Ninth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Globally, extreme heat events have led to surge in the number of heat related moralities. These incidents are further exacerbated in high density population centers due the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Varieties of anthropogenic activities such as: unsupervised land surface modifications, expansion of impervious areas, and lack of use of vegetation are all contributors to an increase in the amount of heat flux trapped by urban canopy which intensify the UHI effect. This project proposes a new and innovative method to measure the impact of air quality and increased temperature based on urban morphology in the selected metropolitan cities. It measures the impact of build environment for urban and regional planning using human biometeorological evaluations (Tmrt). We utilized the RayMan model to estimate the Tmrt in an urban environment incorporating location and height of buildings and trees as a supplemental tool in urban planning, and street design. Our current results suggest a strong correlation between building height and increased surface temperature in mega cities. This model helps to: 1. Quantify the impacts of the built environment and surface properties on surrounding temperature, 2. Identify priority urban neighborhoods by analyzing Tmrt and air quality data at pedestrian level, 3. Characterize the need for urban green infrastructure or better urban planning- maximizing the cooling benefit from existing Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI), and 4. Develop a hierarchy of streets for new UGI integration and propose new UGI based on site characteristics and cooling potential.