments are linked to sustainable development, which emphasizes the study of urban energy and material flows, e.g. urban resources efficiency and waste management. Resource flows which are predominately linear or with the open loop will have negative effects on sustainability. Urban metabolism is a multi-disciplinary research domain focused on providing important insights into the behaviour of cities for the purpose of advancing effective proposals for a more humane and ecologically responsible future. Urban metabolism indicators could play an important role in advancing the science and practice of urban metabolism towards sustainability. Current urban metabolism approach enables the quantification of resource use and pollution emission flows importing, being stocked, and exporting urban areas. However, the research gaps between urban metabolism and urban sustainability are still performed in the theory and design aspects. Several researchers have tried to relate urban metabolism to urban planning or design (Oswald et al. 2003; Codoban & Kennedy 2008; Montrucchio 2012; Agudelo-Vera et al. 2012). Many urban designs have involved urban metabolism in the urban design, but all of the attempts are tracking of energy and material flows to reduce environmental impacts by redesigning close loops in the specific area. However, the reason why urban metabolism begins to be used in sustainable urban design and planning is precisely that of it is one of the quantifiable approaches. Urban metabolism indicators play an important role in the quantification of sustainable urban design. Nevertheless, there has been little research providing feasible sustainability-aimed urban metabolism indicators. The concept of urban metabolism could, however, be developed towards an approach to inform design process of the built environment to support the sustainable development of cities and circular systems (Kennedy et al. 2011). This paper proposes a proper urban metabolism indicator system which is based on the selection of different indicator sets from current urban metabolism studies. By designing the urban-metabolism-indicator-based design strategy, this paper provides urban designers with a feasible approach, which will utilize urban metabolism indicators to support the sustainable urban development decision making. This paper aims to describe the urban metabolism indicator system, urban metabolism based urban design strategy and its potential utilization in the sustainable urban development.@en

The urban metabolism has been advanced as an approach for quantifying energy and resource use and supply in modern societal system. It is a multi-disciplinary research domain focused on providing important insights into the behaviour of cities for the purpose of advancing effective proposals for a more humane and ecologically responsible future. Urban metabolism indicators (UMIs) could play an important role in advancing the science and practice of urban metabolism towards sustainability. This paper reviews the key concepts of urban metabolism and commonly used indicators for gauging the state and progress of urban metabolism, and discuss how UMIs can be further improved from an urban sustainability perspective. Primarily based on peer-reviewed journal papers, as well as books, and documents published by research institutions, international organizations and governmental agencies, this paper systematically examine what UMIs actually measure and whether they are adequate for gauging urban metabolism, and then discuss major oxymorons and challenges as well as ways forward in developing and implementing UMIs towards sustainability. Numerous UMIs have been developed, including single composite indices and indicator sets. Focusing on the indicators based on two indicator sets (emergy synthesis and material flow analysis), this paper analyses the relationships between these indicators and three dimensions of sustainability (environment, economy, and society). The core aim of this research is to figure out sustainability aimed urban metabolism indicators. In this way, this paper builds the bridge between urban metabolism and urban sustainability which can be a promising method using urban metabolism indicators to measure (assess) urban sustainability. @en