VALIDATION OF OUTDOOR MICROCLIMATE SIMULATION FOR HOT ARID REGIONS USING A PARAMETRIC WORKFLOW

Document Type : Original Article

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Architectural Engineering Department, Military Technical College, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Abstract.
Outdoor microclimate simulations nowadays are indispensable processes during the early stages of designing sustainable urban forms, which contribute in achieving acceptable thermal comfort degrees, by adopting passive design strategies on both urban and single building scales especially in Hot Arid Regions, which is a substantial climate change mitigation methodology to reduce the impact of urban heat island, and greenhouse gases emissions. Simulations using the numerical microclimate model ENVI-met, despite giving precise results, are time consuming and lacking the availability to be utilized in iterated, form-finding processes. On the other hand, parametric Ladybug Tools, are mainly used as interfaces for validated simulation software such as EnergyPlus, OpenStudio, or OpenFOAM to utilize them in a parametric manner, with a seamless connections among them to finally conduct indoor/outdoor microclimate maps, notwithstanding the absence of some detailed information. This paper compares results from both simulation tools by comparing the microclimate maps conducted from them, and also results at a specific receptor point. In this concern, Thermal comfort metrics like relative humidity, wind speed, air, mean radiant, and physiological equivalent temperatures readings are compared, in which the readings provided an acceptable range of errors, while the parametric workflow generates results for large simulation periods in less time than ENVI-met. The main concern of this validation process is to reach a passable accurate readings for available simulation tools which are aspired among most of sustainable urban form-finding researchers.

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