Vegetation effects on urban street microclimate and thermal comfort during overheated period under hot and dry climatic conditions

Abstract EN

Urban Planning has a great impact on local microclimate which in turn affects the comfort and the space quality within a city.

This directly influences the absorption and emission of incoming solar and outgoing long wave radiation, which has a significant impact on temperature variations within the street as well as the surrounding environment (Urban Heat Island).

Green areas play the most significant role in the city; they provide shade that helps to lower surface temperatures.

They also help to reduce air temperatures through the process of evapotranspiration, dissipating ambient heat.

The method is experimental, in which empirical measurements are carried out in different stations in a street of the city center of Constantine (Algeria) during overheated period.

Moreover series of field simulation are done using a software tool: "TownScope3.2".

The results confirm the importance of shade by the vegetation on microclimate and human comfort, and show a positive correlation between the air temperature, Tmrt, and PET in hot seasons.

Vegetated urban space influences the quality of perception, the creation of urban ambience and improves pedestrian's thermal comfort.

That increases the frequency of use of outdoor spaces for such climate.