2025/06/12 by Smith Ofori, Stephen
#Green Roof model #Green infrastructure #Land Change Modular #Real estate development #Sustainable Development Goal 11 #i-Tree Eco model
paper · doi:10.48346/imist.prsm/ajlp-gs.v8i3.51839
Context and background Urban green space comprising parks, gardens, forests, wetlands and grasses, etc. is a fundamental component of the urban ecosystem which constitutes an integral part of the urban environment considering the immense benefits ranging from protecting biodiversity to improving quality air, aesthetics, and recreation. Greater Accra due to numerous anthropogenic activities conducted to uplift the region's physical developments has lost a significant amount of its vegetation, especially with the influx of lucrative real estate. Goal and objectives The research will examine and project the spatial variations in Real Estate establishments and vegetation in Greater Accra from 2007 to 2021; analyze the impact Real Estate and Residential Development has on the urban vegetation space and environment in Greater Accra; and then predict the condition of Real Estate and residential development activities and vegetation in the next 5 years. Methodology This paper discusses the spatiotemporal change in green space and the impact residential developments have had on urban green space over the last 14 years (2007-2021), predicts the impact in the next 5 years, and lastly suggests effective measures to integrate green space into residential development to safeguard the urban ecosystem. Google Earth and QGIS software were used to process satellite data into the various landuse/landcover classes. Results The study discovered an ineffective policy implementation, low enforcement of existing regulations, and a lack of monitoring mechanisms (GIS & and other mapping software) to evaluate green space alongside residential development. The study also revealed a 1.4% annual decrease in urban green space and a 20% decline in Greater Accra’s vegetation cover within the last 14 years. The study discovered some farmlands and wetland vegetation have been converted into sand wining and residential development sites. The main contributing factors to the situation are ineffective policy implementation, low enforcement of existing regulations, and a lack of monitoring mechanisms. The study recommends the integration of green space management plans as part of all residential development activities and proposes a well-structured institution among key stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration toward the formulation, implementation, and enforcement of policies on green space and residential development. An intense public education is proposed to create awareness of the benefits and need to safeguard the green space towards attaining SDG 11.