Vol. 6 No. 1 (2025)

Standard Journal Issues

The Role of Ecosystem to Enhance Sustainable Revitalization: Al-Kifl Historic City Center As a Case Study

Published 2025-06-24

  • Ahmed alkhafaji
    • ,
  • Ghaith J. Althabhawi

Ahmed alkhafaji
Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Physical Planning, University of Kufa, Al-Najaf 54001, Iraq

Ghaith J. Althabhawi
Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Physical Planning, University of Kufa, Al-Najaf 54001, Iraq

Abstract

Historic city centers, particularly Al-Kifl, face mounting sustainability challenges. This study critically examines the limitations of current rehabilitation approaches within the historic center of Al-Kifl. The city center exhibits a significant deficiency in ecological sustainability. The research employed a methodology grounded in theoretical frameworks and incorporated analysis of relevant international case studies. Tools such as geographic information systems (GIS), field surveys, and climate simulations (ENVI-Met) were used to assess the city's current conditions. Key ecological indicators evaluated in the study include natural elements, biodiversity, thermal comfort, energy efficiency, recycling, and modern environmental technologies. The findings revealed several ecological shortcomings, such as a severe shortage of green spaces, neglect of riverbanks, declining biodiversity, elevated heat stress due to traditional construction materials, lack of vegetation cover, dependence on inefficient and limited traditional energy sources, absence of recycling systems, and failure to adopt modern environmental technologies such as green roofs and green walls. The study concluded that there is a need to adopt a comprehensive and integrated revitalization model that incorporates environmental considerations into sustainable urban planning. Key recommendations include enhancing natural elements and biodiversity, improving thermal comfort, transitioning to renewable energy, developing infrastructure for resource management, adopting modern environmental technologies, and revitalizing the essential ecological role of the Euphrates River to ensure the sustainable revitalization of Al-Kifl’s historic center.

Keywords

Sustainable Revitalization, Ecological Sustainability, Historic Centers, Al Kifl City Center, climate simulation

PDF

References

  1. Baqralsham, N. J., & Al-Khafaji, A. S. (2025). Functions and Activities as a Catalyst for Successful Sustainable Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Areas: A Study of the Religious Center of Karbala City, Iraq. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 20(1), 75-87. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.200109.
  2. Jassim, A. H., et al. (2025). A comprehensive framework for heritage site management: Challenges and strategies for sustainable preservation. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 20(4), 1525-1533. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.200415.
  3. Al-Abayechi, Y. F., & Al-Khafaji, A. S. (2023). Forecasting the impact of the environmental and energy factor to improve urban sustainability by using (SEM). Civil Engineering Journal (Iran), 9(10), 2554-2567. https://doi.org/10.28991/CEJ-2023-09-10-013.
  4. Al-Saffar, M. (2024). Sustainable urban heritage: Assessing Baghdad’s Historic Centre of Old Rusafa. Architecture, 4(3), 571-593. https://doi.org/10.3390/ARCHITECTURE4030030
  5. Purohit, S. (2024). The role of urban green spaces in mitigating urban heat island effect amidst climate change. Res J Chem Environ, 29(1), 75-84. https://doi.org/10.25303/291rjce075084
  6. Yuan, T., & Yuan, T. (2024). The role of green infrastructure in mitigating the urban heat island effect. Open Journal of Applied Sciences, 14(11), 3155-3164. https://doi.org/10.4236/OJAPPS.2024.1411207
  7. Massarelli, C. (2024). Developing a calculation workflow for designing and monitoring urban ecological corridors: A case study. Urban Science, 8(4), 169. https://doi.org/10.3390/URBANSCI8040169
  8. Al-Ismail, F. S., Alam, M. S., Shafiullah, M., Hossain, M. I., & Rahman, S. M. (2023). Impacts of renewable energy generation on greenhouse gas emissions in Saudi Arabia: A comprehensive review. Sustainability, 15(6), 5069. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU15065069
  9. Bom, U. B., Belbase, S., & Lila, R. B. (2017). Public perceptions and practices of solid waste recycling in the city of Laramie in Wyoming, U.S.A. Recycling, 2(3), 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling2030011
  10. Nasr, Y., et al. (2024). Comprehensive assessment of the impact of green roofs and walls on building energy performance: A scientific review. Energies, 17(20), 5160. https://doi.org/10.3390/EN17205160
  11. Rahman, M., Piccolo, F., & Bonafede, G. (2019). Sustainable urban revitalization within a historical urban neighborhood—A useful approach to complete. Journal of Advanced Research in Construction and Urban Architecture, 4(c), 35-53, doi: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8686-8334.
  12. Abdulameer, H. N., Al-Jaberi, A. A., Al-Khafaji, A. S., Alrobaee, T. R., & Al-Ansari, H. A. (2024). Evaluating of urban space vitality: The role of safety, security, and urban planning in the religion center of Kufa City, Iraq. International Journal of Design and Nature and Ecodynamics, 19(1), 155-167. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijdne.190118
  13. Roberts, P., Sykes, H., & Granger, R. (2020). Handbook for urban regeneration. https://dl.urban-center.ir/booklibrary/urbanregeneration.pdf
  14. Abdullah, S. F. K., & Al-Alwan, H. A. (2019). Urban resilience in the sustainable urban regeneration of historic city centers. Association of Arab Universities Journal of Engineering Sciences, 26(4), 130-143. https://doi.org/10.33261/jaaru.2019.26.4.015
  15. Balsas, C. J. L. (2007). City centre revitalization in Portugal: A study of Lisbon and Porto. J Urban Des (Abingdon), 12(2), 231-259. https://doi.org/10.1080/13574800701306328
  16. Weiner, E. (2013). Urban transportation planning in the United States: An historical overview. Springer New York Heidelberg Dordrecht London. https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.36-5751
  17. Hudspeth, T. R. (1980). Urban waterfront revitalization employing visual preference as a strategy for managing visual resources and facilitating public participation. Environmental Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, vr 05401, USA, 25-26.
  18. Meyer, C. A. (2021). Taking lessons from Silent Spring: Using environmental literature for climate change. Literature, 1(1), 2-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/LITERATURE1010002
  19. Soh, T. (1985). Ocean space utilization ’85. Springer Japan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68284-4
  20. Lynch, K. (1984). Good city form. MIT Press, ISBN: 9780262620468.
  21. Al-Ansari, H. A., & Al-Khafaji, A. S. (2024). The role of safety and security in achieving urban space vitality. International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, 14(2), 613-622. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsse.140227
  22. Kadwa, M. S., & Alshenqeeti, H. (2024). International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation (IJLLT) The impact of students’ proficiency in English on science courses in a foundation year program. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation (IJLLT), 3(11), 55-67. https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt
  23. Dahl, M. B. (2024). The Brundtland report in Denmark: An analysis of the reception of the Brundtland report in a Danish political context. Culture and History: Student Research Papers, 8(1), 135-151, doi: https://doi.org/10.7146/chku.v8i1.143458.
  24. Al-Jaberi, A. A., Al-Khafaji, A. S. A., Al-Salam, N. A., & Alrobaee, T. R. (2021). The crossing as a new approach for the urban transformation of traditional cities towards the sustainability. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 16(6), 1049-1059. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.160606
  25. Alrobaee, T. R., Al-Khafaji, A. S., Al-Salam, N. A., & Al-Jaberi, A. A. (2023). The safer city: A new planning perspective for the traditional city development. International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, 13(1), 139-149. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsse.130116
  26. Al-Salam, N. A., Al-Jaberi, A. A., & Al-Khafaji, A. S. (2021). Measuring of subjective and objective aesthetics in planning and urban design. Civil Engineering Journal (Iran), 7(9), 1557-1568. https://doi.org/10.28991/cej-2021-03091743
  27. Sádaba, J., Luzarraga, A., & Lenzi, S. (2025). Designing for climate adaptation: A case study integrating nature-based solutions with urban infrastructure. Urban Science, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9030074
  28. Al-Jaberi, A. A., Al-Khafaji, A. S., Ivankina, N. A., & Al-Sawafi, M. H. (2019). The idea of pedestrian pockets as a key for successful transit-oriented development for Najaf city-Republic of Iraq. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. IOP Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/698/3/033029
  29. Al-Ansari, H. A., & Al-Khafaji, A. S. (2023). Enhancing public health through sustainable urban design: An examination of transportation and green space integration. Journal of Urban Development and Management, 2(2), 104-114. https://doi.org/10.56578/judm020205
  30. Ciommi, M., Chelli, F. M., Carlucci, M., & Salvati, L. (2018). Urban growth and demographic dynamics in southern Europe: Toward a new statistical approach to regional science. Sustainability (Switzerland), 10(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/su10082765
  31. Papanikos, G. T. (2024). An examination of postgraduate theses on Kolb’s experiential learning theory in Turkiye. Giampaoletti: Reforestation of Urban Districts in Mediterranen, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.30958/ajmsGatto, E., et al. (2021). Analysis of urban greening scenarios for im
  32. proving outdoor thermal comfort in neighbourhoods of Lecce (Southern Italy). Climate, 9(7), 116. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli9070116
  33. Cimini, A., Giovanelli, G., Marino, D., Mazzocchi, G., & Pagano, G. (2023). A methodological proposal for the design of agricultural parks—The case of Metropolitan City of Rome. Land (Basel), 12(11), 1992. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12111992
  34. Crupi, F. (2022). Urban regeneration and green and blue infrastructure: The case of the ‘Acilia–Madonnetta’ urban and metropolitan centrality in the Municipality of Rome. Urban Science, 6(3), 56. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci6030056
  35. Procesi, M., Di Capua, G., Peppoloni, S., Corirossi, M., & Valentinelli, A. (2022). Science and citizen collaboration as good example of geoethics for recovering a natural site in the urban area of Rome (Italy). Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(8), 4429. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084429
  36. Althabhawi, G. J., & Al-Khafaji, A. S. (2025). The role of accessibility to achieving sustainable revitalization of historic city centers: A study of the historic center of Al-Kifl City, Iraq. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 20(4), 1399-1419. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.200405
  37. Farhan, S. L., Anton, D., Akef, V. S., Zubadi, S. L., & Hashim, K. S. (2021). Factors influencing the transformation of Iraqi holy cities: The case of Al-Najaf. Scientific Review Engineering and Environmental Sciences, 30(2), 365-375. https://doi.org/10.22630/PNIKS.2021.30.2.31
  38. Mohammed, M. K., & Rashid, M. H. (2020). Measurement of radon concentration in random samples from liquefaction water network in Al-Kifl district of Babylon / Iraq. NeuroQuantology, 18(7), 45-48. https://doi.org/10.14704/nq.2020.18.7.NQ20191
  39. Al-Assadi, K. H. F., & Al Kaabi, A. A. (2024). Geomorphological changes of the terrestrial features of the Euphrates River between the cities of Al-Kifl and Al-Mishkhab using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Nat Eng Sci, 9(2), 347-358. https://doi.org/10.28978/nesciences.1574446
  40. Khaleq, A., Lami, A. L., Mehdi, S. S., & Ali, A. L. (2024). Connections: Exploring heritage, architecture, cities, art, media understanding architectural heritage complexity: The case of developing an HBIM for the tomb complex of ‘Prophet Ezekiel-Al Kifl’ in Iraq. doi:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tomb_of_Ezekiel_Kefeli_near_Bagdad_-.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Similar Articles

11-20 of 72

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.