Environmental Impact Assessment of High Buildings by Using SWOT & GIS:A Case Study on Tehran – District1Dr. Alireza Gharagozlou Research Institute of National Cartographic Center of Iran (NCC) agharagozlu@yahoo.com Zahra Jalili Azad University - Shahr-e- Ray Unit Mojgan Hejrani Diarjan National Cartographic Center of Iran (NCC) ABSTRACT In big cities, excessive growth of population and immigration from other areas have caused great environmental impacts which especially effect urban development and urban architectural planning in such cities. Tehran, the capital of Iran which is surrounded by high mountains, has a special natural geographic location, so its potentials for physical growth and development is limited. This is while its population growth has been increased during the last decades. These limitations on one side and the need to provide housing based on urban management and settlement of the increasing population from the other side, have made it necessary to construct high buildings in Tehran and almost during these last decade, a new wave of construction of high buildings in Tehran has completely changed the view of this city and this is while the environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts of such measures, have not been accurately studied yet. The economic reasoning that the decrease in price resulted from savings in using smaller pieces of land compensate the increase resulted from construction of high buildings, has always been a factor in decision makings and then altering the urban development plans. In this research, by using geo-reference data and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) model and GIS analysis, environmental models and study of the process of construction of high buildings in the North of Tehran and district1, adopting a proper approach is necessary to better understand concepts and issues in assessment of environmental and geographical impacts of high buildings in urban planning and theoretical frameworks related to the environmental factors and accurate study of the used methods and models that are applicable by other planners in urban development projects of the country, are presented. In this research by using and merging geo-referenced data and GIS and making and using SWOT model for district1 and environmental impact assessment approach, a proper comprehensive plan for development of high buildings are presented. This research is a new experience in the filed of urban and regional planning by using GIS. Introduction Application of GIS to assess the environmental impacts of construction of high buildings in big cities (1) such as Tehran and by using SWOT model is considered to be a new experience in the world. To obtain a theoretical framework about construction of high buildings based on urban development without harming the nature and environment and in order to maintain the sustainability of urban environments while promoting their attractions and adopting proper methods to make necessary infrastructure to facilitate the welfare of people in high buildings and in those buildings around and to decrease the environmental problems and increase the social, cultural, visual and physical condition in vertical development of cities in this paper, application of spatial data, digital maps, related attribute data, spatial information systems and SWOT model are suggested. SWOT model provides a documentary list of all Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It is a good tool for the planners to assess the surface and deep impacts of high buildings in urban management, especially by using geo referenced information and GIS. Materials and Methods Application of SWOT and GIS is a new experience in international research and especially in assessing the impacts of high buildings in urban environments (2) and this effort focuses on the north part of Tehran to provide the planners and decision-makers with valuable information useful for their decisions. Tehran is situated at the elevation lines of 900 m to 1800 m so that Tehran's rail road in southern areas is in 1100 m elevation and Tajrish in the north of Tehran is in 1300 m elevation from the sea level (2). Tehran is situated between mountains and deserts. The geographical boundaries of District1 (North of Tehran) is between mountain foots and Tehran plain, from the north to the 1800 meters elevation of Alborz mountain range, from the south to Chamran and Modarres Highways, from the west to Darakeh River and from the east to Fath Boulevard so that this district is situated in the most northern areas of Tehran. According to the existing standards released by the Management and Planning Organization of Iran, each building with the height of more than 23 meters is considered as high building (5) while European countries and the US Council of High Buildings and Urban Settlements have their own different definitions and standards for classification of high buildings. In this research, based on the pattern defined by the Management and Planning Organization of Iran, the buildings with 10 floor or more are considered as high building in Iran and in Tehran. In District1 in the North of Tehran such high buildings have different applications such as residential, official, business and multi-applications. In Tehran because of the plans to promote urban development and also lack of urban lands to response the great need for housing on one hand and increase of technological facilities for quick and better services (1) on the other hand, there have been positive views for development of high building constructions. This is while the environmental impacts of such buildings have not been carefully and precisely studied. Those having negative views, believe that construction of high buildings lowers the quality of life (4) in urban contexts and increases the environmental problems and pollutions and hinders the right function of social units. There have been documents and researches on the history of construction of high buildings in Iran but application of advanced methods of GIS and models such as SWOT is a new experiences which will help the planners and crisis managers to better evaluate their impacts. A new wave of construction of high buildings in Tehran, began in 1981 when land prices highly increased and the municipality of Tehran especially in northern areas of Tehran (Districts 1,2,3), began selling density for high building construction. In SWOT model, by considering different issues such as land use, natural hazards, urban infrastructure, landscape, transportation, environmental conditions and social and cultural dimensions of the area, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are extracted to study the environmental impacts by analytical models in GIS. In SWOT approach, we will have a documentary list of all strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. By using such a list and providing and applying a proper model for analysis of the impacts of high buildings construction in GIS, there will be considerable alternatives for urban planners to choose. By Using SWOT Model (Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)     Because of population growth in big cities of the world during last decades and restrictions to provide housing based on urban management, settlement of increased population have made it necessary to construct high buildings in such areas. By using Geo-referenced data and SWOT model and GIS and considering the process of construction of high buildings in the North of Tehran and district1, the results of environmental impact assessments of high buildings in district1 are considered and the results of analysis are presented as two maps in this paper. Planners and decision makers can provide a comprehensive plan for urban development by using strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats (SWOT) factors. Considering the new wave of construction of high buildings in the world and especially in Tehran different issues such as natural hazards and landscape, environmental conditions and social and cultural dimensions of the area, SWOT model can provide proper models for analysis in GIS. Finally two different maps, proper pattern and distribution of development of high buildings in district1 in the north of Tehran are shown. In this research by using and merging geo-referenced data and GIS and providing and using SWOT model for district1 and environmental impact assessment approach, a comprehensive plan for development of high buildings are presented. This research is a new experience in the filed of urban and regional development activities in the world. 
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