47
score and the respective class based on Fig. 4.2. Then, the cooling effect produced
on the surroundings was mapped by approximating the effect of evapotranspiration
through linear decay functions that vary depending on the size of the area, and the
effect of shading through local buffers around canopies (Geneletti et al. 2016). The
final map of the cooling effect is divided into six classes, from A+ (maximum cooling effect) to E (minimum or no cooling effect). The difference between two successive classes corresponds approximately to 1 °C.
Opportunities for nature-based recreation in the city were assessed through a
locally-adjusted version of ESTIMAP-recreation, a model originally developed for
mapping ES across Europe (Zulian et al. 2013; Paracchini et al. 2014) and later
adjusted for the application to different contexts and scales (Baró et al. 2016;
Liquete et al. 2016; Vallecillo et al. 2018; Zulian et al. 2018). The model is composed of two modules. The first module assesses the Recreation Potential (RP), i.e.
the suitability of different areas to support nature-based recreational activities based
on their intrinsic characteristics. Elements that contribute to define the RP are identified in the three categories of natural features, urban green infrastructure components, and land uses. The map of RP is a raster with values ranging from 0 (no RP)
to 1 (maximum RP in the analysed area). The second module assesses the Recreation
Opportunity Spectrum (ROS), i.e., the actual opportunities for nature-based recreation offered to the citizens. The value of ROS is obtained by combining RP with
information about proximity, here defined as the availability of infrastructures and
facilities to access (e.g., cycle paths, bus routes, parking areas) and to use (e.g. playgrounds, sport fields, park furniture) the areas. The map of ROS is classified into
nine categories resulting from the cross-tabulation of high/medium/low RP and
high/medium/low availability of infrastructure and facilities.
To produce the maps of RP and ROS, the elements considered in each module
are spatially combined according to scores assigned by the user. In the described
application, scores were elicited from a pool of seventeen local experts, including
key personnel of different provincial and municipal departments, researchers from
different institutions, and local practitioners. The experts were asked to fill-in an
online questionnaire and then invited to discuss the preliminary results in a followup focus group. A detailed list of the data used for the analysis and the description
of the involvement process, including the final scores used to run the model, can be
found in Cortinovis et al. (2018).
5.3.2 Comparing Scenarios Based on ES Beneficiaries
The results of the analysis at the city scale were used as a baseline to assess the
potential benefits produced by brownfield regeneration. The conversion of each of
the thirteen brownfields into a new green area was considered as an alternative planning scenario and analysed independently. The outcome of the transformation was
assumed to be, for each brownfield, a new urban park, intensely planted and open to
public use. Accordingly, to assess their expected cooling effect, new urban parks
were modelled as areas covered by grass with canopy coverage ranging from 80%
5.3 Producing ES Knowledge to Evaluate Planning Scenarios
score and the respective class based on Fig. 4.2. Then, the cooling effect produced
on the surroundings was mapped by approximating the effect of evapotranspiration
through linear decay functions that vary depending on the size of the area, and the
effect of shading through local buffers around canopies (Geneletti et al. 2016). The
final map of the cooling effect is divided into six classes, from A+ (maximum cooling effect) to E (minimum or no cooling effect). The difference between two successive classes corresponds approximately to 1 °C.
Opportunities for nature-based recreation in the city were assessed through a
locally-adjusted version of ESTIMAP-recreation, a model originally developed for
mapping ES across Europe (Zulian et al. 2013; Paracchini et al. 2014) and later
adjusted for the application to different contexts and scales (Baró et al. 2016;
Liquete et al. 2016; Vallecillo et al. 2018; Zulian et al. 2018). The model is composed of two modules. The first module assesses the Recreation Potential (RP), i.e.
the suitability of different areas to support nature-based recreational activities based
on their intrinsic characteristics. Elements that contribute to define the RP are identified in the three categories of natural features, urban green infrastructure components, and land uses. The map of RP is a raster with values ranging from 0 (no RP)
to 1 (maximum RP in the analysed area). The second module assesses the Recreation
Opportunity Spectrum (ROS), i.e., the actual opportunities for nature-based recreation offered to the citizens. The value of ROS is obtained by combining RP with
information about proximity, here defined as the availability of infrastructures and
facilities to access (e.g., cycle paths, bus routes, parking areas) and to use (e.g. playgrounds, sport fields, park furniture) the areas. The map of ROS is classified into
nine categories resulting from the cross-tabulation of high/medium/low RP and
high/medium/low availability of infrastructure and facilities.
To produce the maps of RP and ROS, the elements considered in each module
are spatially combined according to scores assigned by the user. In the described
application, scores were elicited from a pool of seventeen local experts, including
key personnel of different provincial and municipal departments, researchers from
different institutions, and local practitioners. The experts were asked to fill-in an
online questionnaire and then invited to discuss the preliminary results in a followup focus group. A detailed list of the data used for the analysis and the description
of the involvement process, including the final scores used to run the model, can be
found in Cortinovis et al. (2018).
5.3.2 Comparing Scenarios Based on ES Beneficiaries
The results of the analysis at the city scale were used as a baseline to assess the
potential benefits produced by brownfield regeneration. The conversion of each of
the thirteen brownfields into a new green area was considered as an alternative planning scenario and analysed independently. The outcome of the transformation was
assumed to be, for each brownfield, a new urban park, intensely planted and open to
public use. Accordingly, to assess their expected cooling effect, new urban parks
were modelled as areas covered by grass with canopy coverage ranging from 80%
5.3 Producing ES Knowledge to Evaluate Planning Scenarios