Uploaded on 2015-06-02 by Kminek

**Current State** Based on the electronic measurements the average of 702 408 vehicles enter the city boundaries every day (IBDiM, 2005). The flow of people is generated by the highest salaries and correlated highest plots and apartments prices in the city. That asymmetry encourages people to settle further form the city centre in order to have a relatively inexpensive dwelling but simultaneously maximize the salary at the cost of time spent daily in commute. The city needs people in order to thrive and develop. On the other hand the vehicles that come bundled with the workers pose a serious problem. Most of them are only used to transport one person, they are on the roads for an average of more than two hours daily increasing the traffic and travel time. While not in use, i.e. for an average of more than eight hours a day, parked vehicles—mostly cars — are a burdensome temporary stock. According to newest reports there are 1 030 554 cars registered within the city administrative boundaries and 616 878 cars registered within <1h catchment area (UStat, 2014). The stock of steel carcass equals the weight of more than 53 Titanics. The number of cars in Warsaw equals almost 600 per 1000 inhabitants. That factor is two times higher than in Berlin. But there is no reason to be proud in outscoring our western neighbours in this field. ![Passenger Cars][1] **Possible Changes** Development of public transportation can help the city reclaim the areas currently occupied by the vehicles. The construction of new Park and Ride hubs could encourage commuters to use combined and more resilient ways of transportation. Bicycle lanes network should be expanded and its standard improved at the cost of narrowing the roads. The traffic in the very city core can be minimized by discouraging the drivers to enter it by elevating the parking costs and lowering the number of parking places. Taking passengers instead of travelling alone could also potentially reduce the traffic and save energy. *** **2. Water** **Current State** The water delivered to the city dwellers has it source in Vistula and Narwia rivers. city is divided in three zones, each by a different water filtration and pump station. The daily is 479 900 000 litres a day (Urban Design Study, 2014), what equals to a volume of more than 170 Olympic swimming pools. The total length of the city hydraulic works is approximately 3000 kilometres. ![Water][2] **Possible Changes** Water can be saved in numerous ways. Grey water can be reused, rain water can be collected. However, still, the conscious consumption plays the most crucial role. *** **3. Electricity** **Current State** Electricity is crucial and necessary for other flows to occur. Information, transportation, communication – are just a few. The stock (mostly coal, ). The power lines are mostly underground cables of a total length of almost 7000 kilometres (Urban Design Study, 2014). The city requires approximately 1800 MW. This volume of energy input could power 173 TGV Atlantique trains, all at full speed, simultaneously. That’s one energetic ride. ![Electricity][3] **Possible Changes** Saving electric energy is important. But even more so, transferring from traditional to renewable energy sources. Electric cars might have 100% share in the market but as long as the energy needed to charge them comes from burning the fossil fuels stock, no significant change for the environment happens. Only moving on to using resilient and naturally occurring flows like wind, water and sun energy. *** **Sources:** **1.** Andrzej Giergowicz, Janina Szrajber, Economic Efficency of the Investment located at (Efektywność ekonomiczna inwestycji na drogowych dojazdach Warszawy), IBDiM, 2005 http://www.siskom.waw.pl/nauka/gpr/ibdim.pdf (in Polish) **2.** Transportation in Mazowieckie in 2013 Report, Urząd Statystyczny w Warszawie (UStat), 2014 http://warszawa.stat.gov.pl/download/gfx/warszawa/pl/defaultaktualnosci/1472/1/7/1/transport_2013.pdf (in Polish) **3.** City of Warsaw Urban Design Study, 2014 http://www.architektura.um.warszawa.pl/tekst-studium (in Polish) **4.** City of Warsaw 2020 Energy Strategy, 2014 http://bip.warszawa.pl/NR/exeres/76CF3769-AA54-4966-BC6F-C0556071FEC5,frameless.htm (in Polish) **5.** MPWiK pump station cover areas, 2015 http://www.mpwik.com.pl/dla-klienta/woda/jakosc-wody (in Polish) **Maps:** Own work. [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1433247227453269.jpg [2]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14332472419855611.jpg [3]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14332472529269307.jpg