published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Over the past two decades, an increasing amount of research has been directed toward climatic influences on behavior and the built environment. The evidence from this research has lead to the development of recommended site interventions to improve energy performance in individual buildings and to mitigate extreme climate conditions in exterior public spaces in order to make these environments more comfortable."Comfort", as a measure of performance, is usually based upon one of the many indices of thermal comfort. These indices, however, have been developed specifically for use in indoor environments and were later readapted for exterior environments. Previous research has begun to show that standards designed for and developed in interior settings, are not necessarily applicable for use in exterior environments where climate is only partially controllable and behavior is less defined. Early preliminary studies have shown that considerable activity will occur outside of the boundaries formally established as “comfortable” by any particular thermal index. In contradiction to the traditional thermal performance measures that determine specific climatological conditions to support a particular behavior, this research uses two bio-comfort charts and a thermal indexing equation to establish what specific behaviors will occur under particular climate profiles. This study takes an annual record of regional and site specific climate data and applies it to existing comfort prediction models to ascertain if such applications are legitimate and if these applications are capable of predicting the frequency and duration of observed social behavior in an outdoor urban setting. / Master of Landscape Architecture

A naturalistic method (concealed video camera) on the Library Plaza at Virginia Tech has been used successfully to document the climate-behavior relationships in outdoor space. Analysis of the data reveals that each climatic factor had certain types of relationships with outdoor human behaviors, and that it might be possible to predict the amount of outdoor activity occurring on the plaza under a specific climate profile. Due to the lack of previous research and data similar to our observations, we experienced some difficulties in comparing the results with previous research and in doing systematic analysis. The individual climate factors such as temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity, solar radiation, and the composite climate index, the Index of Thermal Stress, were analyzed to find a relationship with outdoor behavior. Graphic and statistical methods were used to analyze observation data. As the temperature on the plaza increased, there was a strong tendency for people to extend their time of stay on the plaza. But the temperature did not seem to have any strong relationship with the number or percentage of people who stayed on the plaza. Relative humidity appeared to have a negative correlation with the frequency of stationary behavior, but almost no relationship with average duration of stationary people. This finding conflicts with Givoni who reported that variations in relative humidity between 30% and 85% were almost imperceptible and at temperatures above 25°C, the influence of humidity on the response became gradually more apparent (Givoni,1981). Most of our observations were done under the temperature range of 0° ~ 25°C with a relative humidity of 30 ~ 85%. Under our observational condition (wind velocity less than 24 Km/hr), wind velocity had the strongest relationship with the frequency of stationary behavior. As the wind speed increased, the number and percentage of stationary people decreased almost linearly. Thus, wind velocity is a determining factor and the lower wind velocity is an impetus that induces people outdoors to pause or rest. The relationship between air velocity and the average duration of stationary people had a slightly negative correlation. The negative correlation was understandable, but, because it was negligibly weak, there was no meaningful relationship. Solar radiation did not appear to be an important factor for inducing people outside to stay on the plaza. But this study showed that the greater the solar radiation, the longer people stayed. The mean of the Index of Thermal Stress of Fall data was -139.268 and that of spring was 14.40. Therefore, in Fall, it was probable that people felt cold stress while in spring people were more likely to be comfortable. In Fall observations, the I.T.S. had a stronger relationship with frequency and duration of outdoor stationary behaviors than any single climatic factor. As the I.T.S. increased(in other words, as the cold stress decreased), more people stayed on the plaza and people tended to stay longer periods of time under the weather conditions in the fall of Southwestern Virginia. But, in spring observations, the relationships were much weaker than Fall observation. It was found that I.T.S. seemed to show a strong relationship between climate and outdoor behaviors if the I.T.S. values of data were completely negative or completely positive. / Master of Landscape Architecture

Kam Wai-ming. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-162). / Abstracts in English and Chinese ; questionnaire in Chinese. / List of Tables --- p.x / List of Figures --- p.xiii / List of Abbreviation --- p.xvi / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- The Research Problems --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Objectives of the Study --- p.4 / Chapter 1.4 --- Study Area --- p.4 / Chapter 1.5 --- Significance of the Study --- p.8 / Chapter 1.6 --- Organization of Thesis --- p.9 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Literature Review --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1 --- Pedestrianization: Basic Ideas and History --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Definition of Pedestrianization --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Motivation of pedestrianization --- p.13 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Learning from the Development of Pedestrianization in Other Cities --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Impacts of Pedestrianization on Environment --- p.19 / Chapter 2.2 --- Pedestrianization in Hong Kong --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Development --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Ways for Successful Pedestrianization in Hong Kong --- p.22 / Chapter 2.3 --- Human Perception and Response on Air Pollution and Pedestrianization --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Introduction of Human Perception --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Human Perception of Air Pollution --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Changes of Human Perception in Response to the Changes of Environmental Quality After Pedestrianization --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Methodology --- p.34 / Chapter 3.1 --- Research Design --- p.34 / Chapter 3.2 --- BACIPR Approach --- p.35 / Chapter 3.3 --- Objective Assessment of the influence of pedestrianization on air quality --- p.38 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Model Prediction --- p.39 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Physical Measurement of Particulates --- p.46 / Chapter 3.4 --- Subjective Assessment: Human Perception of Roadside Air Pollution --- p.56 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Guidelines Used for Subjective Assessment --- p.57 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Development of the Questionnaire --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.59 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Model Simulation of the Effect of Pedestrianization on Air Quality --- p.61 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.61 / Chapter 4.2 --- Air Quality in Causeway Bay Before Pedestrianization --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Overall Spatial Variation of Air Quality --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Respiratory Suspended Particulate (RSP) --- p.67 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Nitrogen Dioxide (N02) --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Carbon Monoxide (CO) --- p.69 / Chapter 4.3 --- Air Quality in Causeway Bay After Pedestrianization --- p.70 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Overall Spatial Variation of Air Quality --- p.70 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Respiratory Suspended Particulate (RSP) --- p.70 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Nitrogen Dioxide (N02) --- p.73 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Carbon Monoxide (CO) --- p.75 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Effect of Government's Pedestrianization Scheme in Improving Air Quality --- p.77 / Chapter 4.4 --- Air Quality Impact of Pedestrianization in Single Street --- p.77 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- RSP Concentration in Russell Street Section Before Pedestrianization --- p.78 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- RSP Concentration in Russell Street Section After Pedestrianization --- p.81 / Chapter 4.5 --- Summary and Conclusion --- p.83 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Measurement of Particulate Pollution in Causeway Bay --- p.84 / Chapter 5.1 --- Change in Particulate Pollution After Pedestrianization in Russell Street --- p.86 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Overall Changes in Particulate Pollution after Pedestrianization --- p.86 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Changes in Particulate Pollution after Pedestrianization under Different Weather Conditions --- p.87 / Chapter 5.1.2.1 --- Effects of Pedestrianization on Fine Day --- p.88 / Chapter 5.1.2.2 --- Effects of Pedestrianization on Rainy Days --- p.89 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Changes of Particulate Pollution after Pedestrianization under Different Traffic Flow Conditions --- p.90 / Chapter 5.1.3.1 --- Effects of Pedestrianization during Peak Hours --- p.91 / Chapter 5.1.3.2 --- Effects of Pedestrianization during Non-Peak Hours --- p.92 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Changes in Particulate Pollution As a result of Pedestrianization on Different Days of the Week --- p.93 / Chapter 5.1.4.1 --- Effects of Pedestrianization on Weekdays --- p.94 / Chapter 5.1.4.2 --- Effects of Pedestrianization on Non-Weekdays --- p.94 / Chapter 5.1.5 --- Change in PM 10 I/C ratio After Pedestrianization --- p.95 / Chapter 5.2 --- Variations in Particulate Pollution Characteristics Due to Different Pedestrianization Street Designs --- p.96 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- General Contrasts between an Open and Semi-enclosed Street --- p.97 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Seasonal Effect on Particulate Pollution in Jardine's Crescent and in Its Control Street --- p.97 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Climatic Effects on Particulate Pollution --- p.101 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Effects of Traffic Conditions on Particulate Pollution Pattern in Jardine's Crescent and in Its Control Street --- p.102 / Chapter 5.2.5 --- Effects of Day of the Week on Particulate Pollution --- p.104 / Chapter 5.3 --- The Variation of Particulate Pollution in Causeway Bay --- p.105 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Spatial Variation --- p.105 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Seasonal Variation --- p.108 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Rain as a Cleaning Agent --- p.111 / Chapter 5.4 --- Summary and Conclusion --- p.112 / Chapter Chapter Six --- Pedestrianization and Perception of Air Quality --- p.113 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.113 / Chapter 6.2 --- Effect of Pedestrianization in Improving the Perceived Air Quality --- p.115 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Overall Changes of PAQ after Pedestrianization --- p.115 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Changes in Perceived Air Quality As a Result of Pedestrianization --- p.118 / Chapter 6.2.2.1 --- Correlation between PAQ and AQ --- p.118 / Chapter 6.2.2.2 --- Difference in Dose-Response Relationships before and after Pedestrianization --- p.120 / Chapter 6.2.3 --- Summary of Findings on Human Perception --- p.136 / Chapter 6.3 --- Aspects of Pedestrianization Which Improve Perceived Air Quality --- p.136 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Behavior Constraint Model --- p.137 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Environmental Stress Model --- p.139 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- Perception of Air Pollution Through Smell and Vision --- p.141 / Chapter 6.4 --- Summary and Conclusion --- p.144 / Chapter Chapter Seven --- Conclusion --- p.146 / Chapter 7.1 --- Summary of Findings --- p.146 / Chapter 7.1.1 --- Model Simulated Air Pollution Levels in Causeway Bay and Possible Effects of the Government Pedestrianization Scheme --- p.147 / Chapter 7.1.2 --- Changes in the Pattern and Characteristics of Particulate Pollution after Pedestrianization --- p.148 / Chapter 7.1.3 --- Effects of Pedestrianization on Human Perception of Air Quality --- p.149 / Chapter 7.2 --- Discussion of Findings --- p.151 / References --- p.153 / Appendix A --- p.163