Papers by Mahdokht Soltani
In Copyright-Non-Commercial Use Permitted This page was generated automatically upon download fro... more In Copyright-Non-Commercial Use Permitted This page was generated automatically upon download from the ETH Zurich Research Collection. For more information please consult the Terms of use. ETH Library R a il w a y S ta ti o n s a n d S p a ti a l D e ve lo p m e n t in S m a ll a n d M id-s iz e d C o m m u n it ie s in S w it ze rl a n d IRL-Institut für Raum-und Landschaftsentwicklung Professur für Raumentwicklung
50th ISOCARP International Planning Congress - Urban Transformations - Cities and Water
In addition to the important role of the ports in maritime industries, these transportation cente... more In addition to the important role of the ports in maritime industries, these transportation centers have received new attention towards development of the hinterland. Particularly, the ports could capture a greater share of added value by favoring the development of their surrounding in order to accommodate not only the full complement of services required for the maintenance and repair, but also the assembly units and freight distribution hubs. Thus, the subject of this paper deals with the topic of harbors and their intersection with the urban core of the city they territorially belong. In a narrow sense, this paper aims at evaluating current conditions for integrated spatial and transport development, considering the ports and the inland railway connection. The case study for this research is the port of Piraeus and its relation to the surrounding urban pattern. The main reason behind choosing Piraeus is the integral connection of the port city to the Greek capital, as well as recent transformation of the harbor in the international context. Considering the external interferences to induce the mass-transit freight and passenger transportation, neither the port city of Piraeus nor Athens is prepared for the urban transformation according to the principles of transport-oriented development (TOD). Hence, the central focus of the paper deals with the thorough analysis of the present spatial problems, possibilities and values in the Piraeus port and its direct surrounding, which further supports intervention on the nodal level. Research methodology consists of several steps. Firstly, since this paper is part of an extensive research project investigating the potentials of Athens agglomeration in terms of future spatial and infrastructural development, the data based on the field research will be analyzed. Secondly, the overview of existing documents (primary and secondary sources) on both spatial and transport development in the city of Athens will be critically analyzed. The paper concludes with the critical overview of the present state regarding TOD in the port of Piraeus (i.e. Rotterdam of the south), as well as basic recommendations for its future development, mainly aiming to respond to a dynamic of self-organizing governance in forging a new conceptual basis for long-term strategic partnership.
Today’s residential construction industry is capable of producing exceptionally high performing h... more Today’s residential construction industry is capable of producing exceptionally high performing houses that far exceed compliance with local building codes. We feel that setting a target of Net-Zero Energy (NZE) is feasible in the US considering the design and construction technology available.
This paper is part of an extensive project focusing on residential construction utilizing Passivhaus strategies with an emphasis on solar design and a target of Net-Zero energy use. The focus of this paper is on the role of simulation as a design aid in developing guidelines relating to building form, orientation, glazing, and roof area for solar electrical and thermal systems.
Technology available today enables us to design and build Net-Zero homes—where all of the necessa... more Technology available today enables us to design and build Net-Zero homes—where all of the necessary heating, cooling, hot water, and electricity are produced on-site. A major challenge with Net-Zero design has been the appropriate sizing of the systems, due in part to the large differences in microclimates between locations which might otherwise appear to be very similar. As an example, multiple locations in the same AHSRAE or Energy Star climate zones often have significantly different local conditions for temperature, humidity, wind direction and speed, and solar availability. Another challenge with Net-Zero design is the uncertainty of performance and cost effectiveness of different strategies, particularly in comparing passive strategies vs. active systems.
This paper is part of an extensive project focusing on residential design and construction where solar design and Passivhaus strategies are utilized to achieve Net-Zero energy-use. The focus of this paper is to highlight the differences in optimal architectural and mechanical system design strategies for three locations along the Rocky Mountain front range including: Denver, CO, Billings, MT, and Laramie, WY. These three locations reveal small differences in temperature, wind speed, and solar availability, but enough to create very different constraints for energy demand and availability, resulting in a variety of climate specific, cost effective design solutions.
"Abstract:
Reliable clean water supply and treated sewage are fundamental for human health and... more "Abstract:
Reliable clean water supply and treated sewage are fundamental for human health and wellbeing. Water scarcity becomes a discussing concern due to the unfair distribution of resources and different amount of precipitation in some parts of the earth. Although water-related issues are highly influenced by climate changes, there are always various mismanagements of human kind in local scale which totally affects the natural water cycle. Therefore, an urban water system and how this system copes with the natural and built environment are going to be studied in this research. Reviewing the urban management and decision making process inIran, privatization and its prerequisites is the main backbone of this thesis. The central region ofIran,Yazd, has been selected as the case study. This water-stressed area is located on desert margins which water plays a key role in every new and existing development. Along with studying vulnerability of urban water system in this area, the potential risks and crisis would be pointed out. Finally, the analysis and discussion to the current of water sector’s situation based on previous experiences have been presented.
Keywords:Urban Water governance, Privatization, Neoliberalization, Institutional systems, Yazd."
This paper discusses how Traffic Circulation Plan (TCP) in City of Groningen has been developed d... more This paper discusses how Traffic Circulation Plan (TCP) in City of Groningen has been developed during the times and to study the effects and amendments of that plan in the City and inhabitants. Trying to cover recent traffic challenges in Groningen, this study focuses particularly on decision-making process in the city and the measurement of public participation in traffic and urban plans. This study is going to prove the fact that policy-making in Groningen was not only the cooperative and communicative one but also the city is still dealing with a non-compromising and top-down policy style.
The article challenges the role of different actors involved in water-privatization and argues th... more The article challenges the role of different actors involved in water-privatization and argues the probable impacts of the shift from socialism to neolibralism on urban water sectors and accessibility to urban water.
Key words: Privatization, Decision-making, Urban Water System, Social Sector.
The paper is part of an extensive research project about the new tendencies on privatization of w... more The paper is part of an extensive research project about the new tendencies on privatization of water services and supplies in Iran, focusing on the case of City of Yazd which has encountered with drought and water-supply difficulties. Assessing appropriate approaches of contracting out the public services, this article studies potential rational outcomes of privatization in an institutional economic context. Although water-related issues are highly influenced by climate changes, there are always various mismanagements of human kind in local scale which totally affects the natural water cycle and water accessibility. Based on interviews and primary documents, the paper strives to provide an overview of actors and sectional decision-makers on water services, to explore the new trends of public-private partnerships in the city, and to find the vulnerabilities and potential risks in this new proposed system. Finally, the article briefly points to several resilient approaches on this system and
adaptive management strategies.
Key words: Public Private Partnership, Water Governance, Resiliency Theory, Adaptive Management, Institutional Economies.
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Papers by Mahdokht Soltani
This paper is part of an extensive project focusing on residential construction utilizing Passivhaus strategies with an emphasis on solar design and a target of Net-Zero energy use. The focus of this paper is on the role of simulation as a design aid in developing guidelines relating to building form, orientation, glazing, and roof area for solar electrical and thermal systems.
This paper is part of an extensive project focusing on residential design and construction where solar design and Passivhaus strategies are utilized to achieve Net-Zero energy-use. The focus of this paper is to highlight the differences in optimal architectural and mechanical system design strategies for three locations along the Rocky Mountain front range including: Denver, CO, Billings, MT, and Laramie, WY. These three locations reveal small differences in temperature, wind speed, and solar availability, but enough to create very different constraints for energy demand and availability, resulting in a variety of climate specific, cost effective design solutions.
Reliable clean water supply and treated sewage are fundamental for human health and wellbeing. Water scarcity becomes a discussing concern due to the unfair distribution of resources and different amount of precipitation in some parts of the earth. Although water-related issues are highly influenced by climate changes, there are always various mismanagements of human kind in local scale which totally affects the natural water cycle. Therefore, an urban water system and how this system copes with the natural and built environment are going to be studied in this research. Reviewing the urban management and decision making process inIran, privatization and its prerequisites is the main backbone of this thesis. The central region ofIran,Yazd, has been selected as the case study. This water-stressed area is located on desert margins which water plays a key role in every new and existing development. Along with studying vulnerability of urban water system in this area, the potential risks and crisis would be pointed out. Finally, the analysis and discussion to the current of water sector’s situation based on previous experiences have been presented.
Keywords:Urban Water governance, Privatization, Neoliberalization, Institutional systems, Yazd."
Key words: Privatization, Decision-making, Urban Water System, Social Sector.
adaptive management strategies.
Key words: Public Private Partnership, Water Governance, Resiliency Theory, Adaptive Management, Institutional Economies.
This paper is part of an extensive project focusing on residential construction utilizing Passivhaus strategies with an emphasis on solar design and a target of Net-Zero energy use. The focus of this paper is on the role of simulation as a design aid in developing guidelines relating to building form, orientation, glazing, and roof area for solar electrical and thermal systems.
This paper is part of an extensive project focusing on residential design and construction where solar design and Passivhaus strategies are utilized to achieve Net-Zero energy-use. The focus of this paper is to highlight the differences in optimal architectural and mechanical system design strategies for three locations along the Rocky Mountain front range including: Denver, CO, Billings, MT, and Laramie, WY. These three locations reveal small differences in temperature, wind speed, and solar availability, but enough to create very different constraints for energy demand and availability, resulting in a variety of climate specific, cost effective design solutions.
Reliable clean water supply and treated sewage are fundamental for human health and wellbeing. Water scarcity becomes a discussing concern due to the unfair distribution of resources and different amount of precipitation in some parts of the earth. Although water-related issues are highly influenced by climate changes, there are always various mismanagements of human kind in local scale which totally affects the natural water cycle. Therefore, an urban water system and how this system copes with the natural and built environment are going to be studied in this research. Reviewing the urban management and decision making process inIran, privatization and its prerequisites is the main backbone of this thesis. The central region ofIran,Yazd, has been selected as the case study. This water-stressed area is located on desert margins which water plays a key role in every new and existing development. Along with studying vulnerability of urban water system in this area, the potential risks and crisis would be pointed out. Finally, the analysis and discussion to the current of water sector’s situation based on previous experiences have been presented.
Keywords:Urban Water governance, Privatization, Neoliberalization, Institutional systems, Yazd."
Key words: Privatization, Decision-making, Urban Water System, Social Sector.
adaptive management strategies.
Key words: Public Private Partnership, Water Governance, Resiliency Theory, Adaptive Management, Institutional Economies.