Abstract
Landsat observation has numerous potentials as a quantitative approach in regional scale monitoring of urban growth and environmental change. To achieve this approach, three Landsat data of ...year 1991 (TM), 2005 (ETM+) and 2019 (OLI-TIRS) has been acquired, classified, and accurately assessed. The research assesses spatio-temporal urban growth, its pattern and land use land cover (LULC) changes of using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Building Index (NDBI) analysis. NDVI were performed for vegetation monitoring especially on loss of vegetation land while NDBI were performed for identification of dense urban and built-up areas. The NDVI and NDBI density results show a significant decreased of vegetation land and a leap up increased of urban and built-up land use. This indicates a significant rapid growth development and a vast transformation of agricultural and forest land into low density development. A rapid urban growth of regional development corridor has significant influence on environment change especially to their periphery. The utilization of both NDVI and NDBI as surrogates has the capability to provide dynamic view and improve the accuracy of land use land cover change analysis. The study showed urban growth has quadrupled from 1991 to 2019 with most rapid growth was from 1991 to 2005 due to greater low-density development and a discontinue growth pattern in the past years compare with much sustainable higher-density development in the recent years.
Abstract
There will be nearly 2 billion new residents by 2030 due to human migration and population growth, yet the consequences of both current and future urbanization on biodiversity conservation ...are poorly known. However, an increase in the awareness of the consequences on the role of biodiversity in sustaining livelihoods and human wellbeing has been translated into the various movements, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially SDG15 and SDG3. Conservation areas (CAs) have become one of the solutions to uphold ecosystem sustainability for biodiversity conservation. Thus, the study aimed to analyze the changes in land use and land cover (LULC) surrounding the CA - Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Natural Heritage Site, Malaysia. The objectives were: 1) to quantify the changes of LULC, 2) to construct the Digital Elevation Model (DEM), of FRIM and the surroundings, thus representing the Malaysian terrestrial CAs and, 3) to suggest LULC changes- based criteria for CA buffer zone (CABAs). The data used were spatial data and satellite images and, ERDAS Imagine and ArcGIS software to execute the analysis. The study revealed a reduction in forest areas and addition in built-up (housing) and water bodies. There was an encroachment of built-up area (housing) into the FRIM. Therefore, the study suggested buffer zones for FRIM, a shield to prevent the stresses caused by urbanization and encroachment activities that may jeopardize the intactness of the conservation areas. The study also provided an effort to formulate a more effective strategy for enhancing sustainable development to the policymakers.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the thermal environment of two engineering testing centres cooled via different means using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), focussing on the indoor ...temperature and air movement. This computational technique has been used in the analysis of thermal environment in buildings where the profiles of thermal comfort parameters, such as air temperature and velocity, are studied.Design/methodology/approachA pilot survey was conducted at two engineering testing centres – a passively cooled workshop and an air-conditioned laboratory. Electronic sensors were used in addition to building design documentation to collect the required information for the CFD model–based prediction of air temperature and velocity distribution patterns for the laboratory and workshop. In the models, both laboratory and workshop were presumed to be fully occupied. The predictions were then compared to empirical data that were obtained from field measurements. Operative temperature and predicted mean vote (PMV)–predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD) indices were calculated in each case in order to predict thermal comfort levels.FindingsThe simulated results indicated that the mean air temperatures of 21.5°C and 32.4°C in the laboratory and workshop, respectively, were in excess of the recommended thermal comfort ranges specified in MS1525, a local energy efficiency guideline for non-residential buildings. However, air velocities above 0.3 m/s were predicted in the two testing facilities, which would be acceptable to most occupants. Based on the calculated PMV derived from the CFD predictions, the thermal sensation of users of the air-conditioned laboratory was predicted as −1.7 where a “slightly cool” thermal experience would prevail, but machinery operators in the workshop would find their thermal environment too warm with an overall sensation score of 2.4. A comparison of the simulated and empirical results showed that the air temperatures were in good agreement with a percentage of difference below 2%. However, the level of correlation was not replicated for the air velocity results, owing to uncertainties in the selected boundary conditions, which was due to limitations in the measuring instrumentation used.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the varying designs, the simulated results of this study are only applicable to laboratory and workshop facilities located in the tropics.Practical implicationsThe results of this study will enable building services and air-conditioning engineers, especially those who are in charge of the air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation (ACMV) system design and maintenance to have a better understanding of the thermal environment and comfort conditions in the testing facilities, leading to a more effective technical and managerial planning for an optimised thermal comfort management. The method of this work can be extended to the development of CFD models for other testing facilities in educational institutions.Social implicationsThe findings of this work are particularly useful for both industry and academia as the indoor environment of real engineering testing facilities were simulated and analysed. Students and staff in the higher educational institutions would benefit from the improved thermal comfort conditions in these facilities.Originality/valueFor the time being, CFD studies have been carried out to evaluate thermal comfort conditions in various building spaces. However, the information of thermal comfort in the engineering testing centres, of particular those in the hot–humid region are scantily available. The outcomes of this simulation work showed the usefulness of CFD in assisting the management of such facilities not only in the design of efficient ACMV systems but also in enhancing indoor thermal comfort.
Purpose
Maintaining good indoor air quality (IAQ) in the built environment is essential to assure health, safety and productivity of occupants. The purpose of this paper is to report on the ...preliminary IAQ assessment of selected air-conditioned laboratories and naturally ventilated workshops in a tropical education institution.
Design/methodology/approach
The concentration levels of five major indoor air pollutants (IAPs) – carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, respirable particulates, formaldehyde (HCHO) and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in each sampling area were measured using calibrated air sampling sensors and the tracer-gas analysis was used to determine the ventilation effectiveness. A questionnaire survey was carried out concurrently to study the prevalence of sick building syndrome (SBS) among users of laboratories and workshops and the data collected were statistically analysed using χ2 test.
Findings
The air pollutant levels were found to be below the threshold limit values set in the local code of practice on IAQ, except for two of the air-conditioned laboratories. This is possibly due to insufficient ventilation, smaller floor area per occupant ratio, long-term exposure to chemical substances, and improper disposal of the used chemical substances. The total particulate levels were higher in naturally ventilated workshops because such spaces were assigned for mechanical works which involved grinding, welding and fabrication. Besides, it was identified that most of the air contaminant levels were not normally distributed (p<0.05) within the sampling areas and SBS like dry eyes, watery eyes, tiredness and dry throat were reported in both laboratories and workshops. The outcomes of this work suggest that an increase of ventilation rate was necessary to reduce the concentration of the IAPs in air-conditioned laboratories and improved housekeeping would help mitigate the prevalence of SBS symptoms.
Research limitations/implications
This research was carried out in selected laboratories and workshops in a Malaysian educational institution and only five major IAPs stipulated in the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) code of practice were measured.
Practical implications
The results of this study will enable facility engineers and managers to understand the IAPs concentration levels and potential SBS problems in academic laboratories and workshops. The recommended strategies can be considered to improve IAQ conditions in such spaces.
Originality/value
Most of the previously conducted IAQ studies focused only on commonly occupied building spaces such as offices, classrooms and houses. Information of the quality of air and SBS conditions in experimental facilities in developing nations that is available is currently very limited. This case study provides detailed information on IAQ in laboratories and workshops in Malaysia with focuses on the concentration levels of particular harmful gases, the prevalence of SBS among users of these facilities and the appropriate mitigation strategies. The results presented are of value to both academic and industry communities.
Abstract
The roles of the marketplace in promoting place identity have been the central focus of the UN- Habitat and stakeholders around the globe. The notion of marketplace relating to place ...identity, place attachment and sense of place have gained attention by Malaysian researchers but much focused on the overt of the marketplaces compared to the covert. This study aims to explore how the seen and unseen elements coexist and enhance place identity. The objective is to discover the influence of overt and covert parameters on marketplace identity through the cultural mapping among four different regions in Peninsular Malaysia. This study employs a qualitative approach through direct non-participant observation and cultural mapping at the four selected marketplaces: Pantai Suri floating market in Tumpat, Kelantan,
Pasar Bisik
in Penaga, Penang,
Pasar Jerami
in Sungai Besar, Selangor and
Pasar Borneo
in Masai, Johor. The overt and covert of each market were carefully observed and mapped, where three substantial outcomes were revealed. First, the social interaction and transaction, social activities and social connectivity at the market portray the covert aspect as vital for place identity. Second, marketplaces have the potentials as dynamic community public spaces to get fresh daily products and promote local heritage and tourism. Third, marketplaces face threats from climate change, pandemic Covid-19, and the diminishing local culture and traditions. In conclusion, the covert and overt of marketplaces should be equally preserved as they become primary components for developing a regional place identity.
The growth of Iskandar Malaysia as a regional development corridor is inescapable large and rapid. The study area has been transformed from predominantly agricultural and forest land prior to 1990s ...into the second largest and third most urbanized area in peninsular Malaysia. The aim of this paper is to map Iskandar land cover change from 1991 to 2019 using sequential Landsat multi-spectral images with Normalized Difference Building Index (NDBI) analysis to assess spatio-temporal urban built up and its pattern. Accuracy assessment of kappa coefficient is used to measure the accuracy of classification. Research has proved a significant rapid land cover change and a vast transformation of agricultural and forest land into low density urbanized area scattered in Iskandar. A rapid land cover change of regional development corridor has significant influence on urban expansion especially to their periphery.
University staff and students typically spend most of their time indoors. This paper evaluates the thermal environment of an air-conditioned scientific laboratory in a tertiary educational ...institution in Malaysia using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This computational technique has been used in analysing the indoor environments and has been found to be useful in aiding facilities management. A pilot survey was conducted to collect the required information such as indoor parameters and boundary conditions for the setting up of a CFD model of the laboratory. The model was then simulated based on the data obtained from field observations. Results indicate that the laboratory users sitting at different rows and work desks would experience different thermal sensations. The mean air temperature was below the recommended comfort zone specified in the local energy standard, but the air velocities were generally within the acceptable range. Based on the calculated predicted mean vote (PMV) and predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD) indices, most of the users would be thermally uncomfortable, and a warmer environment was preferred. Recommendations were made to regulate the inlet air temperature of the laboratory to improve thermal comfort of laboratory users and for energy saving purposes.
Along with the sub-urbanisation, people working in urban can stay in the sub-urban areas. Sub-urban housing areas provide cheaper and larger houses and more greenery environment. However, the ...residents are required to travel in longer distance. The effect on Quality of Life (QOL) due to the migration to sub-urban areas may not be positive even with the better environmental quality and lower direct housing cost. Puncak Alam, a new sub-urban area in Selangor, Malaysia had been chosen as the study area to examine the change of QOL among the residents after they moved into the study area. Through a questionnaire survey, the satisfaction of residents on the various aspects/indicators of QOL were examined. Through the statistical analysis, it is found that slightly more than half of the respondents felt that the QOL was dropped after they were moved to the study area. The sub-urban area did provide better quality for their residents. It had increased respondents' satisfaction on most of the indicators in the aspects of economic, social and physical. However, due to the decreasing of satisfaction in job opportunities, family life, social activities, safety, and transportation system, most of the respondents were felt that their QOL were dropped.
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