scholarly journals How to Improve the Liveability in Cities: The Effect of Urban Morphology and Greening on Outdoor Thermal Comfort

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (2-4) ◽  
pp. 361-370
Author(s):  
Guglielmina Mutani ◽  
Valeria Todeschi ◽  
Simone Beltramino
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Urban Morphology ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Water Runoff ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Extensive and intensive green roofs and vegetated walls should be used to improve the livability in cities, especially in densely built-up context, in order to optimize their contribution on energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions, improving thermal comfort conditions and ensuring a greater storm-water runoff. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of urban morphology and to quantify the impact of green surfaces and plants on outdoor thermal comfort conditions. The analysis was applied to six neighborhoods in the city of Turin, identified as typical districts with different building geometries, urban contexts and green presence. The outdoor thermal comfort conditions were assessed calculating a set of indicators, such as the predicted mean vote and the physiological equivalent temperature, with the support of ENVI-met tool. Retrofit scenarios were hypothesized, and outdoor thermal comfort conditions were investigated before and after the installation of green roofs and vegetated areas. The result allowed to understand how thermal comfort vary, considering the building geometry, urban morphology, and green areas in different zones of the city of Turin. By analyzing neighborhoods, it is possible to identify the optimal built environment that ensure better thermal comfort conditions. These models and tools could support urban planners in defining the best measures to improve the liveability and quality in the built environment considering local constraints and the real characteristics of the territory or in designing new neighborhoods.

Implications of Building Material Choice on Outdoor Microclimate for Sustainable Built Environment

2015 ◽  
Vol 650 ◽  
pp. 82-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Kannamma ◽  
A. Meenatchi Sundaram
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Building Material ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
Material Choice ◽  
The Impact

The climatic conditions in a man-made urban environment may differ appreciably from those in the surrounding natural or rural environs.... each urban man-made buildings, roads, parking area, factories......creates around and above it a modified climate with which it interacts [1].Outdoor thermal comfort has gained importance in thermal comfort studies especially in tropical countries. In country like India, culturally the activities are spread both indoors and outdoors. Therefore the need for ambient outdoor environment gains importance. As there are many factors that contribute to outdoor thermal comfort (climatic factors and physical factors), this study aims in analyzing the impact of building material contribution, in an institutional courtyard. In order to understand the thermal contribution of various building materials and to suggest material choice to designers, ENVIMET is used for simulation purpose. The outdoor thermal comfort index employed in this study is PET (Physiological Equivalent Temperature), calibrated using RAYMAN.

Towards Pedestrian Microclimatic Comfort: A Rapid Predication Model for Street Winds and Pedestrian Thermal Sensation

Nano LIFE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 08 (02) ◽  
pp. 1840006
Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Mengnan Qi ◽  
Qiuhua Duan ◽  
Lei Huo ◽  
Julian Wang
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
The Impact

Significant changes in the urban built environment have occurred due to rapid urbanization and increases in the urban population. Such alterations may produce environmental health-related issues such as urban heat stress, air pollution and traffic noise. This research undertook a field study to collect data including urban design parameters, micro-environmental factors and city climatic information. This work was conducted over a two-year period on three pedestrian streets located in high-density urban areas in Beijing. These areas were selected in order to study the influences of urban street canyon texture within a particular geometric layout, wind flow corridors and variations in air temperature on pedestrian microclimatic comfort. The results will facilitate the work of urban planners by providing them with information for use in improving outdoor thermal comfort through their designs. A total of 60[Formula: see text]485 samples were organized into training, validation and test sets. We confirmed our hypothesis that internal wind speed ([Formula: see text] is attributable mainly to the urban texture coefficient ([Formula: see text], air temperature ([Formula: see text] and leading-in wind speed ([Formula: see text]. The model was tested using the test data collected onsite, which demonstrated a very accurate goodness-of-fit; the model achieved an R-squared value of 0.82, which meant that [Formula: see text] as a dependent variable was 82% correlated to the three predictors as independent variables. With this computer simulation, urban planners can now predict and visualize the impact of changes on the built environment in terms of either the direction of solar radiation received or increases in wind speed, in return for the desired thermal comfort level for residents of the neighborhood.

scholarly journals Correlative Impact of Shading Strategies and Configurations Design on Pedestrian-Level Thermal Comfort in Traditional Shophouse Neighbourhoods, Southern China

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi Yin ◽  
Werner Lang ◽  
Yiqiang Xiao ◽  
Zhao Xu
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Humid Climate ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
Axis Orientation ◽  
Covered Area ◽  
The Impact

Traditional shophouse neighbourhoods (TSNs) in southern China respond well to the local hot and humid climate through proper street configurations and the integration of different shading strategies. Investigating the impact of shading strategies and configurations in TSNs on outdoor thermal comfort is valuable for guiding current urban design. Three street canyons in a TSN of Guangzhou with different shading strategies were selected as basic cases for microclimatic measurement in the summer season, i.e., alleys, streets with arcade for pedestrians, and streets with high-density greenery. After validating their simulation models in ENVI-met, five groups of parametric simulations were generated by varying the canyon aspect ratio (CHW), the canyon axis orientation, arcade proportion (AHW), and the tree-covered area (TCA). Using the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) to assess the above results, the correlative impact of different variations on pedestrian’s thermal comfort and their corresponding favourable ranges are summarized. The findings suggest that: (a) only in alleys and arcade streets, the pedestrian-level thermal comfort was significantly influenced by canyon axis orientation. (b) The thermal stress for pedestrians increased dramatically when the CHW was lower than 1.5 in alleys and 0.78 in boulevards (in TCA = 89%), while the CHW higher than 1 indicated a remarkable reduction on the PET for pedestrians in arcades. (c) The pedestrians started losing the protection from shading strategy to thermal stress when the AHW was higher than 1.33 (in canyon with CHW = 1) or the TCA was lower than 33% (in canyon with CHW = 0.78).

Improvement of the Outdoor Thermal Comfort by Water Spraying in a High-Density Urban Environment under the Influence of a Future (2050) Climate

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7811
Author(s):  
Ka-Ming Wai ◽  
Lei Xiao ◽  
Tanya Zheng Tan
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Prevailing Wind Direction ◽  
The Impact

Adaptation to prepare for adverse climate change impacts in the context of urban heat islands and outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) is receiving growing concern. However, knowledge of quantitative microclimatic conditions within the urban boundary layer in the future is still lacking, such that the introduction of adequate adaptation measures to increase OTC is challenging. To investigate the cooling performance of a water spraying system in a sub-tropical compact and high-rise built environment in summer under the influence of future (2050) climatic conditions, results from two validated models (Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) and ENVI-met models) have been used and analyzed. Our results indicate that the spraying system provides cooling of 2–3 °C for ambient air temperature at the pedestrian-level of the urban canyons considered here, which benefits pedestrians. However, improvement of the OTC in terms of the physiological equivalent temperature (PET—a better indicator of human thermal sensation) was noticeable (e.g., <42 °C or from very hot to hot) when the urban canyon was orientated parallel to the prevailing wind direction only. This implies that in order to improve city resilience in terms of heat stress, more holistic adaptation measures in urban planning are needed. This includes the introduction of more breezeways and building disposition to facilitate the urban ventilation, as well as urban tree arrangement and sunshades to reduce direct solar radiation to plan for the impact of future climate change.

scholarly journals Urban heat resilience at the time of global warming: evaluating the impact of the urban parks on outdoor thermal comfort

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farshid Aram ◽  
Ebrahim Solgi ◽  
Ester Higueras García ◽  
Amir Mosavi
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Mental Image ◽  
Urban Parks ◽  
Cooling Effect ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Heat Island ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: In densely populated urban centers, increased air temperature due to urban heat island (UHI) effect can undermine the thermal comfort and health of citizens. Research has shown that large urban parks can mitigate the effect of UHIs and improve thermal comfort, especially in the warmer months of the year when temperature changes are more noticeable. This study investigated the cooling effect intensity (CEI) of the Retiro Park in the center of Madrid at three different distances from its southern edge and the impact of this cooling effect on thermal comfort from physiological and psychological perspectives. This investigation was performed by measuring microclimate data and conducting a survey simultaneously during the summer days. Results: The results showed that the CEI of the park varies with distance from its edge. Because of this effect, air temperature within the 130m and 280m distance of the park was respectively 1.6°C and 0.9°C lower than the temperature at the 520m distance (the nearest heat island). After examining the effect of the park in terms of Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET), it was found that the PET at the 130m and 280m distance of the park was 9.3% and 5.4% less than the PET in the heat island domain. More than 81% of the respondents (in all three areas) had a mental image of the park as the place where they would experience the highest level of outdoor thermal comfort, and this rate was higher in the areas closer to the park. The analysis of citizens’ responses about perceived thermal comfort (PTC) showed that citizens in areas with higher CEI had perceived a higher degree of thermal comfort from the psychological perspective.Conclusion: This study demonstrates the significant role of large urban parks located in the core of the populated cities in providing thermal comfort for citizens from both physiological and psychological perspectives. Additionally, the results of this study demonstrated that among the environmental (natural and artificial) factors around the park (topography, urban structure, etc.), the aspect ratio has the greatest impact on thermal comfort.

The Impact of Different Green Roofs Strategies on the Indoor Thermal Comfort with Special Reference to Cairo-Egypt

2014 ◽  
Vol 935 ◽  
pp. 38-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samar Mohamed Sheweka ◽  
Nourhan Magdy
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Green Buildings ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Indoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Save Energy ◽  
The Impact

In present time, the environmental impact of green buildings on inner and outer climate has becomes more apparent. Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment. Recently, the popularity of green roof is growing in the context of urban landscaping because of its smaller footprint, aesthetic value, insulation benefits and heat island mitigation impact. Greenery roofs are considered to be a part of new technology that allows the use of alternative vegetation. This paper will explore the potentials of using green roofs as an integral part of the building process to save energy. This paper will introduce the energy crisis and will focus on the current crisis in Egypt and the global UHI effect. It will also identify the impact of vegetation as a sustainable approach for UHI mitigation and energy savings. After addressing green roof types, and their functional, and environmental aspects in general. The paper distills these different types to enhance thermal performance in terms of indoor thermal comfort and energy savings with the integration of PV cells within green roof design. This will be empirically examined by DesignBuilder and EnergyPlus Simulation, to explore the possibilities of improving indoor thermal comfort within the studied types. Then the paper will be concluded by a set of recommendations for buildings within Egypt’s climatic settings.

scholarly journals The impact of the cooling effect of urban parks on thermal comfort from the physiological and the psychological perspective

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farshid Aram ◽  
Ebrahim Solgi ◽  
Ester Higueras García ◽  
Amir Mosavi
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Mental Image ◽  
Urban Parks ◽  
Cooling Effect ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Heat Island ◽  
Psychological Perspective ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: In densely populated urban centers, increased air temperature due to urban heat island (UHI) effect can undermine the thermal comfort and health of citizens. Research has shown that large urban parks can mitigate the effect of UHIs and improve thermal comfort, especially in the warmer months of the year when temperature changes are more noticeable. This study investigated the cooling effect intensity (CEI) of the Retiro Park in the center of Madrid at three different distances from its southern edge and the impact of this cooling effect on thermal comfort from physiological and psychological perspectives. This investigation was performed by measuring microclimate data and conducting a survey simultaneously during the summer days. Results: The results showed that the CEI of the park varies with distance from its edge. Because of this effect, air temperature within the 130m and 280m distance of the park was respectively 1.6°C and 0.9°C lower than the temperature at the 520m distance (the nearest heat island). After examining the effect of the park in terms of Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET), it was found that the PET at the 130m and 280m distance of the park was 9.3% and 5.4% less than the PET in the heat island domain. More than 81% of the respondents (in all three areas) had a mental image of the park as the place where they would experience the highest level of outdoor thermal comfort, and this rate was higher in the areas closer to the park. The analysis of citizens’ responses about perceived thermal comfort (PTC) showed that citizens in areas with higher CEI had perceived a higher degree of thermal comfort from the psychological perspective. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the significant role of large urban parks located in the core of the populated cities in providing thermal comfort for citizens from both physiological and psychological perspectives.

scholarly journals Urban heat resilience at the time of global warming: evaluating the impact of the urban parks on outdoor thermal comfort

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farshid Aram ◽  
Ebrahim Solgi ◽  
Ester Higueras Garcia ◽  
Amir Mosavi
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Mental Image ◽  
Urban Parks ◽  
Cooling Effect ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Heat Island ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background In densely populated urban centers, increased air temperature due to urban heat island (UHI) effect can undermine the thermal comfort and health of citizens. Research has shown that large urban parks can mitigate the effect of UHIs and improve thermal comfort, especially in the warmer months of the year when temperature changes are more noticeable. This study investigated the cooling effect intensity (CEI) of the Retiro Park in the center of Madrid at three different distances from its southern edge and the impact of this cooling effect on thermal comfort from physiological and psychological perspectives. This investigation was performed by measuring microclimate data and conducting a survey simultaneously during the summer days. Results The results showed that the CEI of the park varies with distance from its edge. Because of this effect, air temperature within the 130 m and 280 m distance of the park was, respectively, 1.6 °C and 0.9 °C lower than the temperature at the 520 m distance (the nearest heat island). After examining the effect of the park in terms of physiological equivalent temperature (PET), it was found that the PET at the 130 m and 280 m distance of the park was 9.3% and 5.4% less than the PET in the heat island domain. More than 81% of the respondents (in all three areas) had a mental image of the park as the place where they would experience the highest level of outdoor thermal comfort, and this rate was higher in the areas closer to the park. The analysis of citizens’ responses about perceived thermal comfort (PTC) showed that citizens in areas with higher CEI had perceived a higher degree of thermal comfort from the psychological perspective. Conclusion This study demonstrates the significant role of large urban parks located in the core of the populated cities in providing thermal comfort for citizens from both physiological and psychological perspectives. Additionally, the results of this study demonstrated that among the environmental (natural and artificial) factors around the park (topography, urban structure, etc.), the aspect ratio has the greatest impact on thermal comfort.

scholarly journals Urban Heat Islands and Thermal Comfort: A Case Study of Zorrotzaurre Island in Bilbao

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6106
Author(s):  
Irantzu Alvarez ◽  
Laura Quesada-Ganuza ◽  
Estibaliz Briz ◽  
Leire Garmendia
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Urban Heat Islands ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
Heat Islands ◽  
The North ◽  
The Impact

This study assesses the impact of a heat wave on the thermal comfort of an unconstructed area: the North Zone of the Island of Zorrotzaurre (Bilbao, Spain). In this study, the impact of urban planning as proposed in the master plan on thermal comfort is modeled using the ENVI-met program. Likewise, the question of whether the urbanistic proposals are designed to create more resilient urban environments is analyzed in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events, especially heat waves. The study is centered on the analysis of temperature variables (air temperature and average radiant temperature) as well as wind speed and relative humidity. This was completed with the parameters of thermal comfort, the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and the Universal Temperature Climate Index (UTCI) for the hours of the maximum and minimum daily temperatures. The results demonstrated the viability of analyzing thermal comfort through simulations with the ENVI-met program in order to analyze the behavior of urban spaces in various climate scenarios.

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