Assessment of the urban environment's ecological safety in the conditions of pandemic threats on the example of Kyiv.

Varavin D.V. Assessment of the urban environment's ecological safety in the conditions of pandemic threats on the example of Kyiv. - Qualifying scientific work on the rights of the manuscript.

The dissertation on competition of a scientific degree of technical sciences candidate on a specialty 21.06.01 - ecological safety. Kyiv National University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Kyiv, 2021. 

The main content of the dissertation work.

The dissertation is devoted to the scientific problem of improvement of the complex approach of management of the urbanized territories for improvement of a condition of ecological safety in pandemic threats. Construction trends have always reflected the ability to evolve after the crisis, and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the most vulnerable to the risk of infection was densely populated cities. Improving the ecological safety of the urban environment requires new urban space strategies, increasing spatial functionality, decentralization of megacities with increasing the potential of micro-mobility. The method of calculating the indicators of ecological safety of Kyiv districts has been formalized: Darnytskyi (20,984), Holosiivskyi (20,646), Dniprovskyi (19,417), Shevchenkivskyi (16,649), Desnyanskyi (16,275), Solomyanskyi (14,743), Obolonskyi (12,560), Sviatoshynskyi ( 11,916), Podilsky (5,420), Pechersky (1,758). The spread of pandemic threats in the districts of Kyiv is pronounced territorial. Improving the Kyiv Development Strategy with the use of green building technologies is relevant primarily for such sectors of urban development as urban development, land relations, housing, and communal services, transport and urban mobility, public space, energy conservation, resource management, and waste management, environmental protection and environmental policy.

The relevance of the chosen research topic is substantiated, the state and prospects of studying this area are highlighted. The international experience of transformation of the built environment for the reduction of risks of ecological danger in the conditions of pandemic COVID-19 is analyzed. To create an environmentally safe environment in order to prevent the risk of emergencies, it is necessary to develop new urban planning strategies. The economic, social, and environmental consequences of the pandemic for urban development are analyzed.

Comparison of the number of patients with COVID-19 with the number and density of the population in the districts of Kyiv (in points) shows that the level of infection does not depend on the number and density of the population of the districts. The correspondence of the number of patients by districts to the total number of kindergartens, schools, colleges, and higher educational institutions is noted. At the same time, no direct correlation was found between the incidence rate of COVID-19 and the number of enterprises and employees in the districts of Kyiv, which may indicate the effectiveness of teleworking as a precautionary measure.

The most relevant now is multidisciplinary research in the direction of improving the built environment for the protection of people in conditions of pandemic threats. The international experience of measures implemented to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and overcome the economic and social crisis is summarized. The categories of sustainable development of urban areas in the conditions of pandemic threats are determined on the basis of standards of green building, which are consistent with the current international trend of "green urban renewal": 1) planning and management; 2) economic justification; 3) architecture and functionality; 4) land use and ecology; 5) transport and infrastructure; 6) health and safety; 7) quality and comfort; 8) energy efficiency and resource-saving; 9) minimization of pollution; 10) utilization and recycling of waste; 11) socio-cultural aspects; 12) innovation.

As a result of the multifactor analysis of a significant array of data conducted in the Statistica program, the main groups of factors were identified, which included 48 indicators of the state of ecological safety of Kyiv with significant cross-correlations. The first factor includes the demographic characteristics of the population of the districts and social security, including the distribution by sex and age groups, income and expenses, the number of kindergartens and schools, and so on.

The second factor describes the general characteristics of the housing stock of the districts of Kyiv, in particular the number of houses and apartments, the total area of new prefabricated houses, etc. The third factor includes the parameters of the quality of housing conditions with the allocation of substandard emergency and dilapidated buildings, which in green construction are called "poor housing". The fourth factor combines environmental and territorial indicators of districts. The fifth factor revealed a significant cross-correlation of air pollution from stationary sources located in the districts of Kyiv.

These principles of stimulating urban environments are consistent with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Climate Agreement and the principles of green building, and strategic planning for infrastructure change takes into account systemic links between sectors in space and time. An action plan for further sustainable urban development and long-term urban renewal strategies have been identified. The effectiveness of the application of green building standards to improve the environmental safety of the urban environment is substantiated.

For the transformation of urban areas in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the post-pandemic period, the city of Kyiv is proposed as a model example. Successful implementation of the developed concept in the capital will contribute to the further dissemination of recommendations for the transformation of the built environment throughout Ukraine. Emergency modeling with the help of digital technologies allows to the creation of an operational system of response and forecasting of various scenarios of development of ecologically dangerous situations. Categories of sustainable development of urban areas in the conditions of pandemic threats on the basis of standards of green building are defined.

Recommendations for improving the environmental safety of the urban environment include the redevelopment of urban areas in the light of pandemic threats, development of long-term environmental transport strategies and active mobility infrastructure, reconstruction of housing and communal services to reduce the risk of infection, stimulate local economies and protect social populations. and configurations of public space, expanding the functionality of administrative and public buildings, especially medical and educational institutions.

The COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine measures have forced companies to restructure their office operations to work effectively in crisis situations. At the same time, green standards serve as a guide for recommendations for the reorganization of office work. The developed recommendations include expanding the possibilities of remote work, holding contactless meetings and meetings with the use of modern communication technologies, re-equipment of office space taking into account the requirements of social distance, new rules of interaction in public places. Criteria for green construction include innovative measures to improve working conditions and working microclimate, along with strengthening the rules of hygiene and disinfection of premises.

Transmission of infectious aerosol over long distances occurs in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. Thus systems of conditioning and ventilation at incorrect operation can become transport ways of distribution of infection. The main factor of infectious danger is the direction of airflow, so the proper microclimatic conditions in buildings are key to public health. In conditions of pandemic threats, it is proposed to introduce natural and personalized ventilation in the form of local exhaust systems.

Recommendations for increasing the level of environmental safety of the built environment in the conditions of pandemic threats, based on the best international achievements and standards, have been developed. The recommendations provide for the improvement of the microclimate of the premises and their re-equipment taking into account the requirements of social distance, improving the quality and comfort of the internal environment, maintaining the health and efficiency of the population. To meet the new requirements, it is recommended to strengthen the rules of hygiene and disinfection of premises, the use of modern technologies of automatic cleaning, the use of sanitary spraying devices, disinfectant lighting, and temperature treatment of premises. Green building standards include increased natural light, improved ventilation, and elimination of hazardous factors from the air, hygienic and biophilic design of the premises. Contactless building management technologies and the general spread of modern digital technologies in accordance with the new rules of human interaction are becoming especially relevant.

As a result of the calculations of environmental safety indicators, the districts of Kyiv are divided into three clusters: 1) Pecherskyi (PEB = 1,758) and Podilskyi districts (5,420); 2) Sviatoshynsky (11,915), Obolonsky (12,559), Solomyansky (14,742), Desnyansky (16,274), Shevchenkivsky (16,648); 3) Dniprovsky (19,416), Holosiivsky (20,645), Darnytsky (20,984).

A comparison of the number of patients with COVID-19 with the number and density of the population in the districts of Kyiv (in points) shows that the level of infection does not depend on the number and density of the population of the districts. 

The correspondence of the number of patients by districts to the total number of kindergartens, schools, colleges and higher educational establishments is noted. At the same time, no direct correlation was found between the incidence rate of COVID-19 and the number of enterprises and employees in the districts of Kyiv, which may indicate the effectiveness of remote work as a precautionary measure.