What does urban resilience mean, and how is it linked to city safety? How can we enhance urban resilience? These questions were addressed by industry experts at the seventh International Forum on Sustainable Urban Development, held in Chongqing on October 18.
According to Fang Dongping, the dean of the School of Civil Engineering and Hydraulic Engineering at Tsinghua University, urban resilience refers to the ability of urban systems and their subsystems to maintain functionality or quickly recover when faced with disturbances, while also adapting to better cope with future uncertainties.
Enhancing urban resilience is a crucial aspect of city safety. Fang emphasized that a city is not merely a collection of buildings and infrastructure. Rather, human activities and the flow of information are vital components of the urban fabric. He described the city as consisting of three spatial dimensions: physical, social, and informational.
In the physical dimension, we encompass all visible natural and artificial objects, including the natural environment, infrastructure, and buildings. The social dimension distinguishes a city from just a collection of structures; it comprises the people and their activities, encompassing economics, culture, education, healthcare, and more.
The informational dimension is increasingly crucial for urban operations, as modern technology—such as the internet, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), big data, and artificial intelligence—is transforming daily life. Digital technologies like cloud computing and AI are providing new capabilities and methods for urban safety and emergency management.
In discussing urban safety and resilience-building, Shi Zhongqi, director of the R&D center at the Shenzhen Urban Public Safety Technology Research Institute, introduced the “Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Response” framework.
“Prevention” refers to anticipating and warning against disasters before they occur. “Diagnosis” involves problem assessment and evaluation before, during, and after a disaster. “Treatment” is about addressing identified issues promptly. Finally, “Response” pertains to emergency rescue efforts during a disaster.
Shi proposed establishing a comprehensive, efficient, and integrated monitoring and warning technology system that encompasses sky, land, and air. This system would utilize satellite remote sensing, drone inspections, and cameras for a layered approach to urban safety, fostering collaborative mechanisms for enhanced perception and response.
The seventh International Forum on Sustainable Urban Development was guided by the Chongqing Housing and Urban-Rural Development Committee, the China Survey and Design Association, and the China Urban Rail Transit Association, with the Chongqing Landscape Urban Sustainable Development Center, Chongqing Urban Transport Development Investment Group Co., Ltd., and Chuangke Technology (Chongqing) Co., Ltd. as the organizers.
