Numerical evaluation system for improving the environmental value and reducing an environmental load of Transit-Oriented Development

Abstract:

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) aims to optimize environmental and economic issues and the quality of life (QOL). TOD planning are especially expected to enhance low carbonization, improving the urban climate with compact and efficient land-use design in an area along with public transportation such as railways. However, the comprehensive and interactive methods for the above problems have not been investigated sufficiently.

This study evaluates numerically the impact of TOD on the urban climate, thermal comfort, and public health along with the Tsukuba Express (TX), a line that connects the mid-urban and suburban areas in-around Tokyo Metropolitan region, Japan. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with a 250-m horizontal resolution is used to simulate two cases: before (2005) and after (2015) the construction of the TX line.

The results of this study will be valuable for comprehensive urban planning methodologies based on TOD, for further studies related to the urban climate, human health, and energy management, as this study is the first numerically and multidisciplinary attempt focuses on transport development and human influences on the local climate and lifestyle.