Microclimate urban design

The modelling of the urban microclimate, in particular the phenomenon of the Urban Heat Island (UHI), is becoming increasingly essential for city planning and urban design. The phenomenon analysis is henceforth possible thanks to the increase in computational power, the link between simulation tools and urban databases, which allow to represent explicitly the characteristics of the urban microclimate and to better understand its effects, through the analysis and evaluation of the different impacts of the urban climatic or anthropogenic contributors. However, the choice of the scale of the study depends on the accuracy of the modelling approaches, the capacities of calculation and the availability and reliability of the data. The contribution aims to highlight the phenomenon of the UHI based on a bibliographic study of the latest research on this topic in Maghreb cities and the different strategies for adapting them to climate change and for improving their resilience.

Introduction. Microclimate of office premises is an important factor of the work environment for office employees, requiring creation of optimal work conditions and developing preventive measures.
The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of office microclimate on indicators of employees’ thermal state and their subjective evaluation of the thermal environment, to identify further improving of hygiene regulations.
Materials and methods. The studies on work conditions were conducted in warm and cold periods of the year, according to requirements of normative documents, at 180 work places of office workers (engineers, programmers, systems administrators, heads of sectors, task administrators, electronic engineers, engineers of telecommunication) at enterprises and public institutions in the city Kyiv. The study of the human thermal state (HTS) with subjective evaluation of the comfort constituent of the thermal environment was carried out in warm (June – August) and cold seasons (December - February) covering 112 office employees, according to Methodical recommendations № 5168-90.
Results. It is established that the temperature at workplaces of office workers exceeds the permissible temperature ranges by 1,2–2,4°Caccording to the sanitary norms for microclimate in Ukraine, but meets the requirements of the ISO 7730:2005 for the thermal environment of the categories B and C (sensation of the thermal discomfort no more than in 10 % and 15 % of users, respectively). It is revealed that at the standard workplace of an office worker the total heat emission makes 452,3 kcal/h or 530 W. At the same time, for a person engaged in office work, it makes 48 % of the total heat emission, on the average, and for the office equipment – 52 %. Basing on the questioning, a relation between the thermal sensation of office workers and the air temperature in office premises in warm and cold seasons was calculated. There are proposed measures for creating comfortable microclimatic conditions for office workers.
Conclusion. The thermal sensation assessment in office workers shows that the upper threshold for uncomfortable air temperature at work places in the warm period (in summer) is more than 27 °C, in the cold period (in winter) – more than 24 °C. There is a need to revise The Sanitary norms on microclimate 3.3.6.042-99 in respect of its optimal parameters, taking into account methodological approaches of the State Sanitary technical specifications 7730:2011,in respect of the definition of categories of premises and a number of unsatisfied persons. In order to maintain optimal parameters of the relative air humidity in office it is recommended to use ultrasonic humidifiers of Vitek VT-1762W type for normalization of the air ionic content in office premises.

Вступление. Микроклимат офисных помещений является важным фактором производственной среды, что требует создания оптимальных условий труда и разработки профилактических мероприятий.
Цель исследования – установить влияние микроклимата офисных помещений на показатели теплового состояния работающих и их субъективную оценку комфортности тепловой среды, определить дальнейшее совершенствование его гигиенической регламентации.
Материалы и методы исследования. Исследования условий труда проведены в теплый и холодный периоды года по требованиям действующей нормативной документации на 180 рабочих местах офисных работников (инженеры-программисты, администраторы систем, начальники секторов, администраторы задач, инженеры-электронщики, инженеры электросвязи) на предприятиях и государственных учреждениях г. Киева. Изучение теплового состояния человека (ТСЧ) с субъективной оценкой комфортности тепловой среды проведено в теплое (июнь–август) и в холодное (декабрь–февраль) время года у 112 офисных работников в соответствии с MР № 5168-90.
Результаты. Установлено, что температура воздуха на рабочих местах офисных работников выходит на 1,2–2,4 °C за границы диапазона допустимых температур по действующим в Украине санитарным нормам микроклимата, но, удовлетворяет требования ISO 7730:2005 для помещений категории В и С (ощущение температурного дискомфорта не больше, чем в 10 и 15 % пользователей соответственно). На типовом рабочем месте офисного работника суммарное тепловыделение составляет 452,3 ккал/ч или 530 Вт. При этом на долю человека, занимающегося офисной работой, в среднем приходится 48 % общего тепловыделения на рабочем месте, а на долю офисного оборудования – 52 %. На основании анкетного опроса рассчитана зависимость между теплоощущениями работающих и температурой воздуха в офисном помещении в теплый и холодный периоды года. Предложены меры по созданию комфортных микроклиматических условий.
Выводы. По оценке теплоощущений офисных работников, в среднем, верхним порогом появления некомфортной температуры воздуха в помещении в теплый период (летом) являются температура более 27 °C, в холодный (зимой) – более 24 °C. Санитарные нормы микроклимата ДСН 3.3.6.042-99 требуют пересмотра в части его оптимальных параметров, с учетом методических подходов ДСТУ Б ENISO 7730:2011 относительно определения категории тепловой среды помещений и расчета количества недовольных микроклиматом работников. Для поддержания оптимальных параметров относительной влажности воздуха в офисном помещении рекомендовано применение ультразвуковых увлажнителей воздуха типа Vitek VT-1762W, имеющих положительным побочным эффектом нормализацию аэроионного состава воздуха.

Вступ. Мікроклімат офісних приміщень є важливим чинником виробничого середовища на робочих місцях офісних працівників, що вимагає створення оптимальних умов праці та розробки профілактичних заходів.
Мета дослідження – встановити вплив мікроклімату офісних приміщень на показники теплового стану працюючих та їхню суб’єктивну оцінку комфортності теплового середовища, визначити подальше удосконалення його гігієнічної регламентації.
Матеріали та методи дослідження. Дослідження умов праці проведено в теплий та холодний періоди року за вимогами діючої нормативної документації на 180 робочих місцях офісних працівників (інженери-програмісти, адміністратори систем, начальники секторів, адміністратори задач, інженери-електронники, інженери електрозв’язку) на підприємствах та державних установах м. Києва. Вивчення теплового стану людини (ТСЛ) з суб’єктивною оцінкою комфортності теплового середовища проведено в теплу (червень–серпень) та в холодну пору року (грудень–лютий) у 112 офісних працівників відповідно до MР № 5168-90.
Результати. Встановлено, що температура повітря на робочих місцях офісних працівників виходить за межі діапазону допустимих температур на 1,2–2,4 °С за діючими в Україні санітарними нормами мікроклімату, але задовольняє вимоги ISO 7730 для теплового середовища категорії В і С (відчуття температурного дискомфорту не більше ніж у 10 та 15 % користувачів відповідно). Досліджено, що на типовому робочому місці офісного працівника сумарне тепловиділення у середньому складає 452,3 ккал/год або 530 Вт. При цьому на саму людину, що займається офісною працею, у середньому припадає 48 % загального тепловиділення, а на офісне обладнання – 52 %. На підставі анкетного опитування розраховано залежність між тепловідчуттям працюючих та температурою повітря в офісному приміщенні в теплий та холодний періоди року. Запропоновано заходи зі створення комфортних мікрокліматичних умов.
Висновки. За оцінкою тепловідчуття офісних працівників верхнім порогом появи некомфортної температури повітря в приміщенні в теплий період (влітку) є температура більша ніж 27 °C, у холодний (взимку) – більша ніж 24 °C. Санітарні норми мікроклімату ДСН 3.3.6.042-99 потребують перегляду в частині його оптимальних параметрів, з урахуванням методичних підходів ДСТУ Б ENISO 7730:2011 щодо визначення категорії теплового середовища приміщень та розрахунку кількості незадоволених осіб. Для підтримання оптимальних параметрів відносної вологості повітря в офісному приміщенні рекомендовано застосування ультразвукових зволожувачів повітря типу VitekVT-1762W, що мають позитивним побічним ефектом нормалізацію аероіонного складу повітря.

THE SUITABILITY of white greenhouse net cover for growth of mango (Mangifera indica. L.) cv. Keitt cultivar was tested at the El-Bosaily governmental farm at the North West of the Nile Delta, Egypt. The treatments were cover the greenhouse by white net and conventional open field treatment (control). This study aims at investigating the effects of white net on the growth and production of mango trees from the interception of light, temperature, humidity and plant growth were evaluated over two seasons (from 2007 and 2008). The nets demonstrated their efficiency for orchard decrease maximum temperatures and increase minimum temperatures and relative humidity compared with open field treatment. The use of white net resulted in a significant increase of number of leaves, plant height and stem diameter per plant compared to open field orchard. The net was superior for plant growth, flowering and yield. Data revealed that microclimate under the white net make proper microclimate for tropical fruits under Egyptian conditions.

The Urban Planning Council UPC in Abu Dhabi had created a long-term vision for the existing capital's evolution that incorporates many of the environmental concepts required to achieve a sustainable master plan. This paper represents a part of a research project that aims to cross three factors: 1) visibility of important buildings, open spaces, roads of the capital district, 2) buildings forms and arrangement and 3) the micro-climate, through a set of proposed guidelines, orientations for land use, transportation planning, urban forms, etc.
This paper focuses on the microclimatic analysis in the Emirati neighborhood using the ENVImet simulation tool through testing various scenarios. Findings revealed a potential to promote walkability within the proposed layout due to the presence of shade and air flow according to the street geometry and orientation. Recommendations are made for streets with high solar exposures to include shading elements such as deciduous trees to ensure seasonal variations.

Interest in climate-sensitive urban design has grown in recent decades. Nevertheless, there are various difficulties associated with such an approach. One of these is the lack of simple comfort assessment tools. This article presents a method for microclimate assessment that is composed of a wind comfort analysis and a microclimate assessment based on measuring a combination of solar access and wind velocity. The study includes analysis of a proposed urban project situated in Kiruna, a Swedish town located in the subarctic region of the country. The results from the simulations were then overlaid to produce combined microclimate maps for three specific dates: winter solstice, spring equinox and summer solstice. The maps illustrate relative microclimate differences between areas in the proposed project based on combinations of wind/lee and sun/shadow conditions. The outcomes showed that only a small proportion of the area studied had favourable microclimate conditions at the winter solstice and spring equinox. The thermal comfort Index OUT_SET* was calculated for the summer solstice in the study area. Comparisons between the spatial distribution of OUT_SET* values and the microclimate assessment map showed a large degree of correlation. The method is intended to be a simple and representative evaluation of microclimate.

With increasing urbanisation and predictions of increased frequency of heat waves under projected climate change scenarios, one strategy that has been suggested to address both adaptation and mitigation for urban areas is the increased use of greenspace. A number of studies have analysed this strategy through the use of empirical, analytical methods, or numerical methods. These tend to focus on city or regional scale changes in land use with only a broad categorisation of greenspace type. This study tests seven greenspace scenarios that might be applied at a block or neighbourhood level and the resulting microclimate changes that can be achieved through such applications for a temperate city in northwest England. Using a suburban commercial site in Manchester, UK as the case study area, the research utilises the urban microclimate model ENVI-met to compare the changes in air and surface temperatures on a warm summer day in July 2010 (approximately 4 °C above the rural reference July average maximum temperature). The modelling demonstrates that even in suburban areas in temperate cities a 5% increase in mature deciduous trees can reduce mean hourly surface temperatures by 1 °C over the course of a summer's day. A marked increase in air temperature of 3.2 °C at mid-day is modelled for the worst case scenario of replacing all current vegetation with asphalt.

Increasing awareness of the urban heat island (UHI) effect has raised attention about the outdoor thermal comfort in cities worldwide. Several studies in the last decades have revealed how critical the UHI effect can be in a cold climate, such as in Canadian cities. As a result, in Toronto, one of the cities experiencing the highest rate of building development in developed countries, UHI mitigation strategies are currently the object of extensive debates. This study evaluates different UHI mitigation strategies in different urban neighbours of Toronto, selected according to their building density. The effects of cool surfaces (on the roofs, on the street pavements or as vegetation areas) are evaluated
through numerical simulations using the software ENVI-met. Having obtained the surface temperature, outdoor air temperature, mean radiant temperature, and physiologically equivalent temperature, this study compares the possible mitigation of net surface radiation and thermal radiative power. The results demonstrate that the duration of direct sun and the mean radiant temperature, which are strongly influenced by the urban form, play a significant role in urban thermal comfort. Finally, this research supports new policies for promoting sustainable urban development in Toronto, and suggests design strategies for a more resilient urban planning.

Air temperature and humidity conditions depending on the land cover and land use were monitored in Hradec Králové by a network of meteorological points. The sensors had been placed in a wide variety of urban and suburban environments. The article analyzed the data
from the period 2011/2012 and 2012/2013, separately for warm and cold season of the year. Maximum temperature differences among the individual monitored points in warm season were as fallow: average 3.5°C, absolute maximum 7.7°C and absolute minimum 4.9°C. The data from reference standard meteorological stations were used for the comparison and modeling. Air temperatures at the points of interest can be successfully modeled by regression relationships. A spatial expression of point measurements of air temperatures were provided by GIS methods in combination with CORINE land cover layer. The effect of land cover was also reflected in the formation of humidity. Analogical modeling of relative humidity (based on a simple regression with the data from reference station) is loaded with a relatively significant error. Using of this procedure is thus limited. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was used to express a stress of the organism by their environment.

Band gap engineering provides an opportunity to not only provide higher overall conversion efficiencies of the reference AM1.5 spectra but also customize PV device design for specific geographic locations and microenvironments based on atmospheric conditions characteristic to that particular location. Indium gallium nitride and other PV materials offer the opportunity for limited bandgap engineering to match spectra. The effects of atmospheric conditions such as aerosols, cloud cover, water vapor, and air mass have been shown to cause variations in spectral radiance that alters PV system performance due to both overrating and underrating. Designing PV devices optimized for spectral radiance of a particular region can result in improved PV system performance. This paper presents a new method for designing geographically optimized PV cells with using a numerical model for bandgap optimization. The geographic microclimate spectrally resolved solar flux for twelve representative atmospheric conditions for the incident radiation angle (zenith angle) of 48.1° and fixed array angle of 40° is used to iteratively optimize the band gap for tandem, triple, and quad-layer of InGaN-based multijunction cells. The results of this method are illustrated for the case study of solar farms in the New York region and discussed.

According to population growth, urban sprawl, as well as global warming, attention to the impact of design on thermal comfort in open spaces is important. Thus, it is essential to climate studies and understanding environmental features, as well as results usage in improving designs. The courtyard as open space in residential buildings which is an important factor in the absorption of sunlit in the courtyard surfaces. Therefore, controlling shading performance with regard to thermal comfort condition is one of the most effective factors in reducing the ambient temperature during hot days. This paper focuses on the impact of shading performance in traditional courtyard houses in the hot (Kashan) and cold (Ardabil) climate of Iran. For better understanding four traditional courtyard houses of Kashan and Ardabil selected randomly. By Design Builder software shaded areas were analyzed for each case. The results showed that the best form for the courtyard in these climates is rectangular. The results indicate that increasing the ratio of length to width and also increasing the height of the walls of the courtyard increases the percentage of shading. As conclusion during a day, there is a high correlation between the MRT and the PMV index, and reducing the MRT improve the PMV index.

The present paper describes a process for designing and applying several techniques based on bioclimatic architecture criteria and on passive cooling and energy conservation principles in order to improve the thermal comfort conditions in an outdoor space location located in the Great Athens area. For that reason, the thermal comfort conditions in 12 different outdoor space points in the experimented location have been calculated using two different thermal comfort bioclimatic indices developed to be used for outdoor spaces. The used indices were the following: (a) “Comfa”, which is based on estimating the energy budget of a person in an outdoor environment and (b) “thermal sensation”, based on the satisfaction or dissatisfaction sensation under the prevailing climatic conditions of the outdoor spaces. Calculations were performed during the summer period and two different scenarios of the constructed space parameters have been considered. The first scenario consists of a conventionally constructed space, while the second one includes various architectural improvements according to the bioclimatic design principles. The two bioclimatic indicators were used for calculating the outdoor thermal comfort conditions in the above-mentioned outdoor space locations for both scenarios and the effect of the bioclimatic design architectural improvements on the human thermal comfort sensation was presented and analysed.

Gardens have always been appreciated as places of particular microclimatic qualities. Seen within the broader context of Enlightenment, gardens can be conceived as places of intensified thermal experience and as man-made concentrations of climate. In what follows, fundamental approaches to the microclimates found in gardens and green spaces shall be discussed. In the first part of the article, remarks on the aesthetics of microclimates, based on the perception of gardens, will be presented. I will refer to the writings of architects and historians in order to sketch the outline of an emerging aesthetic discipline highlighting thermal differences. In the second part, the scientification of microclimates and its entanglement with concepts of urban green spaces shall be discussed. Over the course of the twentieth century, gardens and green spaces became mitigating measures, fighting severe microclimatic conditions of cities, in particular the so-called urban heat islands. In the third part, the central role of movement in recognizing thermal differences in cities will be highlighted. The growing demand to manipulate microclimates at an urban scale leads to a research methodology that imitates the thermal experiences of citizens and integrates the two perspectives of aesthetics and the science of microclimates. Our very understanding of microclimates in general, as I would like to show, has been shaped by our perception of gardens and green spaces, since they integrate both the transient and the periodical dimensions of microclimates.

The urban environment influences the way people live and shape their everyday lives, and microclimate sensitive design can enhance the use of urban streets and public spaces. Innovative approaches to urban microclimate design will become more important as the world’s population becomes ever more urban, and climate change generates more variability and extremes in urban microclimatic conditions. However, established methods of investigation based upon conventions drawn from building services research and framed by physiological concepts of thermal comfort may fail to capture the social dynamics of urban activity and their interrelationship with microclimate. This research investigates the relationship between microclimate and urban culture in Christchurch, New Zealand, based upon the concept of urban comfort. Urban comfort is defined as the socio-cultural (therefore collective) adaptation to microclimate due to satisfaction with the urban environment. It involves consideration of a combination of human thermal comfort requirements and adaptive comfort circumstances, preferences and strategies. A main methodological challenge was to investigate urban comfort in a city undergoing rapid physical change following a series of major earthquakes (2010-2011), and that also has a strongly seasonal climate which accentuates microclimatic variability. The field investigation had to be suitable for rapidly changing settings as buildings were demolished and rebuilt, and be able to capture data relevant to a cycle of seasons. These local circumstances meant that Christchurch was valuable as an example of a city facing rapid and unpredictable change. An interpretive, integrative, and adaptive research strategy that combined qualitative social science methods with biophysical measures was adopted. The results are based upon participant observation, 86 in-depth interviews with Christchurch residents, and microclimate data measurements. The interviews were carried out in a variety of urban settings including established urban settings (places sustaining relatively little damage) and emerging urban settings (those requiring rebuilding) during 2011-2013. Results of this research show that urban comfort depends on adaptive strategies which in turn depend on culture. Adaptive strategies identified through the data analysis show a strong connection between natural and built landscapes, combined with the regional outdoor culture, the Garden City identity and the connections between rural and urban landscapes. The results also highlight that thermal comfort is an important but insufficient indicator of good microclimate design, as social and cultural values are important influences on climate experience and adaptation. Interpretive research is needed to fully understand urban comfort and to provide urban microclimate design solutions to enhance the use of public open spaces in cities undergoing change.

Urban street geometry and ways of street greening affect the microclimate in street canyons, which affects the cooling energy consumption of the surrounding buildings of the streets. This study employs micro-climate simulation software ENVI-met and building energy simulation tool EnergyPlus, takes Taipei's hot-and-humid climatic region as an example, to explore how street canyon typology and street greening influence the peak cooling electricity consumption of buildings during the hottest weather conditions as a reference for urban planners to achieve the urban form of low energy consumption. The results show that the streets' height-to-width ratio (H/W) produces the most significant effect on the energy consumption of buildings, followed by street orientation and density of roadside vegetation. The peak cooling energy consumption of buildings of N-S oriented streets consume 16.9% more energy than SW-NE streets, while buildings in street canyons whose H/W = 0.5 consume 37.13% more energy than those in street canyons whose H/W = 2.0. The energy-conserving effects of street greening factors on street cooling and peak electricity consumption are more significant in streets with shallow street canyons than in those with deeper street canyons. It suggests that in the case of shallow street canyons lacking buildings to provide shading, roadside trees are needed to improve the microclimate, to achieve energy conservation for buildings.

A solid knowledge of computational methods is an increasingly important key competence for future architects or urban planners. In this course you will learn how to analyze and generate spatial configurations with advanced computational methods.In a series of theory lectures we explore how designing and planning of cities could become evidence based by using scientific methods. Various exercises will provide training for your skills in working with state-of-the-art yet office proven design tools (Depthmap, Ecotect, and Rhino/Grasshopper). In an integral project work, you will deepen your knowledge in spatial analysis and simulation methods such as Space Syntax using Depthmap software and environmental analysis with the program Ecotect. In addition you will acquire skills for using analysis methods for generative design processes. Therefore we introduce you into the parametric design software Grasshopper for Rhino 3D. Based on the methods introduced during the semester, you will lear...

An understanding of the energy exchanges occurring in urban areas is important to predicting the results of building and surface alterations. Typically, urban climate models are implemented as numerical models, but are often limited in their ability to accurately represent the area considered. This paper presents a model of an energy exchange for an urban building and develops a framework for implementing such a model in a GIS.

In the current growth of urbanization, problems especially anthropogenic heat emissions are emerging. Urban Heat Islands (UHI) are one of the major causes of environmental problem and it exacerbates the cities' living environment heat conditions critical to human health. Various factors affect the urban thermal environment, which is closely linked with UHI as well as the outdoor thermal comfort. These factors include buildings density, urban landscaping and water bodies. Water bodies are one of the significant components of the core surface. Water influence the urban thermal environment of the surrounding through its cooling effect, either through evaporation or heat transfer between the air and water. This review paper comprehends the factors that facilitate the water bodies cooling effect in order to achieve urban cooling island to mitigate UHI. Disciplinary: Architectural Sciences.

The United Nations have identified climate change as the greatest threat to human life. As current research shows, urban areas are more vulnerable to climate change than rural areas. Numerous people are affected by climate change in their daily life, health and well-being. The need to react is undisputed and has led to numerous guidelines and directives for urban climate adaptation. Plants are commonly mentioned and recommended as one key to urban climate adaptation. Due to shading of open space and building surfaces, as well as evapotranspiration, plants reduce the energy load on the urban fabric and increase thermal comfort and climate resilience amongst many other ecosystem services. Plants, therefore, are described as green infrastructure (GI), because of the beneficial effects they provide. Extensive green roofs are often discussed regarding their impact on thermal comfort for pedestrians and physical properties of buildings. By means of Stadslab2050 project Elief Playhouse in Antwerp, Belgium, a single-story building in the courtyard of a perimeter block, the effects of different extensive green roof designs (A and B) on the microclimate, human comfort at ground and roof level, as well as building physics are analyzed and compared to the actual roofing (bitumen membrane) as the Status Quo variant. For the analyses and evaluation of the different designs the innovative Green Performance Assessment System (GREENPASS ®) method has been chosen. The planning tool combines spatial and volumetric analyses with complex 3D microclimate simulations to calculate key performance indicators such as thermal comfort score, thermal storage score, thermal load score, runoff and carbon sequestration. Complementary maps and graphs are compiled. Overall, the chosen method allows to understand, compare and optimize project designs and performance. The results for the Elief Playhouse show that the implementation of green roofs serves a slight contribution to the urban energy balance but a huge impact on the building and humans. Variant B with entire greening performs better in all considered indicators, than the less greened design Variant A and the actual Status Quo. Variant B will probably bring a greater cost/benefit than Variant A and is thus recommended.

The paper presents the results of extensive measurements which took place in two sites with different characteristics in terms of street geometry, urban density and materials.  The first experiment site was a traditional settlement in the island of Tinos, Greece, while the second was a relatively newly built part of the capital city of Tinos. The experimental measurements, which include air and surface temperature, air humidity and air velocity, were carried out in two sets, during the summer and winter period. The experimental measurements were compared to simulation results obtained by a special computer tool. The comparison led to the conclusion that experimental measurements and program results were in good agreement for the summer period, and the tool was subsequently used in order to perform parametric analysis of microclimate in urban canyons. Main parameters that affect urban canyon microclimate were examined, that is street geometry, street orientation, effect of trees, horizontal surface albedo, wind speed and wind direction.
The paper aims in presenting the results obtained by the comparison of the two sites and in analyzing the effect of parameters such as urban layout, street geometry and orientation on urban canyon microclimate, with special reference on the characteristics of traditional architecture of the Cycladic islands. Also, the parametric analysis aims in investigating the parameters involved and their degree of influence on urban canyon microclimate.

THE SUITABILITY of white greenhouse net cover for growth of mango (Mangifera indica. L.) cv. Keitt cultivar was tested at the El-Bosaily governmental farm at the North West of the Nile Delta, Egypt. The treatments were cover the greenhouse by white net and conventional open field treatment (control). This study aims at investigating the effects of white net on the growth and production of mango trees from the interception of light, temperature, humidity and plant growth were evaluated over two seasons (from 2007 and 2008). The nets demonstrated their efficiency for orchard decrease maximum temperatures and increase minimum temperatures and relative humidity compared with open field treatment. The use of white net resulted in a significant increase of number of leaves, plant height and stem diameter per plant compared to open field orchard. The net was superior for plant growth, flowering and yield. Data revealed that microclimate under the white net make proper microclimate for trop...

THE SUITABILITY of white greenhouse net cover for growth of mango (Mangifera indica. L.) cv. Keitt cultivar was tested at the El-Bosaily governmental farm at the North West of the Nile Delta, Egypt. The treatments were cover the greenhouse by white net and conventional open field treatment (control). This study aims at investigating the effects of white net on the growth and production of mango trees from the interception of light, temperature, humidity and plant growth were evaluated over two seasons (from 2007 and 2008). The nets demonstrated their efficiency for orchard decrease maximum temperatures and increase minimum temperatures and relative humidity compared with open field treatment. The use of white net resulted in a significant increase of number of leaves, plant height and stem diameter per plant compared to open field orchard. The net was superior for plant growth, flowering and yield. Data revealed that microclimate under the white net make proper microclimate for trop...

Comparative study of the microclimate profiles in existing protected cultivation structures in Goa as a function of ambient conditions, ventilation area and cladding material
Dr. (Ms.) Mathala Juliet Gupta*,  Er. (Ms.) Sumati Pandurang Chavan & Ms. Poonam Bandekar
ICAR Research Complex for Goa, Ela, Old Goa 403402, Goa, India, *Email:mathalajuliet@gmail.com
Goa is classified as a tropical monsoon zone under the Koppen climate classification Goa. Being close to the Arabian Sea it has a hot and humid climate for most of the year. May is the hottest month with day temperatures of over 35 °C and a high humidity. Monsoon is from June to August but extends even up to late September. It has a short winter season between mid-December and February with night temperatures of around 21 °C and days of around 28 °C with moderate humidity. Due to altitudinal gradation, inlands have cooler nights. Goa is a tourist hotspot with tourism as its primary industry. Agriculture finds a third place in the state as occupation after mining and tourism. With the current ban on mining in Goa threatening the livelihood of many in the state there is hope that Goans will return to their former favourite profession, i.e., agriculture. But since the land holdings in Goa are fragmented with more than 60% of land holdings are under small and marginal, to make agriculture profitable integrated farming systems and secondary agriculture is being greatly promoted. There is a large demand of high value flowers, fruits, vegetables which cannot be met by domestic produce and come from neighbouring states. During the monsoons open field cultivation of only Paddy is possible.
Use of protected cultivation structures, year round can enhance the productivity in the state especially for exotic vegetables, flowers etc., in demand in the hotel industry. At present shade net houses and multi-span naturally ventilated poly houses are being used in the state. The designs of Pune and Bangalore have been adopted which are not specific to the climate of Goa. An attempt is being made to design a protected cultivation structure suitable for Goa under RKVY funded project at ICAR Research Complex for Goa. In the present study the microclimatic profiles in the structures have been studied as a function of the structure, vent location and size, cladding material and orientation. Results indicated that the microclimate under a naturally ventilated greenhouse and shade net were comparable, but significant accumulation of heat as evident by increased temperature as a function of height from ground level occurred in double span naturally ventilated poly house. Further studies on air exchange patterns and ventilation profiling using sonic anemometers is planned to assess the microclimate as influenced by the ventilation rates in the structures as a function of their vent size, location, outside wind intensity and direction. These will be pre-requisite to evolve the design of a structure suitable for Goa.
Key Words: Protected cultivation, shade net, naturally ventilated poly house, microclimate, ventilation.

Stetig strengere Vorschriften zu Isolation und Energieeffizienz von Bauten führen dazu, dass sich Neubauten immer ähnlicher sehen. Doch müssen Innenräume tatsächlich permanent 21 Grad warm sein ? Der Fokus der thermischen Bestimmungen muss neu ausgerichtet werden – weg von abgeschotteten Einzelgebäuden und hin zu interdependenten Mikroklimata. Wie können urbane Gesellschaften die Energieversorgung von Gebäuden als gemeinschaftliche und nicht bloss als private Aufgabe angehen? Dieser Beitrag stellt drei mögliche Herangehensweisen vor.

Today, access to sustainable environment for more presence of humans in open space should improve the quality of open spaces and human thermal comfort. Hence, the courtyard as an open space is an important element in solar radiation absorption and providing thermal comfort. The aim of this paper is to investigate the climatic performance of traditional courtyard houses, according to shading and sunlit in two cities with different climates: Kashan city (hot-arid climate) and Ardabil city (cold climate). In order to carry out this research, firstly ten types of traditional houses in Kashan and Ardabil were chosen. , thereafter, the shadow and sunlit in almost all floors and walls of courtyards were calculated and analyzed in June and December using Ecotect software simulations. In order to assess the compatibility level of the selected historical samples of each city with the region's climate, the average of a composite indexes (shading-sunlit index of walls and floor) of the selected houses in two cities have been compared. The average shading-sunlit index for the houses in Kashan is 0.43 and for the selected houses in Ardabil is 0.40; meaning that in both cities, the houses are relatively compatible with the region's climate and the cases in Kashan city show more compatible to some extent. Also the results of studies demonstrate that in case studies in both cities, the amount of shaded surfaces have appropriate climate compatibility in warm months; while, in terms of sunlit, they do not have an appropriate climate compatibility in cold months.

This paper presents the results of study aiming to measure solar spectral properties and the thermal performance of 5 (green, red, yellow, beige and off-white) color thin layer asphalt samples in comparison to a sample of conventional black asphalt. In addition the impact of the application of such materials on pavements (road) on surface and air temperature is evaluated. These materials can be applied on new or existing asphalt pavements that are in good condition. This study consists of three parts a) Spectral analysis and study of the optical properties of the samples b) Study and analysis of the thermal performance of the samples. c) Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation for evaluating the impact of applying the samples in outdoor spaces. The spectrophotometric measurements showed that the coloured thin layer asphalt samples are characterised by higher values of solar reflectance compared to the conventional asphalt, which is mainly due to their high near infrared solar ...

An understanding of the energy exchanges occurring in urban areas is important to
predicting the results of building and surface alterations. Typically, urban climate models are
implemented as numerical models, but are often limited in their ability to accurately represent the area
considered. This paper presents a model of an energy exchange for an urban building and develops a
framework for implementing such a model in a GIS.

Originally, the Kihansi River Falls produced sprays that created microhabitat with high humidity and low temperatures. These microhabitats were the only habitats for Kihansi Spray Toad (KST) Nectophyrinoides asperginis, while adjacent forest supported other endemic species.
However, in 1999 the Kihansi Hydropower Project diverted over 90% of the water from Kihansi River to the reservoir resulting into population crash of some
wetland dependent species due to dryness. In 2001, a rtificial sprinklers were installed in three spray wetlands within the Kihansi Gorge (KG) to mitigate effects especially for KST, which unfortunately were declared extinct in the wild in 2009. Wetlands and forest microclimate under these mitigation measures were examined from 2010 to 2012 using data loggers set and left in the study sites to record temperature and humidity. Data were then downloaded and analysed. Temperature and relative humidity (RH) showed variation according to location and time but remained within tolerable limits for KST survival (16 - 21°C; 60- 100%) with varying mean differences at - 0.860°C (2010), - 0.585°C (2011), and 0.274°C (2012) and RH (±9.576%) between 2010 and 2012. Temperatures were significantly higher in adjacent forest than in wetlands and vice versa for RH suggesting that species outside the artificially maintained wetlands currently experience considerable dryness. This indicates that, the collapse or terminating artificial sprinklers may cause immediate negative effects to the ecosystem, and especially the endemic species. Thus, a long-term monitoring program and expansion of the artificial sprinklers are recommended for the healthier KG ecosystem.