A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Investigating How Green Infrastructure Affects Particulate Matter Concentrations in Urban Street Environments
Air pollution is a significant problem that requires action. Despite efforts to reduce its impact, long-term damage has occurred. The main source of air pollutants is transportation. Annually, automotive engines produce around 11% of local fine particulate matter and 28% of nitrogen oxide production. Particulate matter (PM) has a substantial direct and indirect environmental impact. This study recommends the construction of vegetation barriers of specific lengths to address this issue. It also establishes acceptable air quality standards for infrastructure projects. The Kandy district was chosen as the study area due to its potential for high air pollution. The selection of data was based on three factors: air quality, distance from main roads, and vegetation/barrier structure. Various plant species and barrier designs were examined at 20 sites near main roads in the Kandy district. On-site data collection for particulate matter was conducted between 9 am and 12 pm, at a height of 1 m above the ground, every 5 m from the road toward the vegetation cover. The impact of flowering/pollination on particulate matter was only evaluated for fruit plantations. Data analysis and interpretation were performed using Microsoft Excel, following the WHO air quality guidelines from 2020. Conclusions were drawn by summarizing the findings from the 20 sites. The roadside pollution scenario showed variations in PM1.0 < PM2.5 < PM10, measured in µg/m3. To meet the threshold levels for all PM contaminants on the road, it is recommended to install vegetation barriers of 100 to 150 m in length. The combination of “fruit plantations” (Nephelium lappaceum, Mangifera indica, Psidium guajava, and Musa paradisiaca) and “Mara tree cover” (Delonix regia) is suggested as the most effective vegetation barrier. Improved tree coverings offer additional benefits for improving air quality and mitigating climate change, making them suitable for urban planning purposes.
Investigating How Green Infrastructure Affects Particulate Matter Concentrations in Urban Street Environments
Air pollution is a significant problem that requires action. Despite efforts to reduce its impact, long-term damage has occurred. The main source of air pollutants is transportation. Annually, automotive engines produce around 11% of local fine particulate matter and 28% of nitrogen oxide production. Particulate matter (PM) has a substantial direct and indirect environmental impact. This study recommends the construction of vegetation barriers of specific lengths to address this issue. It also establishes acceptable air quality standards for infrastructure projects. The Kandy district was chosen as the study area due to its potential for high air pollution. The selection of data was based on three factors: air quality, distance from main roads, and vegetation/barrier structure. Various plant species and barrier designs were examined at 20 sites near main roads in the Kandy district. On-site data collection for particulate matter was conducted between 9 am and 12 pm, at a height of 1 m above the ground, every 5 m from the road toward the vegetation cover. The impact of flowering/pollination on particulate matter was only evaluated for fruit plantations. Data analysis and interpretation were performed using Microsoft Excel, following the WHO air quality guidelines from 2020. Conclusions were drawn by summarizing the findings from the 20 sites. The roadside pollution scenario showed variations in PM1.0 < PM2.5 < PM10, measured in µg/m3. To meet the threshold levels for all PM contaminants on the road, it is recommended to install vegetation barriers of 100 to 150 m in length. The combination of “fruit plantations” (Nephelium lappaceum, Mangifera indica, Psidium guajava, and Musa paradisiaca) and “Mara tree cover” (Delonix regia) is suggested as the most effective vegetation barrier. Improved tree coverings offer additional benefits for improving air quality and mitigating climate change, making them suitable for urban planning purposes.
Investigating How Green Infrastructure Affects Particulate Matter Concentrations in Urban Street Environments
Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering
Dissanayake, Ranjith (editor) / Mendis, Priyan (editor) / De Silva, Sudhira (editor) / Fernando, Shiromal (editor) / Konthesingha, Chaminda (editor) / Attanayake, Upul (editor) / Gajanayake, Pradeep (editor) / Perera, H. A. T. N. (author) / Weerasinghe, K. G. N. H. (author) / Hawatura, R. U. (author)
International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment ; 2023 ; Kandy, Sri Lanka
Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment ; Chapter: 12 ; 151-164
2024-08-28
14 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
Air quality degradation , Building establishment , Green infrastructure , Particulate matter , Threshold levels Energy , Sustainable Architecture/Green Buildings , Environmental Policy , Sociology, general , Energy Policy, Economics and Management , Water, general , Waste Management/Waste Technology , Engineering
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