최훈혁, 이병철, 강정은 (2024). Accessibility Analysis of Cooling Centers in the Mountainous Area. ACSP 2024 Annual Conference. (2024. 11. 07. - 2024. 11. 09.) 

[Abstract] 

 The heat wave has garnered less public attention due to its relatively minor physical damage compared to other natural disasters. However, with the recent exacerbation of climate change, the escalating human casualties have led to an increasing risk in urban areas(Klinenberg, 2015). One important finding of epidemiologic investigations of extreme heat-related morbidity and mortality is that poor and minority populations, located in urban neighborhoods, are disproportionately affected(Luber & McGeehin). Among the vulnerable groups, the elderly are particularly susceptible to extreme heat. Owing to their diminished physical capacity and slower recovery, as well as a higher likelihood of cardiovascular or chronic diseases, they face a surging risk of heat-related illnesses during periods of extreme heat(Epstein & Yanovich, 2019). The local governments are developing or implementing response measures to mitigate the adverse effects of extreme heat, among them cooling centers are the representative measure. 

 Although cooling center is the most representative extreme heat policy for extreme heat, research on whether it is effectively designated and operated, as well as its current status and accessibility, is lacking. 

 Accordingly, the study analyzes the service area in Busan Metropolitan City, situated in the mountainous terrain of South Korea. The study collected contour data, road centerline data, and location of cooling centers via open API. Subsequently, the research calculated the service area considering slope using ArcGIS Pro 3.0. Comparing to previous research, the study adjusted walking speeds to 1.3367m/s for general adults and 0.9416m/s for the elderly by applying the method proposed by Satoh et al. (2006) due to considering the slope and the walking speed of elderly more meticulously. Additionally, reflecting extreme heat as a natural disaster, the study sets appropriate approach time to the cooling centers at 7.5 minutes, based on evacuation times in South Korea ranging from 5 to 10 minutes. Afterwards, the study conducted an analysis of Spatial Autocorrelation between the service area ratios of cooling center and the natural logarithm of vulnerability variables. 

 According to the result, a total of 1440 cooling centers are operational during nighttime hours, with 891 of these equipped with air conditioner. The service area of cooling centers based on the walking speed of adults/elderly individuals is 60.19 km2/42.56 km2, respectively. Also, the service area ratio of cooling centers in the downtown is high, while the outskirts is low. According to the spatial autocorrelation analysis, the placement of cooling centers appears to be well-established for traditional vulnerable groups however, it is questionable to consider that cooling centers have been adequately positioned to address the needs of the elderly population. In conclusion, it appears challenging to provide effective cooling centers for heat-vulnerable populations in Busan Metropolitan City, as only about 62% of the designated cooling centers are equipped with air conditioning and theoretically capable of nighttime operation. Therefore, it is necessary to implement nighttime heatwave measures in vulnerable communities by providing incentives or financial support for nighttime operation of public facilities. 

 While the spatial placement of cooling centers considered socio-economic vulnerable groups, doubts linger regarding whether sufficient consideration was given to the elderly population. In future designations of cooling centers, it is imperative not to simply designate more centers in areas with low service area ratios, but rather to comprehensively consider factors such as age, economic status, terrain slope, etc., to designate additional cooling centers. 

키워드 : Extreme Heat, Cooling Center, Service Area, Vulnerable Populations, Climate Change Adaptation 

사사 : 스마트시티, 기후변화특성화대학원사업