Effects of Roads Characteristics and Green Space on Urban Temperature

Abstract

PURPOSES : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of urban road characteristics on temperature changes in urban areas using surface thermal temperature. METHODS : This study measured the surface thermal temperature of each road component from urban roads, analyzed the effect of the road component characteristics and vegetation on temperature, and estimated the regression models. RESULTS : As a result, the mean temperature was 27.3 ℃ on the roadway, 25.5 ℃ on the vegetated median, and 22.9 ℃ on the sidewalks. The roadside temperature was 26.14 ℃ with surrounding buildings and 23.82 ℃ near green spaces. The temperature with street trees was lower (24.45 ℃) than without (28.38 ℃) while it was 23.96 ℃ with vegetated median and 25.64 ℃ without. The temperatures were lower (24.70 ℃) on the permeable surface than on the impermeable surface (28.38 ℃). Model estimates show that the temperature decreases by 0.007 ℃ with an increase of 1 m² green (permeable space) space and the temperature with buildings tends to be 1.729 ℃ higher than that with green space. As green space increases by 1 m², the temperature tends to decrease by 0.017 ℃ on the roadway and by 0.012 ℃ on the sidewalk. Shade effect models show that street trees with shade affect temperature reduction by -3.884 ℃ on roadways and -3.314 ℃ on sidewalks. CONCLUSIONS : The results of this study demonstrate the differing effects of road characteristics on temperature. The roadway is more sensitive than the sidewalk to temperature changes and roadside vegetation, ambient green space, and pavement permeability contribute to temperature reduction.