Urban spatial interactions and climate : incorporating thermal and energetic analysis in urban planning

Author(s)

Rafael Silva Brandão

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FAU/SBI)
• Defense date: 2009-03-27

Examining board members

Marcia Peinado Alucci; Eleonora Sad de Assis; Denise Helena Silva Duarte; Edmilson Dias de Freitas; Marcelo Eduardo Giacaglia

• Advisor: Marcia Peinado Alucci

Abstract

This paper deals with the urban climate, defined as the thermal environment of a limited area, generated by the interaction of the atmosphere and a city, which affects thermal comfort of pedestrians and energy consumption of buildings. The main objective is to develop an assessment methodology for the urban thermal environment, the results of which can support design and planning decisions in Brazilian cities. The hypothesis is that usual planning variables plot ratio, plan density index and setbacks suffice as means to describe urban occupation and to determine its thermal environment. The method consists in two phases: a deductive one, in which thermal simulation models were studied or developed, and a inductive one, in which the researched models were used to assess a study case. The assessment results were superposed with occupation parameters for the area, in order to determine correlations among environmental and occupation variables. During this process, the research included the use of analytical models, CFD simulation and GIS tools. The results did not corroborate the hypothesis. This lead to the conclusion that other variables must be incorporated to urban planning, in order to determine the impact of occupation on thermal environment. Regression equations were developed, relating occupation parameters and thermal and energetic variables. Even though their applications are limited, they may be used as a rule of thumb method for early design stages. The method developed for the obtaining of the equations may be used for evaluating comparatively different occupation proposals. If performance criteria are determined, the method may be transformed into a urban thermal performance assessment method. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 05/02568-8 - Spatial urban interactions and environmental needs: bases for the incorporation of thermal, luminous and energy phenomena in urban planning
• Grantee: Rafael Silva Brandão
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate