Resource Effectiveness in and Across Urban Systems

Abstract

Resource effectiveness metrics quantify city-wide material and energy efficiency. In a thermodynamic formulation of material and energetic flows within and across cities, effectiveness of resource utilization and conversion reflect the efficiency of the city as a consumer and producer, respectively. These dimensionless metrics are based on the ratios of successfully utilized (effectiveness of utilization) or exported (effectiveness of conversion) biophysical resources to the total resources extracted or imported into the city, all measured in units of exergy.