Metabolic flows and infrastructure transitions
On the basis of the argument that it is no longer possible to grow economies while assuming unlimited resources, researchers have concluded that it is vital to determine cities’ ability to reduce their socio-economic material and energy inputs as well as their waste outputs. The starting point for this determination is the study of ‘urban metabolism’. This involves analysing the throughput of ‘material flows’: that is, tracking the use of materials in economic activities and daily life, as well as the hardware or infrastructure that conducts flows of these materials into, around and out of the city.
A foundation for this project was laid in late March 2011, when GCRO funded, and four GCRO staff participated in, a Comparative Dialogue on Sustainable Infrastructure Transitions and Governance’, hosted by the African Centre for Cities (ACC) and the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch. The workshop was also attended by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, and the Centre for Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures at the University of Salford, amongst others. Discussions laid a basis for a multi-country, multi-region study into measuring metabolic flows and the challenge of changing networked infrastructures to reduce flows. The result will be an edited book collection of chapters focused on various thematic issues and case studies from around the world.
With this project in mind GCRO has hired a new senior researcher (Josephine Musango) and researcher (Alexis Schaffler) both of whom have expertise in researching metabolic flows and infrastructure transitions.
A project proposal for this project was developed in August 2011. It maps out a three year programme of research, with work for 2011/12 focused primarily on the development of a methods statement, and the drafting of 5 'working papers' to determine what it will take to gather the requisite data and begin modelling flows in the areas of energy, water, waste, food and biomass.
As a preliminary output of the project, and feeding into the book project being led by ACC and the Sustainability Institute, Alexis Schaffler is currently researching storm-water infrastructure in the city-region.
For the modelling component of this multi-year study, AnyLogic modelling software has been identified as appropriate to GCRO’s needs. The software was procured, and Josephine Musango and Alexis Schaffler attended training on the software in mid-October 2011.
A document reviewing the potential approaches that can be used for quantifying metabolic flows also began in October, and resulted in a document entitled “Towards assessing the metabolism of Gauteng City-Region”. The document provides insight into the different methods that can be utilised to assess metabolic flows of cities and city-regions.
The project is composed of a team, each focussing on prioritised specific flows as follows: Alexis Schaffler –food; Darlington Mushongera – water; Maryna Storie – biomass; and Josephine Musango – energy. Reid consulting was contracted to work on the waste scoping study.
Currently, the team is developing the scoping papers for each specific flow that will set the scene for the required data to be collected and the relevant challenges and issues related to each selected flow to be investigated. This will in turn guide in the choice of specific approach for assessing the city-region metabolism.
