مهجبین ردایی

In the transition from an introverted traditional society to an extroverted modern one, many places cannot withstand the tensions of modernity and the conflicts of dominant culture. The effort to create reliable, safe, economical, and resilient infrastructure against climatic hazards is an undeniable principle in the present age. Ancient hydraulic structures, as a water heritage, contain successful structural, functional, and managerial solutions for sustainability and resilience against harsh ecological conditions. Therefore, deriving ancient perspectives regarding the human-nature relationship and nature-based solutions, to develop practical patterns for addressing natural and human crises, as well as applying them in the planning processes of urban landscapes and watersheds, can enhance the resilience of contemporary cities. Considering that the ancestors of each region developed management strategies in response to social, ecological challenges, and human needs, taking into account cultural, economic, and geographical characteristics, and that these strategies, along with their functions, experiences, values, and beliefs, have been tested over thousands of years, they have laid the foundations for the formation of ecological wisdom. In this study, the main research question is posed as follows: How will the development of principles and rules governing the structure and function of water heritage affect the realization of resilient cities against flooding Therefore, by selecting and examining a sample of ancient water structures in ancient China, the ancient thoughts regarding the relationship between humans and nature were inferred, and a practical pattern for achieving resilient cities against flooding was outlined.

This study is a descriptive-analytical investigation aimed at analyzing the drainage system pattern of Tuancheng in ancient China to achieve resilience against urban flooding. Using an inductive-comparative method, the structural-functional principles and rules governing the Tuancheng drainage system, as an ancient urban flood management experience, were compared with modern experiences at multiple scales. Based on this comparison, a practical pattern for achieving resilience against flooding and water resource management was developed. The steps of the study can be described as follows:Examining the drainage system of ancient China, a symbol of ecological wisdom in ancient heritage, Clarifying resilience criteria in water structures and drainage, Inferring the principles and rules governing the drainage system of ancient China, Developing a practical pattern for resilience against floods and runoff in contemporary cities.

Ancient hydraulic structures engineered by past cultures are based on the realization of fundamental hydrological functions and provide valuable insights into preserving water resources, managing runoff, maintaining ecological integrity, managing watersheds, protecting soil and biodiversity, etc. Despite the vast differences in complexity, technological development, and resource demands between ancient indigenous communities and the modern world, these insights can inspire contemporary societies in land management. The design principles governing these ancient structures effectively preserve water and natural systems, enhance ecological processes and functions, and increase ecosystem services. Notably, they offer efficient utilization of rainwater resources to mitigate the challenge of water scarcity in the present age. Furthermore, by reducing the occurrence of natural disasters, flooding, and economic losses, these structures offer a reliable method for managing water resources and saving financial costs for local communities. They also create investment opportunities in upgrading infrastructure, engineering products, and new technologies. The combination of green and gray infrastructure, clustered design, and multifunctional performance significantly improves efficiency, performance, stress resistance, and reduces damages and costs. Common technologies in the formation of sponge cities include the use of green roofs, open and green spaces, green parking lots, artificial wetlands for collecting rainwater and runoff, permeable ponds, facilities to maintain biological processes, permeable pavements, reducing rigid and impermeable surfaces, integrated ecological management, protecting aquatic ecosystems, and utilizing rainwater resources. These approaches facilitate the harmonious development of urban and natural environments, the development of green-blue infrastructure, and the enhancement of resilience against water crises.

The results of the study indicate that the manifestation of the principles and rules of ecological wisdom through various policies and strategies, such as conservation plans, infiltration practices, runoff storage, runoff transfer, runoff filtration, and landscaping at multiple structural-functional scales, can provide a fundamental pattern for achieving sponge cities that are resilient to flooding. This concept reflects an environmental civilization capable of reducing the impacts of urban development on natural ecosystems, integrating green-blue and gray infrastructures, managing aquifers, and addressing various social, economic, and ecological dimensions. It aims to manage water resources and resolve the water crisis in many countries, including Iran.

Cultural landscapes that result from diverse changes and are influenced by crises caused by natural or human processes can be valuable references for learning, decision-making, and planning in the face of changes in the contemporary world. The study aimed to design a conceptual model of the continuity of the evolutionary process of the cultural landscape in the face of climate change using the grounded theory method. Purposive sampling was done with 30 samples, data collection was done through semi-structured interviews, and data was analyzed using MAXQDA software. Following the explanation of the concept of the cultural landscape and the analysis of its evolution based on the theory of structuration, landscape ecology, and change, the results of the study showed that the continuous evolution of cultural landscapes against environmental stresses, including climate changes, requires the discovery and recall of lived experiences during the moments of change and transformational learning in the direction of mitigation, adaptation, value-creating, and regeneration measures. The application of this model in formulating strategies in temporal-spatial scales can lead to the improvement of cultural resilience of cultural landscapes and establish continuity in the path of evolution.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the capabilities of the environment as a platform for human activities, to improve the relationship between man and nature, and to compensate for part of the current lost social interactions in the open spaces of residential complexes. The innovation of the research is emphasizing the importance of natural elements perception to create collective life in the body of urban settlements. This research is descriptive-analytical research in which the components affecting collective life in open spaces were investigated in three physical, functional, and semantic dimensions in the open spaces of residential complexes in region 1 of Yazd city. Sampling was purposeful and the data collection tool was based on 381 researcher-made questionnaires with a reliability coefficient and Cronbach's alpha value of 0.867, observation and presence in study spaces. The components affecting the perception of nature and natural elements were analyzed based on the sense of smell, visual, auditory, tactile, and motion-oriented senses, and mental images. The results indicated the existence of a significant positive relationship between the quality of open and public spaces, the perception of natural elements, and the collective viability of residential complexes.

The purpose of the current research was to know the implementation patterns of ecological wisdom to improve livability in the desert residential buildings of Yazd city. The research method was descriptive-analytical and inferential, and the effective criteria in evaluating the implementation patterns of ecological wisdom were determined using library studies and experts' opinions. To evaluate, 20 main criteria were used. The data collection tool was a survey (purposive sampling, 4 native houses from the old context of the desert city of Yazd) and a researcher-made questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.86, and the statistical community included specialists in urban planning, architecture, and the environment who are familiar with the native architecture of desert areas. The innovation of the research is to examine the relationship between ecological wisdom and the livability in desert cities, especially in the scale of building architecture. Results showed that ancient desert settlements were formed based on the principles and rules of ecological wisdom and are a symbol of sustainability. Therefore, regenerating the principles of ecological wisdom in multiple scales can be the basis for improving the sustainability and livability of contemporary urban contexts.

Contemporary urban settlements are facing increasing development, transformation, and complexity, which has disrupted the ecological system and the human-nature bond, especially in desert cities, and has led to a crisis of the 21st century or a reduction in urban resilience. Many patterns of human-nature communication and solutions inspired by the natural environment support the principles and concepts of resilience and sustainability. To apply human dimensions in planning, it is necessary to extract, transfer and use ecological wisdom, or in other words, ideas based on evidence, principles, and strategies of the human-nature bond manifested in ancient cities, in the structure and function of the urban ecosystem. Therefore, the present study aims to establish a resilient city through ecological wisdom and to investigate the link between ecological wisdom and urban resilience. This paper is a descriptive-analytic study and the data collection tool is a library-documentary method. While deduction and comparison of the structural-functional components of social learning with ecological wisdom, social learning has been inferred as a catalyst ring for ecological wisdom expansion and resilience promotion. The strategic components in ecological wisdom expansion are extracted using the structural-interpretive model. Finally the conceptual model of ecological wisdom expansion in the planning of urban resilience promotion through social learning links is presented. The results of the study indicate that the components of the ability to understand the complexity and capacity to create flexibility, are two strategic factors in the tools of expanding ecological wisdom for urban resilience planning.

The efforts to reduce energy consumption, and improve energy performance in buildings, have received much attention in the field of construction, coinciding with the energy crisis in the world. Proper design and construction of building elements and components can reduce energy consumption, reduce negative impacts on the environment and save money throughout the life cycle of the building. The window is usually the façade element with the lowest thermal resistance and the thinnest component with the highest thermal conductivity in the building. Under standard conditions, windows and ventilation are two separate systems, that the lack of a proper management system can increase energy consumption in the building. In this study, the use of airflow window was introduced as a suitable solution and a passive method to reduce the energy consumption of the building, and the effect of combined factors such as low emission coating layers and phase change materials was investigated in improving the thermal performance of this type of windows and reducing cooling and heating load of the building. The research method was descriptive-analytical with a qualitative study. The data collection tool was a review of written sources, documents, and previous studies, and the method of data analysis was content analysis. The results of the study indicated that using the airflow windows in combination with phase change materials and absorbent or reflective internal curtains with the ability to change the position in the cold and hot seasons of the year, can create a dynamic performance in different seasons, and have a significant effect on reduction of heating and cooling loads and energy consumption in the buildings.

Population growth and urban and industrial development processes around the world have made the adoption of alternative energy sources inevitable to reduce fossil fuel consumption as well as their harmful effects on human and environmental health. Over the past decades, the expansion of using nuclear energy as an alternative energy source indicates the widespread production of radioactive waste and the proper management of radioactive waste has become a vital challenge for the international community. The present study is a review study that examines the principles and processes of radioactive waste management and the factors influencing the location of radioactive waste landfills. It also emphasizes on the design of multiple engineering-natural barriers and the adoption of control-monitoring programs with legal requirements for the optimal disposal of radioactive waste to adopt efficient strategies to pay attention to various aspects of sustainability in all aspects of the environmental, social, and economic. The results of the study indicate that the processes of preparation and stabilization of hazardous waste, risk assessment, landfill site selection, the long-term safety of landfills, design of durable structures, adoption of multiple engineering-natural barrier systems, design of monitoring and control programs can reduce humans and environment vulnerability from radioactive waste landfills and can be used as effective frameworks in the radioactive waste management by designers, planners and, engineers.

Access to the appropriate quality and quantity of water is very important during the building life cycle and various stages of construction and operation. The fundamental importance of water is evident from the fact that two of the 17 sustainable development goals are directly related to water. Hot and dry climatic conditions, low rainfall and high evaporation, improper use of limited water resources, and pollution of quantitative and qualitative water crises have been determined on different scales in Iran. A large part of water loss occurs at the building scale (residential, commercial, and official). Therefore, in many parts of the country, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, it's inevitable the need to adopt strategies for the optimal use of water resources in the construction sector. The present study investigates the use of alternative water resources, water resources recovery methods to achieve net-zero water buildings, focusing on methods of reducing water consumption at the building scale. The research method is descriptive-analytical with a qualitative study. The data collection tool is a review of written sources, documents, and previous studies, and the method of data analysis is content analysis. Findings indicate that the creation and utilization of a sustainable water cycle in the building through rainwater harvesting systems, gray water collection and treatment systems as alternative water sources, collection, and treatment of black water to charge aquifers, or injection into water supply sources can provide a platform for the realization of the net-zero buildings.

Sustainable-integrated structural, functional, and management systems of water resources with emphasis on understanding the dynamics and co-evolution of coupled human-water systems have created concepts such as environmental hydrology, social hydrology, water sociology, etc. The evolution of the science of hydrology based on the theory of socio-ecological systems faces various challenges, including missing ring of social capital, local management, and regeneration of ecological wisdom governing the common resource, which requires the recognition of the semantic interaction and co-evolution of ecological wisdom and social hydrology. The current descriptive-analytical research formulates a conceptual framework for the development of social hydrology based on ecological wisdom intellectual foundation governing the ancient hydraulic heritage. The analysis of commonalities and differences in ecological wisdom, social hydrology, and their study paths based on comparative analysis emphasizes the realization of new insight in light of ecological wisdom, which, while linking procedural and conceptual approaches, provides a framework for the coupled systems co-evolution, with the potential to fully understand complexities, connections, and feedbacks, transform conflicts into interactions, analyze past events, strengthen the participation of stakeholders, predict long-term consequences of today's decisions, and facilitate the policymaking, decision-making processes, and formulation of efficient management strategies at various local, national, and regional scales.

Neglecting basic urban ecological indicators leads to a reduction in resilience to changing environmental conditions. Ancient socio-ecological systems are the result of several millennia of interventions in the landscape and a valuable repository of successful and unsuccessful experiences that can act as a stimulus or deterrent to decisions in future planning processes. This study aims to deduce the ecological wisdom principles and rules governing wind flow corridors and to present structural-functional strategies in the ecological networks of ancient desert cities (Yazd as a case study) to promote resilience. The research method based on the analysis of the content reviews the importance of ecological corridors in promoting urban resilience, deduces the ecological wisdom principles, recognizes the ecological wisdom principles and rules governing wind flow networks with exploratory analysis in the city of Yazd, in three scales: macro (urban-suburban), mezzo (neighborhood) and micro (building). The results indicate that structural-functional patterns, positioning and orientation, proportions and geometric order, connections, texture, and color of construction materials, structural-functional diversity, and structural-functional composition in wind flow corridors and regeneration strategies based on ecological wisdom in access networks and urban corridors are important in creating ecological networks and promoting urban resilience.

Today, landscape of many ancient desert cities has destroyed, despite having natural contexts and integrated patterns resulted from human actions and natural environments as settlement. Discoloration of sustainability and resilience foundations, emphasizes the need to recognition and application of the concepts governing the structure and function of ecological networks and the patterns of social-ecological systems interactions, which has been reflection of the ecological wisdom principles in the urban planning process. This study aims to recognize ecological wisdom principles in the landscape of desert cities in the format of hydraulic structures in Yazd city. In present comparative-inferential study, the ecological wisdom is explained and it's principles are inferred, while analyzing the subject literature, using documentary method and study of written sources. Based on field studies, and inference of structural, functional, and management criteria governing the historical hydraulic structures in city of Yazd. The examples of ecological wisdom principles in ancient hydraulic structures have been studied in three scales of macro, mezo and micro. The results indicate that ecological wisdom has provided basis for creating ecological networks and urban landscapes sustainability, by creating composition, configuration, communication and functional diversity of patches and mixing corridors in the hydraulic structures networks in Yazd city.

Currently, cities are the largest forces changing the ecological conditions of the landscape and influencing ecological structures and processes. There seems to be no harmony or balance between the urban networks and the patterns in nature today, and the urban networks are dominating the vulnerable ecological networks. Disregarding ecological infrastructures and the imbalance between the natural and man-made environments has led to concerns about the livability of cities and urban areas for urban planners and designers. Livability crisis is the crisis of unlivable urban spaces that suffer from environmental challenges, the gap between man and nature, and the rupture of natural environment. These are some of the most significant problems in contemporary cities.

Social-ecological systems are dynamic and multi-level systems in which cultural, political, social, ecological, and technological components interact. Today, blindly pursuing the classic pattern of development and the stereotypical models, which do not take into account the ecological, social, and economic characteristics and complexities, has resulted in the detrimental effects on landscapes, causing ecological and social unsustainability. In this study, using a descriptive-analytical method and library research, a conceptual model and an appropriate-analytical framework were proposed to overcome environmental management challenges such as disregard of multiple scales, ignoring stakeholders’ perspectives, lack of adaptive management against sudden changes, use of inappropriate scales, institutional constraints, lack of empirical evidence and uncertainty. Results indicated that the new approach of social-ecological systems in planning and environmental management can provide the grounds for a progressive change in rational, authoritative, and sectoral planning and management towards democratic-oriented planning. The new approach includes change from the static to dynamic perspectives, attention to processes and trends in examining structures and functions, inclusion of holistic and systemic perspectives, development of common knowledge, involvement of the stakeholders, participation according to the philosophies of empowerment, equality and trust, training and social learning, adaptive capacity, adaptive governance, and monitoring systems. This new approach also provides a basis for sustainable management of the environment.

The construction industry is one of the most important industries in sustainable development, considering the extent of its impact on human societies, global economy and human environment. Accordingly, the world’ demand for sustainable development has put a lot of pressure on the construction industry to promote sustainable capabilities in the construction process. In the present study, green supply chain management has been introduced as a holistic environmental management approach in the wake of environmental concerns in the construction industry and its importance in different stages of construction industry’s activities has been investigated. This study is a descriptive- analytical study with a qualitative approach. The data collection tool is library studies, review of written sources, documents and previous researches. The results of the study indicate that the collaborative environmental contributions play a significant role in facilitating the program and implementation of the green supply chain management. The adaptation of environmental requirements at different stages of the construction project, such as feasibility and green innovation, green design, green materials, green construction, green conservation and exploitation and reverse logistics, plays an important role in context of the executive framework of green supply chain management and sustainability of construction industry.

Water supply is considered as water democracy. Sustainable water resources management has been manifested in response to growing pressures from population growth, socio-economic development, climate change, and ecological degradation. Despite the long history of water structure engineering in Iran, there is always a lack of sustainable water resources management framework, and recreation of hidden values ​​of historic hydraulic structures. The purpose of this study was to compare the characteristics of the historic hydraulic structures of desert cities with water resources’sustainable management criteria and the importance of restoration, protection and recreation of this historical heritage. This is an inferential-comparative study. Information gathering tools were library studies, review of written literature, and documents. Study of the structure, performance and management system of the historical hydraulic structures of Yazd Desert City indicated that despite the weaknesses of traditional systems, these structures have been in great harmony with the sustainable management framework for water resources. Therefore, modeling and recreating the values ​​and systems governing the structure and functioning of these structures as the most fundamental factors in explaining the thought and practice of social and ecological life can provide the basis for sustainability in all its dimensions.

The aim of this research is to introduce storytelling as a communicative planning tool for understanding of environmental values and interpretation them into environmental planning principles and rules. Through some informal meetings, interviews and field observations, the memories, stories, and environmental narratives of people of Khormiz, Tangchenar, Sarve, Bahadoran villages located in Mehriz County of Yazd Province recalled. Then their underlying environmental values explored with the aid of themselves. Also the environmental friendly built forms, activities and behaviors which have denoted to those values explored. Based on these results, the residents of villages have been addressing the most compatibility and less disruptions’ of the land due to their strong system of values and well understanding of their environment. This has been led them to some creative and compatible developments to capture their hard climate conditions; some more known as Ghanaat and Yakhchal to some other daily friendly behaviors. This research revealed that storytelling could be used to join communities’ environmental values with urban planning choices and it may be set within organizational planning process.

Water is the most important element of life that plays a fundamental role in the emergence of human civilizations and the construction of cities. Today, security of water is recognized as an essential challenge. According to a systemic approach, water security is a complex and dynamic mechanism in which social and ecological processes interact with each other and, along with the recognition of feedback cycles, present reactive responses to human needs. The purpose of the present study is to explain the water security based on the systemic and integrated viewpoint, infer the analytical levels of water security, and present the conceptual model of the capability of the historic structures of desert cities in providing water security. This is an inferential-comparative study. Data collection tools are library studies and review of documents. The results of the developed comparative model indicate that the functions of the historic hydraulic structures of desert cities (economic-social-cultural-ecological) are in line with the analytical levels of water security (social security of water, economic security of water, environmental safety of water, urban security of water, and resilience to crises).

Urban landscape can have potential in creating dynamic and livable communities when it interacts optimally with its ecological context. Underground or subsurface spaces of desert cities can be considered as a kind of spaces based on ecological wisdom that reflects socio-ecological perception and creates a cultural commitment of individuals to the correct interaction of natural environment and artificial environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the role of underground spaces in promoting the livability of desert cities and to emphasize planning based on ecological wisdom to create urban spaces compatible with the ecological context. The research method in this study is descriptive-analytical, based on the qualitative method and logical reasoning. To evaluate the effect of underground space functions on the livability criteria of desert cities, T-test and SPSS statistical analysis were used, and to strategically analyze underground spaces, SWOT technique and AHP hierarchical analysis were used and finally, adaptive, defensive, offensive, and contingency strategies were presented. The results indicate that the regeneration of the principles of ecological wisdom in the process of strategic planning of the subsurface spaces development requires a kind of participatory and communication planning between members of society on the one hand and also society and nature on the other hand. Such regeneration can pave the way for the sustainability, resilience, and livability of urban ecosystems.