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• Presents a case study of cultural policy in Taipei as a 'not so global' city. • Emphasises the importance of regional geographies of power and sub-state actors in shaping cultural strategy in Taipei. • Conceptualises Songshan creative park as a spatial para -diplomatic modality conveying national values and identity. Through a case study of Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Xinyi District, Taipei (Taiwan), this paper contributes to debates in creative city building by emphasising the importance of regional power-dynamics in shaping such spaces; and conceptualising the resulting entities as para -diplomatic modalities. The paper is based on a synthesis of policy documentation and academic accounts; and qualitative interviews and ethnographic data collected between 2016 and 2024. The main argument of the paper is that the logics that underpin the development of creative cities should not be solely understood through the language of neoliberal globalization as has so often been the case elsewhere. Rather we provide an explanation that contextualises Taiwan's economic liberalisation, democratic ideals and cultural policy as emerging out of an absence of sovereign recognition, with particular reference to mainland China. We draw particular attention to the spatialisation of particular national values and identity in the development and operation of Songshan as a symbolic cultural space. In doing so we show how the park acts as a para -diplomatic modality managed by sub-state actors to spatialise and communicate values referring to cosmopolitanism, paternalism, and internationalism. We conclude by reiterating the explanatory power (and limits) of geo-politics when trying to understand the spatialisation of creative city agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A theoretical account of governmentality is developed for a non-western city. • Such account combines with the post-colonial context of policy mobility. • CCB agenda seeks to develop a win-win solution for Taipei's long-standing crises. • A 'regime of truth' is alienated as a 'regime of representation'. • CCB has reproduced a closure of cultural politics and social exclusion. Creative City Building (CCB) agendas have become a global policy trend for re-governing urban decline. Taipei represents a postcolonial and global South city, in which the universal CCB agenda is regarded as a win-win solution for its long-standing crises. This paper shows that the exercise of the CCB agenda in Taipei: a not-so-global/non-western city represents the pursuance of a new governmentality, relative vision and toolkit produced from and embedded in logics of cities in the global North. We point out that research on CCB to-date tends to underplay engagement with debates on governmentality. We provide both theoretical and empirical reflections of the political rationality, specific technologies of governance and related social exclusion in Taipei's practice of CCB agenda. While highlighting the usefulness of the framework of governmentality, we suggest that such a framework has greater explanatory power when complemented by critiques of universal rationality, (post-) colonial governmentality and modernisation. Empirically, we develop a critical illustration of the process and characteristics of transferring universal rationality and agenda of CCB in Taipei's context. Consequently, this paper argues that behind the rhetoric of being inclusive, diverse or tolerant, the practice of CCB in Taipei instead reproduces the closure of cultural production and social exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems are essential in densely populated cities, providing efficient, reliable transportation that alleviates congestion, reduces pollution, and promotes sustainable development. By accommodating large passenger volumes, MRTs enhance urban mobility, economic vitality, and quality of life, making them a vital component of modern urban infrastructure. Identifying key economic, social, environmental, and institutional determinants is crucial for advancing sustainable transportation systems. Integrating technological and strategic perspectives, this paper employs the innovative Rough-Fermatean Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (RFF-DEMATEL) approach to delve into the critical determinants of transportation sustainability in the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (TMRT). The study acknowledges the interconnections among these factors, leading to a more genuine and precise evaluation, distinct from conventional methods that presuppose factor independence. Research outcomes indicate that "operations and performance" stand out as the paramount factors, underscoring the importance of operational strategies and economic allocation. "Digital technology economy" and "sustainable supply chain management" are also emphasized, pinpointing the necessity to harmonize public welfare with financial sustainability while cultivating enduring partnerships. The proposed approach's thorough categorization offers specific managerial suggestions, assisting TMRT in realizing its sustainability aspirations and aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This investigation accentuates the significance of recognizing factor interdependence and adeptly managing uncertainties, bolstering the research's credibility and applicative worth. • RFF-DEMATEL used to analyze critical determinants of TMRT's transportation sustainability. • "Operations and performance" identified as the most important factors for sustainability. • Evaluation framework integrates economic, social, and environmental aspects. • RFF-DEMATEL acknowledges factor interdependence for accurate importance assessment. • RFF-DEMATEL categorizes criteria using INRM, providing targeted management implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most bicycle collision studies aim to identify contributing factors and calculate risks based on statistical data (Loidl et al., 2016). The aim of this paper is to follow this approach, focusing on bicycle-motorized vehicle (BMV) collisions through a spatio-temporal workflow. For the spatial dimension (Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) method), a general estimation of the collision risks was obtained and the labour-intensive work of collecting counting data was avoided on the macro-scale level. The temporal dimension (negative binomial modeling method) focused on data from collisions occurring on bridges, enabling the inclusion of traffic exposure (counting data on the micro-scale level). Bridge collision risks and contributing factors related to road environment and cycling facilities were estimated using databases from eight government authorities and field investigation. For the presented case study, 2044 geo-coded bicycle collisions in the Taipei-Capital Region (Taiwan) were analysed. The data set covers three years (2015–2017) and includes all BMV collisions reported by the police. Through the spatial workflow, urban bridges were identified as areas with the highest density of collisions. This is unsurprising given that bicycle facilities on urban bridges face design difficulties due to limited space, discrepancy in elevation and traffic volume. Through this approach the characteristics of BMV collisions on bridges, traffic engineering, road environment, traffic control system, and driving behaviour were then analysed in the temporal dimension. This paper concludes by providing information relevant to traffic engineers concerning the enhancement of bicycle safety on high-risk areas in the city. In this paper, we aim to (1) understand the risk patterns of bicycle collisions spatially (where?) and temporally (when?), from a region-scale (macro) level to a location-scale (micro) level. To this end, a spatio-temporal (two-stage) workflow was developed for the exploration of the collision data. Through the spatial stage, urban bridges were identified as having the highest density of BMV collisions. Building on results from the spatial stage, we sought to (2) further explain "how" bridge infrastructure influences bicycle collisions in Taipei-Capital Region (Taiwan) by studying contributing risk factors. Countermeasures can thus be made to enhance bicycle safety. This paper is organized as follows. Section 2 provides an overview of the literature related to bicycle collision studies. Section 3 describes the study concept of the spatio-temporal workflow and its methodologies. Section 4 presents the study area and provides the descriptive statistics of BMV collisions. Section 5 describes the data used in spatio-temporal modeling. Section 6 discusses the main results and Section 7 finally concludes with the contribution and recommendation of this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of greenspace patterns on cooling effects from urban greenspaces. Greenspace has been argued to have significant potential to mitigate urban heat island effect in urban areas, and thus to reduce risks to human health and wellbeing intensified by global warming. Based on remote sensing data and subsequent spatial analysis carried out for Taipei Metropolis, this paper argues that greenspace features lowering temperature within greenspaces are not necessarily to have explicit cooling contribution on surrounding built environments. For mitigating urban heat at the area nearby greenspaces, greenspace size, shape and greenness may have limited effect, whereas increasing greenery at greenspace edges and enhancing greenspace cohesion are more effective means of extending cooling benefits. In turn, findings from Taipei Metropolis suggest urban planners ought to: consider relative locations in the city when designing a cooling intervention; work to preserve large greenspaces; extent greenery at greenspace surroundings and find means to connect existing cool islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applies a receptor model to quantify source contributions to ambient concentration of polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and inhalation cancer risk in Taipei from 2003 through 2009. Seventeen PCDD/F congeners were used in the effective variance solution to the Chemical Mass Balance equations to estimate source-specific mass contributions and inhalation risks. The average total PCDD/F concentration was 0.611 pg/Nm 3 (0.036 pg I-TEQ/Nm 3 ). Traffic emissions contributed the most to the PCDD/F concentration (55.7%), followed by waste incinerators (18.6%) and joss stick burning (9.6%). For the inhalation cancer risk, the average was 1.1 × 10 −6 with traffic, waste incinerators, and joss paper burning as the main contributors (67.3%, 19.4%, and 6.3%, respectively). The mass and risk contributions of waste incinerators decreased significantly from 2003 to 2009 and were higher at downwind sites than at upwind sites. Reducing PCDD/F emissions from traffic and waste incinerators would provide the greatest health benefit. Policies that reduce the uncontrolled burning of joss stick and joss paper also need to be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While many studies have explored green buildings, there remain many unsolved questions about how to expand this section of the housing market, such as how the capitalization effect of green buildings varies across time and location. This study investigates the price premiums of green buildings in Taipei City, the largest metropolis in Taiwan, to examine how they have changed over time, and assesses the magnitude of the capitalization effects under varying housing price levels. The empirical results indicate that Taipei residents are willing to pay higher prices for houses with green-label certification. The higher the certification level, the higher the price that residents are willing to pay. This study additionally identifies two characteristics of the capitalization effects in this market. The first is that the price premiums vary with the market condition. For example, during housing market downturns (e.g., 2014–2015), building green premiums may be unremarkable or non-existent. The second effect identified is that green buildings tend to exhibit an 'aristocratic trend.' This means that high-priced houses (i.e., houses priced above the 80% quantile) in the high-end label category attract the highest premiums, implying that the willingness to pay for green features tends to only exist among wealthy buyers. The result of this paper provides evidence to explain the heterogeneity of green build premiums. Regarding the specificity of these premiums, this paper provides recommendations for builders and managers. [Display omitted] • This study investigates the price premiums of green buildings in Taipei City. • This paper examines how the price premiums have changed over time. • It assesses the magnitude of the capitalization effects under varying housing price levels. • The price premiums vary with the market condition. • Green buildings tend to exhibit an aristocratic trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban governance involves institutional rules that can be combined to serve aims of providing and delivering public welfare and services. Such combination can be achieved by engaging stakeholders holding respective resources and power into a rule-structured interaction to orient the collective outcome towards a more favourable end, while the conflicts among actors remain as the governance imperative in the urban renewal arena. This paper aims to elucidate against this background of urban renewal governance and consequences of its resource mobilization by comparing three high-density Asian cities from north to south: Taipei, Hong Kong and Singapore all with a Chinese cultural background. The comparative study investigates the capacity of actors and implications of instrumental tools to mobilize non-state resources in different urban renewal governances. In particular, the assembly of, concession in, incentive for, and transfer of plot ratio, are further accentuated as the said manipulation by public authorities, private sectors, and the community. The findings identify the practical utilities rooted in the manipulation of plot ratios to fuel the redevelopment projects, and highlight that while the mobilization of non-state resources relieves the government deficit of service delivery, the value-laden governance approach and policy instruments for resource mobilization can also strengthen the unbalanced power relations between actors and have consequences on various aspects. As urban governance evolves in response to local and global pressures, the findings in this paper will shed light on the future of urban renewal governance. • A comparative study of urban renewal governances in terms of plot ratio regimes. • Utilities of plot ratio schemes conducive to redevelopment are identified. • Outcomes of urban renewal governances regarding plot ratio controls are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel centrality for the nodes of a graph. Our centrality is based on the graph regularization, a tool of graph signal processing theory. For this reason, it is called graph regularization centrality (GRC). In order to define the centrality of a node, a delta signal centered on this node is defined and a new smooth signal is generated by the graph regularization of the delta signal. The transformation of the delta signal into the new smooth signal strongly depends on the position of the node in the graph. Our centrality takes advantage of this feature to define a centrality for each node of the graph. Synthetic and real-world graphs are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of our centrality that combines local and global positioning of nodes in one measure. Furthermore, it is compared against classical centralities and graph Fourier transform centrality, which is also based on graph signal processing theory. We conclude with a discussion of the main features of GRC and a proposal for potential future work. • A novel node centrality based on the graph signal processing theory. • Graph Regularization Centrality (GRC) combines local and global positioning of nodes. • GRC is scalable and robust with respect to regular structures. • Centrality signature allows to compare different centralities for large graphs. • Node centrality analysis of IEEE 34 Node Test Feeder and Taipei Rapid Transit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Given the difficulty of earthquake forecast, Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA) has been a method to best estimate site-specific ground motion or response spectra in earthquake engineering and engineering seismology. In this paper, the first in-depth PSHA study for Taipei, the economic center of Taiwan with a six-million population, was carried out. Unlike the very recent PSHA study for Taiwan, this study includes the follow-up hazard deaggregation, response spectra, and the earthquake motion recommendations. Hazard deaggregation results show that moderate-size and near-source earthquakes are the most probable scenario for this city. Moreover, similar to the findings in a few recent studies, the earthquake risk for Taipei should be relatively high and considering this city''s importance, the high risk should not be overlooked and a potential revision of the local technical reference would be needed. In addition to the case study, some innovative Excel applications to PSHA are introduced in this paper. Such spreadsheet applications are applicable to geosciences research as those developed for data reduction or quantitative analysis with Excel''s user-friendly nature and wide accessibility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The distal relationship between Taipei's resource inflows and nonrenewable resource production in Taiwan was investigated. • Cross-scale emergy synthesis revealed the reliance of Taipei's resource inflows on Taiwan. • The demand of construction materials in Taipei's peri-urbanization is the underlying driving force of the development in Taipei's remote areas. Urbanization not only causes environmental changes in metropolitan regions but also influences the ecological and socioeconomic changes of distant land areas due to increasing demands on resource use and waste emissions. Previous studies on the assessment of urban systems have focused on the city or metropolitan areas under study. There is a need to incorporate urban land teleconnections to investigate the relationship between a city and distant land areas during the process of urbanization. This paper analyzes the teleconnection of the energy and material flows associated with Taipei's peri-urbanization and remote areas in Taiwan. The cross-scale emergy synthesis of Taipei and Taiwan was examined first to investigate the relationships of the material and energy flows between Taipei and Taiwan. The exploitation of non-renewable resources in Taiwan during the 1990s was driven mainly by the construction and development taking place in Taipei. Furthermore, compared with Taiwan, the Taipei area relies heavily on external resources. The results of the emergy evaluation of materials flows in Taipei indicated that 85% of the construction materials used were imported from other remote areas during the past 30 years. The use of construction materials in Taipei had a higher intensity in the city center during 1982–1992 and in the peri-urban area during 2002−2014. The results of the emergy synthesis indicated that urban land teleconnections exist between peri-urban areas of Taipei and other distant areas in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Urban form is one of the key strategies the IPCC AR5 emphasized in attempting to mitigate greenhouse gases in urban areas. Although there is an abundance of research exploring the relationship linking the elements of urban form, energy consumption, and CO 2 emissions on an urban level, little is known in regards to their relationships at the sub-city level. In addition, the energy consumed and the associated CO 2 emissions during the construction of buildings in urban areas have seldom been assessed. To address these two research areas, this paper uses emergy synthesis to evaluate embodied energy storage of different building types according to construction methods and development intensity and assesses the resources consumed and CO 2 emissions during construction processes across urban space. With the city of Taipei as a case study, five building types were classified according to building materials and stories. The spatial distribution of emergy storage embodied in the urban form of Taipei indicates that neighborhoods with higher emergy storage and building CO 2 emission are dominated by six to twelve stories reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. In contrast, the neighborhoods of low urban development dominated by brick buildings and one to five stories reinforced concrete buildings have lower emergy storage in buildings and building CO 2 emission. The results of the spatial distribution of emergy storage and building CO 2 emission are used to discuss the relationship of the intensity distribution ratio, the building types, the daily consumption of CO 2 , and the effects of urban spatial planning. Highlights • Urban forms and building types were affected by stages of urban development. • The density of building emergy storage are affected by building materials and intensity. • The spatial building-CO 2 emissions are correlated with building emergy storage. • Building-CO 2 emission and urban form are affected by urban spatial planning. • The sub-city scale can provide powerful GHG mitigation leverage points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that climate change adaptation through strategic greenspace planning requires scholars and planners to think differently about what equity means in an urban greenspace context. We use the heat mitigation potential of greenspace and the case of Taipei Metropolis in Taiwan to assess challenges arising from thinking about fairness in terms of distribution of benefits from greenspace functions, as opposed to fairness in greenspace accessibility and availability. Urban greening to foster ‘resilient’ communities arguably deflects from – or even exacerbates – structural causes of vulnerability, with benefits accruing disproportionately to more affluent or empowered groups. Yet the need for practical action on climate threats in cities is urgent, and for heat, strategic greenspace use considered systematically across a city may mitigate effects through the cooling effect of vegetation. The challenge is thus to balance the justice concerns associated with urban greening with this tangible risk reduction potential. We undertake content analysis of articles from two Taiwanese newspapers – the Taipei Times and the China Post – to assess how heat and greenspace issues have been discussed in urban governance debates within Taipei. We suggest change adaptation through urban greening raises three challenges for equity thinking: (a) guiding planning and governance processes with scientific understanding of how greenspace functions are delivered, even in the face of urban development pressures and site-specific controversies; (b) tempering the social cohesion and practical deployment benefits of neighbourhood-level greening with the need for specific understanding at the city-wide level to most effectively realise ecosystem services; and (c) linking targeted adaptation actions with broader rationales for urban greening, whilst not diluting justice concerns. We caution that pragmatism towards all urban climate adaptation via greening as intrinsically ‘good’ must not serve as a blinder to the need for accompanying social policy measures to reduce unequal vulnerability to climate risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that structural damage exhibits stronger correlations with cumulative absolute velocity (CAV) than other ground motion intensity measures (e.g., PGA). This paper presents a CAV site-effect assessment for the Taipei areas for the first time. The study was based on more than 1200 strong-motion data from 47 major earthquakes that had occurred around Taiwan. The results show that the site effects are more conspicuous in the western Taipei than the eastern areas, and it is also obvious that the site effect is strong in locations close to the rims of the basin, where seismic waves could be easily reflected, refracted and superimposed. Subsequently, a map showing the areas in Taipei subject to severe CAV amplification and/or high variability was developed for site-effect microzonation for the study area, on the basis of CAV that was considered better correlated with structural damage under earthquake condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban areas, public transport can improve sustainable transport by reducing vehicles and congestion, and improving accessibility. Mass rapid transit (MRT) is especially important for large cities, such as Taipei City, Taiwan. In particular, MRT aims to improve mobility and reliability, but has limitations in providing first and last mile accessibility to final destinations or origins. Taipei City, Taiwan has introduced a public bike sharing scheme to service this gap. However, few studies have addressed how a public bike sharing scheme assists first and last mile accessibility. This study uses Taipei City as a case study to investigate this issue by comparing the demand and supply of the public bike sharing scheme, YouBike, at a detailed spatial scale. The supply of YouBike is represented by the time saving compared to walking for each identified origin and destination pair in the study area (i.e., Point of Interests (POIs) and MRT stations). The demand for YouBike is total trips from each YouBike station to a MRT station using public transport smart card data. By comparing the demand and supply for over 400 zones or villages, service gaps and areas of unbalanced service can be identified. The results show that YouBike does provide first and last mile service for the MRT network with some evidence of service mismatch in the study area, i.e., high service for low demand and vice versa. The conclusions of the paper can help cities wanting to introduce a bike sharing schemes to improve first and last mile transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Surface temperature varies with building height, spacing, materials and greenness. • Low-rise factories made of corrugated iron steel are the warmest. • Mid-rise buildings with compact layout display high temperature. • Areas with buildings above 10 stories tend to be cooler than agricultural lands. This paper assesses the influence of land development patterns on intra-urban thermal variation in a densely-developed subtropical city, considering joint effect from greenspace pattern and built-up geometry. Despite growing research on urban climates, research at a scale that can support urban planning with scientificallyinformed strategies is still not as well documented for warm climate cities as for temperate cities. In response, this paper uses land surface temperature and geoinformation to assess the subtropical city of Taipei, Taiwan. Results show cooler environments are not only associated with natural surfaces, but also their interrelation with different spatial arrangement of buildings. An open layout tends to have lower temperature at low- to mid-rise buildings, whereas a compact layout is the coolest form for high-rise buildings. Cooling benefit from open layouts is, however, related to an increase in greenery. Clustering distribution of greenspaces produces more notable cooling. Accordingly, this paper proposes four heat mitigation strategies for Taipei: 1) increasing the amount of water bodies and vegetation, with greater coverage and coherence; 2) taking building height and shadow into account during regeneration/development; 3) increasing spacing and greenery between low- to midrise buildings; and 4) avoiding construction of compact low-rise buildings with corrugated iron steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many earthquake empirical models were developed based on the statistics in the past. However, it is commonly seen that a non-local model was applied to a local study without any adjustment. In this paper, a new algorithm using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to adjust a non-local model for local applications was presented, including a case study assessing the probability of major earthquake occurrences in Taipei. Specifically, considering the fault length of 36 km and slip rate of 2 mm/yr, it suggests the Sanchiao (or Shanchiao) fault could induce a major earthquake with magnitude M w 7.14±0.17, based on a non-local model integrated with limited local data using the MLE algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing price combines the building value and land value of real estate, in which the building value can be measured using its reconstruction cost minus its depreciation. For land value, the future redevelopment value of the land should be considered in addition its present use value. However, the uncertainty of land redevelopment is often high because the development probability is influenced by the benefit of redevelopment and whether an agreement can be reached between landowners. If the influence of these two factors on the likelihood of redevelopment is incorrectly assessed, the land value may be overestimated or underestimated. Hence, this study adopts a real option model to solve the endogenous value of land with redevelopment opportunities. Furthermore, by considering the conflicts of interest between landowners, this study infers that the prices of different types of properties may reflect the land redevelopment value differently. Our inference is that landowners with solely owned houses can redevelop their land at the optimal time without interference from exogenous factors; hence, their land prices should include the redevelopment value calculated based on real options. In contrast, when land ownership is distributed among multiple individuals; hold-out problems emerge, landowners may choose not to undertake redevelopment, and forfeit of the land redevelopment value is plausible. Accordingly, the land value of such real estate can only be estimated based on the cash flow in the current condition. To verify the inferences of this study, in the empirical part of the paper, we use transaction samples from Taipei occurring between 2015 and 2020, which include three types of housing—townhouses (sole ownership of land), apartments (land ownership shared among a few individuals), and high-rise condominium units (land ownership shared among numerous individuals). Using these three types of housing for estimation reveals whether the land redevelopment value of houses is included in their corresponding housing prices, under various ownership concentrations. Subsequently, by using a threshold regression model, the study demonstrates that the likelihood of the existence of land redevelopment value increases with ownership concentration, which contributes to higher housing prices of older houses over time. • This study adopts a real option model to solve the endogenous value of land with redevelopment opportunities. • The prices of different types of properties may reflect the land redevelopment value differently. • Landowners with solely owned houses can redevelop their land at the optimal time. • When land ownership is distributed among multiple individuals, hold-out problems emerge. • We use transaction samples from Taipei occurring between 2015 and 2020 to verify the inference of the theoretical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the nonlinear effect of convenience stores on residential property prices. In the light of Andrews's (1964) argument, this study seeks to advance Rosen's (1974) hedonic housing analysis by hypothesizing that residents' attitudes towards the accessibility of facilities (i.e. convenience stores), which is attributed to the compactness of supply of the services they are interested in accessing while on the move, may further have impact on local property prices. The application of Koenker and Bassett's (1978) quantile regression on the property data of Taipei found that ‘availability’ of convenience store is positively related to low-quantile property prices, while ‘density’ demonstrates a nonlinear effect – positively related to low-quantile property prices but negatively related to high-quantile property prices. The residents in the neighbourhoods with lower-priced property may prefer accessibility to convenience stores where they can complete multiple tasks in one go, while those in the neighbourhoods with higher-priced property may be more mobile to access convenience stores in other suburbs en route from one place to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The setting of urban construction boundaries (UCBs) through the imposition of master plans (MPs) is commonly practiced in China and Taiwan. However, the effectiveness of UCBs in containing urban sprawl has been challenged. In this paper, from a property rights perspective, we first explain, theoretically and conceptually, why UCBs in general could cause urban sprawl, rather than stop it. Using the case of Beijing and Taipei in particular, we further examine the effectiveness of the UCBs policy and conclude, as predicted by our analysis, that the urban sprawl in Beijing during the two planning periods from 1983 to 2005 took place mostly outside the UCBs. In contrast to Beijing, the UCBs in Taipei, a counter example for our hypothesis, from 1958 to 1991 were quite effective in containing urban sprawl. The different results between Beijing and Taipei, we argue, lie in the effectiveness of regulations setting. In Taipei, the regulations were effective in restricting developers from searching for land outside the UCBs, but no such evidence was found in Beijing. We argue, therefore, that a successful land control measure, such as UCBs, should take into account developers' behavioral reaction to plans and regulations in order to stop effectively urban sprawl. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background & Aims: The World Health Organisation (WHO) Prevention & Control of Viral Hepatitis Infection: Framework for Global Action offers a global vision for the prevention and control of viral hepatitis. In October 2012, the Coalition to Eradicate Viral Hepatitis in Asia Pacific (CEVHAP) organised the North Asia Workshop on Viral Hepatitis in Taipei to discuss how to implement the WHO Framework in the North Asia region. This paper presents outcomes from this workshop. Methods: Twenty-eight representatives from local liver associations, patient organisations, and centres of excellence in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan participated in the workshop. Findings: Priority areas for action were described along the four axes of the WHO Framework: (1) awareness, advocacy and resources; (2) evidence and data; (3) prevention of transmission; and (4) screening and treatment. Priorities included: axis 1: greater public and professional awareness, particularly among primary care physicians and local advocacy networks. Axis 2: better economic data and identifying barriers to screening and treatment uptake. Axis 3: monitoring of vaccination outcomes and targeted harm reduction strategies. Axis 4: strengthening links between hospitals and primary care providers, and secure funding of screening and treatment, including for hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusions: The WHO Framework provides an opportunity to develop comprehensive and cohesive policies in North Asia and the broader region. A partnership between clinical specialists, primary care physicians, policy makers, and people with or at risk of viral hepatitis is essential in shaping future policies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Taipei City Government takes into consideration of the influence of urban environmental safety on tourism and government stability through the implementation of check mechanism to control the building safety. Additionally, the mayor carries out joint checking at non- residential occupancies by forming the Joint Committee of Public Safety in an attempt to warn building users about strict prohibition of illegal behaviors. Despite these efforts, the City Government still detects the need on the regulatory instruments due to the review on fire incidents taken place at non-residential occupancies over the last three years as well as the “fire risks of existing legal buildings under human behaviors on specific time and in specific space.” This paper explores into the fire safety management mechanism for government agencies at all levels and discovers that the assessment on the “total fire safety” can in fact reduce fire risks. Hence the concept of total fire safety should be carried out through different measures of fact-oriented thinking. The Joint Committee of Public Safety serves as the highest management agency for coordinating the fire safety within the city and actively carrying out fire safety work using the concept of “total fire safety” to help bring the fire safety methods for non-residential occupancies into full play [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Similar to a colonial state, a settler state is governed by an outside regime. In comparison with conventional colonists, however, the settler rulers regard the settled land as their homeland, rather than just a land with exploitable resources. To secure its legitimacy, the settler government has to strongly control the locals. Democratization could undermine settler rule and the settler state’s built environment could be affected by such a political transition and subsequent political transformation. This article explores the implications of settler urban legacies by examining an iconic landmark and public housing policies in Taipei City, Taiwan. The results suggest that the transition of settler rule has given rise to urban changes related to the interests of the locals. The paper outlines the city’s future urban scene, because settler urban legacies were deeply rooted in the political and urban landscapes of the nation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The case history where flooding due to the leakage through the openings in diaphragm wall accompanied by piping in excavation bottom severely affected the construction of a station box of Taipei Rapid Transit System (TRTS) is presented. The emergency grouting adjacent to but outside the diaphragm wall was conducted following the leakage. However, injection pressure due to slow setting time of grout not only aggravated the piping but also caused the side effect deflecting the diaphragm wall toward excavation area. The severe piping quickly washed the soil into station box and the differential settling of buildings above along with propagating surface cracks forced the use of water emplacing in station to ease the piping and further ground loss; meanwhile, seal grouting and void filling grouting were undertaken to facilitate the rehabilitation of foundation construction through which the station box was opened subsequently. Based on analyzed interactive behaviour between water emplacing or injection pressure and wall deflection or brace load, the diaphragm wall and bracing system would not have functioned normally during grouting if water had not been introduced in the station. The cause of opening in the diaphragm wall is triggered by the abnormal concrete placement which can be avoided through the suggested procedure of examination. The paper discusses the insights into a review of instrument records and provides the lessons learned. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Deterioration of the quality of groundwater under urban areas has become a major environmental concern worldwide. This paper presents a pilot case study (in the Taipei urban area) using multiple stable isotopes ( and , and , and , and 87Sr/86Sr) with the aim of understanding the subsurface nature and environmental status of such areas. A previous study has already characterized Taipei shallow groundwaters as sulfate-rich in comparison to other Southeast Asian metropolitan cities. Our chemical measurements clarified that the arsenic is the important environmental concerns in the aquifers. Dual isotope approaches for nitrate and sulfate suggested these ions were sourced mainly from municipal sewage leaking from sewer pipes in urbanized area, while chemical fertilizers applied in the local agricultural fields partly contribute in the suburb area. Significant decreases in nitrate and sulfate concentrations due to denitrification and sulfate reduction were observed in some groundwaters, which induced increases in isotope ratios up to 24.9‰ for and 27.2‰ for . Nitrate groundwater pollution in the Taipei Basin is not a subject of serious concern (<44mg/L limit for for all analyzed samples) at the present time due to attenuation by denitrification. However, arsenic is preferentially released in groundwater (>100μg/L) in anoxic environment under which sulfate reduction occurs. The Sr isotope data suggested that the arsenic is derived from alluvial deposits of Oligocene–Miocene sedimentary rock origin. This study disclosed the complex causes of environmental changes in Taipei urban shallow groundwater. It is also important as an excellent case study demonstrating the efficient use of multiple isotope diagnosis in the urban groundwater environmental field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examines the practicability and validity of the Multi-Objective Goal Programming (MOGP) model in designing a point-to-point airline network. The MOGP mathematical model is used in this study to identify and select a best central airport and its connecting airports providing the best overall optimal performance. By using the proposed model in the selection process, one can expect to achieve the following objectives: (1) an airline network designed at less cost, (2) an airline network that generates more revenues, and (3) an airline network that serves more passengers. Route data from Taipei to the Southeast Asian region were selected for this experiment to validate the model’s practicability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents an approach which combines the orthogonal array experiment technique and an ant direction hybrid differential evolution algorithm (ADHDEOA) in determining the tilt angle for photovoltaic (PV) modules. In this study, an orthogonal array (OA) is first conducted to obtain the initial solution. Next, an ant direction hybrid differential evolution (ADHDE) is applied to search for a near optimum solution. The purpose of this research is to maximize the output power of the module. The sun’s position at any time and location was predicted by the mathematical procedure of Julian dating; then, the solar irradiation was obtained at each site under a clear sky. The searching for global optimal solution is applied to a practical experimental system. The results show that the annual optimal angle for the Taipei area is 23.18°; for Taichung, 22.32°; for Tainan, 21.62°; for Kaosiung, 20.83°; for Hengchung, 20.27°; for Hualian, 22.18°; and for Taitung, 20.89° in seven Taiwanese areas, and the actual best annual tilt angles are close to the computer simulation results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, the performance of a south facing single-axis tracked panel was analyzed according to global radiation predicted by empirical model. Mathematic expressions appropriate for single-axis tracking system were derived to calculate the radiation on it. Instantaneous increments of solar energy collected by the tracked panel relative to fixed panel are illustrated. The validity of the empirical model to Taiwan area will also be examined with the actual irradiation data observed in Taipei. The results are summarized as follows: the gains made by the tracked panel relative to a fixed panel are between 20.0% and 33.9% for four specified days of year, between 20.9% and 33.2% for the four seasons and 27.6% over the entire year. For latitudes below 65°, the yearly optimal tilt angle of a fixed panel is close to 0.8 times latitude, the irradiation ratio of the tracked panel to the fixed panel is about 1.3, which are smaller than the corresponding values calculated from extraterrestrial radiation, suggesting us that the installation angle should be adjusted toward a flatter angle and that the gain of the tracked panel will reduce while it works in cloudy climate or in air pollution environment. Although the captured radiation increases with the maximal rotation angle of panel, but the benefit on the global radiation case is still not so good as that on extraterrestrial radiation case. The irradiation data observed is much less than the data predicted by the empirical model, however the trend of fitting curve to the observed data is somewhat in agreement with that to the predicted one; the yearly gain is 14.3% when a tracked panel is employed throughout the year. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have explored vehicle dependence, taking account of subjective considerations of individual travelers. Vehicle dependence, arising from economic considerations, psychological preference, and habitual behavior, is formulated here as a subjective latent construct that acts in a person’s mode choice. The Rasch model is reviewed, and suggested as an instrument to measure such a latent construct. An empirical analysis of motorcycle dependence was performed using self-rated information about eight items from 321 motorcyclists in Taipei. The empirical results showed that motorcyclists in Taipei depend on their motorcycles to achieve unaccompanied, short-distance, multistop trips; motorcyclists under the age of 25 who were inferior in economic terms and did not use an automobile showed relatively higher measures of motorcycle dependence. This paper conceptualizes vehicle dependence in terms of both its socioeconomic and its psychological nature. The results of exploring vehicle dependence should benefit researchers in modifying their formulations of mode choice, and policy makers in enacting more effective policies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An aerosol light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system was used to measure the depth of the atmospheric mixing layer over Taipei, Taiwan in the spring of 2005. This paper presents the variations of the mixing height and the mixing ratios of air pollutants during an episode of air quality deterioration (March 7–10, 2005), when Taipei was under an anti-cyclonic outflow of a traveling high-pressure system. It was found that, during those days, the urban mixing height reached its daily maximum of 1. 0–1. 5 km around noon and declined to 0. 3–0. 5 km around 18:00 (LST). In terms of hourly averages, the mixing height increased with the ambient temperature linearly by a slope of 166 m/°C in daytime. The consistency between the changes in the mixing height and in the ambient temperature implied that the mixing layer dynamics were dominated by solar thermal forcing. As the cap of the mixing layer descended substantially in the afternoon, reduced dispersion in the shallow mixing layer caused the concentrations of primary air pollutants to increase sharply. Consequently, the pollutant concentration exhibited an anti-correlation with the mixing height. While attentions are usually focused on the pollution problems occurring in a morning inversion layer, the results of this study indicate that the air pollution and its health impacts could be even more severe as the mixing layer is getting shallow in the afternoon. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper offers an empirical approach for estimating monthly solar radiation on south-facing tilted planes with inclinations from 0° to 90° for building solar energy application. By measurement and the modification of previous estimated irradiation data, which have not yet been verified, the regression equations of monthly slope irradiation ratio with no ground reflection were established. The equations were validated by measurement in Taipei with correlation factor , and were compared with previous measurement using the Lin-estimate method. The estimated ratios of Taipei were compared with those of other cities in Taiwan. Results obtained from validation of simplified regression equations are good and practicable for building design application. Inputting the monthly the horizontal irradiation to the equations in the simplified estimative model, the monthly ratio and irradiation on the south-facing slopes can be calculated. Using the proposed calculation mechanism with local irradiation on horizontal and south-facing vertical planes to build the equations, this estimative method can also be used to conduct the local monthly irradiation on south-tilted planes for solar energy applications in other areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Influencer marketing has become a powerful channel for brand promotion and market expansion in the hospitality industry. However, those responsible for implementing influencer marketing campaigns are susceptible to the "myth of viewability" and rely on the Cost Per View (CPV) evaluation metric, rather than the more appropriate Cost Per Action (CPA). The current research explores the aforementioned myth from a hospitality management perspective by identifying the types of image (or photo) which attract more audience commentary or liking. A qualitative research approach is adopted involving two experiments with influencer pairs across the restaurant context in Taipei, Taiwan. We selected influencers Q and S as our manipulated group. In sharing images on their social media platform, it was found that they make greater use of personal than of food related images. The opposite was the case for the controlled group - influencers X and A – who shared more food than personal images. The researchers tracked viewer responses and then actions towards influencer postings to determine (a) which influencer approach draws more views and (b) the costs that are attributable to views and/or actions. They drew upon the findings to formulate an Owner-Influencer Matrix, a strategic planning tool and framework that helps owners and influencers to optimize influencer marketing. It is concluded that interactions between influencers and business owners should be beneficial to both parties. This empirical study may provide business owners and social media influencers with insights about communicating the respective brand values of their counterparts and designing sponsorship collaborations with a capacity to generate the desired consumer responses. • This paper investigates and challenges the "myth of viewability". • The authors conduct two experiments with pairs of influencers in restaurants. • The Owner-Influencer Matrix offers a strategic planning tool and framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cloud-based learning exerted a moderate influence on the steps of problem identification, preparation, and response validation and communication in the creative process. • Creative self-efficacy positively influenced the steps of response generation, validation, and communication. • Cloud-based learning had positive effects on sophistication in the assessment of participants with low creative self-efficacy. This paper discusses the effects of cloud-based learning and creative self-efficacy on creativity in engineering design. A nonequivalent pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design was used to recruit 97 students from a university in Taipei City in northern Taiwan. This study revealed two main conclusions. First, cloud-based learning exerted a moderate influence on the steps of problem identification, preparation, and response validation and communication in the creative process; creative self-efficacy positively influenced the steps of response generation, validation, and communication. Second, cloud-based learning had positive effects on novelty and functionality in the assessment of product creativity and significant positive effects on sophistication in the assessment of participants with low creative self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Comparison of nature-based climate adaptation across subtropical Asian cities; • Dense urban form and diverse governance structures in Asian cities compared to West; • Competences as organising framework to assess policy and skills for adaptation; • Capability to link government departments and sectors of society vital; • Further research needed for normative competence under different governance forms. Interest in nature-based approaches for climate change adaptation in cities is growing. Whilst there is a growing field of scholarship in a European and North America setting, research on the policy and governance of urban greenspace for climate adaptation in subtropical Asia is limited. Given the different development patterns, environmental characteristics and governance arrangements in subtropical cities, plus their comparatively large population and high climate risk, this is a significant knowledge gap. In response, this paper evaluates competences – skill sets, capabilities, and supporting policy and legislation – to enact adaptation through greenspace across different governance contexts; and assesses how international rhetoric on nature-based adaptation becomes localised to subtropical Asian city settings. We conduct interviews with stakeholders, plus review of relevant policy and city-specific research, for three cities with different governance and development contexts: Hanoi (Vietnam); Taipei (Taiwan); and Fukuoka (Japan). Across all three cases, we find that institutional structures and processes for connecting different remits and knowledge systems are a bigger challenge than a lack of appropriate policy or individuals with the required technical knowledge. However, opportunities for civil society participation and consideration of justice issues vary between the cities according to the socio-political context. These findings illustrate the value of individuals and organisations able to work across institutional boundaries in linking greenspace and adaptation agendas for subtropical Asian cities; and the importance of competence in collaboration with developers and civil society so that the rapid development or regeneration seen in subtropical Asian contexts does not tend towards green climate gentrification. More broadly, our findings show that the diverse nature of subtropical Asian cities means the role of greenspace in climate adaptation is likely to be context-specific, and thus that caution must be exercised against uncritically importing best practices from exemplar cases elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) play important roles in various atmospheric processes and health effects. Predicting carbonaceous aerosols and identifying source contributions are important steps for further epidemiological study and formulating effective emission control policies. However, we are not aware of any study that examined predictions of OC and EC, and this work is also the first study that attempted to use machine learning and hyperparameter optimization method to predict concentrations of specific aerosol contaminants. This paper describes an investigation of the characteristics and sources of OC and EC in fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) from 2005 to 2010 in the City of Taipei. Respective hourly average concentrations of OC and EC were 5.2 μg/m3 and 1.6 μg/m3. We observed obvious seasonal variation in OC but not in EC. Hourly and daily OC and EC concentrations were predicted using generalized additive model and grey wolf optimized multilayer perceptron model, which could explain up to about 80% of the total variation. Subsequent clustering suggests that traffic emission was the major contribution to OC, accounting for about 80% in the spring, 65% in the summer, and 90% in the fall and winter. In the Taipei area, local emissions were the dominant sources of OC and EC in all seasons, and long-range transport had a significant contribution to OC and in PM 2.5 in spring. Image 1 • Machine learning and hyperparameter optimization method were used. • SOC contributed to OC in a range of 33–56% annually. • Local emissions were the dominant sources of OC and EC in all seasons. • Traffic emission was the major contribution to OC. • Long-range transport had a significant contribution to OC in the spring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides the first evidence of the causal effect of COVID-19 on metro use using real-time data from the Taipei Metro System in Taiwan. In contrast to other cities or countries, Taiwan did not enforce strict social lockdowns or mandatory stay-at-home orders to combat COVID-19. The major prevention strategies to the pandemic in Taiwan include promoting social distancing, mandating the wearing of face masks in public areas, and requiring all international arrivals to quarantine for 14 days. Using administrative data on confirmed cases of COVID-19 and ridership from metro stations with the difference-in-differences model, we find that an additional new confirmed case of COVID-19 reduces metro use by 1.43% after controlling for local socio-demographic variables associated with ridership and the number of international arrivals to Taiwan. This result implies that the reduction in metro trips is attributable to decreases in residents' use of public transportation due to perceived health risks. Furthermore, the effect of COVID-19 on metro use disproportionally impacts stations with different characteristics. The effect is more pronounced for metro stations connected to night markets, shopping centers, or colleges. Although decreases in metro ridership lower the revenue of the Taipei Metro System, our results indicate a tradeoff between increased financial burdens of public transportation systems and reducing medical expenses associated with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• S-wave HVSR is dependent on the variation of earthquake hypocenters. • Deep events have larger S-wave HVSR than shallow events at low frequencies (0.2–3.0 Hz). • Different S-wave incidence angles into the Taipei Basin caused variable S-wave HVSR. • A depth-dependent empirical site-correction amplification function is established to improve ground motion prediction. Techniques using horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios (HVSR) have frequently been adopted in many studies, particularly of seismic site amplification. However, the influence of source location on the HVSR is not previously well-studied. This paper studies the variation of the S-wave HVSR in the Taipei Basin based on a variety of hypocenter locations. The earthquake records are classified into three categories, include depth, azimuth, and distance. We report the S-wave HVSR to have strong focal-depth-dependence, for which the HVSR of the deep events are larger than shallow events. Besides, the S-wave HVSR in the northern and northeastern parts of the basin also displays source azimuthal-dependence. However, there is no apparent difference in source distance-dependence. In contrast to the S-wave HVSR, the coda-wave HVSR all showed no apparent difference for various earthquake hypocenter locations. The synthetic modeling results support our idea that the cause of the variation of HVSR results for different earthquake focal depths is the different S-wave angles of incidence into the basin. Based on the dependency of the site amplification on the focal depth, a focal-depth-dependent empirical transfer function (ETF) was established. The focal-depth-dependent ETF was verified to improve the accuracy of the ground motion prediction by using the stochastic method in this study. We demonstrate that the source location effect, especially the focal depth, can significantly influence the S-wave HVSR and therefore needs to be taken into account in site response investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pavement performance is a critical factor toward riding comfort experience and drastically affect traffic management and the safety of road users. Since road quality declines over time and current periodic inspection on a vast road network is laborious and costly to the authority. This paper proposes a participatory system to conduct pavement performance monitoring of a country-wide road network based on crowdsourcing spatiotemporal data. By conducting cloud computing of a statistical grading mechanism with respect to the vertical and lateral acceleration behavior, the perception of riding comfort, which has a high correlation with pavement quality, can be reflected faithfully based on the spatiotemporal data acquired from a smartphone-driven progressive web application. Moreover, a deep learning technique is leveraged to identify road anomalies from the on-site images for a cross-check mechanism, which ensures the reliability of the monitoring pavement conditions and facilitates the automation level of road anomaly labeling and documenting. The proposed pavement performance monitoring was validated by the road network of Taipei city, Taiwan, which rendered promising results with an accuracy up to 98% and a false positive rate smaller than 1.3% showing the practicality and adaptability in a complex road network. • Cost-efficient participatory system for pavement performance monitoring of a country-wide road network. • Uncertainties of vehicle types and driving speeds are considered in crowdsourcing spatiotemporal data processing. • A statistical grading mechanism with a self-contained knowledge to faithfully reflect the perception of riding comfort. • A cross-check mechanism between pavement monitoring and anomaly recognition to promote reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]