A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Impacts of Selected Urban Tree Species on Outdoor Thermal Comfort in the City of Colombo
Alongside rapid urbanization, the warm, humid tropical climate of Colombo exerts pressure on the city intensifying thermal discomfort. This could further create a negative influence on performing outdoor activities restricting the quality of life of urban dwellers. Therefore, creating a thermally comfortable urban space is significant. Yet, identifying the suitable tree species to provide better thermal comfort in Colombo has seldom been discussed. This study evaluates the impact on outdoor thermal comfort based on the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) of five common species in Colombo; Cassia fistula, Tectona grandis, Plumeria obtuse, Mangifera indica, and Terminalia catappa. The field data collection was conducted on the sites of five selected species under both sunny and cloudy conditions. The parameters that contribute to assessing the urban thermal environment; sky view factor, relative humidity, air temperature, surface temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, and cloud cover were measured. The RayMan model was used to estimate thermal comfort by calculating PET values. The results indicated that the shading of trees can considerably influence outdoor thermal comfort expressed by PET. The lower PET values under the tree canopies indicated a lower level of thermal discomfort compared to an adjacent site, which was not directly shaded. Moreover, the one-way ANOVA test (p = 0.027) indicated that thermal comfort under Terminalia catappa was statistically different compared to Plumeria obtuse on sunny days. Additionally, among the selected species, Terminalia catappa was identified to be the most suitable species for improving thermal comfort in outdoor urban settings. The findings assist in the identification of species that offer greater thermal comfort in Colombo. As the use of appropriate tree species for shading is critical in alleviating heat stress, the results achieved can be employed as a measure of enhancing outdoor thermal comfort and as a vital initiative to achieve sustainability in Colombo.
Impacts of Selected Urban Tree Species on Outdoor Thermal Comfort in the City of Colombo
Alongside rapid urbanization, the warm, humid tropical climate of Colombo exerts pressure on the city intensifying thermal discomfort. This could further create a negative influence on performing outdoor activities restricting the quality of life of urban dwellers. Therefore, creating a thermally comfortable urban space is significant. Yet, identifying the suitable tree species to provide better thermal comfort in Colombo has seldom been discussed. This study evaluates the impact on outdoor thermal comfort based on the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) of five common species in Colombo; Cassia fistula, Tectona grandis, Plumeria obtuse, Mangifera indica, and Terminalia catappa. The field data collection was conducted on the sites of five selected species under both sunny and cloudy conditions. The parameters that contribute to assessing the urban thermal environment; sky view factor, relative humidity, air temperature, surface temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, and cloud cover were measured. The RayMan model was used to estimate thermal comfort by calculating PET values. The results indicated that the shading of trees can considerably influence outdoor thermal comfort expressed by PET. The lower PET values under the tree canopies indicated a lower level of thermal discomfort compared to an adjacent site, which was not directly shaded. Moreover, the one-way ANOVA test (p = 0.027) indicated that thermal comfort under Terminalia catappa was statistically different compared to Plumeria obtuse on sunny days. Additionally, among the selected species, Terminalia catappa was identified to be the most suitable species for improving thermal comfort in outdoor urban settings. The findings assist in the identification of species that offer greater thermal comfort in Colombo. As the use of appropriate tree species for shading is critical in alleviating heat stress, the results achieved can be employed as a measure of enhancing outdoor thermal comfort and as a vital initiative to achieve sustainability in Colombo.
Impacts of Selected Urban Tree Species on Outdoor Thermal Comfort in the City of Colombo
Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering
Dissanayake, Ranjith (editor) / Mendis, Priyan (editor) / Weerasekera, Kolita (editor) / De Silva, Sudhira (editor) / Fernando, Shiromal (editor) / Konthesingha, Chaminda (editor) / Gajanayake, Pradeep (editor) / Sirimanne, A. P. (author) / Jayasooriya, V. M. (author)
International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment ; 2022 ; Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2023-08-10
12 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
Urban Microclimate , Outdoor thermal comfort , Urban greening , Sky View Factor (SVF) , Physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) , Colombo Energy , Sustainable Architecture/Green Buildings , Environmental Policy , Sociology, general , Energy Policy, Economics and Management , Building Construction and Design , Sustainable Development , Engineering
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