Research Seminar – Towards a Healthy Urban Acoustic Environment: A Case of Hong Kong

Research Seminar

Topic:
Towards a Healthy Urban Acoustic Environment: A Case of Hong Kong

Speaker:
Mengdi Guo
PhD Student

Schedule:
Friday, 15 April 2016 (12:45-14:00)
Room 829, Knowles Building
The University of Hong Kong

Abstract:
There is an increasing research interest in health related quality of built environment along with the promotion of healthy urban life in recent decades. Previous studies suggested that the built environment affect behaviours, mental perception of place, exposure to ambient environment, etc. As a health hazard in urban acoustic environment, noise performs as incentive to several mental and physical health symptoms, including but not limit to annoyance, sleep disturbance, and cardiovascular diseases. Major studies on the health impact of urban acoustic environment are based on the urban context of low density built environment in western countries. There is also limited researches on Asian high density cities, which are also not as comprehensively addressed. Hence the impact of the urban acoustic environment on health remains poorly understood in high density cities.

This research focuses on the assessment and design of urban acoustic environment in high density built environment. The aim is to improve our understanding of acoustic environment and its relationship to health outcomes. Three hypotheses are correspondingly proposed: 1) mental health of urban residents is correlated with acoustic characters of ambient environment; 2) the urban acoustic environment could be modified by urban planning and design measures; 3) well planned neighborhoods could effectively improve the acoustic environment and enhance health related quality of life. Computer modeling, field studies, experiment, and human subject studies will be carried out in the urban area of Hong Kong. Findings are expected to contribute to the urban planning and design practices in high density cities.

About the Speaker:
Guo Mengdi is a PhD student at the Department of Urban Planning and Design. Prior to join in the department in 2014, she holds MSc in Urbanism from Delft University of Technology and BArch from Tsinghua University. Her primary interest is health related quality of urban environment, mainly focusing on the assessment of urban acoustic environment and urban design for healthy high density cities.

~~ ALL INTERESTED ARE WELCOME ~~

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