Search Results (298)

Building inclusive, high-density cities requires understanding vulnerable groups’ public space usage. While green exposure significantly impacts urban health, existing research frequently overlooks females’ specific needs regarding streetscape visual quality, green space structures, and daily travel experiences. To address this, the study investigates spatial disparities in Suzhou’s historic district. Utilizing multi-source data and mixed modeling strategies, including Partial Least Squares and Ordinary Least Squares (PLS-OLS) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), the research analyzes how streetscape perceptions and green space characteristics affect female life satisfaction and expressed sentiment. Results indicate three main findings. (1) Streetscape visual features fundamentally drive subjective evaluations. Safe significantly enhances well-being, whereas boring and lively negatively impact life satisfaction, reflecting females’ acute sensitivity to environmental oppressiveness during daily travel. (2) Park diversity elevates expressed sentiment, while patch density positively influences life satisfaction, demonstrating the vital value of fragmented greenery for daily public space usage. (3) Boring precipitously diminishes life satisfaction after surpassing a specific threshold, while park diversity elevates expressed sentiment only after crossing a critical interval. The study establishes an integrated analytical framework linking visual perception, green space structure, emotional response, and satisfaction. These findings provide targeted strategies for enhancing inclusive urban design and optimizing green space allocation to improve streetscape safety and alleviate visual oppressiveness, thereby advancing gender social justice for vulnerable groups in historic districts. Full article

This study evaluates the multi-year taxonomic diversity and functional structure of beetle assemblages (Coleoptera) within Sub Arini Park, a historic urban green space in Sibiu, Romania. Following a preliminary baseline and methodological calibration phase in 2023, systematic monitoring was conducted during the 2024 and 2025 seasonal cycles utilizing standardized pitfall trapping across diverse park zones. We explicitly tested two hypotheses: (H1) that long-standing historic park management preserves a resilient and functional insect community structure, and (H2) that local spatial heterogeneity and microhabitat variations significantly drive species distribution. A total of 14,843 individuals belonging to 39 species were analyzed. While total abundance exhibited a slight decrease from 2024 (N = 7112) to 2025 (N = 6551), true diversity metrics (Hill numbers) revealed a significant increase in raw species richness (q = 0) from 30 to 39 species, alongside an enhanced equity of frequent species (Shannon diversity, q = 1, increased from 4.26 to 5.12). Functional guild analysis and multivariate PCA demonstrated a highly structured biocenotic distribution; specialist and hygrophilous species (e.g., Carabus variolosus Fabricius, 1787) were strictly constrained to high-humidity riparian corridors, whereas thermophilous generalists dominated open lawns under high anthropogenic stress. Our spatial analysis identified critical degradation within these heavily managed zones, specifically driven by intensive mowing, soil compaction, and organic debris removal. These findings confirm both hypotheses, revealing that the park operates as a heterogeneous mosaic of ecological refugia rather than a uniform habitat block. Crucially, this study provides a concrete, quantitative basis—derived from empirical thresholds of species richness, abundance shifts, and mapped microhabitat preferences—for implementing nature-based management strategies (such as establishing buffer zones with reduced mowing frequencies, limiting trampling, and retaining coarse woody debris) aimed at mitigating urban biodiversity loss and maintaining vital biological pest control services in Central–Eastern Europe. Full article

This study aims to identify the defining characteristics of pocket parks and evaluate their ecological and socio-economic significance by analyzing their contribution to sustainable development, in alignment with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This research highlights the benefits of green spaces and pocket parks in relation to the three core pillars of sustainability, mapping them directly onto specific SDG Targets and indicators. This framework informs the creation of a streamlined, early design indicators toolkit. The toolkit’s practical utility is then evaluated and validated through its application to four real-world case studies, where the performance of pocket parks is assessed regarding their contributions to urban sustainability. The selected case studies represent diverse morphological typologies and operational attributes. To embed sustainability benefits into the active planning process, their spatial design criteria were cross-examined to identify structural interconnections, which were subsequently translated into a parametric model. Each design parameter is analyzed with emphasis on the relationships among spatial elements rather than on their absolute metric values. The study develops a procedural design sequence that, when applied to any site boundary, generates the essential spatial characteristics defining a pocket park. The results demonstrate that this parametric approach establishes the adaptability and effectiveness of pocket parks as versatile urban green spaces, regardless of available plot size or geometric configuration. Full article

This study investigates microclimatic variation across four environmentally and socially vulnerable neighborhoods in Philadelphia, utilizing ground-based measurements to assess urban heat (UH) and heat stress (HS). HS metrics, specifically Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and heat index (HI), were calculated from UH measurements, including dry bulb and globe temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. The methodology incorporates statistical modeling to identify significant predictors of HS, with street orientation (north–south and east–west) emerging as a key determinant, while categorical shade conditions were not statistically significant. Notably, Kingsessing exhibited lower HS and a unique humidity profile, whereas temperatures in Point Breeze and Grays Ferry and Hunting Park were consistently elevated. The research demonstrates that neighborhood-scale measurements can reveal critical spatial differences in UH and HS that are helpful in customizing mitigation strategies to specific communities. The approach is adaptable for integration with public health and emergency response initiatives, supporting data-driven decision-making for local governments and community-based organizations. Although assessment of physiological metrics and sampling during peak heat periods were not possible, overall, the study provides a practical framework for addressing urban heat vulnerability and underscores the importance of context-specific, community-engaged solutions to protect at-risk populations from extreme heat impacts. Full article

The soundscape serves as a critical determinant of the quality of urban wetland parks. This study employs a mixed-methods approach to comprehensively evaluate wetland soundscapes. First, field investigations combining sound level measurements and questionnaire surveys were conducted in Aixi Lake Wetland Park to analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics of the soundscape. Second, laboratory-based physiological tracking (using wearable sensors) and cognitive tests (Sustained Attention to Response Task, SART) were utilized to experimentally quantify the restorative benefits of typical soundscapes. The findings reveal that: (1) sound level indicators and sound harmonious degree in urban wetland parks exhibit significant spatiotemporal characteristics and distributional variations; (2) a marked competitive effect among biological, geophysical, and human activity sounds is observed in their spatial distribution; sound harmonious degree demonstrates significant spatial autocorrelation in both global and local models; (3) different sound sources possess varying restorative potentials, with bird song showing the highest restorative effect; the SHDs of biological and geophony, along with L_Aeq, are key factors affecting PRSS; (4) a positive correlation exists between L_Aeq and the PRSS up to 56.4 dB, beyond which PRSS declines with increasing L_Aeq; (5) at the physiological level, short-term exposure to urban wetland park soundscapes can rapidly alleviate stress, with the most pronounced restorative effects occurring within the first 60 s; and (6) in terms of attention, soundscape stimulation reduces SART response times and improves response speed, while bird song from treetops and musical sounds further decrease response errors. Full article

Measuring the service levels and spatial equity of urban parks constitutes a core research topic within the field of environmental justice. Against the backdrop of low-carbon urban transformation and sustainable development, this study constructs an ecological supply indicator calculation model for parks based on landscape ecology theory. Leveraging spatio-temporal big data such as Points of Interest (POI) and second-hand property transactions, it establishes a demand evaluation indicator system centered on human activity intensity. The study employs the Gini coefficient and location entropy to gauge the spatial equity of park supply–demand balance, utilizing the Z-score method to classify supply–demand matching types. An empirical case study is conducted in Shenzhen. Findings indicate that despite Shenzhen possessing abundant global-scale park resources, a Gini coefficient of 0.489 reveals significant deficiencies in the equitable provision of park services, with spatial distribution exhibiting pronounced social stratification. Specifically: (1) location entropy values exhibit an east-high, west-low spatial pattern; (2) areas with high location entropy are predominantly concentrated in Dapeng New District, rich in green space resources, where supply exceeds demand, creating an imbalance; and (3) areas with low locational entropy values are predominantly distributed in industrial clusters such as western Bao’an and western Longgang, exhibiting contradictory characteristics of low supply and high demand. Overall, the distribution of park and green space resources exhibits a polarized pattern. Full article

Shared autonomous vehicle (SAV) services are gaining attention as an innovative urban transportation paradigm due to their potential to lower travel costs and improve operational efficiency. Unlike manually operated vehicles, SAVs exhibit unique behavioral dynamics, including safe passenger pick-up and drop-off processes, as well as strategic repositioning and autonomous parking to anticipate future travel demands. Consequently, effective and dynamic route planning is paramount to optimizing SAV safety and operational efficiency. This study proposes a novel traffic information, termed Autonomous Driving Stress (ADS), designed to enhance the safety and efficiency of SAV route planning by quantitatively capturing the level of driving challenge encountered during autonomous operation. To predict ADS, a machine learning framework was developed, utilizing microscopic traffic simulation data that incorporates a comprehensive set of 22 input features describing SAV driving behavior, roadway characteristics, and prevailing traffic conditions. Among five machine learning algorithms evaluated, Random Forest exhibited superior predictive performance, achieving an accuracy of 80.9%. The proposed framework enables real-time ADS level prediction by continuously integrating streaming traffic data into the trained model. The dissemination of this real-time ADS information to SAVs supports proactive, informed, and dynamic route planning decisions, thereby enhancing operational safety, traffic flow, and the sustainability of SAV operations within urban mobility systems. Full article

Amid rapid urbanization, the rapid increase in urban vehicles has exacerbated parking scarcity, particularly in areas surrounding hospitals. As the core city of the Huaihai Economic Zone, Xuzhou’s medical institutions serve a broad region spanning 178,000 square kilometers. The pronounced mismatch between parking supply and demand in these areas severely impacts traffic efficiency and public service quality. To address this challenge, this study proposes a data-driven parking resource planning methodology for the identification and planning of informal/shared parking spaces (utilizing underutilized idle spaces) in hospital vicinities, integrating multi-source geospatial data from OpenStreetMap, remote sensing imagery, and field surveys. The methodology involves data preprocessing (e.g., format conversion, building boundary calibration), parking space identification and classification (e.g., buffer zone delineation, vacant land categorization, shape-based division), and layout optimization using a genetic algorithm combined with manual refinement. Applied within a 1 km radius around two hospitals in Xuzhou, the results demonstrate significant improvements in space utilization and provide a scientific basis for temporary parking facility planning. The results provide practical decision support for urban spatial management and temporary parking governance in high-demand public service areas. Full article

Since children spend a significant portion of their developmental years in educational settings, the environmental quality of these institutions—specifically, the extent to which they expose their occupants to green space and heat stress—is a critical determinant of well-being and academic performance. This study assesses the green environmental quality of 121 educational institutions (kindergartens, and elementary and secondary schools) in Debrecen, Hungary. The main objective of the research is to identify educational institutions that require immediate intervention to address their lack of green spaces, improve the green environment, and mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) effect. A further aim of the study is to understand how different urban planning practices over the past century have led to the current situation. Therefore, we utilized high-resolution geospatial data (specifically, WorldView-2 imagery) to classify schoolyard vegetation; Landsat data to derive Land Surface Temperature (LST); and the Hoover index to quantify institutions’ spatial concentration. We developed a composite indicator to categorize green environmental quality and heat stress exposure. Our results reveal deep spatial and institutional inequalities. 47.5% of students attend institutions with low environmental quality. While kindergartens typically offer green-rich environments, secondary schools with significant student populations—which are primarily concentrated in the dense historical downtown—are trapped in “grey” zones possessing poor environmental quality. Furthermore, we identify a “green paradox” in socialist housing estates: despite abundant surrounding greenery, schools here record high LST values due to the heat-trapping morphology of vertical concrete structures. The study also highlights institutional maladaptation, such as converting schoolyards into parking lots and using rubber pavements for safety reasons, which contributes to the deterioration of environmental quality. We conclude that current urban planning and school architecture must shift paradigms, treating schoolyards as integral components of the public green infrastructure network through climate-adaptive design. In addition, stakeholders should develop the green environment of educational institutions comprehensively, taking into account both on-site and surrounding green spaces. Full article

The rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) is intensifying charging demand in space-constrained parking facilities, where fixed charging piles (FCPs) are often underutilized due to parking–charging coupling and stall blocking. This study develops a coordinated planning framework for a hybrid charging system that integrates FCPs and mobile charging robots (MCRs). Two optimization models—operator profit maximization and social welfare maximization—are formulated to jointly determine the capacity configuration (numbers of FCPs and MCRs) and the spatial layout of FCPs and MCR base stations, subject to a queueing-theory-based waiting-time constraint. A nested heuristic solution method combining particle swarm optimization (PSO) and K-means++ is designed for tractable computation. Numerical experiments on a representative parking facility demonstrate a clear complementarity between fixed and mobile chargers: FCPs serve baseload demand economically, while MCRs provide flexible capacity that reduces average waiting time and mitigates congestion. The results further quantify the divergence between private and social objectives; when robot costs are reduced, the social-welfare model deploys approximately 35% more robots than the profit-maximizing solution to reduce user time losses. By improving charger utilization, the proposed hybrid planning approach enhances resource efficiency and supports sustainable EV charging infrastructure in dense urban parking facilities. Full article

In high-density urban environments, residential design often faces a conflict between maximizing landscape access and maintaining energy-oriented compactness. This study proposes a target-based visibility analysis framework to optimize high-rise forms under strict performance constraints. Utilizing a Quad-mesh reconstruction strategy and Inverse Targeted Ray-Casting, the method accurately quantifies visibility via the cumulative Landscape Visible Surface (LVS) on the target building and Viewpoint-Specific Surface Visibility Rate (R_v) for precise verification against specific landscape targets. The framework is applied to evaluate three morphological prototypes: Compact Tower, Dispersed Tower, and Slab–Tower Hybrid. Quantitative simulations identified the Slab–Tower Hybrid as the optimal solution, demonstrating superior “Visual Morphological Efficiency.” While maintaining a moderate Shape Coefficient (SC = 0.326) to satisfy energy standards, the Hybrid achieved a cumulative Park-View LVS approximately 1.8 times that of the Compact Tower. Furthermore, environmental simulations indicated the Hybrid fosters stable wind environments (0.4–0.7 m/s) and equitable sunlight distribution. The research concluded that through differentiated massing, high-rise architecture can achieve a synergistic balance between visual openness and physical compactness, transforming view analysis from a passive check into an active design driver. Full article

Amidst the increasing aerial traffic and road traffic congestion, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) has emerged as a new mode of aerial transport offering less travel time and ease of portability. A critical factor in reducing travel time is the emerging electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles, which require infrastructure such as vertiports to operate smoothly. However, the dynamics of vertiport operations, particularly the integration of battery charging facilities, remain relatively unexplored. This work aims to bridge this gap by delving into vertiport management by utilizing separate taxing and parking levels. The study also focuses on the time eVTOLs spend at the vertiport to anticipate potential delays. This factor helps optimise arrival and departure times via a scheduling strategy that accounts for hourly demand fluctuations. The simulation results, conducted with hourly demand, underscore the significant impact of battery charging on operational time while also highlighting the role of parking spots in augmenting capacity and facilitating more efficient scheduling. Full article

Urban shared parking systems represent a complex socio-technical challenge. Despite vast potential, utilization remains persistently low (<15%), revealing a critical policy failure. To address this, this study develops a dynamic system framework based on Life-Cycle Cost (LCC) and Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) optimization to analyze and calibrate the key policy levers influencing owner participation timing (T*). The model, resolved using finite difference methods, captures the system’s non-linear threshold effects by simulating critical system parameters, including system instability (price volatility, ${\mathsf{\sigma }}_p$), internal friction (management fee, $w_g{g}_t$), and demand signals (transaction ratio, Q). Simulations reveal extreme non-linear system responses: a 100% increase in system instability (${\mathsf{\sigma }}_p$) delays participation by 325.5%. More critically, a 100% surge in internal friction (management fees) delays T* by 492% and triggers a 95% revenue collapse—demonstrating the risk of systemic collapse. Conversely, a 20% rise in the demand signal (Q) advances T* by 100% (immediate participation), indicating the system can be rapidly shifted to a new equilibrium by activating positive feedback loops. These findings support a sequenced calibration strategy: regulators must first manage instability via price stabilization, then counteract high friction with subsidies (e.g., 60%), and amplify demand loops. The LCC framework provides a novel dynamic decision support system for calibrating complex urban transportation systems, offering policymakers a tool for scenario testing to accelerate policy adoption and alleviate urban congestion. Full article

Amid accelerating global high-density urbanization, two pressing challenges have emerged: shrinking green space supplies in built-up areas and growing demand for residents’ emotional well-being. Notably, green spaces’ recreational function plays a pivotal role in alleviating emotional distress. This study aims to systematically assess Green Space Recreation Service Performance (GRSP) and unravel its non-linear impact on residents’ emotional states. Using Shijiazhuang—a representative high-density city in China—as a case study, we developed a GRSP evaluation framework integrating supply–demand balance and utilization efficiency. Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques parsed social media texts, with continuous emotional scores quantifying residents’ emotional states. Finally, a Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT) model empirically explored the links between GRSP indicators and emotional states. Results show significant spatial differentiation and supply–demand mismatch in Shijiazhuang’s central urban GRSP: peripheral new districts have abundant green space supply but low utilization efficiency, while central built-up areas face insufficient supply paired with high usage intensity. Residents’ self-reported emotional health correlates with green space accessibility and crowding levels, with park distribution equity as the dominant driver. GRSP’s impact on emotional states exhibits non-linearities, threshold effects, and distinct interactions among core indicators. This study identifies key GRSP indicators influencing emotional states, clarifies their non-linear interaction mechanisms and critical thresholds, and provides empirical evidence for advancing emotional health theories in high-density urban contexts. Full article

Cultural ecosystem services (CESs) play a critical role in urban residents’ well-being, yet conventional evaluations rely heavily on green-space area and overlook how facility quality and basic services influence the delivery of actual cultural benefits. To address this methodological gap, this study develops a three-tier evaluation framework—service potential, actual supply capacity, and actual service utility—to quantify multistage attenuation in CES provision across 95 parks in seven central districts of Shenyang, China. The framework integrates 114 quantitative and qualitative indicators from field surveys, national facility standards, and perception-based assessments, enabling a scientifically robust and replicable assessment of how cultural benefits are transformed from ecological structure to human experience. Results reveal that single-index, area-based assessments substantially overestimate CES supply: district-level supply–demand ratios drop from 66 to 195% to only 11–55% once quality and basic services are incorporated. Comprehensive and special parks retain the highest CES potential, whereas community and linear parks undergo significant losses due to aging facilities, insufficient maintenance, and inadequate infrastructure. Education and cultural services exhibit the most severe shortages, with deficits reaching 59–84%, underscoring structural limitations in learning-oriented spaces. By distinguishing structural (quantity), functional (quality), and experiential (basic service) constraints, the framework provides clear diagnostic guidance for targeted planning and management. Its multistage structure also reflects broader principles of sustainable urban development: improving CES requires not only expanding ecological elements but also enhancing service quality, strengthening infrastructure, and promoting equitable access to cultural benefits. The framework’s generalizability makes it applicable to high-density cities worldwide facing land scarcity and green-space inequality, supporting efforts aligned with SDG 11 to build inclusive, resilient, and culturally vibrant urban environments. Full article