Seoul Institute of Technology Develops Customized Street Tree Planting Plans Based on Road Size

Analysis of 400 Tree Planting Types Including Height and Density... Identifying Effective Measures for Heat Reduction and Air Pollution Blocking

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Institute of Technology announced on the 20th that it has developed planting plans with high heat and air pollution blocking effects in urban areas and will apply them to street greenery in Seoul to create a safe city from summer heatwaves and air pollutants.

Seoul has been creating various types of street greenery depending on the project while conducting street greenery projects. Street greenery functions to disperse air and adsorb and purify pollutants through plants, thereby reducing air pollutants. It can also reduce heat through the evapotranspiration function of plants and blocking solar radiation heat. However, if not properly planted, it can obstruct air flow, causing an increase in air pollutant concentration on pedestrian roads and may not be effective in heat reduction.

Accordingly, the Seoul Institute of Technology conducted virtual experiments on 400 data sets of street greenery types to examine the effects of tree height and density used in street greenery on blocking air pollutants. The results showed that when the height of tree hedges was about 1.0 to 1.2 meters, pedestrian exposure to air pollutants was lower, and the most effective results were obtained when trees were densely planted.

In addition, effective planting methods and plant species for heatwaves and air pollutants were suggested, and priority grading criteria for tree planting to reduce heat were established according to the scale of 2-lane or 3- and 4-lane roads. Seoul plans to apply these planting plans to various street types such as school commuting routes and business streets in the future.

Im Seong-eun, director of the Seoul Institute of Technology, said, “Street greenery not only protects citizens' health and safety from heatwaves and air pollutants but also serves as a fundamental solution for carbon reduction in response to climate change,” adding, “We will continue to work closely with the Seoul Metropolitan Government for a safe and green Seoul.”