Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering (Urban Infrastructure Engineering)Many urban heat-related studies have focused primarily on the relationship between local heat risk level and the physical environment in the field of separate studies such as urban heat island, heat wave, and health.
My thesis suggests a different understanding of urban heat issues and emphasizes the recognition of social factors in urban structure. The purpose of my study is to analysis thermal inequity of the residential area according to proximity and heat environment difference of the industrial area in the urban heat island. Moreover, my thesis found that geographical conditions such as residential area adjacent to the old industrial area is associated with the social conditions as well as thermal inequity.
The findings indicated that (1) the existence of green buffers mitigated the thermal inequity between areas adjacent and non-adjacent to old industrial areas. However, the inequality construction of green buffers in adjacent areas caused thermal inequity between adjacent regions. (2) Very-small companies were found in vulnerable built environments of a higher LST than small and medium-sized companies in old industrial complexes, so there was a relationship between the size of the company and the vulnerability to heat of the environment. (3) green buffers were found to influence the air temperature reduction of old detached housing areas adjacent to old industrial areas.
From perspective of the study, thermal inequity is determined by the planning factor rather than simply being located close to the industrial area. My thesis suggests that the existence of green buffers played a role in reducing thermal inequity between the adjacent and the non-adjacent areas. The green buffers showed not only temperature reduction effect but also improvement of heat environment in adjacent residential areas. In addition, a plan which reduces the thermal inequity should be implemented through the link with the old industrial area rather than a single environmental improvement of the residential area adjacent to the old industrial area.clos
