Setting up a CFD model to evaluate the impact of green infrastructures on local air quality

Abstract

Green infrastructures have been pointed out as innovative solutions to deal with current and future challenges related to air pollution and climate change. Although the potential of green infrastructures, such as green walls and green roofs, to mitigate air pollution has been documented, evidence at a local scale is still limited. This work aims to increase knowledge about the potentialities of green infrastructures in improving local air quality, focusing on particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone pollutants, and by using a local-scale computational fluid dynamics model. The ENVI-met model was applied to a particular hour of a summer day over a built-up environment centred on a main avenue in the city of Lisbon (Portugal). The dimensions of the computational domain are 618 m × 594 m × 143 m, and it contains 184 buildings, with the tallest building being 56 m. In addition to the baseline simulation, modelling was also done considering the application of green walls and green roofs to specific buildings located near the main avenue, together with a green corridor. The overall results show no disturbances exerted by green walls on the turbulent flow dynamics and on the air quality levels when compared to the baseline scenario (without green walls). The integrated scenario, which includes green walls, green roofs and a green corridor, will lead to potential local benefits of green infrastructures on O₃ concentrations, followed by variable impacts on NO₂ and particulate matter concentrations.