The child and school-adapted gaussian two-step floating catchment area model to assess accessibility to green spaces
(2026) Urban Forestry & Urban Greening — Vol. 122, p. 129518 (2026)
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- Authors
Irajpour, Ahmadreza 
- Abstract
- Keywords: Physical accessibility Green space Children School environment Gravity-based models Brussels Capital Region Urban planning A B S T R A C T Prior literature has consistently demonstrated that green spaces are crucial for children's well-being. However, their distribution across urban areas is often uneven, highlighting the need for child-centered accessibility assessments to identify where improvements in green space accessibility are most needed. Most existing assessments of children's accessibility to green spaces rely on simplified buffer or network analyses, overlooking demand-supply interactions. Gravity-based models, while more advanced, often apply adult walking mobility thresholds and neglect children's limited mobility and autonomy. Additionally, they rarely account for qualitative attributes of supplies like tree canopy, which enhances thermal comfort and environmental protection for children in urban areas. Furthermore, they overlook school environments-including schoolyards and nearby public green spaces-where children spend a significant part of their day. This study introduces the Child and School-Adapted Gaussian Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (CS-G2SFCA) model, the first adaptation of the G2SFCA model to incorporate: (1) age-specific walking thresholds (200 m, 400 m, and 800 m for preschools, primary, and secondary schools, respectively); (2) integration of tree canopy cover as an additive quality factor of supply; (3) inclusion of green schoolyard accessibility; and (4) incorporation of schoolyard green space and public green spaces around school accessibilities based on children's maximum potential engagement time. The CS-G2SFCA model was applied to the case study of the Brussels Capital Region in Belgium, to document the distribution of accessibility scores. This study demonstrates the utility of the CS-G2SFCA model for guiding child-friendly green infrastructure planning and promoting spatial equality.
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Citations
Irajpour, A., Baró, F., & Llaguno, M. (2026). The child and school-adapted gaussian two-step floating catchment area model to assess accessibility to green spaces. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 122, 129518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2026.129518 (Original work published 2026)