Enhancing the Microclimate Toward Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Urban Isles of the Mediterranean Region

Abstract

Worldwide climate change concerns and rapid urbanization render sustainability in cities more crucial than ever. It is well established that cities produce a high percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions, and in developing countries, they bear very high costs associated with climate change. It is also assessed that the energy consumption in cities is increased due to the amplified use of air conditioning mechanical means, in order to compensate for the heat island phenomenon and to achieve the desired comfort levels both indoors and outdoors. This study uses as main tools for reducing energy consumption in the cities, renewable energy sources, the improvement of the urban fabric with energy-efficient measures, and the enhancement of the microclimate aiming at thermal comfort in outdoor urban spaces. The general framework of this study is laid from the ERANET Europe project Smart Urban Isle (SUI), which takes into account both the buildings’ design and the energy management systems within the wider urban context, in order to assess the potential of using urban isles as key elements for the energy management and the development of smart sustainable cities. The Cyprus case study focuses on the impact of the existing urban fabric on the microclimate and the outdoor thermal comfort. This chapter investigates and evaluates, through simulations the current outdoor thermal comfort and the effect and contribution of outdoor materiality and element geometry, toward the possible improvement of thermal comfort at the pedestrian level, in the town center of Limassol, for typical summer and winter days.