• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.305-310
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• 2006

The color and structure of urban constructions is a factor of urban landscape and shows their characteristics. Hence the modern buildings deal with their materials and external appearance as an important factor, making up the urban image. But it was nearby impossible to evaluate the value of visual landscape with objective measuring method. Most of all, it depends on the subjective estimation of a few talented or high educated experts with a sense of beauty. Such kinds of estimation can in some cases include arbitrary interpretations. In relation to this kind of problems, it is tried here in this study to analyse the human response of brain wave pattern (EEG) with use of SD method, while the tested persons watch the urban landscape scenery constructed in a visual reality. The tested persons were 20 adult male and female with no color blindness and intact cognitive function. Light source with color filter was used for color environment in a dark soundproof chamber. The signal of EEG is analysed digitally and grouped into the ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ waves. The result showed that relative power of ${\alpha}$ wave ratio increased in the natural landscape scenery with blue and green color. From these results it was possible to evaluate the human response, which is affected by urban and natural color and structure stimulation and it might be useful as an indicator of visual cognition amenity toward the design of urban construction environment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.952-954
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• 2014

Urban sound environments consists of various sound sources such as traffic noise, sounds of people and natural sounds affecting the perception of soundscape in a place. However, noise maps based on sound pressure levels could not distinguish different sound sources and limited to represent perception of acoustic environments. Accordingly, soundscape map based on perception of sounds is necessary to provide useful information for the description of the acoustic environment. Therefore, the aims of this study are to examine soundscape perception in different urban contexts including commercial, office, park and residential spaces and to suggest a method for soundscape maps using GIS techniques. Soundscape perceptions and physical characteristics of acoustic environments at various urban contexts were obtained from surveys and acoustic measurements, respectively. The results show that dominant factors affecting soundscape perceptions were different in urban contexts and spatial variations of urban soundscape are closely related to various urban contexts.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.367-379
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• 2010

Future climate changes over the Seoul metropolitan area (SMA) were predicted by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model using future land-use data from the urban growth model (SLEUTH) and forecast fields from ECHAM5/MPI-OM1 GCM (IPCC scenario A1B). Simulations from the SLEUTH model with GIS information (slope, urban, hill-shade, etc.) derived from the water management information system (WAMIS) and the intelligent transportation systems-standard nodes link (ITS-SNL) showed that considerable increase by 17.1% in the fraction of urban areas (FUA) was found within the SMA in 2020. To identify the effects of the urban growth on the temperature and wind variations in the future, WRF simulations by considering urban growth were performed for two seasons (summer and winter) in 2020s (2018~2022) and they were compared with those in the present (2003~2007). Comparisons of model results showed that significant changes in surface temperature (2-meter) were found in an area with high urban growth. On average in model domain, positive increases of $0.31^{\circ}C$ and $0.10^{\circ}C$ were predicted during summer and winter, respectively. These were higher than contributions forced by climate changes. The changes in surface temperature, however, were very small expect for some areas. This results suggested that surface temperature in metropolitan areas like the SMA can be significantly increased only by the urban growth during several decades.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture International Edition
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• no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 2001

Recently there have been increasing demands and desire for the urban open space due to urban development or environmental deterioration. Urban natural parks in Seoul provide citizens with comfortable open space and thus play an important role as learning spaces to experience nature and understand the environment. Accordingly, this study aims to analyze existing vegetation and provide basic data for the conservation and management plans of urban natural parks and education programs. The contents of the study encompass natural environment such as topography, altitude, slope and aspect and botanical ecosystem including the structure of plant communities and tree growth. According to the result of topography analysis, the overall altitude was not high but the slope was relative steep. Vegetation of Seoo Royal Tomb, a urban natural park has been classified into 12 types, and they include; Quercus acutissima community(lowland type), Quercus acutissima community(valley type), quercus variabilis community, Quercus mongolica community, Castanea crenata community, Capinus laxiflora community, Pinus densiflora community(lowland type), Pinus densiflora community(slope type), Robinia pseudo-acacia community, Populos$\times$albaglandulosa community, Pinus rigida community, and Pinus koraiensis community. Based on the survey and analysis results, we have classified the study area into conservation, buffer, and utilization zones for the effective management. This study provides basic data to support the establishment of master plans for urban natural parks by analyzing vegetation conditions at Seoo Royal Tomb, an urban natural park, Based on the results presented in the study, consistent monitoring work needs to be conducted, and elaborate management plans also should be prepared.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.204-214
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• 2014

Objectives: Vehicular emissions are one of the main sources of air pollution in urban areas. Correlation analysis was conducted between air pollutants and traffic volume in order to identify causes of air pollution in Gwangju. Methods: Using traffic volumes and air quality monitoring data from 2002 to 2012 from nine stations (seven urban areas, two roadside areas), especially at three sites where traffic volumes were high, the correlation coefficients were obtained between air pollutants as PM-10 (particulate matter), $NO_2$, $SO_2$, CO and $O_3$ at the stations and traffic volumes near the air monitoring stations. Results: Due to traffic volume and distance between the station and the traffic road, concentrations of pollutants at roadside areas were higher than at urban areas, with the exception of $O_3$. The concentration of $O_3$ showed statistically significance with those of other gas materials as $NO_2$, $SO_2$, and CO in winter (p<0.001) and spring (p<0.05). During the period of October 7 to 20, 2012, excluding periods of yellow dust, smog and rainy season, the ratio of $NO/(NO+NO_2)$ showed the highest value 0.57 and 0.40 at Unam and Chipyeong of two roadside stations, followed by 0.35 at Nongseong with vehicular effects. The correlation coefficient between traffic volume and $O_3$, CO, $NO_2$ became higher when the data on mist and haze days were excluded, than when all hourly data were used in that period, at the three sites of Unam, Chipyeong, and Nongseong. Conclusions: Air quality showed a considerable effect from vehicles at roadside areas compared to in urban areas. Air pollutant diminishment strategies need to be aggressively adopted in order to protect atmospheric environment.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.603-614
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• 2020

Background and objective: This study was conducted to understand urban residents' perception of indoor plants in order to assist in the preparation of guidelines for growing plants indoors. Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to urban residents currently growing plants or with experience of growing plants. The data of 247 respondents were subjected to analysis to assess their level of interest and ability with regard to growing plants, and their recognition of the selection and function of plants. Results: Respondents showed high interest in growing plants at a level of 6.77, but their ability was moderate. This suggests that information regarding plant maintenance should be provided to urban residents. They recognized the function of plants for improving the environment as important, and expected that indoor plants would improve their mood and visual experience. Satisfaction with growing plants was high from an emotional perspective. They recognized that the function of air purification function was important even if the actual performance or effect was not great. This indicates that the function of air purification should be emphasized more. As the result of the IPA, plants should be selected in consideration of morphological characteristics such as leaf, flower and fruit, and continuously managed to maintain their characteristics. Since the performance of pots was less satisfactory compared to their importance, they should be selected so that they harmonize better with plants and are of the appropriate size to fit the space. The type of plants is an important factor in plant selection in order to perform an environmental function, and the flower color and pot size are important in terms of aesthetics and healing. Conclusion: When horticulture information on indoor plants is provided to urban residents, first, it should be provided to satisfy the functions of the plants required by urban residents and in order to promote and maintain the proper growth of plants. Second, various contents that utilize components should be developed to achieve plant function so that resident can determine the function of plants and select the type, quantity, and shape of plants to achieve the desired function.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.114-131
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• 2023

Personal Mobility (PM)-related accidents have increased rapidly since PM use was activated. In response to the increase in these accidents, the government strengthened regulations for PM users on May 13, 2021. The number of the accidents in which the PM user was a victim decreased significantly. In contrast, the increasing number of accidents in which PM user was the offender did not decrease significantly. In most of these accidents, the PM user was the offender who crashed into pedestrians. Hence, the safety of pedestrians is threatened. Therefore, this study analyzed the factors, such as the regulations, urban built environment, and personal characteristics, affecting the severity of PM-pedestrian accidents by focusing on PM-pedestrian crashes. This study analyzed the PM-pedestrian accidents in Seoul from 2020 to 2021 using binary logistic regression model. Through these results, this study proposed the policy implications.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.37-51
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• 1998

This study was carried out to lead the scientific management of the urban forest by estimating the forest environment. Forest environmental information was constructed using IDRISI system based on survey data, soil, plant, and digital elevation data. Forest environmental information was consisted of soil depth, soil organic content, soil hardness and parent rock as a soil environmental factor, and forest community, tree age, crown density as a plant environmental factor. Plant activity and topographic environment also were analyzed by using remote sensing data and digital elevation data. Environmental function of urban forest was estimated based on results of soil conservation and forest productivity. 70% of urban forest is located in elevation of lower than 200m and 55% of forest area have the slope of lower than 15 degree. Analyzed soil conservation status and forest productivity were almost the same as the soil chemical properties of collected soil sample and the vegetation index estimated using remote sensing data, respectively. Thus, the constructed forest environmental information could be useful to give some ideas for management of urban forest ecosystem and establishment of environmental conservation planning, including forests, in Taejon. The best forest environmental function was appeared at the natural ecology preservation zone. Current natural parks and urban parks were appeared to establish the environmental conservation plan for further development. The worst forest environmental function was appeared at the forest near to the industrial area and an overall and systematic plan was required for the soil management and high forest productivity because these forest was developing a severe soil acidification and having a low forest productivity.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.137-154
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• 2019

Singapore has seen a phenomenal and an unprecedented transformation from a swampland to a high density urban environment since its independence in 1965, made possible largely and single-handedly by the sustained efforts of its government. Indeed, urban space is a key vehicle for achieving urban social, environmental, economic, and cultural sustainability. The dense urban context in Singapore has seen an emergence and increase in elevated spaces in the form of sky-gardens, sky-bridges and sky-courts in a range of building types, seemingly seeking to tie together the different horizontal and vertical components of the city. This paper, therefore, examines the effectiveness of elevated urban spaces and pedestrian networks in Singapore and their ability to contribute to the horizontal to vertical transitions, and consequently to the urban vitality and accessibility. It does this through the analysis of two key developments: Marina Bay Sands and the Jurong Gateway. In particular, it considers the implications of certain constraints placed on urban spaces by their inherent location at height, in addition to the familiar privatization of public spaces, over-management of spaces, and their somewhat utilitarian characteristics. The paper argues that some of these issues may pose detrimental effects on the publicness of these spaces that in turn may lead to such spaces being underused and therefore adding redundancies and further stress to Singapore's urban land. Finally, the paper outlines key strategies that may help overcome the aforementioned issues, including the disjuncture associated with elevated spaces such that they may become a seamless extension of the urban spaces on ground.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.495-505
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• 2012

Modeling the effects of high-rise buildings on thermo-dynamic conditions and meteorological fields over a coastal urban area was conducted using the modified meso-urban meteorological model (Urbanized MM5; uMM5) with the urban canopy parameterization (UCP) and the high-resolution inputs (urban morphology, land-use/land-cover sub-grid distribution, and high-quality digital elevation model data sets). Sensitivity simulations was performed during a typical sea-breeze episode (4~8 August 2006). Comparison between simulations with real urban morphology and changed urban morphology (i.e. high-rise buildings to low residential houses) showed that high-rise buildings could play an important role in urban heat island and land-sea breeze circulation. The major changes in urban meteorologic conditions are followings: significant increase in daytime temperature nearly by $1.0^{\circ}C$ due to sensible heat flux emitted from high density residential houses, decrease in nighttime temperature nearly by $1.0^{\circ}C$ because of the reduction in the storage heat flux emitted from high-rise buildings, and large increase in wind speed (maximum 2 m $s^{-1}$) during the daytime due to lessen drag-force or increased gradient temperature over coastal area.