Abstract
Although the influence of urban form on microclimate and building thermal processes has been acknowledged, few studies have addressed the influence of overheating mechanisms on heterogeneous urban fabrics for existing historical cities. This study investigates the impact of changing urban climate on indoor temperatures by focusing on three Venice morphological patterns. Through microclimate modelling techniques, outdoor and indoor temperatures are simulated in 2020 and 2050 scenarios. Results show that the compactness of the urban fabric contributes to reducing indoor building temperatures. The analysis suggests that the increased density of shadow areas can mitigate the outdoor temperature values and reduce direct radiation on façades. When comparing the two climate scenarios 2020 and 2050, average indoor temperatures increase in the latter. However, the analysis highlights that the absence of insulation and the relatively high thermal mass of typical Venetian envelopes plays a crucial role in the building thermal processes preserving indoor comfort in a warmer climate future.
Highlights
The predicted increase of average global temperatures and heat wave frequency is challenging climate conditions for historical cities that aim to transition towards a low-carbon and sustainable future
The analysis highlights that the absence of insulation and the relatively high thermal mass of typical Venetian envelopes plays a crucial role in the building thermal processes preserving indoor comfort in a warmer climate future
S.Polo is the district with the lowest indoor temperatures (IndT) difference between scenario 2020 (S20) and scenario 2050 (S50) (0.30 °C), followed by S.Maria Formosa (0.5°C) and Garibaldi (0.7°C)
Summary
The predicted increase of average global temperatures and heat wave frequency is challenging climate conditions for historical cities that aim to transition towards a low-carbon and sustainable future. Besides global warming pushing sea levels higher, between 2000 and 2018, Venice had a 1.2°C increase in temperature when related to the 20th-century average. This trend challenges the adaptive capacity of the city and sets the urgency for investigating the complex interactions between projected changes and the urban environment. Measures of energy retrofitting of existing and historical cities would require a deep understanding of how and to what extent climate change impacts local microclimates, affecting the energy demand of large stocks of old and antique buildings, their indoor comfort and human wellbeing. Santamouris et al [1] find that electricity consumption increases between 0,5%
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