Impact of suburban landscape on outdoor thermal comfort in tropical savanna climate
This study examines the effects of various urban land cover compositions and the ratio of canyon height to canyon width on outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) in Panama City. For this purpose, the study conducted simulations with ENVI-met on three neighborhood complexes during the hottest day of the year....
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Geology, Ecology, and Landscapes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24749508.2025.2529028 |
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| Summary: | This study examines the effects of various urban land cover compositions and the ratio of canyon height to canyon width on outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) in Panama City. For this purpose, the study conducted simulations with ENVI-met on three neighborhood complexes during the hottest day of the year. The study measured air temperatures and relative humidity in the three neighborhoods to validate the simulation results. The simulations utilized the measured data to evaluate outdoor thermal comfort by analyzing the Humidex. This index describes how hot the weather feels, combining the effects of air temperature and relative humidity. Results of the linear regression indicate that at 12:00 h and 15:00 h, the Humidex values decreased as the lawn cover increased. Additionally, the study observed that higher aspect ratios led to lower Humidex values at 12:00 h and 15:00 h. The results for tree canopy cover suggest that the cooling effect decreased during the hottest hours of the day. This result is likely due to a reduction in the trees’ cooling capacity, linked to the limitation of plant evapotranspiration. These findings provide valuable guidance for planners when determining lawn coverage and aspect ratios to improve outdoor thermal comfort in tropical savanna cities. |
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| ISSN: | 2474-9508 |