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The authors continue to develop and delve deeper into their ideas on conceptual design. Previously we examined the role and significance of a conceptual design within the framework of the antinomy "singular-universal" or, more specifically, "project - science". In this article, we discuss issues related to the development of conceptual thinking necessary for conceptual design. It is demonstrated that conceptual design takes place on the basis of ideal models of objects or design techniques called constructs. The success of conceptual design depends on the ability to apply constructs (the "ownership" component in the competence approach). To successfully apply constructs, it is important to limit their possible number. This requires the conceptualization of the subject area. Practical techniques for conceptualizing the subject area and subsequent conceptual design are demonstrated.

The article discusses a methodology of conceptual design intended for students Architectural and Landscape Design students. The methodology combines analysis of interactions between design and research, which are opposite in many ways. Conceptual design is a connecting link between them. On the one hand, conceptual design is free from some limitations inherent in regulated design practice. On the other hand, conceptual design becomes a research hypothesis that requires proof. This point of view has been verified in the Master degree course.

The subject of the study is green city infrastructure. The content of the concept ‘green infrastructure’ is expounded, and the reasons why the term ‘green infrastructure’ is now mostly used. Special attention is paid to the structural properties of the green infrastructure, in particular to the main element that ensures its sustainability - the green framework. As a case in point, we considered the condition of the green infrastructure framework in the city of Ekaterinburg. Issues around the green infrastructure framework were identified and described regarding its structural properties. Long-term risks arising from the mismatch between the structural properties of the green infrastructure framework and the needs of city development are assessed. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that we used not only the traditional methods such as mapping, graphical analytic technique, and photo surveying, but also new modern approaches such as geo-referenced data, multispectral space images from which different indices are calculated, in particular combinations of images in different channels. The article shows how different indices can be applied and used to analyze green infrastructure. It is concluded that in a number of cases it is the use of geo-referenced data that allows obtaining unique information about the condition of the green infrastructure and the causes of long-term changes occurring in it. All the identified regularities are used to evaluate the design decisions laid down in the general plan of the city to forecast risks and create recommendations that contribute to the sustainable development of green infrastructure.

Dehydration is one of the main technological processes in the production of food and pharmaceutical products. Dehydration allows products to extend their shelf life, or is an intermediate step in product manufacturing. An important direction in improving the efficiency of production of agricultural products is to control the consumption of heat and electricity. It has been established that waste heat can be used as a free efficient source of low-potential energy for the drying process. This article discusses the benefits of using a heat pump for the drying processes of agricultural products. Heat pump drying can obtain high quality products at low energy costs. A comparative analysis of the convective drying method using a heat pump with other modern dehydration methods of agricultural products was carried out. It was revealed that convective drying with the use of a heat pump is the most advantageous method of dehydration of agricultural complex products.

The article considers issues in the development of the green infrastructure of Ekaterinburg, a large growing city. The green infrastructure is reviewed using the urban environment quality index, remote sensing data, and predictive methods. The conclusion is that Ekaterinburg does not have a well-formed green infrastructure: there are no pronounced cores and connections. An analysis of the Master Plan in relation to the development of the green infrastructure demonstrates that the green spaces lack linear elements, while the implementation of the concept that is being promoted by the city administration will exacerbate the problems associated with the city’s microclimate and available water resources.

The study explores the water and planting infrastructure framework of Yekaterinburg. Currently, this framework of Yekaterinburg is degrading due, first of all, to the utilitarian approach to the place and role of the river in the city historically established in the course of evolution of this Ural plant town. As a result, the Iset River as the main element of the water and planting infrastructure framework lost its most important function of communication due to the multiple barriers preventing access to water, circulation routes in the transverse direction relative to the river, and super-dense development in the river area. All these factors hinder the development of a modern water and planting infrastructure framework. The study reviews landscape and urban planning experiences in the construction of water and planting infrastructures and identifies requirements for developing a water and planting infrastructure framework and its role in urban development. We have also reviewed the modern-day concepts of water-and-planting infrastructure framework development proposed by the architectural community and the authorities. These are shown not to meet modern requirements for water-and-planting infrastructure frameworks. The authors propose their own system of requirements and demonstrate that the key element for the water-and-planting framework is the concept of riverine area, which should be delineated spatially and given a legal definition to ensure its status of protected area.