City and Environment Interactions最新文献

{"title":"Socioeconomic and racial disparities in thermal comfort conditions in Brazil","authors":"Weeberb J. Requia ,&nbsp;Reizane Maria Damasceno da Silva ,&nbsp;Leonardo Hoinaski ,&nbsp;Francisco Jablinski Castelhano","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100249","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100249","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The role of environmental disparities in exposure to ambient temperature and its impact on health, focusing solely on temperature exposure may not fully capture the complexity of thermal stress experienced by individuals. Thermal comfort conditions, encompassing factors such as humidity and wind speed alongside temperature, provide a more complete understanding of human comfort and well-being. In this study, we investigated the socioeconomic and racial disparities in thermal comfort conditions across Brazil. We conducted an ecological analysis at the census-tract (sub-municipal) scale across Brazil (n = 34,016 tracts). Thermal comfort indices (Discomfort Index, Humidex, Heat Index, Net Effective Temperature) were computed from ERA5-Land meteorology at 0.1° (∼10 km) and linked to tracts via centroid-within-grid–cell assignment. We employed a Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) adjusted for socioeconomic status (SES), race/ethnicity, and geographic factors to assess the associations between these variables and thermal comfort indices. Our findings suggest that lower SES indicators, such as income and education, are associated with higher exposure to thermal stress, indicating significant discomfort conditions with potential health implications. We also observed nuanced associations across different racial/ethnic groups, with variations in exposure levels at different percentiles. Our results suggest that the disparities in thermal comfort conditions persist across urban and rural areas, highlighting the pervasive nature of these inequalities. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions and policy initiatives aimed at addressing environmental justice and promoting health equity in Brazil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100249"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Urban infrastructure under occupation: Reimagining sustainability in Beita municipality","authors":"Oqab Jabali","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100250","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban infrastructure in occupied territories is shaped more by political constraint than technical design. This study explores how Israeli occupation affects essential systems–water, electricity, roads, and waste management—in the West Bank town of Beita. Drawing on interviews with municipal officials, engineers, business owners, youth leaders, and residents, it reveals a landscape of infrastructural decay, bureaucratic obstruction, and spatial neglect. Despite these challenges, residents have adopted adaptive strategies such as improvised repairs, shared water storage, and informal livelihoods. These grassroots efforts reflect a form of resilience rooted in everyday resistance and community cooperation. While local institutions attempt to sustain basic services, their work is often limited by external political control and inconsistent aid. The study contributes to political ecology and decolonial urbanism by arguing that sustainability under occupation is a contested, collective practice shaped by power and place. It calls for context-sensitive urban planning that centers local agency in militarized settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100250"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conceptual model of spatial level structure for developing multi-functional parks to reduce urban flood risk: A case study in Ho Chi Minh city","authors":"Phan Nhut Duy ,&nbsp;Pham Anh Tuan ,&nbsp;Nguyen Phuong Thao Nguyen","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100247","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100247","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rapid urbanisation with unexpected reductions in permeable surfaces is considered to be a cause of increasing flood vulnerability in many cities worldwide, in parallel with the increasing demand for green spaces resulting from rising urban concentrations. The development of urban public parks, which are expected to contribute to water infiltration and storage for water absorption capacity by increasing green space and water area, is necessary in urban development planning to reduce flood risk. However, the increasing urban concentration resulting in the scarcity of land has become a significant challenge to this strategy, particularly in urban centres. Based on the literature review of some emerging theories of sponge city and flood resilience, and some early concept of vertical development for cities and parks, this paper presents a concept of a Model of Spatial Level Structure (MSLS) including three elevated levels for different groups of activities, with the aim of helping urban multi-function parks allocate more areas for green spaces and water storage on the ground level. With a case study of the 23–9 park in the city centre of Ho-Chi-Minh-City (HCMC), the application of this model shows evidence of an increase in area for greenspace development by 30%. This implies that urban parks should dedicate areas on the ground level for developing green spaces and water storage, by leveling up certain functional activities along with the vertical spatial development. The concept is expected to be useful for other public parks in other cities worldwide, particularly in mega-coastal cities facing a shortage of green spaces and water areas due to the uncontrolled rise in impermeable areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100247"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nonlinear relationships and interaction effects of urban built environment on urban vitality based on explainable machine learning","authors":"Yanfeng Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaohui Wang ,&nbsp;Yu Ye ,&nbsp;Longsheng Wang ,&nbsp;Yige Zhang ,&nbsp;Weishan Qin ,&nbsp;Yihao Chi ,&nbsp;Guodong Liu ,&nbsp;Shimou Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100244","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100244","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Investigating urban vitality and understanding the influence mechanisms of built environments are crucial for achieving sustainable urban development and improving residents’ quality of life. This study employs XGBoost and SHAP models to examine the nonlinear impacts and interaction effects of the built environment on daytime and nighttime urban vitality in the main urban area of Yantai City. The built environment is quantified across four dimensions—functionality, building form, accessibility, and human perception—while urban vitality is measured using multi-source geospatial big data. Key findings include:(1) For daytime and nighttime urban vitality in Yantai’s main urban area, the functionality dimension contributes most significantly, followed by building form, accessibility, and human perception. Among the factors influencing urban vitality, BPOI (business POI) density, floor area ratio, POI diversity, and betweenness exhibit the strongest nonlinear effects. (2) Distinct nonlinear effects exist between the built environment and urban vitality, with variations in these effects between daytime and nighttime. (3) Built environment elements synergistically or antagonistically interact to influence urban vitality, requiring a holistic consideration of multielement interactions in urban planning. This study proposes that Yantai City synergistically optimizes its built environment through functional zoning, vertical mixed-use development, transportation network optimization, and environmental quality enhancement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100244"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145121020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysing Surface Urban Heat Island risks: mapping the vulnerability of dwelling and dwellers across Swedish municipalities","authors":"Charafeddine Mokhtara ,&nbsp;Shashwat Sinha ,&nbsp;Ashmin Aryal ,&nbsp;Brijesh Mainali ,&nbsp;Krushna Mahapatra","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100245","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100245","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sweden’s average temperature has increased by 1.9 °C since the late 19th century and is projected to rise by another 3–5 °C by the end of the century. As urbanisation amplifies heat stress, there is an urgent need to assess Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) risks, especially in high-latitude regions like Sweden, where such studies are limited. This study maps SUHI hazards, exposure, and vulnerability across Sweden to identify high-risk municipalities, focusing on residents in Single-Family Houses (SFHs). MODIS-derived land surface temperature (LST) data (2015–2022) were used to estimate SUHI intensity (hazard). Population density and building footprint data informed exposure, while vulnerability was measured using a Composite Vulnerability Index (CVI) based on social and physical indicators, including population demographics and building-related characteristics. All indicators and risk components were normalised, weighted using entropy and PCA, and integrated through geospatial analysis to produce a 1 km resolution national SUHI risk map, validated using heat-related mortality data. Results indicate that high-risk areas are concentrated in major cities. 12 high-risk municipalities contain 14 % of all SFHs built before 1975, and 18 medium-risk municipalities contain 8 %, together accounting for 22 % of the national pre-1975 SFH stock. Residents of these SFHs represent nearly half of those living in pre-1975 SFHs nationwide. These findings highlight the urgent need for climate-smart renovations with strategies like reflective roofing, increased greenery, and soft financing for urban adaptation planning in northern climates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100245"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145099549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring computational fluid dynamics to assess the role of vegetated planters in urban canyon microclimate regulation","authors":"Martina Garcia de Cezar ,&nbsp;Séverine Tomas ,&nbsp;Bruno Cheviron ,&nbsp;Laurent Aprin","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100246","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100246","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurately modelling urban microclimates is essential for developing effective mitigation strategies against urban overheating. This study assesses the potential of ANSYS Fluent to simulate an experimental urban canyon with vegetated planters, using three different simulation methods. The analysis focuses on accuracy, operational suitability, and an improved understanding of the physical mechanisms operating at the scale of an urban canyon. Numerical results related to radiative, thermal, and aerodynamic fluxes, are evaluated based on (i) experimental data obtained from a dense network of sensors and (ii) the physical consistency obtained in the spatial distribution of the variables analysed. Despite some discrepancies in spatial and temporal variations, the model demonstrated strong agreement with experimental data, with absolute errors in air temperature and relative humidity below 3 % on average (maximum 11 %). Radiation, as the most sensitive factor for daytime thermal comfort variation in the study area, highlights the importance of improving radiative exchange in the proposed models. While certain software limitations require user-defined functions, such as representation of average radiant temperature, thermal comfort indices and multiple vegetation heat source terms, the study underscores the tool’s capacity to generate detailed and high-resolution microclimate data. This rich numerical database improves our understanding of urban heat dynamics, paving the way for more efficient urban climate solutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100246"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145099547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are soil conservation and “No Net Land Take” suitable for urban development? modeling and assessment in two French cases","authors":"Jean-Philippe Antoni ,&nbsp;Tudal Sinsin ,&nbsp;Igor Agbossou ,&nbsp;Gilles Vuidel ,&nbsp;Edouard Patault","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100243","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100243","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The No Net Land Take (NNLT) policy seeks to halt the expansion of urbanised land to preserve soil quality and biodiversity. In France, this involves achieving zero net increase in artificial surfaces by 2050, with a mid-term objective of halving land take by 2030. This study examines the implications of NNLT for urban development and environmental preservation through a case study of two southeastern French territories: Grand Rovaltain and Aire Gapençaise. A data-driven cellular automata (CA) simulation model is employed to explore multiple development scenarios. This model integrates soil quality classifications (from 1 to 5) to assess the spatial dynamics of land use under NNLT constraints. The results indicate that while the policy restricts the spatial distribution of new developments, it does not inhibit overall housing and economic growth. Instead, development pressures tend to concentrate in rural and suburban transition zones, particularly those already vulnerable to sprawl. Soil quality thresholds significantly shape the spatial allocation of new growth, reinforcing the role of environmental parameters in guiding sustainable urban planning. The study offers three main contributions. First, it demonstrates the effectiveness of CA-based models in visualising land use outcomes under ecological constraints. Second, it highlights the potential to reconcile socio-economic development with environmental protection. Third, it stresses the importance of territorial dialogue to mitigate spatial inequalities that may emerge from the rigid application of NNLT policy. Overall, the study underscores the value of simulation-based planning tools in informing land use decisions and balancing competing territorial objectives under ambitious sustainability frameworks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100243"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145099548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Willingness to pay for urban heat Island mitigation through increased tree coverage: A contingent valuation study in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana","authors":"Prince Owusu,&nbsp;Benjamin Wiafe Asare,&nbsp;Bridget Aikins,&nbsp;Prince Yakohene Dogbe,&nbsp;Derrick Werekoh Asaah","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban areas in Ghana are increasingly affected by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, driven by rapid urbanization and declining green spaces. This study examined public perceptions, awareness, and willingness to pay (WTP) for urban heat island mitigation through increased tree coverage in Accra and Kumasi. The study utilized a cross-sectional mixed-methods approach and incorporated the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to assess respondents WTP to mitigate the UHI. A structured questionnaire was administered to a total of 240 participants to gather their responses. Findings revealed that majority of the respondents acknowledged rising urban temperatures and viewed urban trees as important in temperature regulation. Approximately 88.75 % of respondents expressed willingness to pay for improved tree coverage, with a mean WTP of GHȼ26.78 (=$2.04, May 2025 exchange rate). Factors such as age, household size, and occupation negatively and significantly influenced WTP, while income had a positive effect. However, some respondents stated unemployment, mistrust in fund use, and poor tree maintenance as key barriers to contributing financially. These findings highlight the potential for citizen-supported financing mechanisms to enhance urban greening initiatives. Integrating such willingness into urban policy can strengthen climate resilience, support nature-based solutions, and advance global sustainability commitments, especially SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100242"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145048759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Walkability under the influence of extreme temperatures: the impact of climate change on outdoor thermal discomfort in Saudi Arabia","authors":"Nisreen Abuwaer ,&nbsp;Safi Ullah ,&nbsp;Buri Vinodhkumar ,&nbsp;Sami G. Al-Ghamdi","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100241","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100241","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Summer is ideal for outdoor activities like walking; however, as extreme heat rises, these pleasant walks may gradually be overtaken by heat stress, compromising pedestrians’ comfort and safety at risk. This study investigates the implications of climate change on pedestrian thermal comfort by estimating future changes in thermal discomfort days and their potential impacts on walkability across Saudi Arabia and its major cities. The study uses the outputs of 27 bias-corrected high-resolution models from NASA’s NEX-GDDP-CMIP6 program to estimate projected changes in discomfort days with different thermal stress ranges during the near-future (2021–2040), mid-future (2041–2060), and far-future (2081–2100) periods under SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. The study also estimates future urban population exposure to discomfort days in Saudi Arabia under the selected SSP scenarios. Future projections under various SSPs indicate a significant increase in very uncomfortable days across most parts of Saudi Arabia, with impacts intensifying inland by the end of the 21st century. Coastal regions, though expected to experience fewer uncomfortable days, will see an increase in days falling into higher discomfort ranges. Under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, the projected rise in extremely uncomfortable days, particularly across coastal and inland areas of Saudi Arabia, is predicted to substantially affect walkability and limit outdoor activity. In terms of urban environments, Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah are projected to experience the highest levels of discomfort, reaching up to 35 °C under the SSP5-8.5 scenario by 2100. The projected urban population exposure is likely to be 1–8 million people-days in Saudi Arabia, with coastal cities experiencing the highest exposure in the future periods, particularly under high-emission scenarios. Our findings emphasize the critical need for adaptive urban planning to ensure outdoor spaces remain accessible and comfortable for pedestrians in a warming climate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100241"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Textile solar shading systems for reducing the negative impacts of solar radiation in urban areas: a critical review","authors":"Michele Rocca ,&nbsp;Giacomo Salvadori ,&nbsp;Francesco Leccese ,&nbsp;Fabio Bisegna","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change is bringing attention to low-impact mitigation solutions such as textile solar shading systems that could be more widely used or at least taken into consideration when taking actions to improve the urban environment. In fact, these systems have great potential, especially in historic centres and in areas with high population density. The main aim of this study is to provide a clear and complete picture on the use of textile solar shading in urban areas, critically analysing the most interesting literature with special attention to the impact on the liveability and usability of the urban environment and on the possible energy saving associated with air conditioning, in different climatic locations. From the collection of the research activities, the main considerations for a better design of this type of solar shading systems were summarized. Furthermore, in support of critical analysis of literature, quantitative indicators relating to the impact of textile solar shading systems on the reduction of the summer heat load on buildings, on the reduction of pedestrian thermal stress and on the reduction of pedestrian exposure to UV radiation were proposed and calculated in the three Mediterranean locations (Rome, Athens, Tripoli). From the simplified evaluations proposed, considering a perfectly horizontal and continuous sun sail, with a transmission coefficient equal to 0.1, compared to the case of absence of solar shading systems, an average reduction in the incoming heat flow between 50 % and 60 %; an average reduction in the thermal stress index between 10 % and 40 %; and a reduction in the Standard Erythemal Dose (SED) of nearly 90 % were obtained, for the aforementioned locations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100240"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144916451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}