Thermal bioclimate as a factor in urban and architectural planning in tropical climates—The case of Campinas, Brazil

Abstract

Urban climate studies can provide information necessary for the improvement of conditions of thermal comfort for people in cities in the Tropics. This paper presents thermal bioclimate analysis of a case study in Campinas, Brazil, using air temperature (Ta), mean radiant temperature (Tmrt), and Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET), which can be used as assessment factors for urban and architectural planning in tropical climate. The meteorological data air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation for the period 2003 to 2010 were used to calculate Tmrt and PET using the RayMan Pro model. Simulations of shade and wind speed variations were performed to quantify changes in thermal bioclimate due to modifications in urban morphology. The results show that solar radiation and wind speed not only influence air temperature, but also more extensive thermal comfort and heat stress as well. Furthermore, the simulations of the variation of wind speed and shade conditions demonstrate that shade can improve thermal comfort situations in terms of PET above 35 °C. The improvement of outdoor thermal comfort is an important step in achieving sustainability of urban spaces and configurations. These results are valuable for architects, planners, and urban designers for the description of conditions and the development of possibilities for improving microclimatic conditions based on urban design and configurations.