Ardhi University (ARU) is a public university in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It was established 28 March 2007, though it has been offering training for more than 60 years in different status. It is situated on Observation Hill close to University of Dar es Salaam, in which it was a constituent college from 1996 to 2007, when it was known as University College of Lands and Architectural Studies—UCLAS. Prior being part of University of Dar es Salaam, Ardhi University was known as Ardhi Institute with history extending to mid-1950s.Today, academic activities at the university are generated in four schools as follows:1. School of Architecture, Construction Economics and Management (SACEM)2. School of Earth Sciences, Real Estates, Business and Informatics (SERBI)3. School of Environmental Science and Technology (SEST)4. School of Spatial Planning and Social Science (SSPSS)The number of academic staff with doctoral degrees has increased from three in 1996 to 43 in 2008.
Land cover, along with climate change and variability, plays a vital role in influencing hydrological patterns and regimes. This study examines the impact of land cover and climate variability on stream flow in the Kikuletwa catchment, Pangani Basin, Tanzania; using historical data, Sentinel-2 images, CMIP6 climate mode and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Results indicates significant land cover changes with cropland increasing from 25.6 to 31.7
Park-and-ride systems are increasingly recognized as strategic components of urban mobility, particularly in rapidly growing cities such as Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This study evaluated the demand, functionality, and operational performance of park-and-ride facilities along the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) Phase 1 corridor to inform strategies for enhancing integrated transport and wellbeing. Data were collected through structured interviews with parking operators, government officials, and facility users, complemented by field observations. Results were summarized regarding usage patterns, while providing insights into operational constraints and user experiences. Findings indicate that weekday demand exceeds available capacity, with lots occupied as early as 6:30 a.m., whereas weekend usage is lower. Approximately 56
Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify sustainability assessment indicators of road infrastructure projects by analyzing and synthesizing existing literature, considering that, despite being essential to achieving the sustainable development goals, sustainability performance in road infrastructure projects is a persistent challenge. Therefore, determining how sustainability can be assessed in these projects is crucial, necessitating a systematic review of the sustainability assessment indicators of road infrastructure projects. Design/methodology/approach Using PRISMA principles, 54 peer-reviewed papers from 2010 to 2022 were retrieved from three search databases (Scopus, Research for Life and Google Scholar) as part of a systematic literature review. Data analysis techniques included both descriptive and content analysis. Findings The study identified 22 indicators. The results emphasized that the sustainability of road infrastructure projects should consider all three sustainability dimensions to provide development while meeting human needs, preserving the planet Earth and enhancing economic growth. Similarly, indicators should be incorporated from the design phase to implement and attain sustainability successfully. Practical implications The outcome of this study will serve as a guide to road infrastructure stakeholders to understand the relevant sustainability indicators to assess the sustainability performance of their projects. Originality/value The study’s findings provide the sustainability assessment indicators for roads, which serve as a foundation for developing a sustainability assessment indicator framework for road infrastructure projects. Future research can look at establishing the indicators for the end-of-life phase of the project lifecycle.
Future Visioning (FV) is emerging as a critical area for climate adaptation science, policy, and practice. Yet, experiences tend to be led by government institutions or powerful stakeholders, leaving out relevant voices for climate justice. This article highlights the importance of incorporating diverse perspectives in shaping future visions for risk-informed planning and adaptation in cities. The paper examines data from normative FV engagements conducted in four contexts in Tanzania, Palestine, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The analysis reveals various logics used to express place-based injustices and the extent to which these inform visions for resilient future urban environments. By adopting a comparative approach, the research analyses results both within cities - focusing on narratives and scenarios emerging from different social groups - and across cities, exploring emerging global narratives on desired urban development in a context of rapid urbanisation, multi hazard risks and climate change. Our findings highlight the complex nature of visions, which intersect universalistic values with situated experiences and lived injustices. Further research on this topic should explore how intersectional future thinking can drive specific planning trade-offs, as well as its tangible influence on urban planning paradigm shifts and processes amidst rapid urban change.
Urban heat exposure poses significant health and socio-economic risks in rapidly growing Sub-Saharan African cities. Accurate mapping of heat risk is critical for targeted adaptation, yet the choice of hazard indicator can influence risk assessment outcomes. This study evaluates the impact of hazard indicator selection on urban heat risk by comparing Critical Heat Risk Zones (CHRZs) derived from Land Surface Temperature (LST) and Humidex (HI) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Lagos, Nigeria. Using high-resolution geospatial data, WRF derived climate data, and Local Climate Zone (LCZ) disaggregation, we quantified the spatial agreement between LST- and HI-based CHRZs through Cohen’s Kappa and Bivariate Moran’s I. Results show moderate-to-strong spatial correspondence in both cities (Dar es Salaam: Kappa = 0.584, Moran’s I = 0.706; Lagos: Kappa = 0.336, Moran’s I = 0.521), with heat risk concentrated in LCZ 3, 6, and 7. Monte Carlo simulations highlight the robustness of LCZ-based CHRZ disaggregation under realistic classification uncertainty. Findings emphasize that merging multiple hazard indicators can guide urban planning, early-warning systems, and neighbourhood-level interventions. The framework is transferable to other data-scarce African cities, supporting context-sensitive heat mitigation strategies and climate-resilient urban development.
