An ENVI-met Simulation Study on Influence of Urban Vegetation Congestion on Pollution Dispersion

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Mahdavinejad, Mohammadjavad^{; *} | Salehnejad, Hadis | Moradi, Nina

Affiliations: High-Performance Architecture Lab, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding Author. mahdavinejad@modares.ac.ir

Abstract: This paper is to assess the impact of the vegetation accumulation on the air pollution dispersion. In order to analyze the idea of the paper for examining the influence of vegetation, two parks in different scales were selected by purpose which are at the same distance from the pollution source. Envi-met (version 3) was selected as research tool based on methodology of the research. Two parks with various scales (local and urban scale) and equal vegetation accumulation were simulated in three cases (status quo or 12%, 37% and 62% vegetation density) and analyzed in quantitative results and graphic images. The results revealed that the extent of area and congestion of vegetation is directly related to decreasing air pollution (CO concentration). Vegetation congestion impact on CO concentration is more impressive for urban scale compared with local scale. The results indicate that decrease of CO concentration in urban scale is going under a regular process. Otherwise, the relationship between vegetation congestion and CO concentration will convert in 62% vegetation congestion. The conclusion of this paper emphasizes that the intensity of vegetation is not always helpful and vegetation might be the cause of intensifying air pollution under certain circumstances.

Keywords: Air pollution, vegetation congestion, Envi-met, natural ventilation, depollution of urban spaces

DOI: 10.3233/AJW-180031

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 187-194, 2018