Grantee Research Project Results
Modelling outdoor comfort with UAV-based digitization technique and a comfort tracking system for underserved communities
EPA Grant Number: SU840584Title: Modelling outdoor comfort with UAV-based digitization technique and a comfort tracking system for underserved communities
Investigators: Karimi, Maryam , Nazari, Rouzbeh , Rabbani, Fahad
Institution: The University of Alabama at Birmingham
EPA Project Officer: Cunniff, Sydney
Phase: I
Project Period: August 1, 2023 through May 9, 2025
Project Amount: $25,000
RFA: 19th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet Request for Applications (RFA) (2022) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Description:
Since more population started living in cities globally, several urban issues such as concentrated urbanization, inappropriate distribution of land uses, shrinking pervious and green surfaces have intensified over last few decades. These issues have led to urban heat island (UHI) effects in most city centers. As a result, cities are increasingly experiencing extreme heat events. Moreover, heat events further exacerbated with air pollution are causing a surge in the number of heat-related and respiratory diseases and mortalities. Due to lack of vegetation and increased heat flux trapped by urban canopy, these events prominently effect the local level outdoor comfort within any community specially the underserved neighborhoods.
This project aims to create an outdoor comfort tracking system related to combined heat and air pollution effects at the near surface or localized microclimatic conditions as a measure of protecting community health.
Objective:
The goal of this project is to propose an integrated monitoring system of outdoor comfort by understanding the underserved neighborhoods air quality. Currently, there is not a system available which is designed with the capabilities to monitor localized comfort conditions, especially considering peoples' comfort of being exposed to outdoor heat and poor air quality. The system will integrate methods to measure thermal comfort indices and air-quality at local resolution within the selected highly vulnerable neighborhoods of the city of Birmingham, Alabama. Information of urban canopy and air pollution level will be collected by community campaign before simulating, modeling an integrated comfort index and sharing the results with the underserved community via an informative mobile application system.
Approach:
Since microclimatic thermal comfort is directly linked to the urban morphology at the finest resolution, the project will start with tracing the components of built environment using the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) devices or drones in order to simulate thermal comfort indices such as mean radiant temperature (Tmrt), universal thermal comfort index (UTCI) and air pollutant dispersion using a microclimate model called ENVI-met. Out project intends to calibrate street level air pollution by executing a voluntary-based community science field campaign who will participate in mapping pollution data by driving their vehicles with attached small-personal pollution monitors. This project will help with Birmingham's air quality and mitigate with UHI effect by:
1. Identifying the most vulnerable priority neighborhoods struggling to tackle heat events and air pollution from nearby sources.
2. Quantifying fine resolution impacts of the built environment and surface properties on surrounding temperature and air quality.
3. Collecting and measuring climate data from nearby stations and air pollution onsite data collection at the finest resolution by engaging community via voluntary campaigns.
4. Developing an application for comfort tracking and simulating alternative scenarios for the residents to be engaged and raise awareness.
5. Characterizing the need for urban green infrastructure or better urban planning, maximizing the cooling and pollution absorbing benefit.
Expected Results:
The major outcome of this study is a better understanding of the near surface impact of increased temperature (UHI) and air pollution on the health of the city of Birmingham residents using onsite surveys of physical indicators and air pollution. Results will identify areas of regional heat pockets and potential sources of air pollution in the priority underserved neighborhoods struggling to tackle these problems due to lack of proper actions from local authorities. Also, a mobile application, as our final product, could be an essential tool for the underserved population to navigate through the unhealthy areas and avoid potential health hazards. Public education at all levels (e.g., city planning officials, health professionals, vulnerable adults, and K-12 students/educators) will be an integral part of the study. End products include new application for mapping thermal indices, air pollution dispersion and modelled index for combined outdoor comfort, UHI and pollution mitigation strategies, public education, and establishing a dynamic community partnership.
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 9 publications for this projectJournal Articles:
Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 4 journal articles for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Air quality, increased temperature, thermal comfort, urban canopy, heat mitigation, sustainable development, radiation flux, human-biometeorological indices, urban planning, environmental education, interactive development tools, computer simulations, computer generated alternativesProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.