Shaping Sustainable Urban Growth for the UAE: Understanding the Role of Street Networks’ Efficiency and Centrality in City Design

Principal Investigator
Khaled AlAwadi
Department
Industrial & Systems Engineering
Focus Area
Clean & Renewable Energy
Shaping Sustainable Urban Growth for the UAE: Understanding the Role of Street Networks’ Efficiency and Centrality in City Design

Streets play significant roles in meeting multiple sustainability objectives. This research addresses Abu Dhabi’s and Dubai’s street connectivity at the neighborhood (local) and city (global) scales. It focuses on two parameters of street network analysis: efficiency and centrality. Efficiency is evaluated in terms of directness, noting that network designs that provide short and direct access between origins and destinations are more efficient. Centrality is evaluated using graph theory metrics that enable the identification of high- and low-accessibility locations within networks. Research has shown that network centrality metrics are useful for capturing location advantage, a significant factor for land use distribution. An understanding of centrality and its impacts makes it possible to plan land uses that bring destinations closer to residences, an important factor in environmental, economical, and social sustainability. The proposed project will offer scientifically grounded strategies and policies that will enable various stakeholders to design more sustainable street systems and land uses.

Shaping Sustainable Urban Growth for the UAE: Understanding the Role of Street Networks’ Efficiency and Centrality in City Design