Outdoor microclimatic validation for hybrid simulation workflow in hot arid climates against ENVI-met and field measurements

Abstract

Outdoor microclimate simulations as part of sustainable urban development process have become of a great significance to reduce energy consumption, CO2 emissions, urban heat island, and urban sprawl. Accordingly, the development of microclimate simulation tools is crucial to catch up with the cutting-edge technologies and generate optimized urban forms according to their environmental performance. In this paper, a hybrid parametric workflow of Ladybug Tools is applied to validate their generic outdoor thermal comfort, calculated in Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET), against measured meteorological data using HOBO-U30 weather station, and ENVI-met simulations for a case study in Cairo, Egypt. The comparison of four meteorological parameters have shown minor error percentages with nearly 90% precise PET results. The study have demonstrated that Ladybug Tools have no less significance than other fully-integrated microclimate simulation engines, particularly for consuming less simulation time, and their appropriateness for the iterated design processes and simulations.