Effects of UrbanConfiguration on human thermal conditions in a typical tropical African Coastal City
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Abstract
A long-term simulation of urban climate was done using the easily available long-term meteorological data from a nearby synoptic
station in a tropical coastal city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. he study aimed at determining the efects of buildings’ height and street
orientations on human thermal conditions at pedestrian level. he urban coniguration was represented by a typical urban street
and a small urban park near the seaside. he simulations were conducted in the microscale applied climate model of RayMan,
and results were interpreted in terms of the thermal comfort parameters of mean radiant (� mrt ) and physiologically equivalent
(PET) temperatures. PET values, high as 34 ∘ C, are observed to prevail during the aternoons especially in the east-west oriented
streets, and buildings’ height of 5 m has less efect on the thermal comfort. he optimal reduction of � mrt and PET values for
pedestrians was observed on the nearly north-south reoriented streets and with increased buildings’ height especially close to
100 m. Likewise, buildings close to the park enhance comfort conditions in the park through additional shadow. he study provides
design implications and management of open spaces like urban parks in cities for the sake of improving thermal comfort conditions
for pedestrians.
Description
Research article
Keywords
Human thermal conditions, Urban configuration, Tropical urban climate, Tropical African Coastal City