| Abstract | Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of heat waves, placing Canadians at greater risk of heat-related health issues. It has also intensified thermal loads on building envelope systems, resulting in higher cooling energy demands in buildings. Landscape design and urban planning play important roles in shaping urban morphology and regulating urban microclimates, thereby improving outdoor and indoor thermal comfort as well as building energy efficiency. Understanding heat, air, and moisture (HAM) transfer phenomena in urban environments is essential for developing effective landscape design strategies that regulate microclimates and support climate-resilient built environment.
The HAM transfer phenomena in urban areas and their impacts on landscape design can be investigated through numerical simulations or field measurements. Field measurements are particularly valuable because they help validate numerical models, which can subsequently be used to evaluate urban thermal performance under different landscape and urban design scenarios. Furthermore, field measurements provide valuable insights for landscape architects and urban planners by assessing how landscape elements and urban morphology influence the urban thermal environment.
In this report presents an urban microclimate field measurement study conducted at the NRC’s Montreal Road campus located in Ottawa. The microclimate conditions were monitored at different locations on the campus, each featuring distinct landscape features that reflect different NBS strategies. The microclimate data, including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and solar radiation, were collected throughout the summer of 2024. The data were analyzed to investigate the impact of different landscape features on providing adequate thermal comfort for pedestrians. The data collected from this work and presented in this report will serve as a benchmark for validating microclimate simulation models and evaluating different design scenarios aimed at enhancing pedestrian comfort across the campus. |
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