Optimal Design of Bio Walls for Reducing Air Pollution: A Case Study of Kasetsart University
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Abstract
Air pollution is a critical issue in large urban areas, particularly in zones with high traffic density, where particulate matter and gaseous pollutants tend to accumulate. This study aims to investigate optimal bio wall design configurations for mitigating air pollution within Kasetsart University. The study integrates ENVI-met simulations with field measurement data to analyze the effects of plant species, installation configurations, and different coverage ratios on the concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, and carbon dioxide (CO2). Three bio wall configurations were simulated: planting at pedestrian level, horizontal planting along building floors, and segmented vertical planting. Coverage ratios of 25%, 50%, and 75% of the building frontage were examined, and three plant species were selected to represent 3 difference Leaf Area Index (LAI): Phaseolus vulgaris, Thunbergia grandiflora, and Pandorea jasminoides Variegated.
The results indicate that bio walls can reduce particulate matter concentrations in all cases compared to the baseline condition; however, the reduction does not increase proportionally with greater coverage. The vertical strip configuration, particularly with Pandorea jasminoides Variegated demonstrated the highest reduction efficiency for PM2.5 and PM10, achieving nearly a 20% decrease, while Thunbergia grandiflora under the same configuration yielded comparable performance. In contrast, CO2 reduction did not differ significantly among plant species. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of bio walls in mitigating air pollution is more strongly influenced by the interaction between airflow patterns and plant structure than by the extent of vegetative coverage alone.
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