Is Compact Urban Form Good for Air Quality? A Case Study from China Based on Hourly Smartphone Data
In previous studies, planners have debated extensively whether compact development can improve air quality in urban areas. Most of them estimated pollution exposure with stationary census data that linked exposures solely to residential locations, therefore overlooking residents’ space–time inhalati...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-05-01
|
| Series: | Land |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/5/504 |
| _version_ | 1797534891159584768 |
|---|---|
| author | Man Yuan Mingrui Yan Zhuoran Shan |
| author_facet | Man Yuan Mingrui Yan Zhuoran Shan |
| author_sort | Man Yuan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In previous studies, planners have debated extensively whether compact development can improve air quality in urban areas. Most of them estimated pollution exposure with stationary census data that linked exposures solely to residential locations, therefore overlooking residents’ space–time inhalation of air pollutants. In this study, we conducted an air pollution exposure assessment by scrutinizing one-hour resolution population distribution maps derived from hourly smartphone data and air pollutant concentrations derived from inverse distance weighted interpolation. We selected Wuhan as the study area and used Pearson correlation analysis to explore the effect of compactness on population-weighted concentrations. The results showed that even if a compact urban form helps to reduce pollution concentrations by decreasing vehicle traveling miles and tailpipe emissions, higher levels of building density and floor area ratios may increase population-weighted exposure. With regard to downtown areas with high population density, compact development may locate more people in areas with excessive air pollution. In all, reducing density in urban public centers and developing a polycentric urban structure may aid in the improvement of air quality in cities with compact urban forms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:36:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c11e390e28f44e1ca683c028457b77ce |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:36:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-c11e390e28f44e1ca683c028457b77ce2023-11-21T18:51:39ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2021-05-0110550410.3390/land10050504Is Compact Urban Form Good for Air Quality? A Case Study from China Based on Hourly Smartphone DataMan Yuan0Mingrui Yan1Zhuoran Shan2School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaIn previous studies, planners have debated extensively whether compact development can improve air quality in urban areas. Most of them estimated pollution exposure with stationary census data that linked exposures solely to residential locations, therefore overlooking residents’ space–time inhalation of air pollutants. In this study, we conducted an air pollution exposure assessment by scrutinizing one-hour resolution population distribution maps derived from hourly smartphone data and air pollutant concentrations derived from inverse distance weighted interpolation. We selected Wuhan as the study area and used Pearson correlation analysis to explore the effect of compactness on population-weighted concentrations. The results showed that even if a compact urban form helps to reduce pollution concentrations by decreasing vehicle traveling miles and tailpipe emissions, higher levels of building density and floor area ratios may increase population-weighted exposure. With regard to downtown areas with high population density, compact development may locate more people in areas with excessive air pollution. In all, reducing density in urban public centers and developing a polycentric urban structure may aid in the improvement of air quality in cities with compact urban forms.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/5/504urban formair pollutionbig datasmartphoneChina |
| spellingShingle | Man Yuan Mingrui Yan Zhuoran Shan Is Compact Urban Form Good for Air Quality? A Case Study from China Based on Hourly Smartphone Data Land urban form air pollution big data smartphone China |
| title | Is Compact Urban Form Good for Air Quality? A Case Study from China Based on Hourly Smartphone Data |
| title_full | Is Compact Urban Form Good for Air Quality? A Case Study from China Based on Hourly Smartphone Data |
| title_fullStr | Is Compact Urban Form Good for Air Quality? A Case Study from China Based on Hourly Smartphone Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is Compact Urban Form Good for Air Quality? A Case Study from China Based on Hourly Smartphone Data |
| title_short | Is Compact Urban Form Good for Air Quality? A Case Study from China Based on Hourly Smartphone Data |
| title_sort | is compact urban form good for air quality a case study from china based on hourly smartphone data |
| topic | urban form air pollution big data smartphone China |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/5/504 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT manyuan iscompacturbanformgoodforairqualityacasestudyfromchinabasedonhourlysmartphonedata AT mingruiyan iscompacturbanformgoodforairqualityacasestudyfromchinabasedonhourlysmartphonedata AT zhuoranshan iscompacturbanformgoodforairqualityacasestudyfromchinabasedonhourlysmartphonedata |