Brendan Harmon

FUTURES

FUTure Urban-Regional Environment Simulation (FUTURES) is a model for multilevel simulations of emerging urban-rural landscape structure. FUTURES produces regional projections of landscape patterns using coupled submodels that integrate nonstationary drivers of land change.


Submodels

  • Potential: site suitability
  • Demand: per capita demand
  • Patch Growing Algorithm (PGA): the spatial structure of conversion events

Potential Submodel Variables

Development Pressure Predictors
Urban change Protected areas
  Roads
  Water
  Forest
  City center

Demand Submodel Variables

Demand
Population statistics

Research Questions

  • Where is growth happening?
  • How should we rethink development?

Scenario Variables

Incentives Predictors Weight
Normal Wellbeing index Digitized development zones
Sprawl Landcover scenario Digitized conservation zones
Infill Flood zones  

Scenario Evaluation

A matrix comparing hydrological and landcover change (LCC) scenarios.

CC: Hydrological events with a climate change multiplier.

Hydrological Event LCC Incentives LCC Predictors
25 yr storm Normal  
50 yr storm Normal  
100 yr storm Normal  
500 yr storm Normal  
25 yr storm x CC Normal  
50 yr storm x CC Normal  
100 yr storm x CC Normal  
500 yr storm x CC Normal  
25 yr storm Normal Social vulnerability
50 yr storm Normal Social vulnerability
100 yr storm Normal Social vulnerability
500 yr storm Normal Social vulnerability
25 yr storm Infill  
50 yr storm Infill  
100 yr storm Infill  
500 yr storm Infill  

Resources