Journal of Environmental Engineering (Transactions of AIJ)
Online ISSN : 1881-817X
Print ISSN : 1348-0685
ISSN-L : 1348-0685
Volume 85, Issue 773
Displaying 1-5 of 5 articles from this issue
  • Based on a questionnaire survey related to lifestyle in winter in 3 areas
    Makoto FUKUSAKA, Naoki MATSUBARA, Yoshiaki YAMATO, Sayoko MATSUBARA, N ...
    2020 Volume 85 Issue 773 Pages 503-509
    Published: 2020
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2020
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

     While focusing on the behavior of detached housing residents in their efforts to obtain warmth by using audio-visual stimuli etc., we investigated the relationship between the mitigation of thermal discomfort and the improvement of the overall sense of comfort. This included not only physical effects, such as the perceived temperature, but also the psychological effects felt through visual and auditory sensations.

     After a study on the behavior of detached housing residents in Kyoto related to cooling, Fukusaka et al. (2014) clarified that the subjects were obtaining coolness through both physical and psychological effects. We also investigated the hypothesis that residents were expanding their tolerance of thermal discomfort through their behavior to obtain coolness actively. Based on questions relating to consciousness, values, and endurance in regard to a cold environment for the detached housing residents in Kyoto, Fukusaka and Matsubara (2016) categorized 4 groups based on 2 components: "the degree of emphasis and the sense of values regarding environmental protection, tradition and seasons, " and "the degree of endurance in regard to a cold environment."

     In this study, we studied whether or not the data obtained in Hiroshima and Aichi showed similar results, compared with those from Kyoto. The following items were clarified.

     1. This study was conducted using two principal components. First, we studied "the degree of emphasis and the sense of values regarding environmental protection, tradition and seasons," and secondly, we studied "the degree of tolerance and endurance in regard to a cold environment." The study was conducted in 3 local regions, and we confirmed the validity of the categorization in all 3 regions, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Aichi.

     2. Detached housing residents in all 3 regions were categorized in 4 groups according to the 2 principal components, and the characteristic features of the 4 groups were reviewed in regard to how they obtained warmth.

     3.Based on this study of detached housing residents in Kyoto, Hiroshima and Aichi, we consider that studies on how subjects obtain warmth will provide important clues to understanding the diversity of life in any region.

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  • Psychological evaluation results of text information by Chinese students and the relationship with personal attributes
    Na LIU, Daisaku NISHINA, Wei LU, Hua JIN, Takahiro TANAKA, Rui JIANG
    2020 Volume 85 Issue 773 Pages 511-521
    Published: 2020
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2020
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

     At present, in Japan, the population decrease, low birth rate and aging population make it difficult to expand domestic demand, and the development of inbound tourism has become an important issue of tourism policy. Therefore, in order to obtain some basic information about the ways to attract a large number of Chinese tourists in the future, we took Chinese students as subjects and conducted a landscape evaluation experiment with text information. By comparing the results of psychological evaluation experiments between the two conditions of "only text" and "text + image", and through comparative analysis with personal attributes, the influence of text information on the evaluation of landscape images is clarified.

     The following conclusions can be drawn from the study.

     ● The trend of comprehensive evaluation was generally similar between the "only text" and "text + image" modes. In almost all landscapes, it was recognized that they were evaluated on the positive side. In advance, the subjects were informed that the landscape images used in the experiment were all tourist landscapes of Hiroshima, which influenced the evaluation results.

     ● According to the evaluation results of all subjects on each category of text information, "Intention to Visit" could be evoked by text information in all categories. However, even in the same category of text information, the evaluation of "Intention to Visit" is still different depending on the specific content of the text information.

     ● Based on the results of the correlation analysis between "Willingness to Visit" and "Intention to Visit" by all subjects, compared with surface information A) experience and D) scale, deep information B) scarcity and C) history has a relatively weaker influence on "Willingness to Visit". This reason is considered that the understanding of deep information such as Japanese history is varied among the Chinese students.

     ● The cluster analysis was applied to the data of "Intention to Visit", and the result was compared with the subjects' personal attributes. According to the grouping of "Intention to Visit" in the "only text" mode, personal attributes such as age, travel experience and knowledge have a significant impact on the evaluation results.

     From the results, the similarities and differences of the text information of each category were obtained. Especially according to the evaluation results in the "only text" mode, the evaluation of the text information of the tourism landscape might be closely related to the personal attributes. Therefore, in order to effectively use the information to attract more tourists, it is necessary to clarify the exact text content which is suitable for different groups.

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  • Junya YAMASAKI, Toshiharu IKAGA, Norihiro ITSUBO
    2020 Volume 85 Issue 773 Pages 523-533
    Published: 2020
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2020
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

     In Japan, a unified system for measuring environmental loads in administrative areas has not been officially established. In a previous study, the authors focused on Japanese minimum administrative divisions (municipalities) and quantified the annual environmental loads attributable to each division in the year 2015 using the LCIA method. For this, the study leveraged the assessment theory of the Life-Cycle Impact Assessment Method Based on Endpoint Modeling 2 (LIME2). This method is able to calculate assessment results in monetary units via the so-called “Eco-index Yen” (unit: Japanese yen) while integrating the environmental loads of several impact categories, such as “Climate change” and “Land use”. Based on this, the present study sought to conduct the same assessment for each year from 2000 to 2015, and visualize the temporal changes in environmental loads within all Japanese municipalities by impact categories and by type of business.

     Using statistical information that was reliable, verifiable, and comparable, the total environmental damage amount for the whole of Japan was calculated to be 8.40, 8.47, 7.50, and 7.41 trillion yen in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015, respectively. This indicates that damage amounts were generally on a downward trend throughout the 16-year period. Focusing on impact categories, the damage amounts for five categories, “Photochemical ozone, ” “Resources consumption, ” “Acidification, ” “Atmosphere pollution, ” and “Waste (domestic), ” decreased every five-year period. Focusing on the type of business, the damage amounts for “Primary Industries (Agriculture, etc.)” and “Secondary Industries (Manufacturing, etc.)” decreased every five-year period, and the damage amount for “Tertiary Industries (Service industry, etc.)” began to decline in 2005. This suggests that damage amounts reflect the effects of environmental policies and the activities of industries over time around the country.

     Next, the temporal changes in damage amounts were placed on a map of Japan to visualize patterns across municipalities. In overall terms, declining damage was discerned across many municipalities between 2005 and 2010. This tendency was particularly pronounced in the “Climate change” and “Atmosphere pollution” impact categories and the “Construction” and “Manufacturing” industries. This likely reflects not only local environmental policy interventions, but also the global financial crisis that began in 2008.

     From these results, it became possible to visualize the change over time in environmental loads based on social factors related to each period in Japan. This study provides information that can be used for making decisions about environmental policies, as well as primary knowledge needed to develop standardized environmental accounting guidelines for Japanese municipalities.

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  • Takuya SHIMIZU, Hiroto TAKAGUCHI, Azusa TAKAYAMA, Ji XIAN, Chiharu MUR ...
    2020 Volume 85 Issue 773 Pages 535-543
    Published: 2020
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2020
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

     The goal of this study was to create a household energy use and lifestyle database for Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. First, for the purpose of confirming database demand and determining specifications, interview surveys were conducted. The targets were 20 institutions, including universities, energy companies, and government agencies. Then, based on the knowledge of the database requirements obtained from the interview survey, a questionnaire survey was conducted. The survey was conducted in urban and suburban areas of Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and 1642 valid responses were obtained.

     The average number of household members was 4.1 persons in Bangkok, 4.4 persons in Hanoi and 4.6 persons in Ho Chi Minh City, 5.3 persons in Phnom Penh and “Kampong Cham and Battambang” (hereinafter called "KC and BB"). In Cambodia, households with more than 7 persons accounted for 27.1% of all households in Phnom Penh and 25.0% in KC and BB.

     Households whose income was 800~1300 USD accounted for 40.0% of all households in Bangkok, 36.1% in Hanoi, and 27.0% in Ho Chi Minh City. The average income was 1142 USD in Bangkok, 1005 USD in Hanoi, and 833 USD in Ho Chi Minh City. In Cambodia, over 90% of households had an income of less than 530 USD, and the average income was 451 USD in Phnom Penh and 328 USD in KC and BB.

     In Bangkok, the proportion of households with a total floor area of 75 m² or less was 50.3% and highest among the areas surveyed. The percentage of households with under 50 m² of total floor area in Hanoi was 12.4%. In Ho Chi Minh City, the percentages of households with total floor area less than 50 m², between 50 m² and 75 m², and between 75 m² and 100 m² were equally distributed at 24.3%, 21.6%, and 23.2%, respectively. The proportion of households with total floor area under 50 m² in Ho Chi Minh City was 1.97 times that in Hanoi. The total floor area of KC and BB was significantly larger than in other areas. The proportion of households with total floor area over 75 m² in KC and BB was 72.5%, compared with 50.7% in Phnom Penh.

     The percentage of households using electricity was approximately 100% in Bangkok, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. The electrification rate in Cambodia was relatively low, but it was 91.1% in Phnom Penh and 72.5% in KC and BB. LPG usage was highest in Bangkok at 79.0%, followed by KC and BB at 65.0%. The usage rate of Phnom Penh was the lowest at 44.3%. Charcoal use was high in Cambodia, at 22.1% in Phnom Penh and 30.0% in KC and BB. The usage rate of firewood was 7.1% in Phnom Penh and 2.5% in KC and BB.

     The annual secondary energy consumption per household was 18.8 GJ in Ho Chi Minh City, followed by 18.2 GJ in Hanoi. Electricity consumption in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi was 17.0 GJ and 15.9 GJ, respectively, exceeding the value of 14.2 GJ in Okinawa, Japan. The energy consumption of KC and BB was 17.3 GJ, exceeding that of Bangkok, 16.2 GJ. However, charcoal and firewood accounted for 25.4% of the total energy consumption of KC and BB, and the CO2 emission there was 52.5% smaller than that in Bangkok.

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  • An assessment of the material production, construction and use stages of European reference buildings
    Atsushi TAKANO
    2020 Volume 85 Issue 773 Pages 545-555
    Published: 2020
    Released on J-STAGE: July 30, 2020
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

     The environmental development of a building has an important role to play in terms of the sustainable development of our society. Against this background, wood and wood-based products, especially so-called massive timber product such as Cross laminated timber (CLT) and laminated veneer lumber (LVL), have lately attracted notable attention as a promising construction material due to their unique environmental properties like renewability and carbon storage capacity. The development of sustainable wood construction has become a matter of public interest.

     The aim of this research is to clarify the environmental features of massive timber construction. This study reports on a detailed investigation into the carbon footprint of multistory massive timber buildings. Based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) method, CO2 emission associated with the production, construction and use stages of the reference buildings and temporal carbon storage (TCS) in the buildings were quantified.

     The assessment results were analyzed in accordance with the life cycle stages, building element categories, building parts categories and building material categories. The features of massive timber construction in terms of carbon foot print and possible practical development were discussed. Main findings are summarized as follows:

     1) The material production (Module A1-3), construction (Module A4-5) and use (Module B6) stages account for, respectively, 17-27%, 4-10% and 63-79% of the total emission of the included life cycle stages.

     2) TCS was equivalent as the emission for Module A.

     3) The multifunctionalization of massive timber as such based on the inherent properties of wood would be a mean to use wood more reasonable way, reducing the emission and enhancing TCS as a benefit.

     4) Because of high possibility to use biomass fuel in the process, there seems to be greater potential to mitigate CO2 emission from the prefabrication than in the on-site construction.

     5) It happens that the transportation of building components (Module A4) results in higher CO2 emission than the actual construction work (Module A5), due to the long delivery distance for massive timber products. It would be fundamental to select proper material in accordance with conditions of a project such as location, purpose and scale of a building.

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