Residential Green Space Research Articles

Residential Green Space Structures and Mortality in an Elderly Prospective Longitudinal Cohort in China

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Greenness is beneficial to health and is associated with lower mortality. Many studies used the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to measure greenness. However, these measures cannot reflect the type of landscape. We aim to study the association between greenness structures and all-cause mortality in an elderly Chinese cohort. METHODS: We used the 2008-2014 waves of the China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a prospective cohort representative of China’s older population in a wide range of geographic and climatic regions. We calculated landscape indices to quantify three greenspace structure characteristics: area-edge, shape, and proximity. The health outcome was all-cause mortality. We used the Cox-proportional hazards model, adjusted for the study entrant year, age, sex, activities of daily living (ADL), marital status, geographic region, urban or rural residential location, literacy, annual household income, smoking status, alcohol consumption, exercise status, biodiversity index, numbers of hosts for zoonosis, contemporaneous NDVI, annual average temperature, and three-year average PM2.5. RESULTS:Among 12,999 individuals (average age at baseline 87.2 years, 5,502 males), we observed 7,589 deaths between 2008 and 2014. We did not find a consistent dose-response relationship for greenspace structures and all-cause mortality, however, there were some signals of associations. Compared with individuals living in the lowest quartile of the number of patches, the adjusted-HR (95%CI) of individuals living in the highest quartile was 0.85 (0.80-0.92). In stratified analyses, the largest patch index and perimeter-area ratio had protective effects on males, individuals aged 90, with sufficient capacity to perform activities of daily living independently, and with higher income. The protective influence of greenspace structures was not as evident as NDVI. CONCLUSIONS:Specific types of greenspace structures (larger area-edge, higher complexity, more concentrated greenspace) have influences on mortality, but without an evidence dose-response curve. KEYWORDS: Green space, Built environment, Incidence, Long-term exposure, Policy

Are greenspace quantity and quality associated with mental health through different mechanisms in Guangzhou, China: A comparison study using street view data

Residential greenspace quality may be more important for people's mental health than the quantity of greenspace. Existing literature mainly focuses on greenspace quantity and is limited to exposure metrics based on an over-head perspective (i.e., remote sensing data). Thus, whether greenspace quantity and quality influence mental health through different mechanisms remains unclear. To compare the mechanisms through which greenspace quantity and quality influence mental health, we used both remote sensing and street view data. Questionnaire data from 1003 participants in Guangzhou, China were analysed cross-sectionally. Mental health was assessed through the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Greenspace quantity was measured by both remote sensing-based Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Street View Greenness-quantity (SVG-quantity). Greenspace quality was measured by both Street View Greenness-quality (SVG-quality) and questionnaire-based self-reported greenspace quality. Structural equation models were used to assess mechanisms through which neighbourhood greenspace exposure has an influence on mental health. Stress, social cohesion, physical activity and life satisfaction were found to mediate both SVG-quality - WHO-5 scores and self-reported greenspace quality - WHO-5 scores associations. However, only NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) mediated the association between NDVI and WHO-5 scores, while NO2, perceived pollution and social cohesion mediated the association between SVG-quantity and WHO-5 scores. The mechanisms through which neighbourhood greenspace exposure influences mental health may vary across different exposure assessment strategies. Greenspace quantity influences mental health through reducing harm from pollution, while greenspace quality influences mental health through restoring and building capacities.

A study on the impact of Visible Green Index and vegetation structures on brain wave change in residential landscape

Visible Green Index (VGI) reflects the degree of greening from human vision to affect human health and well-being that has gradually become a new type of urban green space index. But few studies show how human reacts to VGI under different vegetation structures. This study designed and conducted an experiment to evaluate human’s response to scenes which were panoramic pictures of residential green spaces and projected by Virtual Reality. Participants (n = 97) were asked to do deep breath training and then they immersed in the VR experience of three groups scenes with different VGI and vegetation structure for five minutes, during which we collected Electroencephalography data, which indicated that the most suitable scene for human brain is a VGI of 60% to 80% with a three-layer vegetation structure by multiple comparisons. But the two-layer vegetation structure with a VGI above 80% can have the greatest instantaneous weakening effect. Besides, residential landscape is most significant in reducing brain waves of delta and theta, and we propose that a VGI of “60%” can be used as a VGI grading indicator.The study provides a certain theoretical basis for the landscape planning of residential areas, which is helpful to improve the theory of VGI and promote its establishment as a new type of urban green spaces indicator. Our findings also further verify the relationship between landscape and human health.

Residential green space structures and mortality in an elderly prospective longitudinal cohort in China

Greenness is beneficial to health and is associated with lower mortality. Many studies used the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to measure greenness. However, NDVI cannot be used to indicate landscape type. To go beyond NDVI, we aim to study the association between greenness structures and all-cause mortality of older adults using the 2008–2014 waves of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. We calculated landscape indices to quantify three greenspace structure characteristics: area-edge, shape, and proximity. The health outcome was all-cause mortality. We used the Cox-proportional hazards model, adjusted for the study entrant year, age, sex, activities of daily living (ADL), marital status, geographic region, urban or rural residential location, literacy, annual household income, smoking, alcohol and exercise status, biodiversity, numbers of hosts for zoonosis, contemporaneous NDVI, annual average temperature, and 3 year average PM2.5. Among 12 999 individuals (average age at baseline 87.2 years, 5502 males), we observed 7589 deaths between 2008 and 2014. We did not find a consistent dose-response relationship between greenspace structures and all-cause mortality. However, there were some signals of associations. Compared with individuals living in the lowest quartile of the number of patches, the adjusted-hazard ratio (95% CI) of those in the highest quartile was 0.85 (0.80–0.92). In stratified analyses, the largest patch index and perimeter-area ratio had protective effects on males, individuals aged <90, those free of ADL disability, and with higher income. The protective influence of greenspace structures was not as evident compared to NDVI.

Tree species composition, growing space and management in Hong Kong’s commercial sky gardens

Sky gardens, a type of above-ground urban green space, have been increasingly welcomed and installed in cities. However, few studies have assessed tree planting, management and health in high-rise greenery. This study investigated tree species composition, planting space design and management, and their relationships with tree health in sky gardens in 15 commercial sky gardens with 480 trees in Hong Kong. We assessed the differences between old and new sites regarding tree species, height, crown diameter, and health. We also evaluated selected planting and management factors, including planter type, distance to neighbor trees, root-growth obstacles, canopy barriers, canopy overlap and topping history. Tree species selection in commercial sky gardens was substantially different from public and private residential green spaces. Older sky gardens had more palm trees by species and tree counts. Newer gardens had increased adoption of broadleaf and conifer species with high ornamental value and compact form but fewer native tree species and lower species diversity. The widely planted Ficus spp. had created long-term management issues. Trees were often densely planted, particularly in newer sky gardens. The common practice of topping indicates poor species selection and mismanagement. Planter types with insufficient growing space had dampened tree health. Our findings reveal the trend of tree species adoption, narrower planting spaces and wider adoption of the sunken planter. Improvements in species selection, growing space design and management practices could promote healthy, stable and safe trees in sky gardens with contributions to biodiversity and other ecosystem services.

Can Residential Greenspace Exposure Improve Pain Experience? A Comparison between Physical Visit and Image Viewing.

Reducing the burden of pain via greenspace exposure is a rising research topic. However, insufficient evidence has been found in relation to the environmental effect itself. Residential greenspace, as a convenient but limited natural environment for urban dwellers, has benefits and services yet to be discovered. Therefore, the current study recruited 24 young adults to evaluate the effects of physical visit to, or image viewing of, residential greenspace on pain perception and related psychophysiological outcomes, via simulated pain. Pain threshold and tolerance were recorded via the level of pain stimuli, and pain intensity was evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The state scale of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and two adjective pairs were employed to measure the state anxiety and subjective stress, respectively. Meanwhile, heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and blood pressure (BP) were measured to investigate physiological responses. Besides, Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) was also employed to assess participants’ preference regarding the experimental environments. The results revealed that visiting the greenspace significantly increased the pain threshold and tolerance, while no significant effect was observed for image viewing. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in pain-related psychophysiological indices between the experimental settings, but significantly negative associations were found between the scores of SBE and subjective stress and state anxiety. In conclusion, the current study brings experimental evidence of improving pain experience via residential greenspace exposure, while the related psychophysiological benefits require further investigation.

Characterization, Sources and Excessive Cancer Risk of PM2.5-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Different Green Spaces in Lin'an, Hangzhou, China.

PM2.5 samples were collected from residential, commercial, plaza and public green spaces in Lin'an, Hangzhou, in spring (March and April) and winter (February and December) in 2017. PAHs were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and their sources were identified using the diagnostic ratio (DR) and principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR). The average PAH concentration in winter was 1.3 times that in spring (p < 0.01). The PAH concentrations in the green spaces decreased as commercial > residential > plaza > public green space (p < 0.05). The sources of PAHs were vehicle emissions and coal combustion pollution transported by northern Chinese air masses. Slightly higher excessive cancer risks were determined in the commercial and residential green spaces than in the plaza and public green spaces. Green coverage, pedestrian volume, traffic flow and building density greatly influenced the decrease in the PAH concentration in the green spaces. Among the 4 types of green spaces, public green space had the most ecological benefits and should be fully utilized in urban green space planning to improve public health in urban spaces.

The Study of Healthy Benefits and Design Strategy of Urban Residential Green Space

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 has made the health of urban populations as a key research issue in various disciplines. Residential green space as one of the most basic units of urban ecological environment has potential benefits to people’s health. Based on the analysis of affecting factors of urban residents’ heath, this paper discusses the benefits of residential green space on people’s health and its working mechanism through literature research, and at last, proposes the design strategy of residential green space based on improving residents’ health. In conclusion, to activate the healthy benefits of residential green space, it should be planned reasonably, and the greening rate and amenity facility of residential green space need to be improved too.

Social inequalities in the associations between urban green spaces, self-perceived health and mortality in Brussels: Results from a census-based cohort study.

This study examines the associations between residential urban green spaces (UGS) and self-perceived health and natural cause mortality, applying an intersectional approach across gender, education and migrant background. We used data from the 2001 Belgian census linked to register data on emigration and mortality for the period 2001-2014, including 571,558 individuals aged 16-80 residing in Brussels (80% response rate). Residential UGS were assessed with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within a 300m buffer from the residential address and perceived neighbourhood greenness. Multilevel logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression models were conducted to estimate associations between UGS and poor self-perceived health at baseline and natural cause mortality during follow-up. Residential UGS were inversely associated with both outcomes, but there were differences between groups. The strongest beneficial associations among women were found in the lower educated, regardless of their migrant background. For men the strongest association was found in those with tertiary education and Belgian origin. No significant beneficial associations were found in men originating from low and middle-income countries. Applying an intersectionality approach is crucial to understand health inequalities related to UGS exposure. Further research in different geographical contexts is needed to contrast our findings.

Residential green space can shape the indoor microbial environment

BackgroundThe influence of outdoor green space on microbial communities indoors has scarcely been investigated. Here, we study the associations between nearby residential green space and residential indoor microbiota. MethodsWe collected settled dust from 176 living rooms of participants of the ENVIRONAGE birth cohort. We performed 16S and ITS amplicon sequencing, and quantitative PCR measurements of total bacterial and fungal loads to calculate bacterial and fungal diversity measures (Chao1 richness, Shannon and Simpson diversity indices) and relative abundance of individual taxa. Green spaces were estimated within 50m and 100m buffers around the residential address. We defined total residential green space using high-resolution land-cover data, further stratified in low-growing (height<3m) and high-growing green (height>3m). We used land-use data to calculate the residential nature. We ran linear regression models, adjusting for confounders and other potential determinants. Results are expressed as units change for an interquartile range (IQR) increase in residential green space and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). ResultsAfter adjustment, we observed statistically significant associations between the indoor microbial diversity indices and nearby residential green space. For bacteria, the Shannon index was directly associated with residential nature (e.g. 0.08 units increase (CI:0.02,0.13) per IQR increase in nature within a 50m buffer). Fungal diversity was directly associated with high-growing residential green and inversely with low-growing green. For example, an IQR increase in high-growing green within a 50m buffer was associated with increases in 0.14 (CI:0.01,0.27) and 0.02 (CI:0.008,0.04) units in the Shannon and Simpson indices, respectively. ConclusionsNearby green space determines the diversity of indoor environment microbiota, and the type of green differently impacts bacterial and fungal diversity. Further research is needed to investigate in more detail possible microbial taxa compositions underlying the observed changes in indoor microbiota diversity and to explore their contribution to beneficial health effects associated with green space exposure.

Spatial Potential of Middle-Sized Towns in Slovakia: Lost Spaces of Humenné, Levice and Topoľčany

Abstract Under the pressure from investors, Slovakia has experienced significant urban sprawl into the countryside in the last three decades. This development resulted in the loss of agricultural land, despite the fact that towns and cities in the built-up area have great potential in the vacant land lots. It is crucial to identify the lost spaces and incorporate them in the regeneration of urban structure and green infrastructure of Slovak towns and cities. The paper presents the results of the case study of lost spaces in Slovak towns that aimed to confirm the hypotheses: “Can the intensification on lost spaces within the build-up area be a better alternative than the current urban sprawl into the countryside?” and “Is it true that most lost spaces are located in the centre of towns?” The research focuses on examining the lost spaces suitable for new development and the spatial potential of the built-up urban area in three towns – Humenné, Levice, and Topoľčany. The lost spaces examined in this study are: urban fallows, vacant lots, residential green space, green space connected to public amenities and green space connected to industrial zones. The study aims to determine the area of lost spaces compared to development sites in the suburbs and to confirm the hypothesis that the intensification of urban structure is a viable alternative to the urban sprawl into the countryside. The conclusion inferred from the research has brought interesting findings and useful information for further investigation. It is crucial to find the optimum ratio between the intensification of urban structure on the land of lost spaces and leaving some space free to become a part of the blue-green infrastructure of a town, which is specific to each city. The objective of the paper is to draw attention to the potential of lost spaces as prospective areas for intensification of the urban structure of Slovak towns.

Neighbourhood physical environment, intrinsic capacity, and 4-year late-life functional ability trajectories of low-income Chinese older population: A longitudinal study with the parallel process of latent growth curve modelling.

BackgroundKnowledge of how intrinsic capacity (IC) and neighbourhood physical environment shape functional ability (FA) trajectories in later life remains understudied. We investigated four-year trajectories of IC and their impact on FA trajectories and the association between neighbourhood physical environment and FA trajectories among community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong, China.MethodsWe conducted a four-wave longitudinal study from 2014 to 2017 in Hong Kong with 2,081 adults aged 65 and above. FA was assessed by The Chinese Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale. We used cognition, affect, locomotion, sensory capacity, and vitality to capture the multiple domains of IC. Neighbourhood physical environment attributes included green space, land use diversity, and availability of facilities, assessed within 200- and 500-meter buffers of respondents’ homes. We used the parallel process of latent growth curve model.FindingsIC (Unstandardized coefficient, β = −0.02, p<0.001) and FA (β = −0.20, p<0.001) each decreased significantly over time. Individuals with declines in IC experienced a faster decline in FA over time. Green space within a 200-meter buffer (β = 1.15, p = 0.023), the number of leisure (β = 0.03, p = .0.043) and public transport (β = 0.08, p = .0.003) facilities within a 500-meter buffer slowed the rate of FA decline.InterpretationThe level of FA decreased over time in later life. Changes in IC shaped FA trajectories. Increased residential green space and the number of leisure and public transport facilities in the neighbourhood may help slow FA decline over time.FundingThe Hong Kong Housing Society.

More green, less lonely? A longitudinal cohort study.

BackgroundUrban greening may reduce loneliness by offering opportunities for solace, social reconnection and supporting processes such as stress relief. We (i) assessed associations between residential green space and cumulative incidence of, and relief from, loneliness over 4 years; and (ii) explored contingencies by age, sex, disability and cohabitation status.MethodsMultilevel logistic regressions of change in loneliness status in 8049 city-dwellers between 2013 (baseline) and 2017 (follow-up) in the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia study. Associations with objectively measured discrete green-space buffers (e.g. parks) (<400, <800 and <1600 m) were adjusted for age, sex, disability, cohabitation status, children and socio-economic variables. Results were translated into absolute risk reductions in loneliness per 10% increase in urban greening.ResultsThe absolute risk of loneliness rose from 15.9% to 16.9% over the 4 years; however, a 10% increase in urban greening within 1.6 km was associated with lower cumulative incident loneliness [odds ratio (OR) = 0.927, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.862 to 0.996; absolute risk reduction = 0.66%]. Stronger association was observed for people living alone (OR = 0.828, 95% CI = 0.725 to 0.944). In comparison to people with <10% green space, the ORs for cumulative incident loneliness were 0.833 (95% CI = 0.695 to 0.997), 0.790 (95% CI = 0.624 to 1.000) and 0.736 (95% CI = 0.549 to 0.986) for 10–20%, 20–30% and >30% green space, respectively. Compared with the <10% green-space reference group with 13.78% incident loneliness over 4 years and conservatively assuming no impact on incident loneliness, associations translated into absolute risk reductions of 1.70%, 2.26% and 2.72% within populations with 10–20%, 20–30% and >30% green space, respectively. These associations were stronger again for people living alone, with 10–20% (OR = 0.608, 95% CI = 0.448 to 0.826), 20–30% (OR = 0.649, 95% CI = 0.436 to 0.966) and >30% (OR = 0.480, 95% CI = 0.278 to 0.829) green space within 1600 m. No age, sex or disability-related contingencies, associations with green space within 400 or 800 m or relief from loneliness reported at baseline were observed.ConclusionsA lower cumulative incidence of loneliness was observed among people with more green space within 1600 m of home, especially for people living alone. Potential biopsychosocial mechanisms warrant investigation.

The Association Between Cumulative Lifetime Exposure to Greenspace and Early Childhood Development – Is the Relation Mediated by Reduction in Air Pollution and Noise?

Background: Greenspace exposure is associated with improved childhood development, yet the pathways behind this relation are insufficiently understood. Here, we investigated the association between lifetime residential exposure to greenspace and early childhood development and evaluated the extent to which this association was mediated by reductions in traffic-related air pollution and noise. Methods: In a large population-based birth cohort in Metro Vancouver, Canada (n=27,593), early childhood development was assessed via teacher-ratings on the Early Development Instrument (EDI) (mean age = 5·6 years). Greenspace was estimated using vegetation percentage derived from spectral unmixing of annual Landsat satellite-image composites. Lifetime residential exposure to greenspace (from birth to time of EDI assessment) was estimated as the mean of annual vegetation percentage values within 250 m of participants’ residential postal code. Multilevel modeling was used to investigate associations between greenspace exposure and EDI scores. The mediation effects of NO2, PM2.5, and noise levels were estimated using causal mediation analyses. Findings: In adjusted models, one interquartile range increase in vegetation percentage was associated with a 0·16 increase in EDI score (95% CI: 0·03, 0·29), indicating small improvements in early childhood development. 86·6%, 20·6%, and 37·3% of the association was mediated through reductions of NO2, PM2.5, and noise exposure levels, respectively. Interpretation: Increased residential greenspace exposure may improve childhood development by reducing the adverse developmental effects of traffic-related exposures, especially NO2 air pollution. This study contributes to knowledge of pathways between greenspace exposure and childhood development and supports healthy urban planning. Funding Information: This work was supported by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (grant reference number: 156152). Declaration of Interests: We declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: Ethics approval for this study was granted by the University of British Columbia Behavioral Research Ethics Board (certificate H18-00908).

Greenspace exposure and cancer incidence: A 27-year follow-up of the French GAZEL cohort

BackgroundGreenspace exposure has been suggested to be associated with a range of health outcomes. The available evidence on the association of this exposure with cancer is still very scarce and inconsistent. ObjectivesWe aimed to study the association between greenspace exposure and all-site and site-specific (prostate, breast, colorectal, bladder, lung, and malignant melanoma of skin) cancer incidence in the GAZEL cohort. MethodsThis study was based on over 27 years of follow-up (1989–2016) of 19,408 participants across France. We assessed the residential greenspace exposure within several buffers as well as residential proximity to green spaces (agricultural, urban, and forests) in each follow-up. We used time-dependent Cox models, controlling for time-varying personal and area-level variables, with different lags between exposure and outcome. Additional analysis was conducted according to the urban-rural residence of the participants' over follow-up. ResultsOver the 294,645 person-years of follow-up, we registered 4075 incident cases of cancer. We found an increase in the risk for all-sites cancer with an inter-quartile range increase of Normalized Difference in Vegetation Index across different buffers (hazard ratio (HR) of 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.14 for the 100 m buffer). We found a positive association of all-sites cancer with proximity to agricultural lands (HR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.05), and forests (HR:1.04; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.07), but not with urban green spaces. The cancer site-specific analyses suggested a protective role of greenspace for breast, lung, and colorectal cancers (e.g. breast cancer HR at 100 m buffer: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.99). Non-significant associations were observed for prostate, bladder, and skin cancer. Stratified analyses based on urban, semi-urban, and rural classification did not suggest any differential pattern. ConclusionWe identified an increased risk of all-site cancer with increased greenspace and proximity to agricultural lands and forests; whereas potential protective role of greenspace for breast cancer.

Where have all the backyards gone? The decline of usable residential greenspace in Brisbane, Australia

ABSTRACT Urban design impacts all aspects of our lives – economic, social and environmental. Government planning policies aim for clean, green, sustainable growth, encouraging residential development close to major infrastructure and parks; and advocate protection of greenspace to enhance livability, health and wellbeing. Using an inner-suburb of Brisbane as a case study, this research evaluated policy outcomes by analysing residential development applications, to identify gaps between the policy intent and implementation. The key measurable outcome criteria selected for this policy evaluation included: dwelling density; zone category, type and built-form totals; major shopping centres, transport infrastructure and parks proximity; tree removal and replacement totals; residential greenspace area totals and additional public greenspace provision. The methods are adaptable to policy evaluation locally, nationally and internationally. The research identified significant gaps between the intent and implementation of planning policies, finding residential development outcomes did not comply with the policy intent; and highlighted the importance of effective governance through policy evaluation. The findings indicated a critical need for legislative amendment to improve compliance and a need to differentiate between general and usable residential greenspaces (URG). Further research is required to determine URG dimensions that afford benefits, for incorporation into assessment benchmarks linked to policy initiatives.

The motivation and factors influencing visits to small urban parks in Shanghai, China

In densely populated cities with high-rise buildings, large green spaces are a limited resource, and it is hard to visit large green spaces frequently due to long distance from places of residence. Small Urban Green Space (SUGS) in dense city areas might contribute to satisfy the need for everyday experiences of outdoor areas, but the study on SUGS use is limited, in particular in Asian contexts.The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of socio-demographic factors, personal factors, spatial attributes of residence, and satisfaction with park features on the use of SUGS and sources of motivation for visiting SUGS. Data were collected through face-to-face survey, and were analyzed using a hierarchical regression model. Results showed that relaxation and rest (36 %), physical exercise (23 %), and meeting friends (21 %) were the three most widespread reasons for SUGS use. The results indicated that socio-demographic factors, personal factors, spatial attributes of residence and park features factors explained 23 %, 2%, 25.6 % and 3% of the total variance in frequency of park visitation, respectively. Age, being willing to spend time in nature, with child under 7 years, noise and facility were positively correlated with SUGS use. Income,distance from home to the park, and residential green spaces were negatively correlated with SUGS use.Our findings are expected to assist urban planners in creating guidelines to better utilize SUGS.

Residential green space types, allergy symptoms and mental health in a cohort of tree pollen allergy patients

• We studied residential green space exposure of 157 adults with tree pollen allergy. • Residential green space was associated with reduced mental distress and perceived stress. • Allergenic tree species within 2 km distance contributed to mental distress. • Residential green space exposure was associated with more severe allergy symptoms. • Green space had mixed health effects during the pollination season.

Neighbourhood Physical Environment, Intrinsic Capacity and 4-Year Late-Life Functional Ability Trajectories: A Longitudinal Study With the Parallel Process of Latent Growth Curve Modelling

Background: Knowledge on how intrinsic capacity (IC) and neighbourhood physical environment shape functional ability (FA) trajectories in later life remains understudied. We investigated the 4-year trajectories of IC and their impact on FA trajectories, and the associations between neighbourhood physical environments and FA trajectories over time among older adults. Methods: We conducted a four-wave longitudinal study from 2014-2017 in Hong Kong with 2,081 adults aged 65 and above. FA was assessed by The Chinese Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. We used cognition, affect, locomotion, sensory capacity, and vitality to capture multi-domains of IC . Neighbourhood physical environment attributes included green space, land use diversity, and facilities availability, assessed within 200- and 500-meter buffers of respondents' homes. The parallel process of latent growth curve modelling was used. Findings: IC (β = -0·022, p<0·001) and FA (β = -0·196, p<0·001) each decreased significantly over time. Individuals with declines in IC experienced faster declines in FA over time. Green space within a 200-meter buffer (β = 1·15, p = ·023), the number of leisure facilities (β = 0·03, p = ·043) and public transport (β = ·08, p = ·003) with a 500-meter buffer slowed the decreasing FA rate. Interpretation: The level of FA decreased over time in later life. The changes of IC shaped FA trajectories. The more residential green space and the number of leisure facilities and public transport in the neighbourhood may help slow declines of FA over time. Funding Statement: This study was supported by the Hong Kong Housing Society. Declaration of Interests: The authors reported no potential conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of Hong Kong (Reference Number: EA050814 & EA1610004).

Evaluating the vertical cooling performances of urban vegetation scenarios in a residential environment

Vegetation is one of the effective measures to mitigate urban heat island (UHI) and improve thermal comfort. Many existing studies have investigated the cooling performance of vegetation on the pedestrian level. However, no study explores the cooling effect of vegetation on other heights. In this research, we evaluate the vertical cooling performance of different vegetation species (grass, shrubs, trees) in the residential quarter using the ENVI-met model. The results show that different vegetation types have important effects on the thermal environment based on the same green coverage rate, and different vertical cooling performance of different vegetation types are also different. The study found that among the three common vegetation types (trees, shrubs, and grass), the cooling effect of trees is the most significant, and the vertical cooling performance is the best, followed by shrubs. The maximum cooling value of the tree to Ta and MRT is 0.49 °C and 17.7 °C respectively. The presence and increase of shade have a direct effect on improving the local and even the overall thermal environment. Therefore, when designing residential green space, this study suggests that designers should not only focus on the green coverage rate but also pay attention to controlling the shaded area. This research provides a new perspective for investigating the cooling effect of vegetation and provides scientific guidance for the design of residential quarters.