Nakhara : Journal of Environmental Design and Planning

Systematic Review of Built Environment Attributes of Walkability: Cases of Malaysia

Khair Eddine Demdoum, Yazid Mohd Yunos, Norsidah Ujang, Nangkula Utaberta — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0700

Walkability has gained considerable traction in recent years as a key concept for promoting sustainable urban environments and healthier lifestyles. Built environment attributes such as infrastructure, streetscape design, land use mix, and street connectivity were found to have a high impact on walking behavior. However, due to the context-specific nature of walkability, where attributes deemed important in one context may not hold the same significance in another, this study aims to examine walkability attributes and methods within the Malaysian context. The goal is to offer valuable insights for researchers and policymakers operating in similar contexts. This study employed a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive search of SCOPUS and Google Scholar identified and assessed studies related to walkability in Malaysia. Rigorous screening and application of inclusion criteria yielded 32 Malaysian articles published between 2011 and 2021 for detailed review. Data extraction focused on specified factors including data source, built environment attributes, unit of analysis, and type of walking. The results identified both similarities and differences in the influence of built environment attributes on walking behavior in Malaysia compared to global patterns. Micro-scale factors, such as the aesthetics and attractiveness of walkways (65%), and safety and security (59%), were found to be leading factors in creating walking-friendly environments. Conversely, macro-level attributes, including density (15%) and mixed land use (18%), did not show a significant impact. This reliance on perceived assessments may struggle to capture the complexity of actual density and diversity, leading to inconsistent results. However, data collection and analysis approaches require further refinement. Future Malaysian research may prioritize the use of GIS-based walkability indexes to comprehensively measure walkability and improve the validity and accuracy of assessments. Additionally, consideration should be given to the regional transferability of these indexes.

Potential Advantages and Disadvantages of Case Study as Methodological Approach in Streetscape Research

Ferdy Sabono, Indah Widiastuti, Iwan Sudradjat — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0700

In recent decades, streetscape research has advanced quickly in tandem with societal understanding of the impact of urban environmental quality on aesthetic satisfaction and urban dwellers' well-being. The case study method is one of the methodological approaches that has grown in popularity in streetscape research. However, no researchers have yet conducted a comprehensive investigation into the efficacy of case studies when used in streetscape research. Based on the experiences and findings of other researchers using case studies as their research design, this study explores the potential advantages and drawbacks of using case studies in streetscape research. The study uses the systematic literature review method to collect and analyze past relevant streetscape research findings to identify the potential advantages and disadvantages researchers may face when doing their streetscape research, which comprises several stages, namely case selection, development of a theoretical framework, data gathering, data analysis, discussion, and conclusion. The research findings have shown that the case study approach can result in in-depth studies by creating a well-defined research protocol that aligns with the particular environmental situation under examination. However, adopting technology in streetscape research can pose difficulties and limitations for researchers, such as the challenge of accessing advanced technology and mastering the complexity of analytical tools with intricate requirements.

CFD Assessment of COVID-19 Infection Risk in Naturally Ventilated Detached Houses

Chalermwat Tantasavasdi, Thawanrat Rianngon, Natthaumporn Inprom — Mon, 27 May 2024 00:00:00 +0700

The airborne nature of COVID-19 dispersion has considerably impacted architectural and ventilation system designs. This research studies the COVID-19 infection risk in typical naturally ventilated detached houses in Thailand. Influencing parameters include the opening size and location of the infected person. Computational Fluid Dynamic was used to simulate the virus spreading in major spaces including the master bedroom, a bedroom and the living room. The Wells-Riley equation was adopted to assess personal infection risk (P_p) and area infection risk (P_a) in 12 case setups. The results reveal that opening size affects more on P_a than P_p. Increasing the opening-to-floor ratio in the range of 0.03 to 0.28 will reduce the P_a and P_p ratios in the range of 0.03 to 0.13 and 0.01 to 0.12, respectively. The location of the source, however, impacts more on P_p than P_a ratios. It varies the trend of the infection risk in the range as high as 0.69 to 0.70 according to other factors including the location of other occupants and the outlet openings.

Prioritizing Target Motorcycle Owners to Promote Electric Vehicles Among Motorcycle Taxi Drivers in Bangkok

Ornicha Anuchitchanchai, Saksith Chalermpong — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0700

Governments in many countries have announced their own emission targets and launched several measures to mitigate transport-sourced air pollution, including policies to promote the use of electric vehicles (EVs). However, electrifying a fleet of vehicles requires high investment and it is difficult to fully implement all at once. Therefore, this research aims to develop a framework to help prioritize locations to promote EVs using motorcycle taxis in Bangkok as a case study. The surveyed data was collected from 406 motorcycle taxi drivers around Bangkok. The proposed framework is based on two aspects. One is the impact on CO₂ emission reduction while another is the difficulty of EV deployment. The study's findings yield a potential matrix for EV deployment, which classifies locations into four priority groups. The study concludes that prioritizing locations with high CO2 reduction impact and low deployment difficulty is crucial for efficient EV promotion. Subsequently, recommendations are offered to assist authorities and automobile firms in effectively allocating resources for EV promotion. Policy recommendations highlight the significance of targeted interventions and enhancing public awareness to facilitate the widespread adoption of electric motorcycle. Implications from this study will help the authorities and automobile firms to prioritize areas and allocate budgets for promoting EVs efficiently.