A numerical study of the effect of urban geometry upon the surface energy budget

Abstract

This numerical study investigates the effect of urban canyon geometry upon the thermal environment using a parking lot model and an urban canyon model in identical meteorological conditions. The urban canyon model assumes two buildings on opposite sides of a street, no windows or interior anthropogenic heat source, an infinitely long east-west oriented canyon, and waterproof surfaces. The simulated surface temperatures agree well with those obtained by field measurement. The energy balance of the urban canyon is represented by that of the canyon top, which is an imaginary surface. The urban canyon, whose top surface is a plane above the canyon at the same level as the roof surface of the building, absorbs more heat in the daytime and releases more at night than the parking lot. The urban thermal environment depends on an urban geometry which particular to the urban canyon model produces reduced small sky view factors and complicated daytime shadow patterns. The results show that this urban geometry contributes to urban heat island formation.