Research on Microclimate-Suitable Spatial Patterns of Waterfront Settlements in Summer: A Case Study of the Nan Lake Area in Wuhan, China

Abstract

As China’s urbanization progresses, thermal environmental problems such as the overheating effect experienced by cities are becoming more and more obvious in the daily lives of residents. Urban waterfront spaces not only create pleasant landscape environments and regulate microclimates, but also help to maintain ecological diversity. However, the current high-density urban construction model has led to poor air mobility and weakened water regulation functions in cities. Therefore, the rationalization of the spatial form of settlements has become particularly important in recent times. In this study, the Nan Lake area of Wuhan City was taken as the research object, and it was simulated using ENVI-met (5.5.1) software. Further, the orthogonal experimental design method was combined with the extremum difference analysis method. This study focused on the effects of the layout form (LF), floor area ratio (FAR), green form (GF), and offshore distance (OD) on the temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and thermal comfort in waterfront settlements in summer. This study found that (1) among the various factors, the effect of the GFs and LFs on the overall microclimate of the study region was the most significant, while the volume ratio had the least significant effect on each indicator. (2) The parallel layout form was found to have better ventilation effects compared to the other three layout forms, with its cooling and humidifying effects being superior. (3) Among the four types of greening combinations, the combination of “grass + shrubs” had the best cooling effect at the height of pedestrians, while trees were able to reduce the heat transfer of solar radiation to the ground due to the shading and evaporation effects provided by their canopies. (4) The cooling and humidifying effects provided by the water body of Nan Lake gradually diminished as the distance from its shore increased; therefore, waterfront settlements maintaining a reasonable proximity to their water bodies will help bring into play the microclimate adjustment effect of such bodies. This study provides a valuable reference for the construction and renewal of urban waterfront settlements in the hot summer and cold winter zones of China (HSCW).

Microscale Investigation of Urban Heat Island (UHI) in Annaba City: Unveiling Factors and Mitigation Strategies

“…In sum, the strategy with the most significant impact on the UHI reduction within downtown Annaba is the introduction of vegetation with its two configurations, urban trees, and green roofs, which is consistent with previous studies [19,38,78,79]. Urban trees demonstrated the highest maximum temperature reduction of 1.9 • C at 1 p.m., indicating a substantial cooling effect.…”

“…The relative humidity patterns align with the evaporative cooling effect of water bodies. The wind speed variability, especially during the afternoon, implies that water bodies can introduce local turbulence and influence wind dynamics, with potential implications for urban airflow patterns [38,77].…”

“…In the face of escalating climate change, the incidence and severity of urban overheating events are escalating, amplifying the associated health hazards and placing unprecedented strain on urban infrastructure [25,34,35]. As global temperatures continue to rise, the urban environment becomes increasingly susceptible to prolonged heatwaves, making it imperative for cities to adopt strategic measures to mitigate the impacts of this growing challenge [36][37][38]. The imperative to enhance resilience and adaptability in urban planning and infrastructure becomes ever more urgent in order to safeguard the well-being of urban populations and ensure the sustainable development of our cities in the face of this mounting threat [39,40].…”

High-Rise Residential District Morphology Optimization for Enhancing the Green Space Cooling Effect

“…Research has shown that the cooling effect of green spaces is a complex phenomenon of multiple elements. On the one hand, the cooling effect is influenced by the characteristic of a green space itself, such as the size and shape of the green space and the composition of landscape elements [10][11][12]. Studies in this area started early and have produced relatively mature research results.…”

“…Among them, 42% of the residential blocks are equipped with commercial podiums, and 73% of the commercial podiums have a height of three floors. Based on this, 300 m × 300 m is chosen as the side length of a typical residential block, and 30 m × 15 m is chosen as one unit of a slab unit, which is the same as in a similar study [12]. The highest building is 27 stories, and 25 stories is commonly used.…”