Study on the effect of Environmental Factors on the Thermal-Atmospheric Environment in Street Canyons
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Abstract
The thermal-atmospheric environment is a complex system influenced by various factors. This study explored the impacts of various intricate factors on thermal comfort and air quality within different street environments through field measurements combining with questionnaire. Summer results identified a combined thermal-atmospheric environment threshold (neutral physiologically equivalent temperature (NT): 23.34 ℃; neutral PM2.5 concentration (NC): 14.9 ㎍/m3) for pedestrian thermal and breathing free. The findings indicated that physical factors exert varying effects on the thermal-atmospheric environment across different street settings. Specifically, more open street spaces tend to be associated with higher temperatures, resulting in elevated physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) values. Yet the land albedo showed little effect. The variation in PM2.5C is relatively intricate, being primarily linked to traffic flow. In streets with good air quality, an increase in the sky view factor (SVF) might lead to a rise in PM2.5 concentration (PM2.5C). Finally, the research aims to help urban planning scholars gain a deeper understanding of the street thermal environment, air quality, and public health in subtropical cities.
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