College of Built Environments researchers are selected for inaugural cohort of the Urban@UW Research to Action Collaboratory (RAC). Throughout the next 18 months, Urban@UW will work with these teams and provide seed funds, dedicated time to build team cohesion and collaboration skills, and foster opportunities for peer support and shared resources and learning. The project below was one of two projects selected for this cohort. See the full story here. Just Circular Communities: A Resiliency Framework to Support a Just…
Research Theme: Equity & Justice
Includes methodologies as well as topics related to addressing bias, representation, access, and other aspects of equity and justice in the built environment
Say Where You Sample: Increasing Site Selection Transparency in Urban Ecology
Dyson, Karen; Dawwas, Emad; Poulton Kamakura, Renata; Alberti, Marina; Fuentes, Tracy L. (2023). Say Where You Sample: Increasing Site Selection Transparency in Urban Ecology. Ecosphere, 14(3).
Abstract
Urban ecological studies have the potential to expand our understanding of socioecological systems beyond that of an individual city or region. Cross-comparative empirical work and synthesis are imperative to develop a general urban ecological theory. This can be achieved only if studies are replicable and generalizable. Transparency in methods reporting facilitates generalizability and replicability by documenting the decisions scientists make during the various steps of research design; this is particularly true for sampling design and selection because of their impact on both internal and external validity and the potential to unintentionally introduce bias. Three interdependent aspects of sample design are study sample selection (e.g., specific organisms, soils, or water), sample specification (measurement of specific variable of interest), and site selection (locations sampled). Of these, documentation of site selection—the where component of sample design—is underrepresented in the urban ecology literature. Using a stratified random sample of 158 papers from 12 major urban ecology journals, we investigated how researchers selected study sites in urban ecosystems and evaluated whether their site selection methods were transparent. We extracted data from these papers using a 50-question, theory-based questionnaire and a multiple-reviewer approach. Our sample represented almost 45 years of urban ecology research across 40 different countries. We found that more than 80% of the papers we read were not transparent in their site selection methodology. We do not believe site selection methods are replicable for 70% of the papers read. Key weaknesses include incomplete descriptions of populations and sampling frames, urban gradients, sample selection methods, and property access. Low transparency in reporting the where methodology limits urban ecologists' ability to assess the internal and external validity of studies' findings and to replicate published studies; it also limits the generalizability of existing studies. The challenges of low transparency are particularly relevant in urban ecology, a field where standard protocols for site selection and delineation are still being developed. These limitations interfere with the fields' ability to build theory and inform policy. We conclude by offering a set of recommendations to increase transparency, replicability, and generalizability.
Keywords
external validity, field ecology, generalizability, internal validity, replication, reproducibility, sampling design, site selection, theory building, transparency
Coastal Adaptations with the Shoalwater Bay Tribe: Centering Place and Community to Address Climate Change and Social Justice
The proposed community-based participatory action research project is a collaborative research, planning and design initiative that will enable a UW research team to work with the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe to explore sustainable and culturally relevant strategies for an upland expansion in response to climate change-driven sea level rise and other threats to their coastal ecosystems and community. The situation is urgent as the reservation is located in the most rapidly eroding stretch of Pacific coastline in the US, on near-sea-level land vulnerable also to catastrophic tsunamis. The project will advance the Tribe’s master plan and collaboratively develop a model of climate adaptive, culture-affirming and change-mitigating environmental strategies for creating new infrastructure, housing and open spaces in newly acquired higher elevation land adjacent to the reservation. Design and planning strategies will draw on culturally-based place meanings and attachments to support a sense of continuity, ease the transition, and create new possibilities for re-grounding. Sustainable strategies generated by the project will draw on both traditional ecological knowledge and scientific modeling of environmental change. The project will involve the following methods and activities:
- The creation of a Tribal scientific and policy Advisory Board with representatives from the Tribal Council, elder, youth, state and county agencies, and indigenous architects and planners;
- Student-led collaborative team-building and research activities that will also engage Tribal youth;
- Systematic review of the Tribe’s and neighboring county plans;
- Interviews, focus groups and community workshops to identify priority actions, needs and strategies;
- Adaptation of existing research on sustainable master planning, design and carbon storing construction materials; and
- The development of culturally meaningful and sustainable building prototypes.
Deliverables include a report of findings summarizing community assets and values, and priorities for the upland expansion vetted by Tribal leaders, documentation and evaluation of the UW-community partnership and engagement process, digitized web- based geo-narratives and story maps and technical recommendations for culturally-informed schematic designs, sustainable construction methods and low-embodied carbon storing materials. The project process and outcomes will have broad applicability for other vulnerable coastal communities and can be used to support their climate adaptation efforts as well.
Research Team
Principal Investigator: Daniel Abramson, College of Built Environments, Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington
Community Lead: Jamie Judkins, Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
University of Washington Partners:
Rob Corser, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture
Julie Kriegh, Affiliate Lecturer, Departments of Construction Management and Architecture and Principal, Kriegh Architecture Studios | Design + Research
Jackson Blalock, Community Engagement Specialist, Washington Sea Grant
Lynne Manzo, Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture
Kristiina Vogt, Professor, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
Community Partners:
Daniel Glenn, AIA, NCARB, Principal, 7 Directions Architects/Planners
John David “J.D.” Tovey III, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Timothy Archer Lehman, Design and Planning Consultant and Lecturer
Whose City?: Invitations and Imaginaries and the Nehemiah Initiative’s Example for Seattle
Berney, Rachel. (2022). Whose City?: Invitations and Imaginaries and the Nehemiah Initiative’s Example for Seattle. In K. Goh, A. Loukaitou-Sideris, & V. Mukhija (Eds.), Just Urban Design: The Struggle for a Public City. The MIT Press.
Clean Energy Justice: Different Adoption Characteristics of Underserved Communities in Rooftop Solar and Electric Vehicle Chargers in Seattle
Min, Yohan, Lee, Hyun Woo, & Hurvitz, Philip M. (2023). Clean Energy Justice: Different Adoption Characteristics of Underserved Communities in Rooftop Solar and Electric Vehicle Chargers in Seattle. Energy Research & Social Science, 96.
Abstract
Concerns over global climate change have led to energy transition to clean energy systems with the development of various clean energy policies. However, social equity issues have emerged in association with the rapid transition of energy systems related to distributed energy resources (DERs), evidenced by disparities in clean energy access. While most existing studies have focused on several variables impacting the adoption of DERs, there is a dearth of studies concerning distributional and recognition justice specifically aimed at investigating: (1) which DER adoption variable is the most important among several variables identified in the literature; and (2) how adoption patterns vary by technologies and communities. The objective of the present study is to answer the two questions by examining the geographic distribution of rooftop solar and electric vehicle (EV) chargers and the related community attributes. Also, the study involves identifying latent variables by addressing inter-correlations among several adoption determinants. The results show that rooftop solar and EV charger adoptions in Seattle present disparities associated with geographic locations and community attributes. In particular, housing variables are the main indicators for rooftop solar adoption and even stronger in communities with low adoption rates. EV charger adoptions are strongly associated with economic variables. Furthermore, spatial inequality of rooftop solar adoption is higher than that of EV charger adoption. The study suggests housing-related support may increase the adoption of both technologies, particularly in communities with low adoption rates. Considering that the installations of rooftop solar and EV chargers were concentrated in particular communities, the study results imply that policies aimed at increasing the adoption of DERs should be tailored to local community characteristics.
Characterization of Vulnerable Communities in Terms of the Benefits and Burdens of the Energy Transition in Pacific Northwest Cities
Min, Yohan; Lee, Hyun Woo. (2023). Characterization of Vulnerable Communities in Terms of the Benefits and Burdens of the Energy Transition in Pacific Northwest Cities. Journal of Cleaner Production.
Abstract
Energy transition to renewable sources has occurred along with the development of various clean energy policies aimed at decarbonization and electrification. However, the transition can inadvertently lead to social inequity resulting in increasing burdens on vulnerable communities. Although many studies have tried to define and identify vulnerable communities, there has been no study specifically aimed at characterizing vulnerable communities in terms of the benefits and burdens of such energy transition. In response, the objective of this study is to characterize vulnerable communities by examining rooftop solar adoption and energy expenditure using spatial and mixed-effect models. Rooftop solar adoption operationalizes energy resilience and benefits, and energy expenditure operationalizes energy dependence and burdens of the transition. The study also investigates the link between rooftop solar adoption and energy expenditure by considering city-level variability in three Pacific Northwest cities. The results show that Bellevue has 50.4% less rooftop solar adoption than Portland, while Portland has 16.1% or $223 more energy expenditure than Seattle. On average, an increase in annual energy expenditure of $431 is associated with 29% increase in rooftop solar adoption, specifically Bellevue, Seattle, and Portland by 21.4%, 39.1%, and 26.2%, respectively, but not vice versa. Furthermore, the group of communities more vulnerable in housing attributes has 15.2% less rooftop solar adoption than the group of more vulnerable communities in socioeconomic attributes. In addition, the city centers, commercial areas, or mid-rise and high-rise zones are found to have lower rooftop solar adoption and energy expenditure than other areas. The results suggest that policymakers should consider between-city variability when identifying vulnerable communities. Policies should also be tailored to local communities based on their attributes as communities with similar attributes tend to cluster together. Furthermore, policymakers should focus more on housing and built environment attributes to promote resilient communities.
Street Environments and Crime around Low-income and Minority Schools: Adopting an Environmental Audit Tool to Assess Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
Lee, Sungmin, Lee, Chanam, Won Nam, Ji, Vernez Moudon, Anne, & Mendoza, Jason A. (2023). Street Environments and Crime around Low-income and Minority Schools: Adopting an Environmental Audit Tool to Assess Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Landscape and Urban Planning, 232.
Abstract
• CPTED principles have been applied in school neighborhood safety. • Multiple crime types had significant associations with CPTED principles. • The cleanliness of streets and visual quality of buildings can reduce crime. • Being adjacent to multi-family housing and bus stops can increase crime. • The findings add to the evidence supporting the effectiveness of CPTED initiatives. Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) suggests an association between micro-scale environmental conditions and crime, but little empirical research exists on the detailed street-level environmental features associated with crime near low-income and minority schools. This study focuses on the neighborhoods around 14 elementary schools serving lower income populations in Seattle, WA to assess if the distribution of crime incidences (2013–2017) is linked with the street-level environmental features that reflect CPTED principles. We used a total of 40 audit variables that were included in the four domains derived from the broken windows theory and CPTED principles: natural surveillance (e.g., number of windows, balconies, and a sense of surveillance), territoriality (e.g., crime watch signs, trees), image/maintenance (e.g., graffiti and a sense of maintenance/cleanness), and geographical juxtaposition (e.g., bus stops, presence of arterial). We found that multiple crime types had significant associations with CPTED components at the street level. Among the CPTED domains, two image/maintenance features (i.e., maintenance of streets and visual quality of buildings) and two geographical juxtaposition features (i.e., being adjacent to multi-family housing and bus stops) were consistently associated with both violent and property crime. The findings suggest that local efforts to improve maintenance of streets and visual quality of buildings and broader planning efforts to control specific land uses near schools are important to improve safety in marginalized neighborhoods near schools that tend to be more vulnerable to crime. Our research on micro-scale environmental determinants of crime can also serve as promising targets for CPTED research and initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Keywords
CPTED; Crime; Environmental audit; Micro-scale environment of Crime; Street environments
Acolin Awarded NIH R21 Grant to Study Gentrification, Mobility, and Health
Arthur Acolin, Associate Professor and Bob Filley Endowed Chair in the Runstad Department of Real Estate, was recently awarded an NIH R21 grant for his project entitled ‘Gentrification, Mobility, and Exposure to Contextual Determinants of Health.’ The project will examine how gentrification affects mobility patterns at the neighborhood levels and changes exposure to contextual determinants of health that have been shown to contribute to social and race/ethnic inequalities in health. The proposed research leverages consumer trace data from Data Axle…
Incorporating Ride-sourcing Services into Paratransit for People with Disabilities: Opportunities and Barriers
Ashour, Lamis Abu; Shen, Qing. (2022). Incorporating Ride-sourcing Services into Paratransit for People with Disabilities: Opportunities and Barriers. Transport Policy, 126, 355–363.
Abstract
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires public transit agencies to provide an equivalent transportation service for people with disabilities, known as ADA paratransit service. As the U.S. population continues to grow and age, the demand for paratransit service keeps rising, posing many challenges for transit agencies due to its high operational cost. In response, a growing number of transit agencies are looking to incorporate alternative paratransit services by forming partnerships with transportation network companies (TNCs) to provide what is known as same-day service (SDS). However, most of these partnerships are still in the pilot phase, and scant research investigates the opportunities and barriers of SDS or provides guidelines and measures for transit agencies interested in such partnerships. Considering both the characteristics of paratransit trips and riders and the operational norms of TNCs, this paper explores different conditions under which SDS trips are most appropriate and estimates potential trip diversion from conventional paratransit to SDS operated by TNCs. Trip diversion conditions include (1) trip length, which is impacted by the subsidy amount for SDS and the dynamic pricing of TNC trips, (2) level of service, which depends on the level of mobility assistance required by paratransit riders, and (3) the operational efficiency of conventional paratransit. Different settings and combinations of these conditions help transit agencies explore the potential trip diversion of SDS while considering significant barriers to the service. Using 2019 ridership data of Access paratransit, the ADA paratransit services in the Seattle region, this research finds that without an excessive subsidy amount, transit agencies can divert up to 18% of paratransit trips to SDS. This percentage can drop to as low as 11% of paratransit trips if transit agencies further limit the SDS service area to ensure the efficiency of conventional ADA paratransit. This paper concludes that although SDS provides many benefits, significant barriers inherent to TNC business models and paratransit users should be carefully examined when pursuing ADA paratransit-TNC partnerships.
Keywords
ADA Paratransit; Transportation network company (TNC); Ride-sourcing; Transportation equity; Public-private partnership
College of Built Environments’ Research Restart Fund Awards Four Grants in Second Cycle
The College of Built Environments launched a funding opportunity for those whose research has been affected by the ongoing pandemic. The Research Restart Fund, with awards up to $5,000, has awarded 4 grants in the second of its two cycles. A grant was awarded to Manish Chalana, faculty member with Urban Design and Planning to help support his efforts to carry out archival research and fieldwork in India for his new book exploring the history and memory of non-dominant groups…