ENVI-met Simulations of the Effect of Different Landscape Design Scenarios on Pedestrian Thermal Comfort: Haydar Aliyev Street

Abstract

In the city of Erzurum, located in a cold climate region, it is important for pedestrian walkways and parks to be usable all year round. Haydar Aliyev Street, located on the city's new development axis, serves as both a pedestrian route and a park. Meteorological data was collected hourly throughout 2021 using a Vantage Pro 2 Plus device installed at a height of 1.5 m in the study area. The scenarios were analyzed using the ENVI-met BIO+ Science Software, with August (summer) and January (winter) identified as the hottest and coldest months, respectively. Sky View Factor (SVF) analysis was conducted using fisheye lens photos taken from different points in the area. Four different landscape design scenarios were created for the study area, consisting of plants, water surfaces, soil, and grass. It was found that the temperature decreased by an average of 0.2°C in the summer scenario when the number of plants was increased by 20%. Furthermore, it was determined that the deciduous tree scenario provided better thermal comfort compared to the treeless soil scenario for a pedestrian-friendly park during the winter months. The inactive water scenario for summer and winter was found to increase wind speed by a maximum of 1.3 m s-1. The study concluded that different landscape design scenarios had an impact on outdoor thermal comfort and that further research was needed in this area. Such studies highlight the need for multidisciplinary teamwork to create healthy, sustainable, and livable urban environments in designing thermal-comfortable spaces.