Microclimate variations between semienclosed and open sections of a marathon route

The Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon, held annually, is one of the most popular international marathon events. Its primarily urban environmental setting characterized by high-density urban areas, semienclosed tunnels, and suspension bridges, together with the herds of runners, has an influence on the microclimate along the marathon course. This study focused on assessing and comparing variations in temperature and vapour pressure (vis-à-vis relative humidity) against the crowd of runners, or the herd effects, in two different environmental settings along the marathon course: semienclosed (a tunnel) versus open space (a suspension bridge). A series of small iButtons were deployed at strategic locations along the course to undertake minute-by-minute measurements of temperature and relative humidity. It was found that herd effects of varying degrees were present in both semienclosed and open settings. Various environmental differences also played a role in ameliorating or amplifying the climatological effects of the herd of runners. Our study suggests that microclimate variations in different environmental settings and crowd conditions could have an impact on runners. This new knowledge can inform the design of marathon routes. It also establishes the feasibility of employing the iButton logging sensors for widespread deployment and monitoring of meteorological situations

Microclimate variation of urban heat in a small community

Urbanization is known to disrupt the surface energy balance of an urban area. The phenomenon of higher temperatures and thermal discomforts within a local urban setting is broadly known as the urban heat Island (UHI) effect. This research employed roadside temperature measurements to examine microclimate UHI variation in Mongkok, a small urban community of Hong Kong. Results of the spatio-temporal examination indicated diurnal and seasonal variations in the microclimate. A five-level index named the UHI Threat Rating was devised to offer easy interpretation of the microclimate UHI variations and facilitate identification of temperature hotspots within a small urban community

Using social mobile learning to stimulate idea generation for collective intelligence among higher education students

The importance of social networks has increased in recent decades, yet the use of social learning in higher education is nascent. Little is known how to foster high levels of social learning discourse among students in higher education classrooms. To address this gap, the present study analyses the use of a mobile application (Soqqle) for sharing student-generated content and peer-to-peer communication. Students from Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia uploaded videos linked to assessments and received feedback from their instructors and peers through social engagement features (e.g., comments, likes). The majority of students reported that the social learning experience promoted idea generation, increased creativity, and improved attention. These results indicate that integrating online platforms and mobile applications can promote social learning. The findings have important implications for educational practice because many educational institutions have adopted online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic

A GIS approach to analyzing microclimate variations and the urban heat island phenomenon in Hong Kong

Urbanization is known to cause significant changes to the properties of local climate. The Urban Heat Island (UHI) has been shown to add an additional burden to the impacts of global warming, impose risks on human health, and indirectly worsen air and water qualities. Studies have shown that urban areas, compared to rural areas with less artificial buildup, experience higher local temperatures as a result of UHI. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world with a high proportion of her population residing in urbanized areas. The hot and humid sub-tropical monsoon climate echoed with densely packed high-rise buildings and a high traffic volume can give rise to severe local thermal discomfort. To fully characterize the spatial and temporal aspects of UHI within Hong Kong’s urban areas, this study deployed 58 small, durable and low-cost logging sensors to measure road-side temperature/humidity measurements at 15-minute time intervals. The data collection was conducted over 17 consecutive days in the summer (September) and repeated in the winter (January) at two typical urban locations: Mong Kok and Causeway Bay. By employing the geographic information system (GIS) and global positioning system (GPS) software, the sampled data were mapped against urban structures and land uses to investigate the urban microclimate and the role of various environmental factors at the sampling locations. Official meteorological conditions for the duration of study were obtained from the Hong Kong Observatory to validate the sensors and to explore microclimate variations by comparing official (urban and rural monitoring stations) and sampled readings. Temporal variations of urban temperature were examined for daily, weekly and seasonal differences. Spatial and temporal variations were examined using spatial interpolation and hotspot analysis, as well as in a 3D representation with building models for better visualization. This empirical study establishes the methodological feasibility and reliability of employing small and inexpensive logging sensors for widespread deployment in places with hot and humid subtropical climates. The validation outcome indicated that road-side and control measurements were strongly correlated (r>0.81) and their average difference was well within the ±1 C measurement accuracy claimed by the manufacturer. Significant microclimate variations within the urban area were observed and characterized by five environmental settings: major road, secondary road, public activity area, green park and tunnel. Temporal variations of UHI were evident for all time scales, with the daily highest UHI at around midnight and daily lowest at around noon to early afternoon which also exhibited urban cool island (UCI) effects. A UHI Threat Rating was introduced for better understanding of microclimate variations and easier appreciation of hotspots. A 3D-GIS building model enhanced spatial-temporal analysis of UHI over a near “real” and 3D environment. The study and its methodology set a sound foundation and provide essential framework for future studies on microclimate variation and UHI effects. Given that modern cities have mixed land uses and are increasingly vertical, this micro-level study helps address local issues on human comfort and brings in the broader picture of environmental health in an urban setting.published_or_final_versionGeographyDoctoralDoctor of Philosoph

Personal and neighbourhood indicators of quality of urban life : a case study of Hong Kong

This paper provides an overview of findings from a recent survey of quality of urban life (QOUL) in Hong Kong which focuses on: (a) individuals’ subjective assessment of their overall quality of life (QOL) and of a set of QOL life domains, and (b) their level of satisfaction for three levels of QOUL living domains: their housing, their neighbourhood, and Hong Kong as a whole. Differences between demographic and socio-economic groups are discussed. The paper also reports on preliminary results of multivariate modelling to identify factors that might explain variations in individual levels of satisfaction with their overall QOL and with the three levels of QOUL living domains. The Hong Kong survey of QOUL is compared to those of Brisbane and of the greater Detroit region to highlight differences between urban regions in the east and west. The results show that Hong Kong is still lagging far behind the two western regions in most aspects of the QOL life domains and the three QOUL living domains. The comparisons have implied that the differences between these urban regions are beyond east-west influence in the perception of quality of life and more attributable to disparities in urban environments

Neighborhood variation of sustainable urban morphological characteristics

Compact cities and their urban forms have implications on sustainable city development because of high density urban settlement, increased accessibility, and a balanced land use mix. This paper uses quantitative means of understanding urban morphological characteristics with reference to the differing qualities of the urban form (i.e., street patterns, building volumes, land uses and greenery). The results, based on 89 neighborhood communities of Hong Kong, show varying degrees of regional differences in the urban built form supported by numerical statistics and graphical illustrations. This paper offers empirical evidence on some morphological characteristics that can be estimated objectively using modern geospatial technologies and applied universally to inform urban planning. However, more studies linking these quantifiable measures of the physical form with sustainable urban living are needed to account for human comfort in the totality of environmental, social, and economic responsibilities