1. Obstacles influence on existing urban canyon ventilation and air pollutant concentration: A review of potential measures
- Author
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Riccardo Buccolieri, Oliver S. Carlo, Esther Rivas, Jose L. Santiago, Pietro Salizzoni, M. Salman Siddiqui, Buccolieri, R., Carlo, O. S., Rivas, E., Santiago, J. L., Salizzoni, P., and Siddiqui, M. S.
- Subjects
Environmental Engineering ,Urban planning ,Geography, Planning and Development ,Air quality ,Obstacle ,Building and Construction ,Pollutant dispersion ,Urban canyon ,Passive method ,Civil and Structural Engineering - Abstract
Air pollution in cities, especially in existing urban canyons, poses a global significant long-term health risk to the urban population, and urban planners are faced with the challenge of increasing the transport of pollutants out of cities. In recent years, many research and review articles have explored passive methods of altering the urban canyon geometry using ‘obstacles’ that alter the dispersion of air flow in these canyons, thereby enhancing pollutant dispersion. These obstacles have been categorised (in previous review articles) into porous and non-porous barriers. Porous barriers include vegetated shrubs and trees, while non-porous barriers include parked cars, low boundary walls, roadside barriers, wind catchers and solar chimneys. This paper expands on previous reviews to highlight newer studies, their findings, and challenges in implementing these measures for existing urban canyons. In addition, it attempts to bring us one step closer to developing urban design guidelines that improve air quality in the urban environment.
- Published
- 2022