https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/ Journal of Urban Environmental Management en daily 1 Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_238133.html This research aims to identify the origin and hidden causes affecting the ‎occurrence of fires and accidents in the metropolis of Mashhad. The present ‎research is of a descriptive-analytical type that was conducted using the ‎exploratory factor analysis method. In this research, statistical data on ‎fires and accidents of the Mashhad Fire Department during the years 1395 to ‎‏1403 were used.‏Data related to the causes and origin of fires were categorized into 25 ‎different components and data related to urban accidents were categorized into ‎‏21 components. The adequacy of the sample and the appropriateness of the ‏correlation matrix were confirmed in the fire section with KMO=0.888 and ‎Bartlett's test χ²(300)=2314.183, p<0.001, and in the urban accidents section ‎with KMO=0.816 and Bartlett's test χ²(210)=1000.476, p<0.001. Exploratory ‎factor analysis identified five main factors for the fire category, which ‎together explain 70.75% of the variance. The main factors included heat from ‎electrical distribution network components and electrical problems with ‎electrical appliances (46.96%), carelessness and high-risk human behavior ‎‎(8.13%), ignition of flammable liquids and gases (5.97%), and high-risk daily ‎activities (5.07%).‎In the urban accidents (rescue and rescue) category, five factors were ‎identified, accounting for a total of 74.14% of the variance. The main factors ‎included entrapment in confined spaces, elevators, and entrapment of body ‎parts (39.412%), structural hazards, building debris, and indirect falls ‎‎(14.658%), flooding incidents and water/wastewater infrastructure incidents ‎‎(8.838%), and urban gas incidents and respiratory poisoning (6.074%).‎ https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_242163.html The increasing energy imbalance and widespread power outages have transformed energy supply management in urban spaces into a serious environmental and infrastructural challenge. This research aims to provide a comprehensive technical, economic, and environmental assessment of three key solutions for emergency power supply (including UPS, generator sets, and photovoltaic solar systems) across three different levels of urban household consumption (high, medium, and low). The methodology involved collecting data based on current domestic market prices and real technical information extracted from field sources. The study utilized the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model and Net Present Value (NPV) analysis over a 15-year period, incorporating the effects of inflation and the discount rate, to quantitatively assess all lifecycle costs. Furthermore, the consequences of noise pollution and pollutant gas emissions from generators were considered in the analysis as critical variables affecting urban quality of life and environmental crisis management. The research findings indicated that although, in the high consumption scenario, gasoline generators (Generator Set) are considered the most economical short-term option due to their low initial investment, photovoltaic solar systems, despite their higher upfront cost, offer long-term economic savings in addition to the complete elimination of local pollutants and noise pollution in the urban environment. These findings underscore the necessity of urban policies to encourage and guide the use of clean technologies for energy sustainability in residential areas. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_242164.html Medicinal plant gardens are special ecosystem structures of native and non-native plants. In these gardens, plant conservation and propagation are carried out as genetic reserves, plant science studies and public education of the people, and in addition to ecological value and sustainable development of communities, they are effective in reducing the effects of climate change and improving livability. In this research, part of the lands of Kerman Municipality have been selected to design a medicinal plant garden. The necessity of this research is the need to develop native and medicinal green structures appropriate to ecological conditions and improve biological quality. The purpose of this research is to design a garden for collection (gene bank), ease of access to plants, increase information and public tendency to consume medicinal plants, and create a scientific-research garden with artistic and tourism aspects in accordance with the principles of sustainable landscape design. The innovation of the research is to create an ecological oasis of biodiversity in a dry urban environment using unconventional water resources for sustainable urban planning. Also, the landscape factors of the site and their distribution were examined and by determining the landscape zones, planning and design strategies for each zone were determined and an attempt was made to present a combination of the science of medicinal plants and the art of landscape design by preparing a strategic plan for the medicinal plant garden and designing the site plan. The findings of this research include identifying, determining, and presenting a plan for planting native medicinal plant species, phytoremediation for cleaning and recycling water, and selecting, examining, and placing microspaces in the plan related to the type of medicinal plants. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_242165.html In the present study, extraction of lithium from salts obtained from brine desalination in Gohar Zamin iron ore mine (Sirjan) was investigated using D2EHPA extractant solvent and kerosene diluent. This laboratory-scale study included 29 sets of experiments using a solvent extraction system. To perform the desired extraction experiments, equal volumes of the aqueous phase (10 ml) were contacted with the organic phase (D2EHPA + kerosene) at a specified concentration and then subjected to stirring in a magnetic stirrer for 30, 45, and 60 minutes at laboratory temperature (23 °C). In this investigation, was utilized form Box-Behnken (response surface design) to optimize and assessment of main variables influence of solvent extraction process such as pH, organic to aqueous phase ratio, stirring time, and D2EHPA percentage on lithium recovery. The linear interference model (2FI vs Linear) was applied as the response for lithium recovery. The accuracy and validity from this model were evaluated using variance analysis (ANOVA). According to the process results, optimal operating conditions for lithium recovery were 69.81% at condition of volume of D2EHPA extractant of 29.2%, pH of 5.6, organic to aqueous phase ratio 3:1, and 52.05 min stirring time. The results illustrated that the stirring time had a smaller effect than the two variables of extractant amount and ratio of O/A. The organic to aqueous phase ratio index O/A was more effective than other parameters on lithium recovery. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_243004.html The Anjilsi landfill in Babol County, located in the humid region of northern Iran, generates a considerable volume of leachate daily due to high rainfall and the high permeability of landfill layers. Managing this leachate poses serious technical and environmental challenges. This study aims to present an integrated framework for analyzing, strategizing, and technically designing an optimized leachate treatment system for this site. In the first step, the actual volume of generated leachate was simulated and estimated using the HELP (Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance) model, revealing that the current treatment facility lacks sufficient capacity to handle the inflow load. Subsequently, by applying multi-criteria decision-making tools, namely SWOT, QSPM, and SPACE, the existing system was evaluated in terms of technical and managerial performance, and the strategy of “capacity enhancement while maintaining the existing structure and upgrading critical units” was identified as the optimal alternative. Based on this strategy, a modified treatment process was designed, consisting of anaerobic (ABR), chemical coagulation–sedimentation, membrane bioreactor (MBR), reverse osmosis (RO), and final disinfection (UV/chlorination) units. Mass balance analysis demonstrated that the proposed system can remove COD, BOD, ammonia, TSS, and heavy metals with efficiencies exceeding 80%, producing an effluent fully compliant with national discharge and agricultural reuse standards. The novelty of this research lies in the integration of hydrological modeling, strategic analysis, and a locally adapted process design, which can serve as a practical model for upgrading leachate treatment systems in humid-region landfills across Iran. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_243683.html Land subsidence is one of the most significant geotechnical hazards in arid and semi-arid regions globally, primarily triggered by the over-extraction of groundwater resources. Rafsanjan County, a major urban and agricultural center in Kerman Province, has experienced widespread signs of land subsidence in recent years, including building cracking, uneven settlement of structures, and damage to urban infrastructure. This study investigates the effects and risk of land subsidence in Rafsanjan by integrating field observations, documentation of structural damage, spatial data on water wells, and information on groundwater extraction rates. Spatial analysis of damaged structures indicates that the highest severity of damage is concentrated in areas where structures are built on soils with higher density and strength compared to adjacent lands, with the damage attributed to differential subsidence. Conversely, areas underlain by relatively uniform, coarse-grained deposits have experienced less damage due to uniform subsidence. This study demonstrates that the rate and trend of increasing structural damage and subsidence intensify towards areas with a higher density of operational wells and greater volumes of groundwater extraction. This spatial correlation underscores the significant role of human activities, particularly the over-exploitation of groundwater aquifers, in the occurrence and exacerbation of land subsidence in Rafsanjan County. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_243684.html The rapid growth of urban populations and energy consumption, coupled with the limitations of fossil fuel resources and environmental crises, has highlighted the necessity of managing energy use in cities. Urban energy simulation using semantic 3D models, due to cost reduction, time efficiency, and the ability to evaluate diverse scenarios, is an effective tool for predicting and optimizing energy consumption in existing urban fabrics as well as designing new neighborhoods and cities. This study reviews urban simulation research over the past decade in estimating energy demand. The findings indicate that semantic 3D models enable precise calculation of energy demand, consumption simulation, analysis of renewable energy potential, and assessment of building renovation scenarios. Optimal use of roof space, simplification of building components, and integration of spatial, energy, and climate data enhance simulation accuracy while reducing computation time. Considering the climatic diversity of Iran, it was found that energy simulation parameters must be adjusted according to each climate: in hot-dry and hot-humid regions, the focus should be on cooling load management and solar energy utilization; in cold and mountainous climates, reducing heating loads and improving building insulation are essential; and in temperate-humid climates, combined consumption patterns and humidity and heating–cooling control must be accounted for. Accordingly, developing semantic 3D city models, establishing building energy databases, generating urban energy maps, and performing dynamic energy simulations can serve as effective tools for energy management, efficiency enhancement, sustainable planning, and supporting strategic decision-making in Iran’s architecture and urban planning sectors. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_243685.html Community gardens, rooted in Iranian-Islamic culture, have experienced extensive growth in recent years, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging as a widespread phenomenon in Iran's metropolises. This study aimed to recognize them as an "Iranian-Islamic third place" within the framework of urban regeneration, employing a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis based on the PRISMA 2020 protocol. A search in national and international scientific databases (2019-2025) led to the selection of 60 final studies. Qualitative analysis using MAXQDA software extracted six main themes: alignment with the characteristics of the Iranian-Islamic third place (90%) , social role in neighborhood regeneration (87%) , environmental role and climate resilience (80%) , nutritional role and local food security (73%) , contextual moderating factors (70%) , and outcomes of urban regeneration and identity revival (83%). The results indicate that by integrating Oldenburg's eight features and components of Iranian-Islamic identity, community gardens have filled the post-pandemic gap in informal interactions and contributed to reducing the urban heat island effect, strengthening food security, and the sustainable regeneration of dilapidated urban fabrics. By presenting a native framework for the "Iranian-Islamic third place," this research introduces an operational model for the integrated management of the urban environment and public spaces and suggests that these gardens be prioritized as "community-driven and resilient regeneration cores" in the planning and policymaking of urban environmental management. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_243689.html The transition from a linear economy to a circular economy in municipal plastic waste management is regarded as one of the pivotal challenges in the sustainable development of contemporary cities. This research has been conducted with the objective of comparatively assessing the performance of the European Union (EU) and Iran in plastic waste management through the lens of the circular economy. The comparison is structured around six key parameters: legal and regulatory frameworks, production and consumption patterns, speed and quality of recycling, collection and disposal systems, adoption of emerging technologies, and precision in source separation and waste categorization. Findings reveal that the European Union is advancing systematically toward a circular economy by integrating preventive legislation, binding quantitative targets (e.g., the 55% plastic recycling target by 2030), and cohesive technical infrastructures. As a result, the plastic recycling rate in the EU has reached 26.5%, surpassing its landfilling rate of 23.5%. In contrast, Iran despite enacting foundational legislation (such as the 2004 Waste Management Act) confronts serious structural challenges, including ineffective policy implementation, the absence of integrated recycling infrastructure, heavy reliance on the informal sector, and a lack of transparency in official statistics. These factors have confined Iran’s plastic recycling rate to below 14%, with over 84% of plastic waste landfilled without prior separation. This study demonstrates that an effective transition to a circular economy in Iran necessitates fundamental reforms specifically, rigorous enforcement of regulations, elimination of administered pricing mechanisms, strengthening of supervisory institutions, standardization of practices, data transparency, and the promotion of informed civic participation rather than merely constructing recycling facilities. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_244628.html In this study, three intelligent modeling approaches, including Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System, Artificial Neural Network–Multilayer Perceptron, and Artificial Neural Network–Radial Basis Function, were employed to simulate 14 water quality parameters, in the Halil River over a long-term monthly dataset spanning 52 years. Streamflow discharge was used as an input variable in some models. The performance of the developed models was evaluated using statistical indicators including the coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and Willmott’s index of agreement (d). The results indicated that although all three artificial intelligence models demonstrated high capability in simulating the investigated water quality parameters, the ANFIS model outperformed the other models in most cases. Specifically, for SAR, values of R² = 0.99 and RMSE = 1.04 were obtained; for %Na, R² = 0.99 and RMSE = 3.02; and for SO₄, R² = 0.93 and RMSE = 0.61. Among the input scenarios, model (b), which incorporates five easily measurable parameters, is recommended as a practical and efficient model, as it reduced RMSE by approximately 65% compared to model (a) (based solely on discharge). The findings of this study demonstrate that intelligent machine learning techniques can be effectively used to estimate water quality parameters in cases where direct measurements are unavailable, based on other measured variables, thereby reducing laboratory analysis costs. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_244956.html While the role of green infrastructure in mitigating urban heat is acknowledged, the influence of its spatial configuration on thermal performance in arid climates has been less explored. This study quantitatively examines the relationship between the spatial structure of green infrastructure and land surface temperature in the historic desert city of Yazd. Using landscape ecology metrics and Sentinel-2 and Landsat 9 satellite imagery from summer 2024, green spaces were mapped and the Green Space Heat Mitigation Index was calculated. Spatial metrics at the patch, class, and landscape levels were extracted with FRAGSTATS software, and their association with cooling performance was analyzed via multivariate regression.The results indicate that Yazd's green infrastructure has a highly fragmented and dispersed pattern, consisting of small, isolated patches and lacking large, contiguous green areas. Cooler patches exhibited a higher clumpiness index and lower edge density. Regression analysis revealed that approximately 68% of the variation in the heat mitigation index is explained by three spatial metrics: clumpiness, largest patch index, and edge density. This finding confirms that in arid environments, the spatial organization of green infrastructure has a greater influence on cooling efficiency than its total area does. Designing integrated, compact green spaces with simplified boundaries can optimize thermal performance and reduce the heat island effect. The presented methodology provides a generalizable framework for assessing structure–function relationships in urban landscapes, with practical implications for sustainable design in arid-region cities. https://jumee.kgut.ac.ir/article_245593.html In valley‑mountainous cities, differences in solar radiation and ventilation can modify the classic “hot core” pattern and create heat foci along the margins. This study examines the spatial pattern of the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) in Khorramabad from 16 Mehr to 16 Aban 1404 (7 October to 6 November 2025) and assesses vegetation's role in moderating land surface temperature (LST). LST was derived from Landsat‑8/9 imagery using a single‑channel algorithm with ERA5 atmospheric parameters. NDVI was calculated from Sentinel‑2 images and resampled to 30‑meter resolution. SUHI was computed as the difference between urban LST and the mean LST of peripheral reference areas, redefined with constraints on elevation, slope, and aspect. Results indicated 27.15% of the urban area in the “neutral” class and 4.82% in the “very hot” class, while 50.61% is cold to cool. Very hot hotspots are concentrated in southern margins (airport, 184th brigade, oil depot, barren lands) and the eastern belt (Mehr Housing to Azad University). Cool islands appear around Kio Lake, along Khorramrud River, and in some central neighborhoods. A strong inverse LST‑NDVI relationship (r = –0.82; R² = 0.71; p < 0.001) revealed that each 0.1‑unit increase in NDVI reduces LST by 2.86°C on average. Based on these findings, low‑cost strategies are proposed: protecting intra‑valley green patches, strengthening the green‑blue network along the river and lake, creating green belts in sensitive margins, restricting construction on steep slopes, and preserving valley‑oriented ventilation corridors to alleviate thermal stress.