Analyzing the Environment Characteristics of Heat Exposure Spaces from the Humanistic Perspective and Spatial Improvement Approaches in Central Beijing, China

Xin Yang,Wenwen Gao,Fan Fu,Qi Zhang,Sha Li,Nana Li

doi:10.3390/buildings12020138

Abstract

Global warming, high temperatures, and heatwave weather are some of the factors affecting human settlement environment health. In high-temperature weather, human production and life are seriously threatened, as long-term exposure to high temperatures causes a variety of diseases, and children and elderly, who have poor tolerance, require strengthened protection. From a human perspective, this study calculated the thermal duration distribution of high temperatures based on maximum temperature data in a central urban area of Beijing combined with the results of the sixth population census of Beijing, investigated the population distribution of individuals under 15 years old and over 65 years old, and analyzed the spatial distribution of a thermal exposure space in a central urban area of Beijing with the help of the ArcGIS platform. Based on 130 district districts, streets with high-risk heat exposure spaces in the central urban area of Beijing were reddened to determine the distribution of high-risk grades. Using the semantic segmentation method and a street view map, the high-risk thermal exposure space environment from the humanistic perspective was restored, and the typical characteristics were summarized and analyzed. Finally, the environmental characteristics of the high-risk thermal exposure space were analyzed from the humanistic perspective, and an improvement strategy for thermal exposure spaces was proposed based on the perspective of emotional relief.

Highlights

Since the 21st century, the increase in carbon emissions has led to intensification of the greenhouse effect and an increase in the frequency of extreme weather and climate events
Based on the heat exposure space and urban-scale research results of domestic and foreign scholars, this study provides an innovative investigation at the street district scale and from a humanistic perspective, Buildings 2022, 12, 138 which has significance as a reference for the renewal of metropolitan cities and construction of humanistic cities under urban stock development
The 130 street districts in the central urban area of Beijing were selected as the research units, and technical methods, such as multi-source data, statistical analysis, and data visualization, were comprehensively applied

Summary

Introduction

Since the 21st century, the increase in carbon emissions has led to intensification of the greenhouse effect and an increase in the frequency of extreme weather and climate events. This study defined the high-risk heat exposure space distribution in a central urban area of Beijing at a street district scale according to high-temperature meteorological data and social demographic data, focusing on elderly aged 65 years and over and children. Based on the duration of high-temperature weather in summer and the proportion of the population located in the street districts, quantitative analysis of the spatial distribution level of heat exposure in the central urban area was carried out, and the street district scale was “marked in red”. According to the heat duration data of the meteorological stations in the central urban area of Beijing, the heat duration distribution was visualized in a diagram based on ArcGIS, and the average heat duration in the street district was calculated.

Population Analysis of Street Districts in the Central Urban Area of Beijing

18 Proporti8o1n under the Age of 15 ov2e8r the Age of 65

Conclusions

Findings

Discussions