The Urban Planning Guided by Indicators and Best Practices: Three Case Studies in the South of Brazil

Abstract

The rising number of people in the world living in urban areas has been a challenge for scientists, technicians in urban planning, public management and communities in general. This is because cities are increasingly concentrating on urban space and there is a need to ensure quality of life in the urban environment through urban infrastructure. The purpose of this paper is to address the importance of integrated learning (university vs. community) to transform cities into healthy environments. The methodology of this work is based on analysis of secondary data. The case study areas were three polo cities in the South of Brazil. The phases of the research are structured in three. First, identification of urban planning indicators that contributes to a healthier environment. Second, survey of “good practices” (successful case studies at national and international level), aiming at the sustainable transformation of cities by analyzing the applicability of the cases to the municipalities studied. The third stage was marked by interaction with the community, in which there was selection, discussion and learning in the face of more sustainable urban planning techniques. The results indicated problems in current urban planning, especially regarding areas and green coverage indices, healthy urban environment indicators. Also, the insertion and monitoring of urban planning indicators are indispensable factors for good management and quality of life in cities. Finally, the community realizes the importance of inserting best practices for urban sustainability, combating climate change and developing resilience.