Advances on the Influence of Vegetation and Forest on Urban Air Quality and Thermal Comfort

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Forestry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (14 July 2022) | Viewed by 15812

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Atmospheric Modelling Unit, Environmental Department, Research Center for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: urban air quality; microscale modeling; in particular with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models; urban vegetation (trees in streets, vegetation barriers, etc.) and its effects on pollutant concentrations and thermal comfort; pollutant mitigation strategies; urban climate and meteorology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Atmospheric Modelling Unit, Environmental Department, Research Center for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), 28040 Madrid, Spain
2. Energy Engineering - ETSII-UPM, 28006 Madrid, Spain
Interests: CFD methodologies; numerical model evaluation and validation; pollutant dispersion and heat transfer phenomena; urban planning; air quality and energy efficiency
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Atmospheric Modelling Unit, Department of Environment, CIEMAT, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: meteorological micro and mesoscale modeling; CFD models; WRF model; urban climate; urban air quality; air pollution and heat mitigation strategies in cities
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The interaction of the atmosphere with urban surfaces (buildings, vegetation, etc.) induces complex flow patterns and a reduction in ventilation on the streets. This fact linked with pollutant emission (e.g., traffic emission) gives rise to air quality problems in cities. In addition, the thermal properties of urban materials (buildings, roads) often cause elevated air temperature that leads to thermal discomfort for people. To mitigate these problems, nature-based solutions are widely used, and more knowledge about the complex effects of different types of green infrastructures is needed to design effective strategies for renaturing urban environments.

In this Special Issue, we invite original research articles relating to the impact of urban vegetation on air quality and local climate in urban environments. These contributions will include modeling studies at micro- and meso-scale (e.g., computational fluid dynamics model, urban canopy models or mesoscale models) and experimental works from field and laboratory experiments. Urban green infrastructures such as different configurations of trees in the streets, urban parks or vegetation barriers will be investigated in relation to their effects on pollutant concentration (aerodynamic effects, pollutant deposition, biogenic emissions, etc.) and/or on local climate and thermal comfort (transpirational cooling, shading, etc.). In addition, works on new parameterization of the effects on urban vegetation are also welcomed. We also invite review papers focused on the current knowledge and future studies on this topic.

Dr. Jose Luis Santiago
Dr. Esther Rivas
Dr. Beatriz Sanchez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • urban air quality and climate
  • thermal comfort
  • urban vegetation
  • trees in the streets
  • urban forests
  • vegetation barriers
  • urban parks
  • nature-based solutions

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 643 KiB  
Editorial
Advances on the Influence of Vegetation and Forest on Urban Air Quality and Thermal Comfort
by Jose-Luis Santiago and Esther Rivas
Forests 2021, 12(8), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12081133 - 23 Aug 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2048
Abstract
The interactions between the atmosphere and urban obstacles such as buildings or vegetation induce complex flow patterns because of the heterogeneities of urban morphology [...] Full article

Research

Jump to: Editorial

10 pages, 42392 KiB  
Article
Giant Trees Exhibited Great Cooling Effect in Residential Area Southwest of China
by Rongfei Zhang and Ziyan Zhao
Forests 2022, 13(9), 1516; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13091516 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1945
Abstract
In recent years, extreme weather has become more and more frequent. The extreme heat in summer is a serious threat to human health. Chongqing is one of the hottest cities in China, and the high temperature in summer can cause skin cancer and [...] Read more.
In recent years, extreme weather has become more and more frequent. The extreme heat in summer is a serious threat to human health. Chongqing is one of the hottest cities in China, and the high temperature in summer can cause skin cancer and heat stroke. Green plants in residential areas play a great role in cooling down air temperature. However, there are no accurate numerical references for which plants have a better cooling effect. Therefore, seven species of trees with the highest planting rate were selected in seven residential areas as research objects in this study. By measuring the temperature under the trees and related control factors, this study was conducted to clarify the following: (1) Which species of tree has the best cooling effect? (2) Whether tree species and size matter with the cooling effect. (3) What are the controlling factors and principles that affect the tree cooling effect? The results showed that: (1) Giant trees have the best cooling effect. (2) The cooling effects of Ficus virens, Camphor tree, and Ficus macrocarpa were significantly better than the other four species of trees. (3) The high rate of water replenishment in plants gives giant trees a greater cooling effect. This study is of great practical significance to the selection of plants in the green belt of residential communities, and has great theoretical significance to understand the principle of the plant cooling effect. Full article
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19 pages, 4613 KiB  
Article
Impact of Different Combinations of Green Infrastructure Elements on Traffic-Related Pollutant Concentrations in Urban Areas
by Jose-Luis Santiago, Esther Rivas, Beatriz Sanchez, Riccardo Buccolieri, Antonio Esposito, Alberto Martilli, Marta G. Vivanco and Fernando Martin
Forests 2022, 13(8), 1195; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13081195 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2461
Abstract
Urban air quality is a major problem for human health and green infrastructure (GI) is one of the potential mitigation measures used. However, the optimum GI design is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to provide some recommendation that could help [...] Read more.
Urban air quality is a major problem for human health and green infrastructure (GI) is one of the potential mitigation measures used. However, the optimum GI design is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to provide some recommendation that could help in the design of the GI (mainly, the selection of locations and characteristics of trees and hedgerows). Aerodynamic and deposition effects of each vegetation element of different GI scenarios are investigated. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of a wide set of GI scenarios in an idealized three-dimensional urban environment are performed. In conclusion, it was found that trees in the middle of the avenue (median strip) reduce street ventilation, and traffic-related pollutant concentrations increase, in particular for streets parallel to the wind. Trees in the sidewalks act as a barrier for pollutants emitted outside, specifically for a 45° wind direction. Regarding hedgerows, the most important effect on air quality is deposition and the effects of green walls and green roofs are limited to their proximity to the building surfaces. Full article
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19 pages, 7501 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Air Quality and Meteorological Changes Induced by Future Vegetation in Madrid
by David de la Paz, Juan Manuel de Andrés, Adolfo Narros, Camillo Silibello, Sandro Finardi, Silvano Fares, Luis Tejero, Rafael Borge and Mihaela Mircea
Forests 2022, 13(5), 690; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13050690 - 29 Apr 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2891
Abstract
Nature-based solutions and green urban infrastructures are becoming common measures in local air quality and climate strategies. However, there is a lack of analytical frameworks to anticipate the effect of such interventions on urban meteorology and air quality at a city scale. We [...] Read more.
Nature-based solutions and green urban infrastructures are becoming common measures in local air quality and climate strategies. However, there is a lack of analytical frameworks to anticipate the effect of such interventions on urban meteorology and air quality at a city scale. We present a modelling methodology that relies on the weather research and forecasting model (WRF) with the building effect parameterization (BEP) and the community multiscale air quality (CMAQ) model and apply it to assess envisaged plans involving vegetation in the Madrid (Spain) region. The study, developed within the VEGGAP Life project, includes the development of two detailed vegetation scenarios making use of Madrid’s municipality tree inventory (current situation) and future vegetation-related interventions. An annual simulation was performed for both scenarios (considering constant anthropogenic emissions) to identify (i) variations in surface temperature and the reasons for such changes, and (ii) implications on air-quality standards according to EU legislation for the main pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and O3). Our results suggest that vegetation may have significant effects on urban meteorology due to changes induced in relevant surface properties such as albedo, roughness length or emissivity. We found a net-heating effect of around +0.18 °C when trees are introduced in dry, scarcely vegetated surfaces in the city outskirts. In turn, this enhances the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH), which brings about reductions in ambient concentrations of relevant pollutants such as NO2 (in the range of 0.5–0.8 µg m−3 for the annual mean, and 2–4 µg m−3 for the 19th highest 1 h value). Conversely, planting new trees in consolidated urban areas causes a cooling effect (up to −0.15 °C as an annual mean) that may slightly increase concentration levels due to less-effective vertical mixing and wind-speed reduction caused by increased roughness. This highlights the need to combine nature-based solutions with emission-reduction measures in Madrid. Full article
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13 pages, 1859 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of PM2.5 Retention Capacity and Structural Optimization of Urban Park Green Spaces in Beijing
by Zhe Yin, Yuxin Zhang and Keming Ma
Forests 2022, 13(3), 415; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13030415 - 5 Mar 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2903
Abstract
Green space can effectively retain particles and improve air quality. However, most studies have focused on leaf-scale measurements or regional-scale model simulations, and few focus on individual trees. In this study, 176 urban park green spaces were selected within the 5th Ring Road [...] Read more.
Green space can effectively retain particles and improve air quality. However, most studies have focused on leaf-scale measurements or regional-scale model simulations, and few focus on individual trees. In this study, 176 urban park green spaces were selected within the 5th Ring Road in Beijing, and the i-Tree Eco model was used to estimate the PM2.5 retention levels of individual trees and sample plots. The results show that the retention capacity varied according to tree species. The PM2.5 retention of each sample plot was significantly affected by the tree coverage, species richness, mean tree height, mean crown width, and number of trees. The PM2.5 retention of urban park green spaces in the study area was estimated to be about 6380 t·year−1, and the air quality improvement rate was 1.62%. After structural optimizing, PM2.5 retention of the mixed coniferous and broad-leaved green space was as high as 80,000 g·year−1. This study studied the effects of trees on PM2.5 retention at multiple scales to fill the gaps in existing research at the scales of individual trees and communities, and it can serve as a reliable reference for the design and construction of green spaces aimed at improving air quality. Full article
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13 pages, 3965 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Effects of Roof Greening on the Indoor Thermal Environment throughout the Year in a Chinese City (Chenzhou)
by Bohong Zheng, Jiayu Li, Xiao Chen and Xi Luo
Forests 2022, 13(2), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13020304 - 13 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2372
Abstract
Indoor cooling is preferred during hot summers but unappreciated in cold winters. With this research, we aimed to clarify the cooling performances of roof greening throughout the year and identify the optimum roof greening coverage for the indoor thermal environment in Chenzhou, a [...] Read more.
Indoor cooling is preferred during hot summers but unappreciated in cold winters. With this research, we aimed to clarify the cooling performances of roof greening throughout the year and identify the optimum roof greening coverage for the indoor thermal environment in Chenzhou, a city in China with hot summers and cold winters. The layout of buildings, building materials, and local climate data of Chenzhou were collected. The ENVI-met model was applied as the analytical tool after its accuracy was confirmed by a field experiment. The Kriging model was employed to interpret the annual effects of roof greening. The analytical results revealed that in Chenzhou, roof greening reduced indoor temperatures throughout the year, and the higher the coverage of roof greening, the greater the performance of indoor cooling. Moreover, hot climates enhanced the indoor cooling performances of roof greening. From the view of annual thermal perception, the increase in roof greening coverage reduced the duration of warm perceptions throughout the year and extended the perceptions of slightly warm, slightly cool, and cool. Generally, increased roof greening coverage improved the indoor thermal perception in Chenzhou throughout the year. The ENVI-met + Kriging model, an evaluation method of annual cycles, can be used to evaluate the annual performance of roof greening in terms of indoor thermal environment in other climate zones. Full article
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