SYNOPSIS

Walking is the cheapest mode of transportation. Besides, walking yields zero carbon emission and it applies across ages, from young to old. However, it is quite challenging to promote people to walk in Malaysia. Many would say, “It is too difficult to walk underneath the hot sun!” or “It is not safe to walk here!” Due to these reasons, people in Malaysia prefer not to walk even though it is just a 500 meters distance. With the current situation of climate change effects, we need to change people’s mindset by promoting more people to walk rather than taking a motorized vehicle.
What matters to walking? Providing just a wide walkway is only one part of the requirements. There are more things that providers must comply with the requirements. Buffer, crosswalk, ramp, trees, environmental, aesthetic values, activities, benches, and street furniture are among others. It is all about walkability, the quality of walking. This talk will unleash the factors that matter to walking. The speaker will share her experience and output of her research in auditing walkability on the university campus, a place where people should do more walking than using motorized vehicles. She will also share her research tools in auditing walkability.


SPEAKER BIODATA

Gs. Dr. Rosilawati Zainol is an Associate Professor at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya (UM). Currently, she has been appointed as the Director at the Centre for Civilizational Dialogue, University of Malaya. She is also the Deputy Head of Centre for Transportation Research, University of Malaya. Her research interest is in urban analytics (the use of information technology in urban and regional planning and urban studies especially in geographic information system), spatial analysis and spatial statistics. She is passionate about green transportation and promotes walking in her research. At the moment she is researching “Walking as a green transportation mode in the University of Malaya’s campus.”  She would like to promote walking using attractive street furniture, benches, activities and trees. Since joining UM in 2004, she has published quite some articles, chapters in book and books related to sustainable urban development and tourism development.   Her recent publications include Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Low-Income Adults in Metropolitan Kuala Lumpur in Journal of Epidemiology, Relationship between Adequate Healthcare Facilities and Population Distribution in Melaka Using Spatial Statistics in Journal of Design and Built Environment, Spatial assessment of the impact of the flood to Melaka's economy. International Journal of GEOMATE, and Local Branding Strategies in Southeast Asian Islamic Cultures in JATI-Journal of Southeast Asian Studies.