urban metabolism
UR-bun meh-TAB-oh-liz-um
ˈɜːrbən mɪˈtæbəlɪzəmListen
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a framework that conceptualises cities as living organisms consuming inputs of energy, water, food, and materials and producing outputs of waste, emissions, and wastewater; by mapping and quantifying these flows, urban metabolism analysis helps planners identify inefficiencies, circularity opportunities, and pressure points in urban resource systems; the approach, developed by Abel Wolman in 1965 and elaborated in industrial ecology, informs strategies for circular economy transitions, reducing cities' ecological footprints, and designing regenerative urban systems
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