Mainstreaming Urban Metabolism

Chris Kennedy - University of Toronto

Urban Metabolism the sum total of the technical and socio-economic processes that occur in cities, resulting in growth, production of energy, and elimination of waste.

Duvigneaud & Denayeyer-De Smet (1977)

Founded 2001; now has 6 topic sections:

Eco-Industrial Development / Industrial Symbiosis Material Flow Analysis Environmental Input-Output Sustainable Urban Systems

Organizing Sustainable Consumption & Production

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment

Urban systems boundary broadly showing inflows (I), outflows (O), internal flows (Q), storage (S) and production (P) of biomass (B), minerals (M), water (W), and energy (E)
OE SM

IE Iw IM QW
Inflows Biomass [t & J] food wood Fossil Fuel [t & J] transport heating/industrial Minerals [t] metals construction materials Electricity [kWh] Natural energy [J]

OW OM PB SW IB

Stocks Water [t] Infrastructure / Buildings [t] drinking (surface & construction materials groundwater) metals precipitation wood Substances [t] other materials e.g. nutrients Other (machinery, durable) [t] Produced goods [t] metals other materials Production Substances [t] Biomass [t & J] Minerals [t]

Outflows Waste Emissions [t] gases solid wastewater other liquids Heat [J] Substances [t] Produced goods [t]

Draft Data Requirements for Abbreviated Urban Metabolism Studies

Quantity
INFLOWS Food Water (imports) Water (precipitation) Groundwater abstraction Construction materials Fossil fuels (by type) Electricity Total incoming solar radiation Phosphorus GCIF GHGs X* X*

Notes

X X

Standard climate data

X* X* X X Primarily cement, aggts, steel

Standard climate data Example nutrient

PRODUCED Food Construction materials

X* X

Cement and steel production

Draft Data Requirements for Abbreviated Urban Metabolism Studies

Quantity
STOCKS Construction materials Phosphorus Landfill waste Construction/demolition waste

GCIF GHGs

Notes

In the building stock X Accumulated

OUTFLOWS Exported landfill waste Incinerated waste Exported recyclables Wastewater Phosphorus

X X

Air emission + accumulated mass

Quantity

GCIF

Required for GHGs

X* X*

Notes

INFLOWS Food Water (imports) Water (precipitation) Groundwater abstraction Construction materials Fossil fuels (by type) Electricity Total incoming solar radiation Phosphorus PRODUCED Food Construction materials STOCKS Construction materials Phosphorus Landfill waste Construction/demolition waste OUTFLOWS Exported landfill waste Incinerated waste Exported recyclables Wastewater Phosphorus

X X

Standard climate data X* X* X X Primarily cement, aggregates, steel

Standard climate data Example nutrient

X* X
X

Cement and steel production In the building stock

Accumulated

X X X

Air emission plus accumulated mass