The Suitability of Small and Micro Public Space Renewal from the Perspective of Low-Carbon Travel

JIA Yuan; GAN Zhenkun

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1000-0232.2025.10.011

Abstract：Chinese cities have entered an era of stock renewal.Carbon-reduction and emission-reduction projects for small and micro public spaces in aging neighborhoods,besides being a timely response to the growing demand for high-quality public spaces,can help optimize urban energy management.However,there is insufficient coordination among such renovation projects,as well as a lack of systematic objectives for updating and positioning during small and micro space renewal.To address these issues,the present study explores a logical framework for prioritizing and sequencing renovation under temporarily limited resources.Based on an assessment of the urgency and impact of renewal projects,this framework can be used to inform design decisions. The quality of small and micro public spaces influences low-carbon travel at both macro and meso-micro levels.At the macro level,improved space quality can indirectly motivate residents to access shared resources,encouraging them to adopt low-carbon travel modes such as shared transportation over wider urban areas.At the meso-micro level,renewal directly enhances residents' comfort and satisfaction with slow travel within local neighborhoods,thereby reinforcing their willingness to engage in such travel.Accordingly,two dimensions are considered in this study's evaluation of the suitability of small and micro public space renewal from the perspective of low-carbon travel.First,at the macro urban scale,the study explores whether sufficient low-carbon travel resources are available for residents,enabling decision-makers to judge whether small and micro space renewal in relevant plots has the potential to promote low-carbon travel in a broader scope.Second,at the meso-micro scale,the slow-travel friendliness of specific plots is evaluated to determine the impact of surrounding space renewal on slow-travel behaviors of residents.To achieve a comprehensive summary of the system for evaluating the suitability of small and micro public space renewal,a coupling-coordination-analysis model was introduced;this model aims to disclose the interaction degree and coordination level between low-carbon travel potential and slow-travel friendliness in different plots.The study results provide theoretical and practical guidance for decisions about renewal priorities and the development potential of surrounding small and micro public spaces. The low-carbon travel potential and slow-travel friendliness in the Tianqiao Subdistrict of Beijing's Xicheng District were evaluated and coupled by combining ArcGIS and street-view semantic segmentation technology.Based on the results,renovation priorities are ranked as follows:"Severely Uncoordinated"＞"Slightly Uncoordinated"＞"Moderately Coordinated"＞"Well-Coordinated."Furthermore,travel behaviors on each street within these categories were investigated.By means of specific evaluation indicators,a framework for decision-making for small and micro space renovation in these streets was proposed.A key methodological innovation of the study was an evaluation system for the suitability of small and micro space renewal from a low-carbon travel perspective.This system covers 10 indicators across five dimensions:urban functional compactness,road network accessibility,public transport resources,slow-travel comfort,and sense of security.In addition,a logical framework for renovation objective selection and strategy formulation for small and micro space renewal was developed by analyzing the coupling coordination between low-carbon travel potential and slow-travel friendliness.The case study based on the Tianqiao Subdistrict identifies areas suitable for immediate renewal and clarifies optimization sequences.Furthermore,some targeted strategies were proposed for small and micro space renewal for streets in districts where low-carbon travel potential and slow-travel friendliness will be further improved.