Built Environment Research Articles

Exploring the InSAR Deformation Series Using Unsupervised Learning in a Built Environment

As a city undergoes large-scale construction and expansion, there is an urgent need to monitor the stability of the ground and infrastructure. The time-series InSAR technique is an effective tool for measuring surface displacements. However, interpreting these displacements in a built environment, where observed displacements consist of mixed signals, poses a challenge. This study uses principal component analysis (PCA) and the k-means clustering method for exploring deformation series within an unsupervised learning context. The PCA method extracts the dominant components in deformation series, whereas the clustering method identifies similar deformation series. This method was tested on Kunming City (KMC) using C-band Sentinel-1, X-band TerraSAR-X, and L-band ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 data acquired between 2017 to 2022. The experiment demonstrated that the suggested unsupervised learning approach can group PS points with similar kinematic characteristics. Five types of deformation kinematic characteristics were discovered in the three SAR datasets: upward, slight upward, stability, slight downward, and downward. According to the results, less than 20% of points exhibit significant motion trends, whereas 50% show small velocity values but still demonstrate movement trends. The remaining 30% are relatively stable. Similar clustering results were obtained from the three datasets using unsupervised methods, highlighting the effectiveness of identifying spatial–temporal patterns over the study area. Moreover, It was found that clustering based on kinematic characteristics enhances the interpretation of InSAR deformation, particularly for points with small deformation velocities. Finally, the significance of PCA decomposition in interpreting InSAR deformation was discussed, as it can better represent series with noise, enabling their accurate identification.

A Study of Soundscape Restoration in Office-Type Pocket Parks

High-density building environments and fast-paced working conditions in cities pose health challenges for office workers. Office-type pocket parks assume the social responsibility of providing restorative environments for office workers, and the soundscape is an essential element of such environments. However, there is limited research on soundscape restoration in office-type pocket parks. Therefore, this study focused on soundscape restoration in office-type pocket parks. First, on-site investigations explored the spatial characteristics of 55 office-type pocket parks while analysing the soundscape features of 12 representative parks. Notably, significant correlations emerged among the perceptual parameters of the soundscape. Subsequently, three dimensions were extracted through an experimental study on the restoration levels of soundscape elements in office-based pocket parks: attractiveness, coordination, and disengagement. Finally, this study explored the impact of spatial enclosures and interface characteristics on soundscape restoration levels. This revealed that the restorative effect of negative sounds, such as traffic, air-conditioning, and speech, is significantly negatively correlated with spatial enclosure. Therefore, the greater the enclosure, the lower the restorative effect of the soundscape. Birdsongs significantly enhance the attractiveness of grey spaces, whereas small fountain sounds are most coordinated in blue spaces. This study provides a reference for the design of soundscapes in pocket parks to build healthy, restorative urban environments.

Road Traffic Injuries and the Built Environment in Bogotá, Colombia, 2015-2019: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Nine in 10 road traffic deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite this disproportionate burden, few studies have examined built environment correlates of road traffic injury in these settings, including in Latin America. We examined road traffic collisions in Bogotá, Colombia, occurring between 2015 and 2019, and assessed the association between neighborhood-level built environment features and pedestrian injury and death. We used descriptive statistics to characterize all police-reported road traffic collisions that occurred in Bogotá between 2015 and 2019. Cluster detection was used to identify spatial clustering of pedestrian collisions. Adjusted multivariate Poisson regression models were fit to examine associations between several neighborhood-built environment features and rate of pedestrian road traffic injury and death. A total of 173,443 police-reported traffic collisions occurred in Bogotá between 2015 and 2019. Pedestrians made up about 25% of road traffic injuries and 50% of road traffic deaths in Bogotá between 2015 and 2019. Pedestrian collisions were spatially clustered in the southwestern region of Bogotá. Neighborhoods with more street trees (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82-0.98), traffic signals (0.89, 0.81-0.99), and bus stops (0.89, 0.82-0.97) were associated with lower pedestrian road traffic deaths. Neighborhoods with greater density of large roads were associated with higher pedestrian injury. Our findings highlight the potential for pedestrian-friendly infrastructure to promote safer interactions between pedestrians and motorists in Bogotá and in similar urban contexts globally.

Accident Severity Analysis of Traffic Accident Hot Spot Areas in Changsha City Considering Built Environment

Examining the impacts of accident characteristics and differentiated built environment factors on accident severity at inherent accident hotspots within cities can help managers to adjust traffic control measures through urban planning and design, thereby reducing accident casualties. In this study, time series clustering was used to identify traffic accident hotspots in Changsha City. Based on the hotspot identification results, Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to select differentiated built environment factors among different accident areas within the city. A severity analysis model for road crashes in Changsha’s hotspots, taking into account the built environment, was constructed using a Light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM). In addition, Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were used to reveal the influences of accident characteristics and built environment factors on accident severity. The results showed that different accident characteristics and built environment factors affect accident severity in different urban accident areas. Factors such as type of accident, visibility, period of time, land use mixing degree, population density, density of commercial places, and density of industrial places showed varying degrees of importance in influencing accident severity, while the overall impact trends remained consistent. On the other hand, transportation accessibility, road network density, landform, and accident location showed significant differences in their impacts on accident severity between different accident areas within the city.

New Possibilities for Spatial Research: Re-Animating the Built Environment Through Speculative Maps and Models

This article presents creative methodologies for studying the emotionally charged environment of school buildings, with particular attention to situated movements and modes of engagement after the Covid pandemic. Drawing on digital-sensory methods and futuring practices, developed in collaboration with staff and students in a UK secondary school, we present a series of speculative architectural models and living maps. Our approach is informed by Bruno Latour’s concept of the Terrestrial as a metamorphic zone that includes the built environment, with connections to contemporary architecture and design practices. We use techniques in speculative cartography and cosmography, creating maps and models that show how students negotiate the affective atmosphere and social-material ecology associated with school buildings.

Direct Observation of Circularly Polarized Nonlinear Optical Activities in Chiral Hybrid Lead Halides.

Circularly polarized light emission is a crucial application in imaging, sensing, and photonics. However, utilizing low-energy photons to excite materials, as opposed to high-energy light excitation, can facilitate deep-tissue imaging and sensing applications. The challenge lies in finding materials capable of directly generating circularly polarized nonlinear optical effects. In this study, we introduce a chiral hybrid lead halide (CHLH) material system, R/S-DPEDPb3Br8·H2O (DPED = 1,2-diphenylethylenediammonium), which can directly produce circularly polarized second harmonic generation (CP-SHG) through linearly polarized infrared light excitation, exhibiting a polarization efficiency as high as 37% at room temperature. To understand the spin relaxation mechanisms behind the high polarization efficiency, we utilized two models, so-called D'yakonov-Perel' (DP) and Bir-Aronov-Pikus (BAP) mechanisms. The unique zigzag inorganic frameworks within the hybrid structure are believed to reduce the dielectric confinement and exciton binding energy, thus enhancing spin polarization, especially in regions with a high excitation pump fluence based on the DP mechanism. In the case of low excitation pump fluence, the BAP mechanism dominates, as evidenced by the observed decrease in the polarization ratio from CP-SHG measurement. Using density functional theory analysis, we elucidate how the distinctive 8-coordination environment of lead bromide building blocks effectively suppresses spin-orbit coupling at the conduction band minimum. This suppression significantly diminishes spin-splitting, thereby slowing the spin relaxation rate.

Associations of perceived built environment characteristics using NEWS questionnaires with all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular diseases: The prospective urban rural epidemiology (PURE)-China study

BackgroundDespite increased literature focusing on the role of the built environment (BE) in health, few cohort studies have quantitatively analyzed neighborhood walkability environment in relation to the risk of death and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This longitudinal study aimed at evaluating the association between perceived BE attributeswith mortality and major CVD based on the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology study in China (PURE-China). MethodsThe PURE-China study recruited 47,931 participants aged 35–70 years from 12 provinces of China between 2005 and 2009. The perceived BE information, including land use, street, aesthetics, and safety, was collected using the neighborhood environment walkability scale (NEWS) questionnaire, with higher scores indicating a more favorable rating. Two primary outcomes are all-cause mortality and major CVD event. The Cox frailty model with random intercepts was used to assess the association between the perceived total BE/subscales score and outcomes. ResultsOf 32,163 participants included in this study, 19,253 (59.9 %) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 51.0 (9.5) years. After a median follow-up period of 11.7 years (IQR 9.4 – 12.2), we observed that one standard deviation higher of combined BE scores was related to a lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 0.85; 95 %CI, 0.80–0.90), and major CVD events (HR = 0.95; 95 %CI, 0.90–0.99). The subscales of perceived BE were related to a lower risk, although a few were not significant. Land use mix-diversity and safety from crime were the two most significant subscales. Stronger risks were observed among urban and female participants. ConclusionFavorable perceived BE characteristics were linked with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and major CVD events in Chinese population, especially in urban areas and females. Our findings can be used by policymakers to take action to mitigate the adverse effect of poor community conditions on health, such as improving local amenities and transport connectivity, providing building paths for walking, running and cycling

Chemical-free thermal-acoustic panels from agricultural waste for sustainable building materials

To address the pressing need for sustainable building materials, this study introduced an innovative and eco-friendly approach to manufacturing thermal-acoustic panels, utilizing agricultural waste with rice straw as the primary material. Paper pulp (PP) and Persea kurzii (PK) were used as non-chemical binders at ratios of 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, and 80:20. After mixing, all the samples were subjected to heat-free hydraulic compression at 5 bars to evaluate their physical, mechanical, thermal, and acoustic properties. Increasing the proportion of the binder directly impacted panel density and flexural strength while also inversely affecting porosity. The PK binder had a low thermal conductivity value of 0.040 W/mK, proving it was a good thermal insulator with a high sound absorption coefficient, especially at higher frequencies. The RSPP-4 panel had the highest noise reduction coefficient (0.51) and absorbed low frequencies, suggesting its potential for noise reduction. Microscopic analysis provided further insight into panel surface characteristics. PP exhibited a smooth surface with a continuous fiber weave that did not obscure the pores, while PK consisted of particles. The correlation between surface characteristics and acoustic performance, especially at high frequencies, underscored the intricate balance between material properties. Research results can be applied in the construction industry to develop sustainable building materials that offer superior thermal and acoustic properties. These thermal-acoustic panels can effectively utilize agricultural waste and show potential as environmentally friendly construction materials to enhance indoor comfort and acoustics in various building environments.

Bioclimatic zoning for building performance using tailored clustering method and high-resolution climate data

Building environments are specific and complex bioclimatic systems. Thus, well-suited climate classification methods for buildings are essentially needed to develop building design guidelines and standards. To address it, the present research introduces a novel fit-for-purpose clustering method for bioclimatic zoning based on the hygrothermal and energy performance of buildings. This bioclimatic zoning was developed to update the Brazilian standard and has been validated across various climates and building typologies (residential and commercial) in Brazil. In a preliminary analysis, three classification methods were developed using K-means and Decision Tree to classify climates according to building performance. Subsequently, a final bioclimatic zoning method was developed using a tailored version of the best method designed for real-world applications (Decision Tree) in the Brazilian context. The performance of the bioclimatic zoning achieved was compared with three existing climate classifications: Köppen-Geiger, ASHRAE 169-2020, and ABNT-NBR 15220-3 (Brazilian Standard). The results showed that the new bioclimatic zoning method outperformed the existing ones to cluster the building performance indicators. Moreover, high-resolution spatial climate databases, such as NASA-POWER, CRU, and ERA5-Land, were processed and analyzed to be employed in locations without properly measured data. Three metamodels of climate indicators were developed and compared with these databases to select the most accurate climate data sources. Finally, these databases were employed to classify all 5570 Brazilian municipalities according to the final bioclimatic zoning, which enabled the development of an accurate and high-resolution map.

A House for the Struggle: The Black Press and the Built Environment in Chicago

A House for the Struggle: The Black Press and the Built Environment in Chicago

Meta-analysis on Associations Between the Built Environment and Mobile Physical Activity Using Volunteered Geographic Information

Meta-analysis on Associations Between the Built Environment and Mobile Physical Activity Using Volunteered Geographic Information

Association and Interaction Between Built Environment and Outdoor Jogging Based on Crowdsourced Geographic Information

Association and Interaction Between Built Environment and Outdoor Jogging Based on Crowdsourced Geographic Information

Investigating the influence of reflective materials on indoor thermal environment and solar reflectance in buildings

This in-depth study explores the intricate dynamics of reflective materials, emphasizing their impact on the indoor thermal environment and urban heat island (UHI) mitigation. Examining diffuse highly reflective (DHR), general reflective (GR), and retro-reflective (RR) materials on a simplified building model during summer days, the research utilizes outdoor experiments to analyze air and surface temperatures, as well as solar radiation. Prioritizing key metrics—mean radiant temperature (MRT), operative temperature (OT), and solar reflectance (ρ)—the study uncovers nuanced distinctions in DHR, GR, and RR materials. Solar reflectance calculations consistently show higher values for DHR and RR materials compared to GR material, highlighting reflectance's pivotal role in influencing surface temperatures and indoor thermal environment. When evaluating the impact of exterior wall materials on building temperatures, RR material with a 76% reflectance performs similarly to DHR material (82%). Notably, with a 6% lower reflectance in RR, the temperature contrast between external and internal walls is only about 1.5 °C at its maximum, underscoring RR's effectiveness as an outer wall material for UHI mitigation and building energy conservation, surpassing both DHR and GR materials.

Research on Spatial Design and Reconstruction Strategy of Aging Based on Visual Features

At present, our country is in the rapid development stage of aging, the pension problem has always been a problem that the whole society pays high attention to, how to create a high quality living environment for the old people becomes a new research topic. From the perspective of vision, combined with architectural design theory, geriatric psychology, color psychology and other theories, this paper explores the interior public space environment design of elderly buildings from the aspects of light, color, quality, humanity and other influencing factors. At the same time, it analyzes the living situation of the old apartment and the characteristics of the old people in our country. From the aspects of space environment, function layout and so on, this paper summarizes the renovation strategy of interior space of elderly apartment. It provides a new reference for the design of elderly apartments in China in the future, and combines the design of elderly service centers to enrich the design methods of indoor public space environment of elderly care buildings in China in the future, so as to improve the quality of life of the elderly.

Numerical-experimental study of the thermal behavior of a green facade in a warm climate in Mexico

Demographic growth entails an increase in the construction of buildings and streets, whose materials significantly absorb heat and, upon release, create discomfort for the inhabitants of large urban areas. Vegetation emerges as a crucial element to enhance both the indoor environment of buildings and the outdoor surroundings. Green facades present themselves as a highly efficient alternative to integrate vegetation in densely urbanized areas. This study focuses on evaluating the thermal performance of an indirect-type green facade system in a warm climate in Mexico. The research encompasses experimental measurements and numerical simulations of the thermal effect of the green facade and also a parametric study of the vertical leaf area index (LAIV) and air gap size. In the experimental test, temperatures were recorded in two identical test cells, one of which was equipped with a green facade with Pyrostegia Venusta plants on one of its surfaces. The numerical study validated the results obtained through experimental tests, using simulations of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) considering a typical day for each season throughout the year. Validation results revealed Mean Percentage Errors (MPE) of −2.86 % and 0.25 %, Mean Bias Errors (MBE) of −0.49 °C and 0.08 °C, and Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE) of 1.34 °C and 1.29 °C for the bare facade and the green facade, respectively. In the numerical analysis, it was observed that the green facade succeeded in reducing the indoor air temperature in a range of 4.57 to 5.64 °C, while decreasing the heat flux in an interval of 7.84 to 16.79 W/m2. Moreover, a parametric study revealed that the LAIV ceases to be a significant parameter beyond 2.5, while the air gap size proves to be a considerably less influential factor compared to the LAIV. These results confirm the relevance of using vegetation in buildings to mitigate the effects of heat and improve the thermal comfort of inhabitants.

Optimization and Renovation Design of Indoor Thermal Environment in Traditional Houses in Northeast Sichuan (China)—A Case Study of a Three-Section Courtyard House

The three-section courtyard is the most representative traditional residence in the traditional villages in northeast Sichuan. As a unique cultural landscape, it carries the local historical style and cultural connotation. However, the high temperature weather in summer leads to a poor thermal environment in traditional residential buildings, which cannot meet the needs of building users for human thermal comfort, and the wall is the most critical factor affecting the indoor thermal environment. Therefore, to optimise the indoor thermal environment of traditional residential buildings, this study designed four groups of wall renovation schemes according to the original traditional residential buildings and modern technology, and simulated and verified the feasibility of the building renovation schemes by using Design Builder. Then, the four groups of wall renovation schemes were compared and tested based on the Design Builder. Comparative results of the thermal-performance evaluation index revealed that compared with Case 1 and Case 2, the building refrigeration energy consumption of Case 3 in the hottest week was the least, only 427.7 kW·h, which indicates that the external wall renovation scheme using aerated concrete blocks had the best thermal insulation and energy-saving effects. The cooling energy consumption of Case 4 in the hottest week was 422 kW·h, which was 4.3 kW·h less than that of Case 3, indicating that the wall renovation scheme with an air inter-layer had better thermal insulation and energy-saving effects. The refrigeration energy consumption of Case 7 in the hottest week was only 409.8 kW·h, which was 4.19% lower than Case 3 (without insulation material), indicating that the scheme of selecting central insulation and extruded polystyrene board (XPS) had better thermal insulation and energy-saving effects in practical projects. In summary, the above transformation scheme not only improves the indoor thermal environment of traditional residential buildings, but also provides guidance for architectural designers on green, energy-saving and sustainable design.

Exploring the Interplay of Ethics and Built Environment

In the wake of unprecedented global challenges ranging from inequalities to pandemics, the ethical dimensions of the built environment have garnered heightened attention. This thematic issue delves into the evolving role of planning, design, and materialities within the built environment in addressing ethical concerns amidst contemporary crises. This study delves into the intricate interplay between ethics and the built environment, elucidating its manifold implications in shaping daily experiences, behaviors, and societal norms. It explores the ethical implications of individual and collective behaviors within the built environment, analyzing phenomena such as public space use, resource consumption, and environmental stewardship. Ultimately, these efforts seek to inform both theoretical discourse and practical interventions aimed at fostering more ethically conscious approaches to urban design, planning, and governance.

Exploring the gap in people’s travel behavior between urban villages and commercial housing: The role of built environment

As urban expansion accelerates, travel distance and vehicle miles traveled continue to grow. Simultaneously, agricultural land is gradually giving way to urban construction, and ancient communities are transforming into urban villages as a result of being surrounded by urban land. Given the widespread distribution of urban villages in Chinese cities, which accommodate a large number of low-income groups, paying attention to the travel behavior of these groups is beneficial for promoting the fair development ofsociety. Therefore, this study utilized resident survey data from urban villages and commercial housing communities of Zhuhai in 2018 and built a structural equation modeling analysis framework to investigate the differences in the influence of the built environment (BE) on the travel behavior of these two types of housing. The results showed that the BE of urban villages had a significantly different impact on travel behavior compared to commercial housing. This discovery can help authorities better understand the impact of the BE of urban villages on travel distance, transit choices, and walking/cycling decisions. Moreover, this research is conducive to proposing targeted measures for sustainable transportation development in urban villages.

Sustainable facilities management in the built environment: a bibliometric review

Purpose This study aims to review the status quo, current state of research, research hot themes and research gaps in sustainable facilities management (SFM) in the built environment (BE) through an extant literature review. Design/methodology/approach To map and analyze knowledge paths in the context of SFM research, a sequential explanatory mixed-method review involving bibliometric and content analysis was used to help identify current research trends, research hot themes and knowledge gaps. The Scopus search engine was used to find 169 relevant articles. For a better understanding of the literature accumulated, a bibliometric analysis was carried out by using VOSviewer to reveal current research themes, the status quo and current state of research as well as research gaps. Findings Through the literature review and content analysis, the current research themes on SFM revealed from the study include green building technologies, assessment methods of SFM, smart buildings and building information modeling. The research hot themes in SFM include smart buildings and green building technologies, green buildings (GB), architectural and building designs in the university sector, assessment methods in buildings and decision-making and the adoption of asset and facility management in the university sector. Indoor air pollution, intelligent buildings, climate change, maintenance, environmental management, facilities, historic preservation, environmental performance, energy management, etc. are the research gaps identified from the study, and these serve as potential areas for future research studies under SFM. It was recognized that facilities managers are increasingly involved with sustainability policies within their organizations and are developing sustainability agendas to keep up with the changing nature of the facilities management (FM) profession. Practical implications The findings of this study hold relevance to the FM practice, as the integration of SFM by facilities managers can lead to waste reduction, decreased operating expenses and reduced energy consumption. In addition, occupants of sustainable buildings experience improved conditions that contribute to better health and productivity, thus boosting their overall well-being. Consistent with the themes of smart buildings and green technologies, revealed to be the hot themes in the SFM research scope, properties with sustainable features can command higher rental rates and property values, appealing to a broader range of stakeholders. SFM practices in universities can aid in saving money from reduced facility operational costs and improve the image of institutions while creating better indoor environments for students and staff. The analyses of countries involved in research can open doors for the establishment of research groups and the development of collaboration between universities in different countries researching similar topics of interest. Originality/value The geographical scope of this study is not limited and, therefore, encourages broad applicability of the findings to the global sustainable BE.

Career Choice of Graduating Students in Built Environment Courses in Nigeria: A Mixed-Method Study

ABSTRACT An aging workforce and labor shortage are some of the challenges confronting the built environment sector globally. The career choice decision of graduating students studying built environment courses is an integral part of the workforce replacement process that has not been explored by extant studies in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the career choice decisions of graduating students studying built environment courses in Nigeria. Survey responses were collected from 55 graduating students along with 4 responses from semi-structured interviews conducted at two Nigerian universities. Findings indicated that the percentage of graduating students who intend to pursue a career in the built environment is higher than that of those who intend to pursue a career outside the built environment. However, career decisions are often influenced by exigent factors. These factors were categorized into three groups: “job characteristics and career opportunities/prospects,” “career mentorship,” and “family and friends’ influence.” The most prevalent factors were interest in the construction industry, career/job opportunities, personal interest in a career/job, and job security. The findings of this study will assist policymakers and organizations in enacting and promulgating laws that will improve the construction industry’s image and also make it attractive to young people.