Sustainable Urban Transport and Housing Management

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing transport systems, housing management, and sustainable urban geography based on the lecture material.

Carbon Footprint

A measure of the total greenhouse gases emitted to support human activities, considering gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and hydrofluorocarbons.

Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

An intensified warming of Earth's surface caused by an excessive concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.

Eco-Link@BKE

A $12.3$ million ecological bridge constructed in 2013 across the Bukit Timah Expressway to restore the biodiversity link between Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

Mobility

The ability of people and freight to move from one place to another across space.

Silver Zone

A designated road safety zone featuring fluorescent signs, yellow markings, a reduced speed limit of $40\,km/h$, shortened crossing distances, and two-stage crossings to enhance mobility and safety for senior citizens.

Green Man+ Scheme

An initiative in Singapore that grants elderly pedestrians and persons with disabilities up to $13$ additional seconds of green-man crossing time at pedestrian signals.

Traffic Congestion

A condition occurring when road usage approaches or exceeds road capacity, characterized by high vehicular volumes, long queues, and slow-moving traffic during peak hours.

Particulate Matter (PM)

Inhalable microscopic solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in the air that cause severe respiratory and cardiovascular health issues when inhaled.

Land-Use Planning

The policy process of making decisions on where and how land area should be allocated for residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational purposes.

Transport Planning

The process of forecasting the operation, provision, and management of infrastructure and services across various transport modes to meet current and future usage needs.

Land Transport Authority (LTA)

The statutory board in Singapore responsible for planning, designing, building, and maintaining all land transport infrastructure and transportation systems.

Certificate of Entitlement (COE)

A quota licence required to own a vehicle in Singapore, valid for $10$ years, implemented to regulate the overall growth of motor vehicles on roads.

Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)

An electronic toll scheme in Singapore that charges motorists a fee to use specific roads during peak hours to manage gridlock and reduce traffic flow into the Central Business District.

Integrated Transport Hub

A fully air-conditioned bus interchange directly linked to MRT stations and adjoining commercial developments such as shopping malls.

Rural-Urban Migration

The internal movement of people from rural areas to urban cities within a country.

Population Density

The measurement of the number of people living per unit area of land, calculated by dividing the total population by the total land area.

Push Factors

Negative conditions in a person's origin location—such as low wages, starvation, lack of jobs, war, or natural disasters—that force them to move away.

Pull Factors

Positive conditions at a destination—such as higher wages, better healthcare, job opportunities, and educational institutions—that attract migrants.

Technological Innovation

The application of scientific knowledge and research to develop new products, services, and operational solutions.

Environmental Footprint

The measure of the impact that an individual, organization, or activity has on the environment, evaluated by natural resource usage and emissions generated.

Smog

A type of air pollution consisting of a mixture of smoke, fog, ground-level ozone, and particulate matter that severely reduces atmospheric visibility.

Hazards

Events or conditions that pose severe threats and cause negative impacts on human lives, the physical environment, and the economy.

Amenities

Desirable or useful features and facilities of a residential building or estate that provide comfort, convenience, or enjoyment to its residents.

Void Deck

Open ground-floor communal spaces in Singapore HDB blocks that host social activities, facilitate community bonding, and promote racial integration.

Checkerboard Concept

An urban planning strategy in Singapore that intersperses low-rise developments (schools, parks, community buildings) between high-rise residential blocks to provide visual and spatial relief.

Inclusive Public Housing

Public housing developments designed to cater to diverse demographic groups, including elderly individuals, low-income families, families with children, and persons with disabilities.

Right-Sizing

The voluntary move by elderly homeowners to smaller, short-lease housing units when large flats are no longer necessary after children move out.

Zero-Energy Building

A building designed with high energy efficiency that produces at least as much energy on-site via renewable sources as it consumes annually.

Slum Improvement

An urban development strategy that enhances basic service access, water quality, and housing structures in informal settlements instead of forcibly evicting dwellers or demolishing homes.

Informal Housing

Housing constructed illegally and unlawfully without municipal approval, typically built by individuals who cannot access formal housing options.

Squatter

A person who occupies land or property without any legal claim or lawful entitlement to the land.

Self-Built Squatter Settlements

Unplanned housing areas built out of necessity using scavenged materials like zinc sheets, bamboo, and scrap timber, often lacking access to municipal basic services.

Transport System

An integrated set of networks, infrastructure, and modes that support the spatial movement of people, freight, and services.

Transport Network Density

The quantitative measure representing the total number of entry points (nodes) and connecting pathways (routes) present within a given geographical area.

Route

The designated line or path along which travel occurs between nodes within a transportation network.

Node

A specific geographic point or facility in a transportation network that provides entry, access, or connection opportunities for passengers or freight.

Terminals

Transport facilities where passengers and freight either originate or terminate their movement in the transportation process, such as bus interchanges, airports, and sea ports.

Interchanges

Crucial junction points within a transportation system that facilitate transfers between different lines or modes of transport to maintain continuous traffic flow.

Central Business District (CBD)

The commercial and financial heart of a city, characterized by concentrated business operations, heavy daily commuting, and high demand for transport connectivity.

Accessibility

The measure of relative ease with which desired destinations, activities, or services can be reached from a specific starting point in terms of time and cost.

Unimodal Transport System

A travel or freight delivery system that utilizes only one mode of transportation from origin to destination.

Intermodal Transport System

A transport system that seamlessly integrates two or more distinct transport modes to complete a single passenger journey or freight shipment.

Point-to-Point Network

A transportation network structure that directly connects distinct pairs of origin and destination locations without requiring intermediate transfers.

Hub-and-Spoke Network

A transport network design where movement between various locations is routed through a centralized intermediary facility where transfers are conducted.

Water Treatment Pond System

An environmental management facility installed around agricultural sites where cut-off drains divert polluted surface runoff into treatment ponds planted with purifying vegetation before excess water reaches storm drains.