scholarly journals Microclimate Analysis as a Design Driver of Architecture

Climate ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Graham ◽  
Umberto Berardi ◽  
Geoffrey Turnbull ◽  
Robert McKaye
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Design Office ◽  
Scope Project ◽  
Thermal Climate ◽  
Design Options ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

In the context of global climate change, it is increasingly important for architects to understand the effects of their interventions on indoor and outdoor thermal comfort. New microclimate analysis tools which are gaining appreciation among architects enable the assessment of different design options in terms of biometeorological parameters, such as the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and the Outdoor Thermal Comfort Autonomy. This paper reflects on some recent experiences of an architectural design office attempting to incorporate local climatic considerations as a design driver in projects. The investigation shows that most of the available tools for advanced climatic modelling have been developed for research purposes and are not optimized for architectural and urban design; consequently, they require adaptations and modifications to extend their functionality or to achieve interoperability with software commonly used by architects. For this scope, project-specific Python scripts used to extract design-consequential information from simulation results, as well as to construct meteorological boundary conditions for microclimate simulations, are presented. This study describes the obstacles encountered while implementing microclimate analysis in an architectural office and the measures taken to overcome them. Finally, the benefits of this form of analysis are discussed.

scholarly journals Parametric Design and Comfort Optimization of Dynamic Shading Structures

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7670
Author(s):  
Doris A. Chi ◽  
Edwin González M. ◽  
Renato Valdivia ◽  
Eduardo Gutiérrez J.
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Parametric Design ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Parametric Modelling ◽  
The Social ◽  
Thermal Climate ◽  
Dynamic Time

This work implements parametric tools to optimize the environmental design of urban adaptive shadings through multiobjective evolutionary algorithms that look for solutions of dynamic (time-changing) structures used in open public spaces. The proposal is located in Malecon Cancun Tajamar in the southeast part of Mexico, and the main objective is to enhance the thermal comfort of users as well as to become part of the social dynamics of the place reinforcing identity through appropriation. The proposed workflow includes four steps: (1) geometric modelling by parametric modelling tools; (2) simulation of environmental parameters by using BPS tools; (3) shape optimization by using an evolutionary algorithm; and (4) environmental verification of the results. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was used to assess the outdoor thermal comfort derived from the dynamic shadings. The results showed a significant improvement in the thermal comfort with absolute UTCI differences of 3.9, 7.4, and 3.1 °C at 8, 12, and 16 h, respectively, during the summer; and absolute differences of 1.4, 3.5, and 2 °C at 8, 12, and 16 h, respectively, during the winter. The proposed workflow can help to guide the early design process of dynamic shadings by finding optimal solutions that enhance outdoor thermal comfort.

scholarly journals Outdoor Thermal Comfort at a University Campus: Studies from Personal and Long-Term Thermal History Perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9284
Author(s):  
Jiao Xue ◽  
Xiao Hu ◽  
Shu Nuke Sani ◽  
Yuanyuan Wu ◽  
Xinyu Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal History ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
University Campus ◽  
Winter Climate

Thermally comfortable outdoor spaces have contributed to high-quality urban living. In order to provide a further understanding of the influences of gender and long-term thermal history on outdoor thermal comfort, this study conducted field surveys at a university campus in Shanghai, China by carrying out microclimatic monitoring and subjective questionnaires from May to October, 2019. The analysis of collected data found that, during our survey, 57% of the occupants felt comfortable overall and 40–60% of them perceived the microclimate variables (air temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed) as “neutral”. The universal thermal climate index (UTCI) provided a better correlation with occupant thermal sensation than the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). Females were more sensitive to the outdoor thermal environment than males. Older age led to lower thermal sensation, but the thermal sensitivities for age groups of <20, 20–50, and >50 were similar. Occupants who had resided in Shanghai for a longer period showed higher overall comfort rating and lower thermal sensation. Interviewees who came from hot summer and cold winter climate regions were less effected by the change of UTCI than those from severe cold or cold climate regions.

scholarly journals Integrating Microclimate into Landscape Architecture for Outdoor Thermal Comfort: A Systematic Review

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 196
Author(s):  
Jiawei Lin ◽  
Robert D. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Landscape Architecture ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
The Public ◽  
Outdoor Environments

Global climate change and urban heat island intensification are making many cities dangerously hot during heat waves and uncomfortably hot much of the time. Research has identified ways that urban environments can be designed to reduce the heat, but much of the information is too technical or has not been interpreted or communicated so as to be available to landscape architects. This study identifies ways that landscape architecture researchers have applied microclimate information in design to proactively create more thermally comfortable outdoor environments. A systematic review that assessed the growing recognition of microclimatic factors in design revealed four main approaches: principles and guidelines, strategies, mapping, and evaluation. The advantages and limitations of each have been noted, and a diagram has been developed that matches each approach with specific steps in the landscape architectural design process. The study also identified four areas where microclimate has potential for use in landscape architecture but that are currently not being very actively studied: education, modeling and visualization, policy, and ideation. Microclimatic design has the potential to enhance the health and well-being of the public through the design of thermally comfortable outdoor environments.

scholarly journals Revealing Urban Morphology and Outdoor Comfort through Genetic Algorithm-Driven Urban Block Design in Dry and Hot Regions of China

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 3683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodong Xu ◽  
Chenhuan Yin ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Ning Xu ◽  
Tianzhen Hong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Urban Morphology ◽  
Dust Storms ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Actual Case ◽  
Simulation And Optimization ◽  
Hot Climate

In areas with a dry and hot climate, factors such as strong solar radiation, high temperature, low humidity, dazzling light, and dust storms can tremendously reduce people’s thermal comfort. Therefore, researchers are paying more attention to outdoor thermal comfort in urban environments as part of urban design. This study proposed an automatic workflow to optimize urban spatial forms with the aim of improvement of outdoor thermal comfort conditions, characterized by the universal thermal climate index (UTCI). A city with a dry and hot climate—Kashgar, China—is further selected as an actual case study of an urban block and Rhino & Grasshopper is the platform used to conduct simulation and optimization process with the genetic algorithm. Results showed that in summer, the proposed method can reduce the averaged UTCI from 31.17 to 27.43 °C, a decrease of about 3.74 °C, and reduce mean radiation temperature (MRT) from 43.94 to 41.29 °C, a decrease of about 2.65 °C.

scholarly journals Microclimate Environmental Assessment and Impact of Mountain City Pedestrian Streets in Summer

2020 ◽  
Vol 172 ◽  
pp. 11001
Author(s):  
Ke Xiong ◽  
Zhenjing Yang ◽  
Canhua Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
View Factor ◽  
City Street ◽  
Thermal Climate ◽  
The One ◽  
Microclimate Environment ◽  
Important Form

In mountainous cities, walking is an important form of transportation. The microclimate environment of pedestrian streets in summer affects the comfort of pedestrians, especially in hot summer cities. Besides, there are many height differences in mountainous city pedestrian streets, while existing researches of the thermal environment were mainly aimed at plain cities. We used typology to analyze different spatial patterns and tested microclimate of five kinds of streets in the Shanchengxiang of Chongqing. Then the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) was used to evaluate the thermal comfort of different spatial spaces. Firstly, the thermal environment of the mountain city street in summer is extremely uncomfortable and needs to be improved. Secondly, the sky view factor (SVF) has a great impact on the street thermal environment. Among all kinds of streets, the one-sided open B-N (SVF = 0.474) has the worst thermal environment, with an average UTCI of 44.7℃. However, the two-sided enclosed B2-B2 (SVF = 0.052) represents a better thermal environment, with an average UTCI of 35.5℃. The R2 value of 0.88 reflects that the linear correlation between UTCI and SVF is larger than that of H/W, whose R2 value is mere 0.04. Finally, different interfaces and enclosure forms have a great impact on space thermal comfort. This study quantifies the parameters that influence the design of pedestrian streets in mountain cities from the perspective of outdoor microclimate environmental assessment and provide a reference for the sustainable design of regional streets.

scholarly journals Preliminary evaluation of indoor thermal comfort in Malaysia heritage mosque

2019 ◽  
Vol 277 ◽  
pp. 02016
Author(s):  
W F M Yusoff ◽  
N H Ja'afar
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Field Measurement ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Preliminary Evaluation ◽  
Adaptive Model ◽  
Indoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Heritage Buildings ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

Malaysia heritage buildings are the country's architectural gems. Among them is the religious building such as mosque. The Malaysia heritage mosque is normally built in response to the local culture and environment. Unlike most of Malaysia modern mosques where air conditioning is opted as ventilation mode, the heritage mosques achieve indoor thermal comfort via the passive architectural design. Due to that, this study was executed with the purpose of investigating the indoor thermal comfort of a Malaysia heritage mosque located at traditional street in Melaka, namely Masjid Tanah. The methodology used in the study was field measurement, in which the parameters measured were the indoor and outdoor air temperatures. The field measurement was conducted for two days in the end of March and early of April 2018, from 9 am to 4 pm. The indoor predicted comfort temperature was derived using the adaptive model. The findings indicated that the measured indoor air temperatures were lower than the indoor predicted comfort temperatures at most of the time. Therefore, it shows that the passive architectural design adopted by the Malaysia heritage mosque, which is Masjid Tanah, is able to provide indoor thermal comfort to the users.

scholarly journals PERCEPÇÃO DA POPULAÇÃO SOBRE O CONFORTO TÉRMICO PROPORCIONADO PELA ARBORIZAÇÃO DE RUAS DE CURITIBA-PR

FLORESTA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angeline Martini ◽  
Daniela Biondi ◽  
Antonio Carlos Batista ◽  
Kendra Zamproni ◽  
Jennifer Viezzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Urban Forestry ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Universal Thermal Climate Index ◽  
Street Trees ◽  
Comfort Index ◽  
Thermal Climate ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The City

O objetivo deste artigo foi analisar a percepção da população com relação ao conforto térmico proporcionado pela arborização de ruas na cidade de Curitiba. Para isso foram realizadas entrevistas simultaneamente em uma rua arborizada e outra sem arborização, nas quatro estações do ano. Paralelamente, foram também coletados dados meteorológicos para calcular o índice de conforto térmico nesses ambientes. O índice utilizado foi o Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) e o seu valor foi comparado com a resposta dada pelos entrevistados. A porcentagem de pessoas que declaram não estar sentindo nem frio e nem calor na rua arborizada foi menor do que na rua sem arborização, possivelmente devido ao maior número de entrevistados na primavera e outono, estações com características climáticas amenas. Dos entrevistados, 54,3% sentiam-se confortáveis termicamente nas ruas sem árvores, enquanto que na rua arborizada esse número foi 76,5%. A maioria dos entrevistados (98,3%) afirmou que arborização de ruas proporciona melhores condições de conforto térmico. O índice utilizado, UTCI, refletiu aproximadamente 60% da sensação de conforto expressa pelos entrevistados. Conclui-se que a população que transita pelas ruas da cidade de Curitiba consegue perceber a diferença entre as ruas arborizadas e não arborizadas por meio das sensações de conforto térmico.Palavras-chave: Arborização urbana; índice de conforto térmico; qualidade de vida; UTCI. AbstractPopulation’s perception on thermal comfort provided by street trees of Curitiba - PR. This research aims to analyze the population’s perception regarding thermal comfort provided by street trees in the city of Curitiba. Therefore, interviews were conducted simultaneously on streets with and without trees, during the four seasons. At the same time, meteorological data were collected to calculate the thermal comfort index for these environments. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was used and its value was compared to the answers given in the interviews. The amount of people who said they were not feeling neither cold nor heat on the streets with trees was lower than on the streets without trees, possibly due to a greater number of people who were interviewed during spring and fall, seasons with mild climatic characteristics. While 54.3% of the people felt comfortable in the streets without trees, 76.5% felt the same on streets with trees. Most interviewee (98.3%) said that street trees provide better thermal comfort. The UTCI revealed approximately 60% of the comfort sense expressed by the population. We concluded that the population who roam the streets of the city of Curitiba - PR can perceive the difference between streets with and without trees through the sensations of thermal comfort.Keywords: Urban forestry; thermal comfort index; quality of life; UTCI.

scholarly journals Outdoor Thermal Comfort of Urban Park—A Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Zhang ◽  
Dong Wei ◽  
Yuyao Hou ◽  
Junfei Du ◽  
Zu’an Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
Urban Parks ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Urban Residents ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
Different Types

Urban parks are an important component of urban public green space and a public place where a large number of urban residents choose to conduct outdoor activities. An important factor attracting people to visit and stay in urban parks is its outdoor thermal comfort, which is also an important criterion for evaluating the liability of the urban environment. In this study, through field meteorological monitoring and a questionnaire survey, outdoor thermal comfort of different types of landscape space in urban parks in Chengdu, China was studied in winter and summer. Result indicated that (1) different types of landscape spaces have different thermal comforts, (2) air temperature is the most important factor affecting outdoor thermal comfort; (3) because the thermal sensation judgment of outdoor thermal comfort research in Chengdu area, an ASHRAE seven-sites scale can be used; (4) the neutral temperature ranges of Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) in Chengdu in winter and summer were obtained through research; (5) and UTCI is the best index for evaluating outdoor thermal comfort in Chengdu. These findings provide theoretical benchmarks and technical references for urban planners and landscape designers to optimize outdoor thermal comfort in urban areas to establish a more comfortable and healthy living environment for urban residents.

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