IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i14p7811-d593280.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Improvement of the Outdoor Thermal Comfort by Water Spraying in a High-Density Urban Environment under the Influence of a Future (2050) Climate

Author

Listed:
  • Ka-Ming Wai

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China)

  • Lei Xiao

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China)

  • Tanya Zheng Tan

    (Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

Adaptation to prepare for adverse climate change impacts in the context of urban heat islands and outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) is receiving growing concern. However, knowledge of quantitative microclimatic conditions within the urban boundary layer in the future is still lacking, such that the introduction of adequate adaptation measures to increase OTC is challenging. To investigate the cooling performance of a water spraying system in a sub-tropical compact and high-rise built environment in summer under the influence of future (2050) climatic conditions, results from two validated models (Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) and ENVI-met models) have been used and analyzed. Our results indicate that the spraying system provides cooling of 2–3 °C for ambient air temperature at the pedestrian-level of the urban canyons considered here, which benefits pedestrians. However, improvement of the OTC in terms of the physiological equivalent temperature (PET—a better indicator of human thermal sensation) was noticeable (e.g., <42 °C or from very hot to hot) when the urban canyon was orientated parallel to the prevailing wind direction only. This implies that in order to improve city resilience in terms of heat stress, more holistic adaptation measures in urban planning are needed. This includes the introduction of more breezeways and building disposition to facilitate the urban ventilation, as well as urban tree arrangement and sunshades to reduce direct solar radiation to plan for the impact of future climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Ka-Ming Wai & Lei Xiao & Tanya Zheng Tan, 2021. "Improvement of the Outdoor Thermal Comfort by Water Spraying in a High-Density Urban Environment under the Influence of a Future (2050) Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7811-:d:593280
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/14/7811/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/14/7811/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Do-Woo Kim & Ravinesh Deo & Jea-Hak Chung & Jong-Seol Lee, 2016. "Projection of heat wave mortality related to climate change in Korea," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 80(1), pages 623-637, January.
    2. Fung, W.Y. & Lam, K.S. & Hung, W.T. & Pang, S.W. & Lee, Y.L., 2006. "Impact of urban temperature on energy consumption of Hong Kong," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(14), pages 2623-2637.
    3. M. Georgescu & M. Moustaoui & A. Mahalov & J. Dudhia, 2013. "Summer-time climate impacts of projected megapolitan expansion in Arizona," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 3(1), pages 37-41, January.
    4. Kleerekoper, Laura & Taleghani, Mohammad & van den Dobbelsteen, Andy & Hordijk, Truus, 2017. "Urban measures for hot weather conditions in a temperate climate condition: A review study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 515-533.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. George M. Stavrakakis & Dimitris Al. Katsaprakakis & Markos Damasiotis, 2021. "Basic Principles, Most Common Computational Tools, and Capabilities for Building Energy and Urban Microclimate Simulations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-41, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jose Garrido & Xavier Milhaud & Anani Olympio & Max Popp, 2024. "Climate Risk and its Impact on Insurance [Risque climatique et impact en assurance]," Post-Print hal-04684634, HAL.
    2. Loi, Tian Sheng Allan & Loo, Soh Leng, 2016. "The impact of Singapore’s residential electricity conservation efforts and the way forward. Insights from the bounds testing approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 735-743.
    3. Toparlar, Y. & Blocken, B. & Maiheu, B. & van Heijst, G.J.F., 2018. "Impact of urban microclimate on summertime building cooling demand: A parametric analysis for Antwerp, Belgium," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 852-872.
    4. Pigliautile, I. & Pisello, A.L. & Bou-Zeid, E., 2020. "Humans in the city: Representing outdoor thermal comfort in urban canopy models," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    5. Hongyu Du & Fengqi Zhou & Chunlan Li & Wenbo Cai & Hong Jiang & Yongli Cai, 2020. "Analysis of the Impact of Land Use on Spatiotemporal Patterns of Surface Urban Heat Island in Rapid Urbanization, a Case Study of Shanghai, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, February.
    6. Li, Hong & Yang, Hongxing, 2009. "Potential application of solar thermal systems for hot water production in Hong Kong," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(2), pages 175-180, February.
    7. Weishou Tian & Lian Zong & Yakun Dong & Duanyang Liu & Yuanjian Yang, 2023. "Long-Term Variations in Warm and Cold Events in Nanjing, China: Roles of Synoptic Weather Patterns and Urbanization," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, January.
    8. Mahshid Ghanbari & Mazdak Arabi & Matei Georgescu & Ashley M. Broadbent, 2023. "The role of climate change and urban development on compound dry-hot extremes across US cities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Lanlan Li & Xinpei Song & Jingjing Li & Ke Li & Jianling Jiao, 2023. "The impacts of temperature on residential electricity consumption in Anhui, China: does the electricity price matter?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 1-26, March.
    10. Al-mulali, Usama & Binti Che Sab, Che Normee & Fereidouni, Hassan Gholipour, 2012. "Exploring the bi-directional long run relationship between urbanization, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emission," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 156-167.
    11. Sophia Kappou & Manolis Souliotis & Spiros Papaefthimiou & Giorgos Panaras & John A. Paravantis & Evanthie Michalena & Jeremy Maxwell Hills & Andreas P. Vouros & Aikaterini Ntymenou & Giouli Mihalakak, 2022. "Cool Pavements: State of the Art and New Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-32, April.
    12. Chow, Larry C.H., 2010. "Changes in energy intensiveness of Hong Kong economy, 1995-2007," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 2076-2085, May.
    13. Hui Yun Rebecca Neo & Nyuk Hien Wong & Marcel Ignatius & Chao Yuan & Yong Xu & Kai Cao, 2023. "Spatial analysis of public residential housing's electricity consumption in relation to urban landscape and building characteristics: A case study in Singapore," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(2), pages 233-254, March.
    14. Li, Ke & Lin, Boqiang, 2015. "Impacts of urbanization and industrialization on energy consumption/CO2 emissions: Does the level of development matter?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1107-1122.
    15. You, Siming & Neoh, Koon Gee & Tong, Yen Wah & Dai, Yanjun & Wang, Chi-Hwa, 2017. "Variation of household electricity consumption and potential impact of outdoor PM2.5 concentration: A comparison between Singapore and Shanghai," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 475-484.
    16. Hirano, Y. & Fujita, T., 2012. "Evaluation of the impact of the urban heat island on residential and commercial energy consumption in Tokyo," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 371-383.
    17. Jae Young Lee & Woo-Seop Lee & Kristie L. Ebi & Ho Kim, 2019. "Temperature-Related Summer Mortality Under Multiple Climate, Population, and Adaptation Scenarios," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-9, March.
    18. Gao, Yafeng & Yao, Runming & Li, Baizhan & Turkbeyler, Erdal & Luo, Qing & Short, Alan, 2012. "Field studies on the effect of built forms on urban wind environments," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 148-154.
    19. Mohammad Taleghani & Azadeh Montazami & Daniela Perrotti, 2020. "Learning to Chill: The Role of Design Schools and Professional Training to Improve Urban Climate and Urban Metabolism," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-14, May.
    20. He, Hongming & Jim, C.Y., 2012. "Coupling model of energy consumption with changes in environmental utility," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 235-243.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7811-:d:593280. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.