Urban Environmental Quality Research Articles

A high-performance multi-scale modular-based green design studio platform for building and urban environmental quality and energy simulations

A high-performance multi-scale modular-based green design studio platform for building and urban environmental quality and energy simulations

Sink–Source Characteristics of Carbon and Nitrogen in Four Typical Urban Water Bodies Within a Medium-Sized City of East China

The urban water environment, an integral component of the terrestrial hydrosphere, is closely linked to human activities and serves as a fundamental resource for industrial and agricultural development. Sedimentary organic matter in water bodies contains rich biological, physical, and chemical information, playing a central role in nutrient cycling and serving as a primary reservoir for nutrient accumulation. This study assesses the water quality, chemical indicators, and sediment productivity of four typical urban water bodies (Canal, Pond, Lake, and River) in Shaoxing City, eastern China. The results show that artificial water bodies, particularly canals, have higher dissolved oxygen (DO) compared to natural water bodies. Stationary water bodies, such as lakes and ponds, generally have higher total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity (EC) than flowing water bodies like rivers and canals. All four urban water body types slightly exceed China’s Class-V water quality standard for total nitrogen (TN), with canals, lakes, ponds, and rivers averaging 1.29, 1.22, 1.23, and 1.23 times the standard, respectively. Ponds exhibit the highest total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) content, while ammonium (NH4+–N) and nitrate (NO3−–N) levels are relatively consistent across the bodies, except for lower NO3−–N in lakes. Higher organic matter in canals and lakes, indicated by chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and permanganate index (CODMn), suggests greater eutrophication compared to ponds and rivers. Sediment total organic nitrogen (TON) content is relatively uniform across all water bodies, with slightly higher values in lakes and rivers. Total organic carbon (TOC) content is highest in lake sediments, 1.51 times that of canals. Carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios vary, with ponds and lakes showing the highest averages. Source quantification using isotopic analysis (δ13C and δ15N values) indicates that phytoplankton is the primary sedimentary organic matter source in rivers and canals, while terrestrial sources are significant in lakes and ponds. Sewage notably contributes to rivers and canals. These findings highlight the need for targeted pollution control strategies, focusing on phytoplankton and sewage as key sedimentary organic matter sources to mitigate eutrophication and enhance water quality in urban environments.

Environmental regulation and the widening inequality in urban green innovation: Evidence from China.

Green innovation is crucial in sustainable development, yet its progression is uneven across cities. This research employs a Difference in Difference (DID) model and Changes in Changes (CIC) model to investigate both the average and distributional effect of environmental regulations (ER) on green innovation (GI) quantity and quality. The conclusions indicate that ER significantly improves urban GI quantity and quality, benefiting both the urban economy and the environment. However, the beneficial impacts of ER on GI are stronger in cities with higher quantiles of innovation quantity and quality. That is to say, although environmental regulation promotes green innovation, it further widens inequality in urban green innovation. Consequently, such inequality in urban green innovation growth may further lead to inequality in urban economic development and environmental quality, potentially exacerbating environmental injustice.

Remote Sensing-Based Urban Environmental Quality Indicators: A Review

Most of the global population lives in urban areas, which also serve as hubs of economy, industry, and government activities. Various factors that affect the quality of cities have been studied in different locations. This article reviews various papers that examine environmental quality indicators in urban areas that can be extracted from remote sensing data. The first aspect is vegetation cover, which is known from the vegetation index normalized difference vegetation index (NVDI), and the second aspect is surface temperature, which is known from land surface temperature (LST). In this work, urban environmental conditions in various countries are compared with urban conditions in Indonesia based on these indicators. It is found that NDVI and LST are indicators from remote sensing that are widely used to analyze urban environmental conditions. The vegetation index has a negative correlation with surface temperature. High surface temperature creates discomfort in urban quality of life and brings mental stress to residents living in those areas. Based on bibliometric analysis and network map, it is known that there are 30 most relevant words or terms to the keywords “urban remote sensing” and “remote sensing environment indicator” with the highest frequency of occurrence and relevance. This study can serve as input for the government as policymakers and urban planners to formulate spatial planning policies oriented towards sustainability and to research current topics related and relevant to remote sensing-based urban environmental quality indicators.

Numerical Simulation and Optimization of Outdoor Wind Environment in High-Rise Buildings Zone of Xuzhou City

High-rise developments frequently exert adverse impacts on the outdoor wind environment, leading to a deterioration in the overall quality of urban surroundings and a reduction in the comfort levels of residents. This study systematically investigates typical high-rise settlements in Xuzhou City and proposes optimization strategies to address wind environment issues through an in-depth analysis of building planning parameters. Utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, the research identifies key wind-related challenges associated with high-rise buildings in representative settlements. The study comprehensively examines the effects of building height, width, orientation, spacing, and layout on the outdoor wind field, progressing from individual building units to clusters. Based on these findings, optimization strategies are formulated and validated through CFD simulations conducted on a representative high-rise settlement in Xuzhou. The results reveal that typical high-rise buildings in Xuzhou exhibit a height of 54 m, a width of 48 m, and an orientation ranging from 15° to 30° southeast. The front-to-rear building spacing is approximately 1.44 times the building height, with an additional 15 m spacing from mountain walls. Optimal wind conditions are achieved with a center-vacant building layout. The optimization of building form, spacing, and orientation substantially improves the outdoor wind environment by alleviating stagnant wind zones and reducing wind pressure differentials between the building fronts and rears, thereby enhancing the comfort of residents. This study provides a valuable reference for the planning and design of high-rise settlements, contributing to an improvement in urban environmental quality and the enhancement of livability.

Regionally differentiated responses of chlorophyll-a concentrations to reduced human activity during COVID-19 lockdown in the San Francisco Bay area.

The COVID-19 lockdown created a unique opportunity to study the impact of reduced human activities on water quality. This study aimed to explore how changes in human activities, specifically reduced traffic emissions, influenced water quality in the San Francisco Bay Area from 2019 to 2021. Using chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration as an indicator of water quality and NO₂ concentration as a proxy for traffic emissions, we analyzed the effects of reduced emissions on water quality across different regions of the Bay. This study combined traffic flow, satellite remote sensing, and meteorological data. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the time-lag effects between NO₂ and Chl-a concentrations. Additionally, a random forest regression model was applied to analyze the drivers of Chl-a concentrations across different regions. The findings revealed that NO₂'s impact on Chl-a exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity: positive correlations increased in the Upper Bay region, a general positive correlation was observed in the Central Bay region, the Coastal Zone shifted from positive to negative correlations, and there was no significant correlation in the Lower South Bay region. The random forest regression analysis demonstrated that the main drivers of Chl-a varied by region. In Upper Bay and Central Bay, NO₂ concentration was the most significant driver of Chl-a, whereas temperature was the primary influence in the Coastal Zone and Lower South Bay. These findings offer insights into the spatially variable impacts of traffic emissions on water quality and suggest strategies for targeted management of water quality in urban estuarine environments.

Modelling the effects of vegetation and urban form on air quality in real urban environments: A systematic review of measurements, methods, and predictions

Modelling the effects of vegetation and urban form on air quality in real urban environments: A systematic review of measurements, methods, and predictions

Evaluation of Urban Surface Ecological Environment Quality Changes over the Past 35 Years Based on Remote Sensing Ecological Index—A Case Study of Yuhang District, Hangzhou City

Evaluation of Urban Surface Ecological Environment Quality Changes over the Past 35 Years Based on Remote Sensing Ecological Index—A Case Study of Yuhang District, Hangzhou City

Suitability analysis of ecological park site selection in small and medium-sized cities based on multi-source geographic big data

In the context of rapid urbanization, the scientific planning and development of ecological parks in small- to medium-sized cities are essential for enhancing the well-being of city dwellers and optimizing the ecological quality of urban environments. Traditional site suitability methods, however, are increasingly limited due to data resolution constraints and the challenges of balancing ecological protection, urban development, and socio-economic interests, which hardly provide insights for ecological park planning in small and medium-sized cities. This study addresses these limitations by employing a multi-source geographic big data framework, and applying it in Yongji City, Shanxi Province, by integrating remote sensing, Points of Interest, and land use data, a detailed 10m × 10m spatial grid was used for analysis. A comprehensive three-dimensional evaluation framework was developed, comprising ecological, infrastructural, and socio-economic factors, represented by 11 indicators. Points of Interest data have effectively assessed infrastructural configurations necessary for urban ecological parks, while remote sensing data provides critical insights into surface temperature and vegetation cover, which provide high-resolution indicators of environmental quality in urban and sub-urban regions. The site suitability analysis results reveal that hydrophilic landscapes, such as the Yellow River mudflats and Wuxing Lake wetlands, were identified as optimal areas for ecological park development due to their cooling effects and ecological benefits. Zone C, located southwest of Wuxing Lake, emerged as the ideal site due to its abundant natural assets and high accessibility, with a phased development strategy of other recommended sites based on their suitability. This research establishes a data-integrated framework that advances the methodology for urban ecological park planning in small- to medium-sized cities, providing both theoretical and practical insights that can inform similar projects in other urban contexts.

Measurement and optimization of sustainable urban form elements in New Urban districts using multi-source data

IntroductionAt the crucial stage of China’s transition from extensive expansion driven by external factors to intensive, connotation-focused development, scientifically optimizing the spatial form of new urban districts, promoting dynamic and adaptive spaces, and enhancing the quality and diversity of urban environments are issues of substantial importance.MethodsBased on urban morphology, this study proposes that high street accessibility, appropriate building density and typology, and a sufficient degree of functional mixing are the foundations of spatial morphology for promoting sustainable urban development. Using spatial syntax, a spatial matrix, and mixed-function indices, this study measures urban spatial morphology elements and explores differences and rhythms in sustainable spatial morphology in new urban districts with varying development functions and cycles.ResultsThe results of the study show that: 1) the overall synergy of the accessibility spatial network in the new urban districts of Yinzhou and Xianlin is high. The building typology was dominated by mid-rise slab and enclosed types, low-rise enclosed types, and high-rise slab types, while the multistory high-coverage forms were interspersed with intervals. 2) Development in new urban districts primarily adopted a large land plot development mode with a single function. The degree of multifunctional mixing was observed to be relatively low. The dual-functional mixing degree in the Yinzhou New Urban District is higher than that in the New Xianlin urban district. 3) A significant level of overlap was observed among functional mixing, accessibility, building density, and typology. Of the functional mixing units, 42.41% of the dual-function and 78.57% of multi-function types were clustered in high-value areas of urban vitality. Additionally, 50.25% of dual-function and 85.71% of multi-function units were aggregated in high-accessibility areas.DiscussionThe mixed-use of sites contributes to the creation of urban vitality and sustainability, and the effect of the correlation between mixed-functionality and accessibility is more pronounced when mixed units involve utility land. The research results provide a reference for evaluating the current sustainable challenges of spatial patterns and offer specific tools for optimizing new urban districts.

DEVELOPING POST-PANDEMIC LIVABLE AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES: PROVIDING SPACE FOR URBAN ACTIVITIES IN BANDUNG

Providing space for urban activities and preserving the environment are contradictory issues in urban development, including Bandung City, which COVID-19 exacerbates. With limited carrying capacity, the impact of COVID-19, and high levels of urban activity, there are issues regarding the impact of urban activity on the quality of the post-pandemic urban environment. Therefore, it is necessary to research the limitation of Bandung City's carrying capacity to accommodate post-pandemic urban activities. This research aims to formulate a post-pandemic development concept and framework for Bandung City based on the environment's ability to accommodate urban activities. The approach and analytical method used in this research is descriptive-qualitative analysis, which can explore and focus on deepening the literature used as a basis for drafting the concept. In general, this research results in the concept of a livable and sustainable post-pandemic development, including formulating indicators for Bandung that reflect what Bandung City needs to develop after the pandemic. This research is quite important because it can see the characteristics of Bandung City and formulate its development by the conditions of Bandung City so that the government or planner can use these results as evaluation material or suggestions for the Bandung City and West Java Provincial Government in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of strategies, policies, and programs inappropriate development with environmental capacity in the Bandung Basin Urban Area and North Bandung Area.

Characteristics of spatial and temporal distribution of carbon emissions and influencing factors in Hefei City based on nighttime lighting data

Urban areas are significant contributors to global carbon emissions. Investigating the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of urban carbon emissions and their influencing factors is essential for formulating effective carbon reduction policies and enhancing urban environmental quality. This study utilized nighttime light data to analyse the spatiotemporal distribution of carbon emissions in Hefei City. We employed a Random Forest regression model to explore the impact of urban spatial morphology on carbon emissions. The findings indicated that carbon emissions in Hefei have shown a consistent annual increase without a clear spatial pattern. Regression analysis revealed a nonlinear positive correlation between carbon emissions and factors such as floor area ratio, building density, architectural volume and staggered degree. Conversely, the body mass index and enclosure factor demonstrated a nonlinear negative correlation with carbon emissions. Amongst them, the body mass index was shown to have the highest impact weight on urban carbon emission, which was 0.195, followed by architectural volume and floor area ratio, which were 0.155 and 0.145, respectively. This research highlights the complex influence of urban spatial morphology on carbon emissions and provides valuable insights for the development of urban carbon reduction strategies.

Correlation of Vehicle Traffic to Air Quality, Temperature, and Noise in Malang City Through an Internet of Things (IoT) Approach

In response to the issues of air pollution, temperature, and noise, this project attempts to create an air quality, temperature, and noise monitoring system using Internet of Things (IoT) technology. This system will comprise physical components and a web platform that delivers real-time environmental reports. Users can readily obtain information regarding air quality, temperature, and noise levels via this platform, which takes advantage of the internet's accessibility. This Internet of Things-based device monitors environmental quality in six high-traffic areas in Malang, Indonesia. The system uses various sensors to monitor air quality, temperature, humidity, dust levels, carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and noise pollution in real-time. Data was collected during peak traffic hours, demonstrating the direct influence of car emissions on air quality. The findings show that some regions' CO and particulate matter levels surpass safe criteria, notably during peak traffic periods, but CO2, humidity, and noise levels are below acceptable norms. These findings highlight the necessity for urban air pollution reduction initiatives. Additional sensor calibration and communication modifications are recommended to increase system accuracy and dependability. This study gives significant insights for local authorities to manage urban environmental quality and safeguard human health.

Digital transformation for sustainable development

<p>This study aims to explore how digital transformation can promote sustainable development. Specifically, this paper makes an in-depth analysis from the perspective of theory and practice, in order to provide a solid theoretical basis and effective practical guidance for sustainable development, and help the coordinated progress of economy, society and environment. The primary characteristics of digital transformation include being data-driven, real-time interconnected, automated and intelligent, and customer-oriented. Digital transformation can contribute to sustainable development across various industries, ranging from industrial manufacturing to agriculture, energy, and urban development, all of which have seen practical outcomes. In the industrial manufacturing sector, digital transformation can enhance production efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and minimize waste emissions. In agriculture, it can enable precision farming and smart agriculture, thereby improving agricultural productivity and sustainability. In the energy sector, digital transformation can achieve clean, efficient, and renewable energy production. In urban development, it can facilitate the construction of smart and sustainable cities, improving urban environmental quality and residents’ quality of life. Government, businesses, and society all play crucial roles in driving digital transformation forward.<strong></strong></p>

Advancing Sustainability in Urban Planning by Measuring and Matching the Supply and Demand of Urban Green Space Ecosystem Services

As global cities rapidly develop, the realization of sustainable urban development has become a pressing global concern. As a critical component of the urban built environment, urban green spaces are essential for maintaining the sustainability of urban ecosystems by offering a variety of ecological benefits. However, there are some problems in the design and construction of urban green framework, which often disregard the real needs of residents and hinder the sustainable development of urban areas. Therefore, urban planning that takes into account the supply and demand relationship of urban green space is considered to be a key technology that should help to improve residents’ happiness and promote urban sustainable development. This paper takes Zunyi City as an example; selects six indicators; combines UAV images, population, economic, and environmental data to evaluate ecosystem services valuation existing green space in the city; and analyzes its social and ecological needs. Affected by land utilization and development density, the supply value showed low spatial density characteristics in the central urban area and high spatial distribution characteristics in the surrounding urban area. The correlation between demand value and population density is the largest, and the distribution pattern is similar to that of population density. The supply-demand ratio in the study area is −0.54, indicating a severe imbalance between supply and demand. The correlation analysis between the comprehensive supply and demand ratio and each influencing factor shows that the correlation with population density is the largest. The combination of supply and demand maps addresses a major problem in planning, namely, ensuring that communities have priority in providing urban green space based on society’s need for ecosystem services. In addition, these maps will help develop the best green space planting plans to meet the specific needs of different communities. Taken together, the findings can help city planners and decision makers improve the layout of urban green areas, increase ecosystem service potential, and improve urban environmental quality and sustainability.

Urban Community Environmental Quality Assessment and Improvement Plan Based on Statistical Analysis and Optimization Algorithms

Urban Community Environmental Quality Assessment and Improvement Plan Based on Statistical Analysis and Optimization Algorithms

Research on the Construction and Application of a SVM-Based Quantification Model for Streetscape Visual Complexity

Visual complexity is a crucial criterion for evaluating the quality of urban environments and a key dimension in arousal theory and visual preference theory. Objectively quantifying visual complexity holds significant importance for decision-making support in urban planning. This study proposes a visual complexity quantification model based on a support vector machine (SVM), incorporating six key indicators, to establish a mapping relationship between objective image features and subjective complexity perception. This model can efficiently and scientifically predict street view complexity on a large scale. The research findings include the following: (1) the introduction of a new quantification dimension for the urban environment complexity—hierarchical complexity– which reflects the richness of street elements based on an in-depth semantic understanding of images; (2) the established complexity quantification model demonstrates high accuracy, with the indicators ranked by contribution for compression ratio, grayscale contrast, hierarchical complexity, fractal dimension, color complexity, and symmetry; and (3) the model was applied to predict and analyze the visual complexity of the Xiaobailou and Wudadao Districts in Tianjin, revealing that the visual complexity of most streets is moderate, and targeted recommendations were proposed based on different levels of visual complexity.

The Study of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal Efficiency in Urbanized River Systems Using Artificial Wetland Systems with Different Substrates

This study evaluated the effectiveness of five commercial substrates (zeolite, volcanic rock, gravel, magic rack, and ceramic pellets) in removing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from urban river systems using constructed wetlands. By employing X-ray CT and NGS technologies, we analyzed the physical structure of the substrates and the microbial communities they harbor. The results indicated that volcanic rock and ceramic pellets, due to their high porosity and specific surface area, performed exceptionally well in nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Specifically, the microbial systems with these two substrates achieved ammonia nitrogen removal rates of 89.86% and 88.45%, total nitrogen removal rates of 78.78% and 74.97%, and total phosphorus removal rates of 92.67% and 80.82%, respectively, within a 7-day period. Furthermore, the microbial communities on volcanic rock and ceramic pellets were more diverse, which correlated with their high pollutant removal efficiency. The study further elucidated the synergistic role of substrate characteristics and microbial community structure and function in nitrogen and phosphorus removal, enhancing the understanding of the purification mechanisms in constructed wetlands. These findings provide a scientific basis for the ecological restoration of urban rivers and are significant for improving the quality of urban water environments.

Decision-Making Approach for Land Use in Urban Industrial Area Redevelopment Projects

The process of industrial transformation, becoming the most important for building up sustainable cities, is in urgent need for studying alternative options for land use to ensure sustainable city development. Rapid urbanization requires new built-up design in strong correlation with urban spatial planning issues. The objective of this paper is to contribute for the studies of sustainable land use solutions through investigating the problems of the reorganization of depressed industrial areas. The research methodology is based on the multicriteria decision-making method to provide primarily social functions of depressed industrial areas, depending on environmental and economic aspects of their historical location in urban structure. Since the article highlights the concept of the 15-min city to build a polycentric urban spatial structure, the assessment of supply and demand matching of social facilities is based on the analysis of 15 min accessibility to the serviced within either industrial zone and the city on the whole. The GIS spatial analysis method supports the developed criteria set to evaluate main city functions. The research provides the methodology for defining the priority land use solution for a specific industrial area in a specific location. The proposed methodology suggests a procedure for evaluating the importance of the land use composition for the city community, considering environmental requirements and cost-effectiveness of the project. Three different industrial zones located in the same city are a case study to asses the reliability of the proposed methodology. The research conclusion provides implementing sustainable land-use solutions for improving urban environment quality as well as the quality of life for the population.

Experimental Research on the Performance of Recycled Waste Concrete Powder (RWCP) on Concrete.

Waste concrete is a large amount of solid waste produced in the process of urban construction and renewal in China. Its resource utilization is of great significance for saving mineral resources and improving urban environmental quality. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of mechanical grinding time on the particle size distribution and activity of recycled waste concrete powder (RWCP). Combined with unconfined compressive strength, slump, electric flux and chloride ion penetration resistance tests, the effects of RWCP on the mechanical properties, working performance and impermeability of concrete were analyzed, and the phase and microstructure of concrete containing RWCP were analyzed by XRD and SEM. The results showed that the RWCP is mainly composed of quartz, gismondine, C2S, cancrinite and portlandite. The optimum activity of RWCP obtained by ball milling for 45 min was 44.41%. RWCP can improve the fluidity of concrete and shorten the initial setting time of concrete. When the blast furnace slag in the concrete was replaced by the RWCP, the early strength and impermeability of the concrete decreased. When RWCP replaced blast furnace slag by 69.1%, the UCS of the concrete at 1, 3, 7, and 14 d decreased from 9.56, 22.1, 34.1, and 41.2 MPa to 5.9, 14.5, 22.7, and 33.2 MPa, respectively. While RWCP replaced fly ash, the normal strength of concrete increased with the increase in fly ash replacement amount. When RWCP completely replaced FA in concrete, the 28-day strength of the concrete increased from 45.2 MPa to 50.8 MPa. The impermeability results showed that the appropriate substitution of RWCP for fly ash was beneficial to increase the impermeability of concrete while excessive substitution reduced. Based on these results, the RWCP has the potential for large-scale application in the preparation of concrete.