Thesis title: Human-powered Energy Technologies in Smart Sustainable Historic Cities (SSHC), (Case study of the Esfahan historic city in Iran)
ABSTRACT: A city is not just a physical space, but a place where people live and grow up. Most of studies show that cities, if designed towards sustainability and smartness, have high potential to prevent and resolve the environmental problems and contribute to human prosperity. On the other hand, energy and its limited resources have been an important issue these years. When it is obtained in ways that fail to minimize environmental and economic costs, the new methods to find new renewable and sustainable energy resources are necessary. There are various source of energy such as fossil fuel which is limited, natural sources (sun, wind, etc.) which depend on climate. But, one of the potential source of energy would be human power energy, especially in historical and touristic cities with a high number of visitors. In this regard, some researches have been done in the field of designing and manufacturing of products based on the use of energy absorption from the human body and maximum electricity production. But most of these cases are sporadic, related to mechanic and electronic researches which need analyses and adoptability to use in large scales like public spaces in city and particularly in historic cities.
Therefore, research particularly considered to suggestion of an evaluation factors and model to establish an index through which to measure the capacity of a public urban environment, based on contribution of smart city tools and Human power energy for sustainability of historic cities. In a way to keep its functions active in order to encourage greater participation of citizens in urban spaces and to create a sense of place while participating in the process of energy production based on Human power energy sources.
In addition to optimizing energy, this issue also will be increased the human health and the sense of place of the citizens. One of the innovative and sustainable ways of citizen participation would be engagement in energy production based on Human power energy resource. As a practical case study to evaluation of suggested solutions, historic city of Esfahan in Iran have studied.
Finally, the research results to solutions and models based on criteria of contribution of Smart city tools and creativity of human power energy for planning of sustainable historic city. It indicates also the possible effects on cities based on SWOT analysis and proposed actions.