Multidimensional corridors for circular decarbonization: an integrated architectural strategy for life-cycle carbon assessment and resilience optimization

Abstract

Background: High-density cities are facing the dual challenges of decarbonisation and climate resilience under the global climate crisis and the frequent occurrence of extreme weather. This study proposes an integrated architectural strategy of “multi-dimensional corridor circulation and decarbonisation”, which integrates life-cycle carbon assessment of urban connecting corridors, urban microclimate simulation and resilience optimisation of physical-social systems, and aims to achieve the synergy of low-carbon circulation and resilience enhancement in high-density built environments.

Methods: Focusing on Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the core cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and among the world’s highest-density urban experimental sites, a comprehensive modelling framework combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), ENVI-met-based urban microclimate simulation and multi-objective optimisation is constructed.

Results: The results show that: (1) the detachable modular connecting corridor significantly reduces the whole life cycle carbon of corridor systems compared with conventional schemes; (2) the optimised layout strategy reduces the heat island-exposed population and cools the peak outdoor thermal environment while maintaining connectivity; (3) the Pareto frontier reveals a synergy interval between carbon reduction potential and resilience enhancement; and (4) among the three cities, Hong Kong’s super-high-density environment has the optimal benefit per unit area, Shenzhen’s performance is highly policy-driven, and Guangzhou’s is the best in terms of inter-city strategy mobility.

Discussion: This strategy provides a spatial intervention paradigm for high-density urban built environments that combines circular economy, low-carbon transition and climate resilience.