Adaptive Design to Mitigate the Effects of UHI: The Case Study of Piazza Togliatti in the Municipality of Scandicci

Abstract

The relationship between microclimate and built environment has been explored for almost forty years, with reference not only to architecture but also to urban and to landscape design as instruments to increase the outdoor comfort. Recently, scientific studies on urban climate pay attention to Urban Heat Island (UHI) and related mitigation strategies as the main focus theme, also developing new sustainable urban design assessment methods. Moving from these considerations, this paper aims to describe some results of the research "Adaptive design and innovative technology for resilient regeneration of urban district depending on climate change", focused on the study of technological solutions able to improve the resilience of the built environment, also reducing the effects of the UHI. Furthermore, attention is given to the issue of urban space design, implemented as an instrument able to promote the regeneration of urban districts. In detail, this article presents two design proposals developed for Piazza Togliatti in Scandicci (Florence), analysing the results achieved (in terms of atmospheric temperature and Predicted Mean Vote) by means of the ENVI-Met software.

Evaluation of Microclimate Benefits Due to Cool Pavements and Green Infrastructures on Urban Heat Islands

“…Specifically, AT reductions of about 5 °C are observed by [31,32], while for MRT an absolute decrease of about 15 °C [33] or a percentage decrease of 10% in summer and 80% in winter can occur [34]. Moreover, green areas added to cool surfaces can reduce the perceived temperatures and lead to comfortable PMV values [35,36]. Due to the recent Italian standard for the promotion of the minimum environmental criteria (CAM) [37], such measures are mandatory for all public construction works.…”

“…Specifically, AT reductions of about 5 • C are observed by [31,32], while for MRT an absolute decrease of about 15 • C [33] or a percentage decrease of 10% in summer and 80% in winter can occur [34]. Moreover, green areas added to cool surfaces can reduce the perceived temperatures and lead to comfortable PMV values [35,36].…”

Disentangling the Relationship between Urban Form and Urban Resilience: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Ten studies focused on providing resilience to extremely high temperatures through urban form. This was mainly associated with the characteristics of open/green spaces, such as the coverage of tree canopy and soft/natural landscape materials [90][91][92][93] and with the urban form characteristics of neighborhoods/sanctuary areas. The latter include, for example: the shaping, dimensions and arrangement of urban form elements such as buildings and streets; building construction materials and their properties (e.g., thermal and radiative); and land cover types (e.g., plants, bare rock, bare soil, sand) and their ephemeral properties (e.g., dry/wet ground) [94][95][96][97].…”

Evaluation of Mitigation Strategies of the Urban Heat Island Effect in Mediterranean Area. The Case Study of Largo Annigoni in Florence (Italy)

“…Furthermore, the workflow of the design process together with the use of simulation software to predict the effect of the application of such strategies on a case study to improve the microclimate behavior can become a useful method for designers and the Public Administrations to know exactly the achievable results of these strategies in order to choose the best solutions to redevelop an urban space and to improve its environmental comfort (Romano et al, 2019).…”