Relationship between outdoor thermal comfort and Local Climate Zones

Abstract

The urban environment can impact thermal comfort conditions according to its configuration, affecting the use of space and the quality of life of the population. Thus, it is important to know the comfort level of urban spaces and the consequences for the population, in order to propose appropriate constructive solutions. This paper aims to analyze the influence of urban form and land cover on the thermal comfort of users of outdoor public spaces. For this, four fractions of the city of São Carlos-SP were characterized by the Local Climate Zones classification system. Microclimatic data and personal variables were collected in three periods to calculate the PET index. In addition, the perception and thermal satisfaction of users were investigated. The results show that the PET index ranged from 25 ° C to 48 ° C, representing heat discomfort at all points, also reinforced by the registration of users' perception. However, users show satisfaction in leisure spaces, especially in wooded spaces, even in conditions of high PET index, which would indicate heat discomfort. Compact ZCLs with a high percentage of impermeability present the worst conditions, registering user dissatisfaction in all periods.

Keywords:
Thermal comfort.; Urban geometry.; PET index.; Local Climate Zones.