Energy and Buildings, 15 - 16 (1990/ 91) 493 - 498 493

St udy of t he Ef f e c t of Gr e e n Ar e a s on t he Th e r ma l En v i r o n me n t
i n an Ur ba n ar e a
I KUO SAI TO
Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Yatsushiro National College of Technology, 2627, Hirayama-shinmachi,
Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto 866 (Japan)
OS AMU I S HI HARA
Kumamoto University, 2.39-1, Kurokami, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto 860 (Japan)
T ADAHI S A KAT AYAMA
Kyusyu University, 6-1, Kasuga-koen, Kasuga City, Fukuoka 816 (Japan)
ABSTRACT
This paper gives details of investigation
results of the relationship between meteorologi-
cal elements and green distribution in an urban
area. The meteorological elements were mea-
sured in large and small areas of Kumamoto
City. In the large area, the measurements of air
temperature were carried out by moving obser-
vation using five automobiles. In the small
area, the measurements of dry-bulb tempera-
ture, wet-bulb temperature, globe temperature,
wind direction and velocity were carried out on
foot. The land-cover condition and surface tern-
perature were estimated using remote-sensing
data from an airplane.
From the results of these investigations, it
became clear that air temperature distribution
in an urban area is closely related to the distri-
bution of green covering and even a small green
area of about 60 m x 40 m indicates the cooling
effect.
1. I NT R ODUC T I ON
I n a n u r b a n a r e a , g r e e n v e g e t a t i o n i s us e f ul
t o i mp r o v e t he t h e r ma l e n v i r o n me n t i n s um-
mer . Ho we v e r , t he g r e e n a r e a s i n u r b a n re-
gi ons a r e g r a d u a l l y d e c r e a s i n g o wi n g t o
p o p u l a t i o n i n c r e a s e a n d u r b a n i z a t i o n . The r e -
f or e, a i r t e mp e r a t u r e s i n u r b a n a r e a s r i s e a n d
a h e a t i s l a nd oc c ur s .
The p u r p o s e of t hi s s t u d y i s c l a r i f i c a t i o n of
t he ef f ect of a g r e e n a r e a on t he t h e r ma l
e n v i r o n me n t i n a n u r b a n a r e a , p a r t i c u l a r l y
t he c ool i ng ef f ect i n s u mme r . I n t hi s pa pe r ,
t he r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t we e n g r e e n d i s t r i b u t i o n
a n d t h e r ma l e n v i r o n me n t i s i n v e s t i g a t e d . The
fi el d o b s e r v a t i o n s of t h e r ma l e n v i r o n me n t
we r e c a r r i e d out i n l a r g e a r e a s a nd s ma l l
a r e a s of Ku ma mo t o Ci t y, wh i c h h a s a popul a -
t i on of a b o u t 600 000. The g r e e n d i s t r i b u t i o n
a n d s ur f a c e t e mp e r a t u r e d i s t r i b u t i o n we r e es-
t i ma t e d us i ng r e mo t e - s e n s i n g d a t a f r o m a n
a i r p l a n e .
2. OUT L I NE OF T HE OBS E RVAT I ONS
2.1. Field observations in the large area
Th e a i r t e mp e r a t u r e s t h r o u g h o u t Ku-
ma mo t o Ci t y we r e o b s e r v e d u s i n g fi ve a u t o mo -
bi l es i n t he s u mme r of 1980.
The o b s e r v a t i o n da t e s a n d t i me s we r e as
f ol l ows:
i n t he da yt i me : 14: 15- 15: 35, Au g u s t 7
14: 15- 15:50, Se p t e mb e r 2
14:00 - 15.45, S e p t e mb e r 6
10: 40- 11: 20, Se p t e mb e r 15;
i n t he ni ght : 04: 15- 05:20, Au g u s t 6
04: 00- 05: 05, Au g u s t 9
04: 15- 05: 20, S e p t e mb e r 29.
Fi ve me a s u r e d c our s e s we r e c h o s e n i n or-
der t o c o v e r t he whol e a r e a i n Ku ma mo t o Ci t y
a n d t h e y c r os s e d e a c h ot he r . Th e me a s u r e d
poi nt s n u mb e r e d 450 ~ 500. The a i r t e mp e r a -
t u r e wa s me a s u r e d by di gi t a l t h e r mo me t e r . A
t h e r mo s e n s o r wa s f i xed on t he r o o f of t he
a u t o mo b i l e a t a h e i g h t of 1 . 5 m a b o v e t he
g r o u n d a n d i t wa s c o v e r e d wi t h a c y l i n d e r of
0378-7788/ 91/ $3. 50 ~} El s e v i e r S e q u o i a / P r i n t e d i n T h e Ne t h e r l a n d s
494
a l u mi n u m f oi l i n or de r t o de c r e a s e t he ef f ect
of s ol a r r a di a t i on. The me a s u r e me n t s of t he
ai r t e mp e r a t u r e we r e c a r r i e d out onl y whi l e
t r a v e l i n g at 40 km/ h. The me a s u r e d poi nt , t he
me a s u r e d t i me a nd t he me a s u r e d va l ue we r e
r e c o r d e d us i ng a c a s s e t t e t ape. In or de r t o
e l i mi na t e t he i nf l ue nc e of t he ai r t e mp e r a t u r e
c h a n g e dur i ng me a s u r e me n t s , e a c h me a s u r e d
va l ue was a dj us t e d at t he c e n t r a l t i me f r om
t he c h a n g e of me a s u r e d va l ue i n t he fi xed
o b s e r v a t i o n poi nt . Ave r a ge t e mp e r a t u r e s we r e
c a l c u l a t e d f r om t he obs e r ve d da t a i n 500 m
mes h ar eas .
2.2. Field observations in the small area
Th e mi c r oc l i ma t e s i n t wo s mal l gr e e n a r e a s
a nd s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a s we r e obs e r ve d i n t he
s umme r of 1988 a nd 1989. The s e a r e a s a r e
l oc a t e d i n t he r e s i de nt i a l a r e a of Ku ma mo t o
Ci t y. Th e Ke n g u n Sh i n t o Sh r i n e ha s a s cal e of
a b o u t 150m 150m a nd i t is c ove r e d wi t h
c oni f e r ous t r e e s a nd bamboos . Th e Izumi -
g a o k a Pa r k ha s a s cal e of a b o u t 6 0 m 40 m
a nd i t is c o v e r e d wi t h br oa d- l e a ve d t r ees .
I n t he s e ar eas , me t e o r o l o g i c a l e l e me nt s
we r e me a s u r e d by f i xed o b s e r v a t i o n f or a l ong
t i me a nd movi ng o b s e r v a t i o n s on f oot . At t he
fi xed o b s e r v a t i o n poi nt s , ai r t e mp e r a t u r e , hu-
mi di t y, wi nd di r e c t i on a nd ve l oc i t y wer e mea-
s ur e d f or a mont h. The f i xed o b s e r v a t i o n
poi nt s of a i r t e mp e r a t u r e a nd h u mi d i t y we r e
e s t a bl i s he d i ns i de a nd out s i de t he gr e e n ar eas .
I n t he movi ng o b s e r v a t i o n s on f oot , dry-
bul b t e mp e r a t u r e , wet - bul b t e mp e r a t u r e , gl obe
t e mp e r a t u r e , wi nd di r e c t i on a nd ve l oc i t y we r e
me a s u r e d by As s ma nn a s pi r a t i ng- t ype t her -
mome t e r , a n e mo me t e r , et c. Me a s u r e me n t
e q u i p me n t was f i xed at a he i ght of 1.5 m f r om
t he g r o u n d us i ng a t r i pod. Ea c h o b s e r v a t i o n
t e a m of s e ve n me mbe r s t r a v e r s e d t h r e e poi nt s
e v e r y h o u r f r om 07:00 t h r o u g h t o 19:00. I t t ook
a b o u t 30 mi nut e s t o c a r r y out a t r a v e r s e i n
or de r t o a c c u s t o m t he gl obe t h e r mo me t e r t o
t he a t mo s p h e r e at e a c h me a s u r e d poi nt . Mea-
s ur e d va l ue s of dr y- bul b t e mp e r a t u r e a nd wet -
bul b t e mp e r a t u r e wer e a dj us t e d at e ve r y
c e n t r a l h o u r f r om a c h a n g e of me a s u r e d va l ue
a t t he f i xed o b s e r v a t i o n poi nt .
2.3. Remote-sensing from an airplane
Th e r e mot e - s e ns i ng da t a i n t he s ubj e c t a r e a
of i n v e s t i g a t i o n wer e o b t a i n e d by a mul t i -
s pe c t r a l s c a n n e r l oa de d on an a i r pl a ne .
Th e o b s e r v a t i o n out l i ne is as f ol l ows:
MSS da t a obs e r ve d on Se pt e mbe r 15, 1980
obs e r va t i on t i me: 11:00- 11:43
al t i t ude: 6900 ft.
mul t i - s pe c t r a l s canner : AT-12M
MSS da t a obs e r ve d on Ma y 12, 1986
o b s e r v a t i o n t i me: 12:09- ]3:14
al t i t ude: 6850 ft.
mul t i - s pe c t r a l s canner : AT-18M.
The r e mot e - s e ns i ng i mages we r e geomet r i -
cal l y c o r r e c t e d a nd a dj us t e d t o map coor di -
nat es . The gr ound c ove r c ondi t i ons wer e
e s t i ma t e d by l a nd cl as s i f i cat i on, a nd l a nd cl as-
s i f i cat i on i t ems wer e wat er , t r ees , gr ass, ba r e
soi l , c o n c r e t e a nd as phal t , t i l e a nd sl at e. The
me t hod of l a nd cl as s i f i cat i on was t he Eu-
c l i de a n di s t a nc e met hod. Fu r t h e r , t he s ur f a c e
t e mp e r a t u r e was e s t i ma t e d f r om t h e r ma l ba nd
da t a us i ng a c t ua l gr ound dat a.
3. RESULTS OF SURVEY OF THE LARGE AREA
Fi gur e s 1 a nd 2 s how t he a i r t e mp e r a t u r e
di s t r i but i ons of Ku ma mo t o Ci t y i n s ummer .
Th e y we r e o b t a i n e d by movi ng obs e r va t i on
us i ng a ut omobi l e s . I n t he dayt i me, t he ai r
t e mp e r a t u r e i n t he s ubur bs is 3 C l ower t h a n
t he a i r t e mp e r a t u r e downt own. Th e r e ar e hi gh
t e mp e r a t u r e a r e a s i n s e ve r a l de ns e l y bui l t - up
s e c t i ons c ove r e d wi t h as phal t , c onc r e t e , s l at e
a nd t i l es. Dur i ng t he ni ght , t he ai r t emper a-
31 :{::I~:{:13::2d][15:l:lh:UT::::I~(l~ I ~ I 1 : I ~ I N 14:15:15:17: I N I ~ 2 0 : 2 1 : 2 ~ 2 ~ 2 4 : 2 ~ 2 E ~ 2 7 : 2 1 ~ l
: . l ~
: i i ' ~ i ' ~ " - " - - - - - " i l . . . . . 1 4 - - i i i t ~ . . . .
H
i : i ~ : . . i : - - . . C . i I..
Y : i .i .... '. i .i . . . . . . . ~..-i . ) . 4 .i .i.. I..
Fig. 1. Distribution of air temperature in the daytime,
observed in Kumamoto City at 10:40 - 11:20, September 15,
1980 (C).
~ I01 : : ~ O ~ O 4 i C E 4 []E;::CFT::O~ OE~ iI~ ] I! ]2~ ]3!14i IS~ I G 17! l ~ 1 ~2 ' ~2 ! i 22i 2~ 24!25'::2~B!LT~ 2E
j , ~ :: i :: ,: [ :,' i i i i ! ! !' ! :, ~ i i i :. ! i' i f i' i , o ] :
..l~...h..i. L ~. L . k . , , [ , , . . [ [ L [ [ .~ l ' . . . . . ~ . : . . . . . . . ' I l [ . [ l Ll l .
: : ! i i i :: i / : : , l :, i I~O4
i ! ! i i i i ~ r i ~ : \ ~ N ~ ~ i ~
i [ i [ i 7 [ [ ! i [ . . . . . . . ~ " ~ i [ 5 B
' [ 7 [ i i [ [ 1 7 7 ! " " ~ [ 7
i [ [ i r 7 T T 7 ; ~ t t T 7~
7 r i ! r r 7 7 r r T r 7 : i r r * i r T r L ~
r 7 7 7 [ 7 7 7 7 r 7 7 7 7 7 1 : : i [ : : 7 4
~ ;
' r 7 r T T ' ' * 7 r r r l r r T i r 7 ~
t
i i i ' ; ! [ ' : i : [ f b
0 ] ! 0 2 Og:.04 0 5 0 6 0 7 i ~ 3 0 9 10111}]2 13 141 !5116 1"7 ]B" 1'92'021122!23i24 2'5! 2]B12"7 2~
Fig. 2. Di st ri but i on of ai r t emperat ure in t he night, ob-
served in Kumamoto City at 04:15-05:20, August 6, 1980
( C ) .
t u r e i n t h e s u b u r b s i s 2 C l o we r t h a n t h e a i r
t e mp e r a t u r e d o wn t o wn . T h e r e i s a h i g h t e m-
p e r a t u r e r e g i o n i n t h e c e n t r a l a r e a o f t h e c i t y
wh i c h i s c o v e r e d wi t h a s p h a l t a n d c o n c r e t e
t h a t h a s a h i g h t h e r ma l c a p a c i t y .
F i g u r e 3 s h o ws t h e s u r f a c e t e mp e r a t u r e di s -
t r i b u t i o n o f Ku ma mo t o c i t y i n t h e d a y t i me ,
e s t i ma t e d f r o m a i r p l a n e MS S d a t a . I t i s c l e a r
f r o m t h i s F i g u r e t h a t t h e a i r t e mp e r a t u r e di s -
o ~ ! i ': ~ ~ ~ i i ~ ~ ~ '. ! ~ , / ~ i I G : i - I ': ~ I ~ ~
ii
i!
ii
5?
: ~ - - - ' ~ ~ ~ - - - - w i - - - i - } - i - i - - - - i . . . i i , - i - - i i - } - , ~
i i i i i i i , i , i , 4 1 i
I 10l~[~0~005~0~07!0B~0~ 1Q 1111~ l ~ 14! 1~ 1~ 17~ 18 1~;~.211Z~23!2 i ~ 2 " 7 ~
Fig. 3. Di st ri but i on of surface t emperat ure in Kumamoto
City, estimated from ai rpl ane MSS dat a observed on Sep-
tember 15, 1980 (C).
495
t r i b u t i o n p r o p e r l y c o r r e s p o n d s t o t h e s u r f a c e
t e mp e r a t u r e d i s t r i b u t i o n .
F i g u r e 4 s h o ws t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t we e n
t h e a i r t e mp e r a t u r e a n d t h e l a n d - c o v e r r a t i o
i n t h e d a y t i me a n d d u r i n g t h e n i g h t . T h e
c o e f f i c i e n t s o f c o r r e l a t i o n b e t we e n t h e g r e e n
a r e a r a t i o a n d t h e a i r t e mp e r a t u r e a r e
x - A R T I F I C I A L COVERI NG
Y=0 01"7X+29.2"70 R = 0 . 6 9 8
. . . . . . . . O R E E N C O V E R I N G
Go Y = - O , 0 1 7 X + 3 0 . 8 3 1 R = - O . 6 7 8
- - ".- xxx
q. 8 0 x x x x x
-~., ,,~ ~>~x x
6 7 , , , I ' i - I~-..,,~,,~ ~ ~
~ ' ~ ~ i X Q " - . X x X - - x
I . i . . x X x x
rY t ~ _~" ~' _~, - ~ x ~ , ,
w
o x- ~ x e _ x x i o - . . ~
....'.~ xxe, X" ,~ -'-~ .... ,
0 - o~- e x x x e" R' -.
XXx " ,I*, " " " ' ' ' ' " -
W
l--
FY
CZ
8
I O 0
D A Y T I M E
i i i i i i i i
2 0 . 0 0 4 0 , 0 0 6 0 O0 B O . O 0
C O V E R I N G R A T I O ( X)
(a)
l O0 . O0
A R T I F I C I A L C O V E R I N G
R=O.748
X
Y=O.OISX+20.032
........ GREEN COVERING
Y = - O . O l S X + 2 1 . 4 2 9 R = - 0 . 7 5 3
8
: t
t.J

w ~
(,q G- x x xx x
I--
II~V""~-,,~ : j l ' x e ex " , e ~
r Y ~ " e e l ' . ' & - _ _ C _ . , , , , ~ t r ' ~ . x , . . x
N B~ x x x~....i x xe -'-.".. _'~
Z: i>~ x::..~"'~ x ~ "_ , _~i ". . "
I-- ~ - ' Xx X~_ ,d' "2 _'"-._"
~ T
0 . O0 2 0 , O0 4 0 . O0 6 0 . O0 8 0 . O0 I O 0 . O0
COVERI NG RATI O ( X)
(b)
Fig. 4. Rel at i onshi p between ai r t emperat ure and cover-
ing r at i o estimated from ai rpl ane MSS data. (a) Daytime.
(b) In the night.
496
negat i ve values of -0. 678 in the daytime and
-0. 753 duri ng the night.
4. RESULTS OF SURVEY OF THE SMALL AREA
Fi gure 5 gives the ai rpl ane MSS land clas-
sification images of Kengun Shi nt o Shri ne
and Izumi gaoka Park which are the subject
areas of investigation. It is cl ear from this
Figure t hat t hese areas are surrounded by low
buildings and roads. The t ot al area of t ree
crowns is 25 900 m ~ in Kengun Shi nt o Shri ne
and 2300 m ~ in Izumi gaoka Park.
Figure 6 shows the surface t emperat ure dis-
t ri but i on estimated using t hermal band MSS
data from the airplane. The surface tempera-
t ure in the green area is 27 ' C and it is about
15-20 ~:C lower t han t hat of the surroundi ng
area.
Fi gure 7 shows the di st ri but i on of the air
t emperat ure and the humi di t y mixing rat i o in
Kengun Shinto Shri ne at 15:00, and Fig. 8
gives the di st ri but i on of air t emperat ure, hu-
midity mixing rat i o and SET*. The air temper-
at ure difference bet ween the green area and
the surroundi ng area is about 2.5 ;C. Even
small green areas like these indicated the
i ! % i i i i i i ! i i l i!!il :ii;,
(a)
I,~engun Shinto Sin in('
m
iLillli:ii!i!i~;ii:?~!!i!ili!i!iii;,:~i:i~iS:i
i i i @ i ~ K i i i : i T H T { i : ! Z } z ; ~ L E!;!:!#!iT~!+
ii':!~E!i i iili!! ~{~F~iiT!:i~}Li!~iiii
bare sol]
:i~:~ a.sphalt
file and slate
Izunfigaoka Park
(b)
Fig. 5. Land classification map in and around observation
areas, estimated from ai rpl ane MSS data observed on May
12, 1986. (a) Kengun Shinto Shrine. (b) Izumigaoka Park.
(a) Ken~un Shinto Shrine
. e 4
'22oC~
(b) Izumigaoka Park
Fig. 6. Distribution of surface t emperat ure in and around
observation areas, estimated from airplane MSS data ob-
served at 13:10 on May 12, 1986. (a) Kengun Shinto
Shrine. (b) Izumigaoka Park.
HUMIOITYMIXINO
AIRTEMPERATURE('C) RATIO(g/kg')
[ ]
L l
0 lOOm N
14: 50 15: 00 15:10
WIND
497
Fig. 7. Distribution of air temperature and humidity mixing ratio in and around Kengun Shinto Shrine, observed at 15:00
on August 5, 1988.
AIR TEMPERATURE('C}
I
0
I
SOre
HUMIDITYMIXINO
RATIO( g / k g ' ) SET'( "C )
14: S0 I S: O0 1 5 : I 0
WI ND
i m/ s
Fig. 8. Distribution of air temperature, humidity mixing ratio and SET* in and around Izumigaoka Park, observed at 15:00
on August 8, 1989.
cool i ng effect. But t he ar ea whi ch has a cool-
i ng effect is small and ext ends onl y about 20 m
from t he gr een area. The low t emper at ur e
ar ea and t he hi gh humi di t y ar ea shi ft to t he
l eeward side. The di st r i but i on of SET* shows
a si mi l ar t endency to t he ai r t emper at ur e dis-
t r i but i on. The i nt er val s bet ween i sot her mal
lines are nar r ow at t he ci r cumf er ence of t he
gr een area, wher e t he shade of t rees become
ineffective.
5. CONCLUSIONS
In t hi s paper, t he r el at i onshi ps bet ween t he
gr een di st r i but i on and t he t her mal envi ron-
ment were i nvest i gat ed.
498
The resul t s were as follows.
(1) The di fferences of t emper at ur e bet ween
downt own and t he subur bs of Kumamot o Ci t y
were 3 C in t he dayt i me and 2 C dur i ng t he
ni ght .
(2) The coefficients of cor r el at i on bet ween
t he gr een area r at i o and t he ai r t emper at ur e
were negat i ve val ues of - 0. 678 in t he dayt i me
and - 0. 753 dur i ng t he ni ght .
(3) Even a small gr een ar ea of about
60 m x 40 m i ndi cat ed t he cool i ng effect. The
maxi mum t emper at ur e di fference bet ween in-
side and out si de t he green ar ea was 3 c'C.
(4) The di st r i but i on of ai r t emper at ur es
cor r esponded to t he di st r i but i ons of humi di t y
and surface t emper at ur e. The cool i ng area
moved wi t h t he wi nd di rect i on.
The gr een ar eas in an ur ban r egi on are
gr adual l y decr easi ng wi t h popul at i on in-
creases and an expandi ng ur ban scale. How-
ever, t he green areas are very useful to
i mpr ove t he t her mal envi r onment in summer.
The i nfl uence of t he gr een scal e and effects on
t he t her mal envi r onment will be i nvest i gat ed
furt her.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The aut hor s wi sh to t hank Mr. H.
Kusumot o, Mr. K. I noue and t he l at e Mr. S.
Sugi ue for t hei r assi st ance in t he field obser-
vat i ons.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
O. Ishihara and I. Saito, Analysis of Thermal Environment
in Kumamoto City, Japan Research Committee of Envi-
ronmental Remote Sensing, 1982, pp. 43 - 46.
O. Ishihara and I. Saito, A study of urban climate in
Kumamoto City, Summaries of Technical Papers of An.
nual Meeting, Architectural Institute of Japan, 1983,
pp. 973 - 974.
S. Tabata, Study on conservation planning for natural
environment, City Planning Rev., (69.70) (1972) 36- 48.
Y. Maruta, The various studies of urban climatology have
demonstrated the following findings, City Planning
Rev., (69.70) (1972) 49- 77.