The aim of this research is to detect the cooling effects of water body evaporation in different Local Climate Zones (LCZs) in a tropical area. We attempted to register the humidity action over the urban environment caused by the evaporation of an urban lake according to the typical regional winds. The method was developed on the basis of three steps: the physical characterization of the LCZ conditions, the definition of data collection procedures with the mesoclimate analysis; and the interpretation of data by mapping the local measured variables. The study also included a microclimate data collection campaign aimed to evaluate more specifically the typical behaviour of the air temperature and absolute humidity in areas near the water body and in environments of the urban centre of São Jose do Rio Preto in Brazil. The air temperature range in areas near the water surface presented values lower than the denser areas, reaching differences close to 4 °C, and as the environment becomes drier and impermeable, the air temperature tended to be higher. This fact highlights the need to being outlined urban occupation strategies for improving the thermal quality of the built environment, mainly in cities located in regions with a predominantly high altitude tropical climate.
Variação de umidade absoluta e temperatura do ar intraurbano nos arredores de um corpo d'águaVariation of absolute humidity and air temperature in the urban canopy layer in the surroundings of a water body
Erico Masiero Léa Cristina Lucas de SouzaResumo ste estudo tem por objetivo verificar a distribuição de umidade absoluta e da temperatura do ar intraurbano, associando-as à presença de um corpo d'água na área urbana de São José do Rio Preto, SP. A combinação do conteúdo de água no ar fornecido por corpos d'água com o potencial eólico pode favorecer significativamente as condições microclimáticas de uma área urbana, levando a um ambiente térmico mais ameno. Nove pontos de coleta de dados foram selecionados na malha urbana para detectar diferenças de temperatura e umidade absoluta do ar. Quatro pontos detalham os fenômenos físicos associados às trocas de calor intraurbanas sob a influência da distribuição da umidade absoluta. Foi detectado que o ponto de coleta à margem da represa municipal permaneceu aproximadamente 2 ºC abaixo do ponto situado na zona residencial mais impermeabilizada e 7 g/m³ mais úmido. A alta variação dos valores de umidade absoluta detectada neste estudo corrobora a necessidade de criação de estratégias para a redução da evaporação e melhoria da distribuição da quantidade de água no ar pelos espaços intraurbanos em épocas quentes e secas em cidades situadas em áreas continentais.
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The sustainability potential of Brazilian social housing (SH) needs to be assessed, considering the impacts on the population’s quality of life and urban systems. One of the main weaknesses of Casa Azul Label refers to the absence of a procedure that quantifies the measures for assessing urban sustainability. Based on the post-occupation analysis of an SH project implemented in Araraquara, São Paulo state, Brazil, evaluation of urban sustainability was developed, using a multi-method approach combining the Casa Azul Label and Sustainable Building Tool (SBTool) Urban certification tools. It was proposed to apply the calculations established in SBTool Urban according to the Casa Azul Label certification requirements, as well as insert a national benchmark as a reference for the analysis and normalizing results. These procedures made it possible to base an improvement framework on a Brazilian environmental certification system, including a quantification system to evaluate the efficiency of the applied measures regarding urban sustainability. The multi-method approach, associated with the SBTool Urban procedures, could significantly help to improve the application of a sustainable assessment system in social housing in developing countries. The high number of residential units produced in recent years could be qualitatively evaluated, improving both the construction procedures and the criteria for the urban insertion of human settlements.
In a tropical city with dry periods, the potential for high humidity to control the air temperature by two processes was investigated: the impounding of water bodies and arborisation in urban design. Air temperature and humidity were monitored in eight points in a zone of 250 000 m2. Three of them had detailed site characteristics. Point A was located on the margin of a dam in São José do Rio Preto, Brazil. Point B was located 200 m away from the margin in a sealed soil and low built density area. Point C was located 400 m northward under a tree. These three points were connected by a vegetated corridor, thus the environment remained susceptible to prevailing winds. A weather station, located southeast of the area, supplied the temperature, humidity, wind speed and wind direction data of the rural environment. The temperature above the water body margin registered 2·5°C lower than the rural environment. The water body increased the humidity by an average of 5·08 g/m3 more in the surroundings than near the tree crown. The results show that the presence of moisture could be applied as a thermal comfort strategy in this city, with the support of public policies to create open area systems and urban parks.
Resumo O ambiente urbano pode impactar nas condições de conforto térmico de acordo com a sua configuração, afetando o uso do espaço e a qualidade de vida da população. Assim, é importante conhecer o nível de conforto dos espaços urbanos e as consequências para a população para propor soluções construtivas adequadas. Este artigo objetiva analisar a influência da forma urbana e da cobertura do solo no conforto térmico dos usuários de espaços públicos ao ar livre. Para isso, foram caracterizadas quatro frações da cidade de São Carlos-SP utilizando o sistema de classificação das Zonas Climáticas Locais (ZCL). Foram realizadas coletas de dados microclimáticos e variáveis pessoais em três períodos para calcular o índice PET. Além disso, foram investigadas a percepção e a satisfação térmica dos usuários. Os resultados mostraram que o índice PET variou de 25ºC a 48ºC, representando desconforto por calor em todos os pontos, também reforçado pelo registro da percepção dos usuários. No entanto, estes mostraram satisfação nos espaços de lazer, especialmente nos arborizados, mesmo em condições de elevado índice PET, o que indicaria desconforto por calor. As ZCL compactas e com grande percentual de impermeabilidade apresentaram as piores condições, registrando insatisfação dos usuários em todos os períodos.
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