A Framework of Thermal Sensitive Urban Design Benchmarks: Potentiating the Longevity of Auckland’s Public Realm

Abstract

Abstract:One of the key objectives of contemporary urban design is to ensure the quality and activity within urban public spaces. Presented as a progressively emerging paradigm in this process, the effects of urban climatology are increasingly elucidating the need for further climate responsive environments. Moreover, this interest is one that shall increase along with the progression of climate change effects upon outdoor environments. Nevertheless, it is often that climatic assessments lack bottom-up climatic indicators, tools and practical benchmarks. As a result, this obstructs local decision making, and practices of localised adaptive design. In an effort to address such discrepancies, this paper launches a framework of international precedents of built and conceptual projects that address thermal comfort levels in public spaces. This organisation will be cross-referenced with theory that supports its structure and typological division. With Auckland as the focal case study, the solutions that are extracted from the framework will be scrutinised in order to shape new potential measures, and launch new considerations in Auckland's local policy and design guidelines. In this way, microclimatic concerns are hence framed into an opportunity to potentiate the use and longevity of Auckland's public realm.

Approaches to Outdoor Thermal Comfort Thresholds through Public Space Design: A Review

“…The principal climatic variables considered are T amb and precipitation, which are subsequently computed every decade to smooth out year-to-year variations. Consequently, the system is extensively used by researchers and scientists across a large range of disciplines as a method for the climatic regionalisation of climatic variables from top-down climatic assessments (e.g., [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]). …”

“…As a result, this can lead to an undesired wetting sensation upon pedestrians. In order to effectively lower T amb without imperilling acceptable humidity levels within PSD, the appropriate water pressure, nozzle type, and functioning period must be established [17,28,54].…”

“…Unlike most of the other thermal PSD measures, the design of shade canopies can be often interlinked with temporary solutions. Here, the design of the structure itself can be oriented as an Ephemeral Thermal Comfort Solution (ETCS) [28], which can provide short-term solutions during annual periods of higher thermal stimuli. When considering 'Temperate' climates and their general solar radiation implications on Mediterranean cities, one must similarly consider that there is an increased need for solar radiation during the winter as well.…”

Flood Adaptation Measures Applicable in the Design of Urban Public Spaces: Proposal for a Conceptual Framework

“…This is namely the case of the previously mentioned 'green roofs'. They are fairly inexpensive measures that even if not fulfilling the flood risk management purpose of water harvesting, they may fulfil other purposes, such as improving microclimatic conditions by permitting increased albedo levels or encouraging evapotranspiration processes [45]. These types of measures are particularly interesting in the context of learning and exploring adaptation processes, since they are not hindered by the need to succeed and consequently endorse continual improvement [46].…”

Introduction and Editorial to the Special Issue “Selected Papers from the Building a Better New Zealand (BBNZ 2014) Conference”

“…Papers by Allen [10], Gjerde and Vale [11] and Nouri [12] deal with a variety of important urban issues.…”