Zhikai Peng
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25 records found
1
From street level to science
Advancing methods for climate walks to improve human thermal comfort
Journal article
(2026)
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Kevin Lau, Cho Kwong Charlie Lam, Eduardo Krüger, André Santos Nouri, Zhikai Peng, Daniele Santucci, Andreas Matzarakis
Urban heat risk is increasing, while fixed monitoring networks remain too sparse and coarse to resolve the pedestrian-scale variability, especially radiative loads, that governs outdoor thermal stress. This short communication advances the concept of climate walks, defined as route-based, human-centred field campaigns that build on earlier work on “thermal walks”, and presents them as a practice-ready methodology for design-relevant evidence. We define climate walks as structured, route-based, georeferenced assessments that pair high-resolution mobile microclimate measurements with synchronous in-situ human responses to capture transient, spatially heterogeneous conditions along actual walks. We synthesize key methodological features, such as dynamic, stop-and-go protocols; human-centred sensing; multisensory extensions; accessible kits from research-grade to low-cost platforms; and emerging diagnostics, and show how these produce actionable design measures. We discuss limitations and challenges, including lags and thermal memory, instrumentation and, index choice under transients, and the need for protocol harmonization. We then propose a research agenda to investigate dynamic conditions of outdoor thermal comfort, develop time-resolved, memory-aware comfort metrics, test indices under motion, mainstream multisensory models, and shift practice from isolated cool spots to connected, route-scale cool sequences. Together, these steps link biometeorology to actionable urban planning and design for heat-resilient, attractive public spaces.
...
Urban heat risk is increasing, while fixed monitoring networks remain too sparse and coarse to resolve the pedestrian-scale variability, especially radiative loads, that governs outdoor thermal stress. This short communication advances the concept of climate walks, defined as route-based, human-centred field campaigns that build on earlier work on “thermal walks”, and presents them as a practice-ready methodology for design-relevant evidence. We define climate walks as structured, route-based, georeferenced assessments that pair high-resolution mobile microclimate measurements with synchronous in-situ human responses to capture transient, spatially heterogeneous conditions along actual walks. We synthesize key methodological features, such as dynamic, stop-and-go protocols; human-centred sensing; multisensory extensions; accessible kits from research-grade to low-cost platforms; and emerging diagnostics, and show how these produce actionable design measures. We discuss limitations and challenges, including lags and thermal memory, instrumentation and, index choice under transients, and the need for protocol harmonization. We then propose a research agenda to investigate dynamic conditions of outdoor thermal comfort, develop time-resolved, memory-aware comfort metrics, test indices under motion, mainstream multisensory models, and shift practice from isolated cool spots to connected, route-scale cool sequences. Together, these steps link biometeorology to actionable urban planning and design for heat-resilient, attractive public spaces.
Corrigendum to ‘Resilience readiness levels for buildings
Establishing multi-hazard resilience metrics and rating systems’(International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, (2025), 128, C, (105746), (S2212420925005709), 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105746)
Journal article
(2026)
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Simona Bianchi, Michele Matteoni, Kyujin Kim, Anna Maria Koniari, Kyra Koning, Alessandra Luna-Navarro, Zhikai Peng, Anna Silva, Mauro Overend, More Authors
The authors wish to replace the flood hazard map in Fig. 11a with an updated map for the Acerra region. The legend has been revised to display only the minimum and maximum flood depth values.(Figure presented) Fig. 11. (a) Flood hazard map for the Acerra region (Pluvial flooding - RCP 8.5 for year 2050, 50th Percentile - 1000 years return period) overlayed on the case study buildings (highlighted in orange).
...
The authors wish to replace the flood hazard map in Fig. 11a with an updated map for the Acerra region. The legend has been revised to display only the minimum and maximum flood depth values.(Figure presented) Fig. 11. (a) Flood hazard map for the Acerra region (Pluvial flooding - RCP 8.5 for year 2050, 50th Percentile - 1000 years return period) overlayed on the case study buildings (highlighted in orange).
Assessing the Impact of Urban Morphology on BIPV Potential in High-density Urban Area
A Case Study in Shanghai
Conference paper
(2025)
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Xinyu Li, Jie Shi, Yucheng Guo, Sixing Lin, Xinman Niu, Hui Yang, Zhikai Peng, Lingqi Su
The building sector is a major contributor to global carbon emissions and energy consumption. A promising solution to mitigate this impact is the utilization of renewable energy, especially solar energy. However, in a high-density built environment, the application of photovoltaic (PV), especially on the building facades, is often hindered by shading from surrounding structures. To optimize solar energy use in urban area, it is important to understand the influence of key urban morphological parameters on solar energy utilization in densely built environment. This study aims to explore the relationship between urban morphology and building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) performance with a typological approach, while ensuring life cycle economic and environmental benefits. The findings are expected to inform design and planning strategies for effectively integrating solar energy into urban environments, thereby promoting more sustainable and energy-efficient cities and supporting long-term carbon neutrality objectives.
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The building sector is a major contributor to global carbon emissions and energy consumption. A promising solution to mitigate this impact is the utilization of renewable energy, especially solar energy. However, in a high-density built environment, the application of photovoltaic (PV), especially on the building facades, is often hindered by shading from surrounding structures. To optimize solar energy use in urban area, it is important to understand the influence of key urban morphological parameters on solar energy utilization in densely built environment. This study aims to explore the relationship between urban morphology and building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) performance with a typological approach, while ensuring life cycle economic and environmental benefits. The findings are expected to inform design and planning strategies for effectively integrating solar energy into urban environments, thereby promoting more sustainable and energy-efficient cities and supporting long-term carbon neutrality objectives.
Conference paper
(2025)
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Tingxiao Li, F.G.E. Wuite, Martijn Lugten, Benthe Thielen, Hailin Zheng, Zhikai Peng
This study examines the impact of potted tree configurations on PM₂.₅ concentrations from air traffic emissions near Schiphol Airport. Air quality sensors collected data between 2022 and 2024 at a field lab 5 km from the Kaagbaan runway. ENVI-met simulations were first validated and calibrated using ground-truth measurements under stable meteorological conditions, followed by simulations of PM₂.₅ concentrations across six tree configurations in the field lab. The 'V7_End_Dense' configuration achieved the greatest PM₂.₅ reduction, while 'V2_Dispersed' and 'V3_Double_Row' showed moderate effects. In contrast, 'V4_Exposed,' 'V5_Exposed_Dense,' and 'V6_Gate_Dense' unexpectedly hindered reduction, highlighting the complex interactions between wind corridors, tree layouts, and built environments. The findings emphasise the need for long-term ENVI-met validation against real measurements, as seasonal variations were not captured in short-term analyses. Despite limitations, the study provides practical guidance for urban designers, highlighting the nuanced role of green infrastructure in mitigating aircraft-induced air pollution and emphasising the complexity of wind and pollution dynamics in urban environments.
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This study examines the impact of potted tree configurations on PM₂.₅ concentrations from air traffic emissions near Schiphol Airport. Air quality sensors collected data between 2022 and 2024 at a field lab 5 km from the Kaagbaan runway. ENVI-met simulations were first validated and calibrated using ground-truth measurements under stable meteorological conditions, followed by simulations of PM₂.₅ concentrations across six tree configurations in the field lab. The 'V7_End_Dense' configuration achieved the greatest PM₂.₅ reduction, while 'V2_Dispersed' and 'V3_Double_Row' showed moderate effects. In contrast, 'V4_Exposed,' 'V5_Exposed_Dense,' and 'V6_Gate_Dense' unexpectedly hindered reduction, highlighting the complex interactions between wind corridors, tree layouts, and built environments. The findings emphasise the need for long-term ENVI-met validation against real measurements, as seasonal variations were not captured in short-term analyses. Despite limitations, the study provides practical guidance for urban designers, highlighting the nuanced role of green infrastructure in mitigating aircraft-induced air pollution and emphasising the complexity of wind and pollution dynamics in urban environments.
Urban heat stress and noise significantly impact the health and well-being of urban inhabitants. This biometeorological study analyses microclimate, sound, and human perceptions in three vegetative courtyards near Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam. The courtyards operate with sixteen Kestrel heat-stress trackers and six Munisense microphones for year-round microclimate and soundscape monitoring to inform urban design strategies to improve pedestrian thermal and acoustical comfort.
A human measurement campaign was conducted on 23-July-2024, involving 24 student participants (aged 22–28) equipped with skin-temperature sensors (iButtons) and heart-rate wristbands (Polar). They completed mobile questionnaires on ‘right-here-right-now’ comfort perceptions during three transect walks following a stop-and-go protocol (3-minute intervals, total duration: 60 minutes). Walks spanned three courtyards: one with a vertical vegetative wall, another with 36 Tilia × europaea potted trees, and a third featuring a slanted roof with an overhang. The study examines the interplay between heat, noise, and environmental perceptions across courtyard designs.
Findings suggest overhangs provide significant cooling (UTCI -10°C) and noise reduction due to sound shadowing. Slanted roofs scatter aircraft noise (LAeq -5 dB(A)) but have minimal cooling effects. Green walls diffract sound but reflect short-wave radiation, limiting cooling. Trees intercept solar heat effectively but offer limited aircraft noise reduction due to foliage gaps.
Perceptual analyses indicate the tree courtyard offered optimal thermal (TSV) and acoustical comfort (ASV). A mixed-linear regression analysis tested five hypotheses on TSV, ASV, UTCI, and LAeq. One hypothesis was rejected: heat stress and aircraft noise do not confound acoustical perception. Two were partially supported: thermal and/or acoustical perception may confound acoustical perception. Two were fully supported: aircraft noise can confound thermal perceptions and acoustical perception can confound thermal perception.
The discussions and conclusions present evidence-based design and planning strategies to mitigate environmental stressors and enhance pedestrians' psychological and behavioural adaptations to heat and noise in urban environments. ...
A human measurement campaign was conducted on 23-July-2024, involving 24 student participants (aged 22–28) equipped with skin-temperature sensors (iButtons) and heart-rate wristbands (Polar). They completed mobile questionnaires on ‘right-here-right-now’ comfort perceptions during three transect walks following a stop-and-go protocol (3-minute intervals, total duration: 60 minutes). Walks spanned three courtyards: one with a vertical vegetative wall, another with 36 Tilia × europaea potted trees, and a third featuring a slanted roof with an overhang. The study examines the interplay between heat, noise, and environmental perceptions across courtyard designs.
Findings suggest overhangs provide significant cooling (UTCI -10°C) and noise reduction due to sound shadowing. Slanted roofs scatter aircraft noise (LAeq -5 dB(A)) but have minimal cooling effects. Green walls diffract sound but reflect short-wave radiation, limiting cooling. Trees intercept solar heat effectively but offer limited aircraft noise reduction due to foliage gaps.
Perceptual analyses indicate the tree courtyard offered optimal thermal (TSV) and acoustical comfort (ASV). A mixed-linear regression analysis tested five hypotheses on TSV, ASV, UTCI, and LAeq. One hypothesis was rejected: heat stress and aircraft noise do not confound acoustical perception. Two were partially supported: thermal and/or acoustical perception may confound acoustical perception. Two were fully supported: aircraft noise can confound thermal perceptions and acoustical perception can confound thermal perception.
The discussions and conclusions present evidence-based design and planning strategies to mitigate environmental stressors and enhance pedestrians' psychological and behavioural adaptations to heat and noise in urban environments. ...
Urban heat stress and noise significantly impact the health and well-being of urban inhabitants. This biometeorological study analyses microclimate, sound, and human perceptions in three vegetative courtyards near Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam. The courtyards operate with sixteen Kestrel heat-stress trackers and six Munisense microphones for year-round microclimate and soundscape monitoring to inform urban design strategies to improve pedestrian thermal and acoustical comfort.
A human measurement campaign was conducted on 23-July-2024, involving 24 student participants (aged 22–28) equipped with skin-temperature sensors (iButtons) and heart-rate wristbands (Polar). They completed mobile questionnaires on ‘right-here-right-now’ comfort perceptions during three transect walks following a stop-and-go protocol (3-minute intervals, total duration: 60 minutes). Walks spanned three courtyards: one with a vertical vegetative wall, another with 36 Tilia × europaea potted trees, and a third featuring a slanted roof with an overhang. The study examines the interplay between heat, noise, and environmental perceptions across courtyard designs.
Findings suggest overhangs provide significant cooling (UTCI -10°C) and noise reduction due to sound shadowing. Slanted roofs scatter aircraft noise (LAeq -5 dB(A)) but have minimal cooling effects. Green walls diffract sound but reflect short-wave radiation, limiting cooling. Trees intercept solar heat effectively but offer limited aircraft noise reduction due to foliage gaps.
Perceptual analyses indicate the tree courtyard offered optimal thermal (TSV) and acoustical comfort (ASV). A mixed-linear regression analysis tested five hypotheses on TSV, ASV, UTCI, and LAeq. One hypothesis was rejected: heat stress and aircraft noise do not confound acoustical perception. Two were partially supported: thermal and/or acoustical perception may confound acoustical perception. Two were fully supported: aircraft noise can confound thermal perceptions and acoustical perception can confound thermal perception.
The discussions and conclusions present evidence-based design and planning strategies to mitigate environmental stressors and enhance pedestrians' psychological and behavioural adaptations to heat and noise in urban environments.
A human measurement campaign was conducted on 23-July-2024, involving 24 student participants (aged 22–28) equipped with skin-temperature sensors (iButtons) and heart-rate wristbands (Polar). They completed mobile questionnaires on ‘right-here-right-now’ comfort perceptions during three transect walks following a stop-and-go protocol (3-minute intervals, total duration: 60 minutes). Walks spanned three courtyards: one with a vertical vegetative wall, another with 36 Tilia × europaea potted trees, and a third featuring a slanted roof with an overhang. The study examines the interplay between heat, noise, and environmental perceptions across courtyard designs.
Findings suggest overhangs provide significant cooling (UTCI -10°C) and noise reduction due to sound shadowing. Slanted roofs scatter aircraft noise (LAeq -5 dB(A)) but have minimal cooling effects. Green walls diffract sound but reflect short-wave radiation, limiting cooling. Trees intercept solar heat effectively but offer limited aircraft noise reduction due to foliage gaps.
Perceptual analyses indicate the tree courtyard offered optimal thermal (TSV) and acoustical comfort (ASV). A mixed-linear regression analysis tested five hypotheses on TSV, ASV, UTCI, and LAeq. One hypothesis was rejected: heat stress and aircraft noise do not confound acoustical perception. Two were partially supported: thermal and/or acoustical perception may confound acoustical perception. Two were fully supported: aircraft noise can confound thermal perceptions and acoustical perception can confound thermal perception.
The discussions and conclusions present evidence-based design and planning strategies to mitigate environmental stressors and enhance pedestrians' psychological and behavioural adaptations to heat and noise in urban environments.
Resilience Readiness Levels for buildings
Establishing multi-hazard resilience metrics and rating systems
Journal article
(2025)
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Simona Bianchi, Michele Matteoni, Kyujin Kim, Anna Maria Koniari, Kyra Koning, Alessandra Luna-Navarro, Zhikai Peng, Anna Silva, Mauro Overend, More authors...
The built environment is vulnerable to climate-induced extreme events and natural disasters, which are repeatedly exposing communities to severe consequences and market disruptions. In response, the construction industry is developing resilient technologies for buildings, but the proposed solutions are often not cost-effective, rarely eco-friendly and typically fail to address multiple hazards present in many locations. These shortcomings stem from the absence of a clearly defined framework for quantifying holistic multi-hazard resilience. As a result, investment decisions are ill-informed and technical solutions are sub-optimal. This paper redresses this issue by proposing quantitative indicators and introducing the Resilience Readiness Levels to assess the resilience of buildings, considering multi-domain factors (physical, social, economic, environmental) in single or multi-hazard contexts (heat, seismic, wind, flood). The proposed resilience indices and calculation methods are based on a diverse set of scientific literature and real-world practices, and are demonstrated on Dutch and Italian urban blocks with different local hazards and building layouts. The results show that the multi-domain resilience approach can support informed early-stage building design and retrofit decision-making for single hazards, while aiding prioritization and intervention planning for improving building disaster preparedness in multi-hazard scenarios.
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The built environment is vulnerable to climate-induced extreme events and natural disasters, which are repeatedly exposing communities to severe consequences and market disruptions. In response, the construction industry is developing resilient technologies for buildings, but the proposed solutions are often not cost-effective, rarely eco-friendly and typically fail to address multiple hazards present in many locations. These shortcomings stem from the absence of a clearly defined framework for quantifying holistic multi-hazard resilience. As a result, investment decisions are ill-informed and technical solutions are sub-optimal. This paper redresses this issue by proposing quantitative indicators and introducing the Resilience Readiness Levels to assess the resilience of buildings, considering multi-domain factors (physical, social, economic, environmental) in single or multi-hazard contexts (heat, seismic, wind, flood). The proposed resilience indices and calculation methods are based on a diverse set of scientific literature and real-world practices, and are demonstrated on Dutch and Italian urban blocks with different local hazards and building layouts. The results show that the multi-domain resilience approach can support informed early-stage building design and retrofit decision-making for single hazards, while aiding prioritization and intervention planning for improving building disaster preparedness in multi-hazard scenarios.
Assessing the influence of street canyon shape on aircraft noise
Results from measurements in courtyards near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Aircraft noise is a major stressor for communities in the vicinity of airports. Aircraft noise prediction models omit the built environment, based on an implicit assumption that the impact of buildings on the propagation of aircraft noise is neglectable. In this article a study is presented in which aircraft noise levels were measured near walls facing towards and away from aircraft flyovers in an urban test environment near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The test environment comprises three adjacent courtyards, each enclosed by stacked shipping containers. To examine the influence of street geometry on aircraft noise, specifically for slanted roofs and building insets, the shipping containers were stacked in a different pattern around each courtyard. In total, sound levels for 2383 aircraft flyovers were analysed across five months at ten microphone positions within the courtyards, for both arrivals and departures. Depending on the geometry of the courtyards, mean differences (LA,max) between facades with- and without a line of sight towards the aircraft ranged between −1,3dBA and 5,0dBA for arrivals, and 8,7dBA and 13,6dBA for departures. SEL values ranged between between −0,8dBA and 4,3dBA for arrivals, and 8,1dBA and 11,6dBA for departures. The results suggest that slanted roofs perpendicular to the flight direction deflect incident sound, substantially reducing the sounds levels inside courtyards. Contrarily, building insets at building sides facing away from the flight paths did not reduce sound levels underneath the overhangs significantly. The findings stress the importance of architectural and urban design to mitigate aircraft noise.
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Aircraft noise is a major stressor for communities in the vicinity of airports. Aircraft noise prediction models omit the built environment, based on an implicit assumption that the impact of buildings on the propagation of aircraft noise is neglectable. In this article a study is presented in which aircraft noise levels were measured near walls facing towards and away from aircraft flyovers in an urban test environment near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The test environment comprises three adjacent courtyards, each enclosed by stacked shipping containers. To examine the influence of street geometry on aircraft noise, specifically for slanted roofs and building insets, the shipping containers were stacked in a different pattern around each courtyard. In total, sound levels for 2383 aircraft flyovers were analysed across five months at ten microphone positions within the courtyards, for both arrivals and departures. Depending on the geometry of the courtyards, mean differences (LA,max) between facades with- and without a line of sight towards the aircraft ranged between −1,3dBA and 5,0dBA for arrivals, and 8,7dBA and 13,6dBA for departures. SEL values ranged between between −0,8dBA and 4,3dBA for arrivals, and 8,1dBA and 11,6dBA for departures. The results suggest that slanted roofs perpendicular to the flight direction deflect incident sound, substantially reducing the sounds levels inside courtyards. Contrarily, building insets at building sides facing away from the flight paths did not reduce sound levels underneath the overhangs significantly. The findings stress the importance of architectural and urban design to mitigate aircraft noise.
Assessing the impact of building shape on aircraft noise attenuation
Comparison between geometrical acoustics simulation and in-situ measurements
Analyzing the impact of aircraft noise on urban areas requires specific consideration of sound propagation over long distances, which is not typically covered by tools designed for indoor acoustics. Although it is unclear to what extent existing parametric tools that combine 3D modeling and acoustic simulation can accurately replicate these spatial scales, they provide a valuable means of exploring design options and optimizing performance. One such tool, Pachyderm, a numerical model based on geometrical acoustics, was used to simulate a field lab near Schiphol Airport to assess its applicability for urban acoustics simulation. The simulation results were compared to in-situ measurements, with a focus on differentiating the effect of air noise attenuation based on varying building shapes and the accuracy of the resulting sound pressure level values. The most decisive factors in reducing noise in the courtyard were found to be the building’s orientation and slope relative to the sound source. However, as the design complexity increased with the addition of features such as shielding, the accuracy of the simulation results decreased.
...
Analyzing the impact of aircraft noise on urban areas requires specific consideration of sound propagation over long distances, which is not typically covered by tools designed for indoor acoustics. Although it is unclear to what extent existing parametric tools that combine 3D modeling and acoustic simulation can accurately replicate these spatial scales, they provide a valuable means of exploring design options and optimizing performance. One such tool, Pachyderm, a numerical model based on geometrical acoustics, was used to simulate a field lab near Schiphol Airport to assess its applicability for urban acoustics simulation. The simulation results were compared to in-situ measurements, with a focus on differentiating the effect of air noise attenuation based on varying building shapes and the accuracy of the resulting sound pressure level values. The most decisive factors in reducing noise in the courtyard were found to be the building’s orientation and slope relative to the sound source. However, as the design complexity increased with the addition of features such as shielding, the accuracy of the simulation results decreased.
Exploring Tree Shade
Cooling Effects and Skin Temperature Recovery in Urban Environments
This paper investigates the daytime microclimate of street trees and their potential cooling effects on pedestrians in a Dutch neighbourhood.
Heat emissions from buildings, traffic, and industrial activities contribute to the warming of urban areas, intensifying the urban heat island effect. Street green infrastructure, like deciduous trees that provide shade, plays a crucial role in reducing heat stress and promoting pedestrian comfort in various domains. However, studying the physiological response to urban shade is challenging due to difficulties in controlling street-level meteorological variables and recruiting participants. We plan to use semi-controlled outdoor methods to study how shade affects bodies, with a limited sample size. This research aims to better understand the role of tree shades in adapting to urban heat and contributing to global goals for climate action (SDG 13), sustainable cities (SDG 11), and health and well-being (SDG 8).
We conducted an explorative biometeorological study using a juvenile tree (Tilia x europaea, 12m in height) located in a social housing neighbourhood in Den Haag. The measurement campaign adopted mobile weather stations to gather meteorological data surrounding the Tilia tree. This took place from 10 am to 5 pm on a sunny day in July 2023. Two heat-stress trackers (Kestrel 5400) were used; one was placed in direct sunlight and the other in the shade of a tree. The shaded tracker was relocated every thirty minutes to adjust for the moving tree shade. Two measurements showed how tree shade cools the air by comparing differences in temperature, humidity, globe temperature, and wind speed between sun and shade. Additionally, sixteen iButton thermocron sensors were taped to different body parts of two participants according to international standard (ISO 9886:2004). We tested a sun-shade relay protocol, tracking skin temperature changes as subjects moved and sat between sun and shade every 20 minutes, across fifteen intervals from 11 am to 4 pm.
The preliminary results are two-fold: 1) Heat stress analysis showed maximum UTCI and PET in the sun at around 3:30 pm were 36.3°C and 39.9°C, respectively, with tree shade significantly reducing UTCI by over 10°C and PET by over 15°C. 2) Heat recovery analysis revealed that the maximum skin warming rate in the sun (1.14°C/min) was higher than the cooling rate in the shade (-0.79°C/min). An additional interesting finding is that, while the PET contrast between sun and shade remains constant at 15°C from morning to afternoon, the skin's heat recovery capacity is compromised by approximately 1.24°C in the afternoon, possibly due to the overall increases in PET of around 3°C.
The discussion and conclusions focus on the choice of outdoor thermal indices, particularly for urban shade studies, and their applicability for future research on dynamic thermal comfort and thermal alliesthesia. ...
Heat emissions from buildings, traffic, and industrial activities contribute to the warming of urban areas, intensifying the urban heat island effect. Street green infrastructure, like deciduous trees that provide shade, plays a crucial role in reducing heat stress and promoting pedestrian comfort in various domains. However, studying the physiological response to urban shade is challenging due to difficulties in controlling street-level meteorological variables and recruiting participants. We plan to use semi-controlled outdoor methods to study how shade affects bodies, with a limited sample size. This research aims to better understand the role of tree shades in adapting to urban heat and contributing to global goals for climate action (SDG 13), sustainable cities (SDG 11), and health and well-being (SDG 8).
We conducted an explorative biometeorological study using a juvenile tree (Tilia x europaea, 12m in height) located in a social housing neighbourhood in Den Haag. The measurement campaign adopted mobile weather stations to gather meteorological data surrounding the Tilia tree. This took place from 10 am to 5 pm on a sunny day in July 2023. Two heat-stress trackers (Kestrel 5400) were used; one was placed in direct sunlight and the other in the shade of a tree. The shaded tracker was relocated every thirty minutes to adjust for the moving tree shade. Two measurements showed how tree shade cools the air by comparing differences in temperature, humidity, globe temperature, and wind speed between sun and shade. Additionally, sixteen iButton thermocron sensors were taped to different body parts of two participants according to international standard (ISO 9886:2004). We tested a sun-shade relay protocol, tracking skin temperature changes as subjects moved and sat between sun and shade every 20 minutes, across fifteen intervals from 11 am to 4 pm.
The preliminary results are two-fold: 1) Heat stress analysis showed maximum UTCI and PET in the sun at around 3:30 pm were 36.3°C and 39.9°C, respectively, with tree shade significantly reducing UTCI by over 10°C and PET by over 15°C. 2) Heat recovery analysis revealed that the maximum skin warming rate in the sun (1.14°C/min) was higher than the cooling rate in the shade (-0.79°C/min). An additional interesting finding is that, while the PET contrast between sun and shade remains constant at 15°C from morning to afternoon, the skin's heat recovery capacity is compromised by approximately 1.24°C in the afternoon, possibly due to the overall increases in PET of around 3°C.
The discussion and conclusions focus on the choice of outdoor thermal indices, particularly for urban shade studies, and their applicability for future research on dynamic thermal comfort and thermal alliesthesia. ...
This paper investigates the daytime microclimate of street trees and their potential cooling effects on pedestrians in a Dutch neighbourhood.
Heat emissions from buildings, traffic, and industrial activities contribute to the warming of urban areas, intensifying the urban heat island effect. Street green infrastructure, like deciduous trees that provide shade, plays a crucial role in reducing heat stress and promoting pedestrian comfort in various domains. However, studying the physiological response to urban shade is challenging due to difficulties in controlling street-level meteorological variables and recruiting participants. We plan to use semi-controlled outdoor methods to study how shade affects bodies, with a limited sample size. This research aims to better understand the role of tree shades in adapting to urban heat and contributing to global goals for climate action (SDG 13), sustainable cities (SDG 11), and health and well-being (SDG 8).
We conducted an explorative biometeorological study using a juvenile tree (Tilia x europaea, 12m in height) located in a social housing neighbourhood in Den Haag. The measurement campaign adopted mobile weather stations to gather meteorological data surrounding the Tilia tree. This took place from 10 am to 5 pm on a sunny day in July 2023. Two heat-stress trackers (Kestrel 5400) were used; one was placed in direct sunlight and the other in the shade of a tree. The shaded tracker was relocated every thirty minutes to adjust for the moving tree shade. Two measurements showed how tree shade cools the air by comparing differences in temperature, humidity, globe temperature, and wind speed between sun and shade. Additionally, sixteen iButton thermocron sensors were taped to different body parts of two participants according to international standard (ISO 9886:2004). We tested a sun-shade relay protocol, tracking skin temperature changes as subjects moved and sat between sun and shade every 20 minutes, across fifteen intervals from 11 am to 4 pm.
The preliminary results are two-fold: 1) Heat stress analysis showed maximum UTCI and PET in the sun at around 3:30 pm were 36.3°C and 39.9°C, respectively, with tree shade significantly reducing UTCI by over 10°C and PET by over 15°C. 2) Heat recovery analysis revealed that the maximum skin warming rate in the sun (1.14°C/min) was higher than the cooling rate in the shade (-0.79°C/min). An additional interesting finding is that, while the PET contrast between sun and shade remains constant at 15°C from morning to afternoon, the skin's heat recovery capacity is compromised by approximately 1.24°C in the afternoon, possibly due to the overall increases in PET of around 3°C.
The discussion and conclusions focus on the choice of outdoor thermal indices, particularly for urban shade studies, and their applicability for future research on dynamic thermal comfort and thermal alliesthesia.
Heat emissions from buildings, traffic, and industrial activities contribute to the warming of urban areas, intensifying the urban heat island effect. Street green infrastructure, like deciduous trees that provide shade, plays a crucial role in reducing heat stress and promoting pedestrian comfort in various domains. However, studying the physiological response to urban shade is challenging due to difficulties in controlling street-level meteorological variables and recruiting participants. We plan to use semi-controlled outdoor methods to study how shade affects bodies, with a limited sample size. This research aims to better understand the role of tree shades in adapting to urban heat and contributing to global goals for climate action (SDG 13), sustainable cities (SDG 11), and health and well-being (SDG 8).
We conducted an explorative biometeorological study using a juvenile tree (Tilia x europaea, 12m in height) located in a social housing neighbourhood in Den Haag. The measurement campaign adopted mobile weather stations to gather meteorological data surrounding the Tilia tree. This took place from 10 am to 5 pm on a sunny day in July 2023. Two heat-stress trackers (Kestrel 5400) were used; one was placed in direct sunlight and the other in the shade of a tree. The shaded tracker was relocated every thirty minutes to adjust for the moving tree shade. Two measurements showed how tree shade cools the air by comparing differences in temperature, humidity, globe temperature, and wind speed between sun and shade. Additionally, sixteen iButton thermocron sensors were taped to different body parts of two participants according to international standard (ISO 9886:2004). We tested a sun-shade relay protocol, tracking skin temperature changes as subjects moved and sat between sun and shade every 20 minutes, across fifteen intervals from 11 am to 4 pm.
The preliminary results are two-fold: 1) Heat stress analysis showed maximum UTCI and PET in the sun at around 3:30 pm were 36.3°C and 39.9°C, respectively, with tree shade significantly reducing UTCI by over 10°C and PET by over 15°C. 2) Heat recovery analysis revealed that the maximum skin warming rate in the sun (1.14°C/min) was higher than the cooling rate in the shade (-0.79°C/min). An additional interesting finding is that, while the PET contrast between sun and shade remains constant at 15°C from morning to afternoon, the skin's heat recovery capacity is compromised by approximately 1.24°C in the afternoon, possibly due to the overall increases in PET of around 3°C.
The discussion and conclusions focus on the choice of outdoor thermal indices, particularly for urban shade studies, and their applicability for future research on dynamic thermal comfort and thermal alliesthesia.
This study aims to evaluate the impact of different urban building geometries (six courtyards, two canyons, two slabs) on heat mitigation and aircraft noise attenuation, in order to support an evidence-based retrofit plan for future airport neighborhoods. Using ’Pachyderm + ENVI-met simulations + field measurements’, we found that the slanted-roof, low-rise courtyard exhibited optimal acoustic-thermal performance (SPLmin = 71.1 dB(A), σU T CI < 5 ◦C), while the mid-rise canyon demonstrated limited performance (SPLmin = 93.4 dB(A), σU T CI > 10 ◦C). These findings were observed under averaged boundary conditions of a 140 dB(A) aircraft sound source and a diurnal MRT range of 60 ◦C on a heatwave day in July 2022.
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This study aims to evaluate the impact of different urban building geometries (six courtyards, two canyons, two slabs) on heat mitigation and aircraft noise attenuation, in order to support an evidence-based retrofit plan for future airport neighborhoods. Using ’Pachyderm + ENVI-met simulations + field measurements’, we found that the slanted-roof, low-rise courtyard exhibited optimal acoustic-thermal performance (SPLmin = 71.1 dB(A), σU T CI < 5 ◦C), while the mid-rise canyon demonstrated limited performance (SPLmin = 93.4 dB(A), σU T CI > 10 ◦C). These findings were observed under averaged boundary conditions of a 140 dB(A) aircraft sound source and a diurnal MRT range of 60 ◦C on a heatwave day in July 2022.
Thermal variability is essential for assessing outdoor thermal comfort and walkability in urban areas, as it provides thermal-adaptive and alliesthesial opportunities along a walk. This is evidenced by temperature fluctuations that promote passive, intermittent cooling and warming through radiation, convection, and evaporation among buildings, trees, and water bodies. These cooling and warming spots facilitate thermal recovery for pedestrians, as reflected in their metabolic rate, skin and core temperatures, and sweat productions. This paper investigates dynamic thermal comfort along a 3.6 km walk in Rome, Italy, using mobile measurements and simulations (ENVI-met, BIO-met, and Rayman) to explore dynamic thermal indices for forecasting thermophysiological changes due to sun and wind. Two novel thermal indices, 𝑑𝑃𝐸𝑇 and 𝑚𝑃𝐸𝑇, were compared with the static PET maps under non-extreme (September 2021) and extreme (July 2022) weather. The results indicate that both indices capture the temporal progression of environmental and personal parameters. However, they exhibit distinct spatial-temporal patterns owing to their sensitivity to fluctuating thermal conditions. The discussions highlight the need for further lab and field thermophysiological studies to improve dynamic thermal indices for urban climate walk simulations.
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Thermal variability is essential for assessing outdoor thermal comfort and walkability in urban areas, as it provides thermal-adaptive and alliesthesial opportunities along a walk. This is evidenced by temperature fluctuations that promote passive, intermittent cooling and warming through radiation, convection, and evaporation among buildings, trees, and water bodies. These cooling and warming spots facilitate thermal recovery for pedestrians, as reflected in their metabolic rate, skin and core temperatures, and sweat productions. This paper investigates dynamic thermal comfort along a 3.6 km walk in Rome, Italy, using mobile measurements and simulations (ENVI-met, BIO-met, and Rayman) to explore dynamic thermal indices for forecasting thermophysiological changes due to sun and wind. Two novel thermal indices, 𝑑𝑃𝐸𝑇 and 𝑚𝑃𝐸𝑇, were compared with the static PET maps under non-extreme (September 2021) and extreme (July 2022) weather. The results indicate that both indices capture the temporal progression of environmental and personal parameters. However, they exhibit distinct spatial-temporal patterns owing to their sensitivity to fluctuating thermal conditions. The discussions highlight the need for further lab and field thermophysiological studies to improve dynamic thermal indices for urban climate walk simulations.
The dynamic thermal conditions profoundly impact on the quality of physical, cultural, and social experiences in courtyard spaces. This research aims to identify the microclimatic dissimilarities between courtyards in terms of tempering seasonal–diurnal thermal extremes and enriching ground-level thermal textures. The methodology included field measurements in summer-2021 and winter-2022 in Cambridge, UK; microclimatic simulations of 107 courtyards in ENVI-met and model validations; and machine learning-driven clustering using Super Organising Maps (SuperSOM). The results indicate that the diurnal thermal range of the spatial-UTCI mean in summer (DTR(M)<24∘C) is double that in winter (DTR(M)<12∘C); meanwhile the maximum spatial-UTCI deviation is three times as significant (δ>3∘Cat 7:00 BST versus δ>1∘Cat 12:00 GMT). SuperSOM analysis was performed using K-means and hierarchical agglomerative clustering to partition all courtyards into seven subclusters on its graph-lattice structure. Clusters Km_I, Hac_I, and Hac_IV feature a positive synergy between the thermal-tempering and thermal-enriching potentials. In contrast, the other four clusters exhibit conflicting scenarios during the day and night across the two seasons analysed. These data-driven outcomes enabled us to optimise spatial and landscape strategies for designing and retrofitting courtyard microclimates, contributing to the current discussions on climate-responsive and sensation-inclusive design in historical urban contexts.
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The dynamic thermal conditions profoundly impact on the quality of physical, cultural, and social experiences in courtyard spaces. This research aims to identify the microclimatic dissimilarities between courtyards in terms of tempering seasonal–diurnal thermal extremes and enriching ground-level thermal textures. The methodology included field measurements in summer-2021 and winter-2022 in Cambridge, UK; microclimatic simulations of 107 courtyards in ENVI-met and model validations; and machine learning-driven clustering using Super Organising Maps (SuperSOM). The results indicate that the diurnal thermal range of the spatial-UTCI mean in summer (DTR(M)<24∘C) is double that in winter (DTR(M)<12∘C); meanwhile the maximum spatial-UTCI deviation is three times as significant (δ>3∘Cat 7:00 BST versus δ>1∘Cat 12:00 GMT). SuperSOM analysis was performed using K-means and hierarchical agglomerative clustering to partition all courtyards into seven subclusters on its graph-lattice structure. Clusters Km_I, Hac_I, and Hac_IV feature a positive synergy between the thermal-tempering and thermal-enriching potentials. In contrast, the other four clusters exhibit conflicting scenarios during the day and night across the two seasons analysed. These data-driven outcomes enabled us to optimise spatial and landscape strategies for designing and retrofitting courtyard microclimates, contributing to the current discussions on climate-responsive and sensation-inclusive design in historical urban contexts.
A scale model approach to simulate aircraft noise in street canyons
A comparison between in-situ and laboratory measurements
Aircraft noise is a major source of noise pollution in areas close to airports. Previous studies showed that the design of the urban and architectural context affects local sound levels. Due to surface reflections and edge diffraction, sound levels are reduced or amplified, depending on building geometry and surface materials. Compared to other traffic sources in cities, aircraft noise is currently neither integrated in sound prediction models, nor validated for such purposes. To validate the results from previous computational studies, a full scale experiment was set up. In the experiment, sound and weather data is collected which is used to identify the influence of building geometry and cladding on the propagation of aircraft noise. A subset of the measurements collected on days without wind was used to validate a method for measurements with scale models in an an-echoic room. Based on a series of discrete mono-pole source positions, three flight paths were simulated. Measurements in the an-echoic room were compared with the measurements in the full-scale field lab. This paper presents the results of the experiment and sets out a method for scale model experiments focusing on the prediction of sound in urban canyons for overhead sound sources.
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Aircraft noise is a major source of noise pollution in areas close to airports. Previous studies showed that the design of the urban and architectural context affects local sound levels. Due to surface reflections and edge diffraction, sound levels are reduced or amplified, depending on building geometry and surface materials. Compared to other traffic sources in cities, aircraft noise is currently neither integrated in sound prediction models, nor validated for such purposes. To validate the results from previous computational studies, a full scale experiment was set up. In the experiment, sound and weather data is collected which is used to identify the influence of building geometry and cladding on the propagation of aircraft noise. A subset of the measurements collected on days without wind was used to validate a method for measurements with scale models in an an-echoic room. Based on a series of discrete mono-pole source positions, three flight paths were simulated. Measurements in the an-echoic room were compared with the measurements in the full-scale field lab. This paper presents the results of the experiment and sets out a method for scale model experiments focusing on the prediction of sound in urban canyons for overhead sound sources.
Conference paper
(2022)
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Andrea Cecilia, Zhikai Peng
Crowdsourced weather data has been increasingly used to provide the input data for the boundary conditions in the microclimate models as well as to validate the modelling outputs. MeteoTracker (MT) is an Internet of Things (IoT) application for domestic vehicles that can contribute to the intra-urban air temperature database for meteorology enthusiasts as well as research and design communities. To promote green and healthy mobility, we have validated the MT device on bicycles and evaluated its monitoring performance with 2 other Kestrel heat stress trackers (KT) at low travelling/wind speed. The pre-planned cycling route cuts through the EUR district in Rome, Italy in September 2021. The dual-sensor design and the radiation error correct system (RECS) in the MT devices demonstrate good abilities in probing air temperature and humidity nuances when passing through different urban areas, as the three devices remain highly synchronised (Pearson r > 0.86). However, the MT device may overshoot the response time (> 41 s) if the cycling speed is less than 3 m/s. We have suggested some strategies for improvement in reducing the response time of probing the ambience under nuanced thermal variability.
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Crowdsourced weather data has been increasingly used to provide the input data for the boundary conditions in the microclimate models as well as to validate the modelling outputs. MeteoTracker (MT) is an Internet of Things (IoT) application for domestic vehicles that can contribute to the intra-urban air temperature database for meteorology enthusiasts as well as research and design communities. To promote green and healthy mobility, we have validated the MT device on bicycles and evaluated its monitoring performance with 2 other Kestrel heat stress trackers (KT) at low travelling/wind speed. The pre-planned cycling route cuts through the EUR district in Rome, Italy in September 2021. The dual-sensor design and the radiation error correct system (RECS) in the MT devices demonstrate good abilities in probing air temperature and humidity nuances when passing through different urban areas, as the three devices remain highly synchronised (Pearson r > 0.86). However, the MT device may overshoot the response time (> 41 s) if the cycling speed is less than 3 m/s. We have suggested some strategies for improvement in reducing the response time of probing the ambience under nuanced thermal variability.
The effects of urban morphology on enriching thermal experience
Microclimates of courtyard spaces in Cambridge
Conference paper
(2022)
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Zhikai Peng, Ronita Bardhan, Koen Steemers
The microclimate shaped by urban form is one of the critical determinants for the success of public spaces. To date, hundreds of studies have revealed the potential of mitigating heat and cold stresses by spatial-enclosure strategies to reduce thermal discomfort. However, most of them have placed more emphasis on taming the thermal extremes, rather than on enriching the microclimatic context to benefit the thermal experience. A rich thermal context with varied, mild thermal stress would enhance psychological adaptation, affording flexibility and meeting different thermal preferences of sun, shade, wind and stillness. Therefore, we aim to investigate the morphological effects on these thermal qualities, and to compare not only the cooling performance of geometries but also the microclimatic diversity and hourly fluctuation in thermal stress. More than a hundred fully enclosed courtyards (n=107) were selected across 31 colleges and 10 teaching sites at the University of Cambridge. We have completed 20-hour microclimate simulations at 33 domains with boundary conditions near the summer solstice and the ENVI-met simulation results were fed back into the heatmap through Urbano, Dragonfly and Ladybug plugs-in in Grasshopper. We found much stronger morphological effects on the variations of sun and wind than on air temperature and humidity. The inferential statistical analysis has also shown that the compacity of building shades and the vegetation configurations play crucial roles in taming thermal extremes and enriching the urban thermal contexts at the human scale.
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The microclimate shaped by urban form is one of the critical determinants for the success of public spaces. To date, hundreds of studies have revealed the potential of mitigating heat and cold stresses by spatial-enclosure strategies to reduce thermal discomfort. However, most of them have placed more emphasis on taming the thermal extremes, rather than on enriching the microclimatic context to benefit the thermal experience. A rich thermal context with varied, mild thermal stress would enhance psychological adaptation, affording flexibility and meeting different thermal preferences of sun, shade, wind and stillness. Therefore, we aim to investigate the morphological effects on these thermal qualities, and to compare not only the cooling performance of geometries but also the microclimatic diversity and hourly fluctuation in thermal stress. More than a hundred fully enclosed courtyards (n=107) were selected across 31 colleges and 10 teaching sites at the University of Cambridge. We have completed 20-hour microclimate simulations at 33 domains with boundary conditions near the summer solstice and the ENVI-met simulation results were fed back into the heatmap through Urbano, Dragonfly and Ladybug plugs-in in Grasshopper. We found much stronger morphological effects on the variations of sun and wind than on air temperature and humidity. The inferential statistical analysis has also shown that the compacity of building shades and the vegetation configurations play crucial roles in taming thermal extremes and enriching the urban thermal contexts at the human scale.
Urban climate walk
A stop-and-go assessment of the dynamic thermal sensation and perception in two waterfront districts in Rome, Italy
Journal article
(2022)
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Zhikai Peng, Ronita Bardhan, Colin Ellard, Koen Steemers
This study set out to understand the dynamics of human thermal sensation and perception associated with outdoor thermal variability in urban contexts. Previous studies found that compact urban forms and green features can contribute to urban climate diversity, and conjectured whether the wax and wane of thermal stress can promote thermal satisfaction in outdoor public spaces. Hence, a stop-and-go method has been developed to accurately capture thermal transitions along urban walks and to provide snapshots of the momentary body thermal sensation and subjective thermal perception. The measurement campaigns carried in late summer involved a total of 40 participants walking for 70 min through two waterfront districts in Rome, Italy. Our findings indicate that: (1) the oscillation of air temperature along the dense urban walk is nearly twice as frequent as that along the sparse suburban walk, due to the microclimatic diversity shaped by the compact urban fabrics, pocket parks and tree-lined river banks; (2) the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) contrast can effectively predict thermal alliesthesia measured by the rate of change of mean skin temperature, (3) subjective perception shows a significant trend but a poorer model fit predicted by UTCI and; (4) two confounders, view and social backgrounds, are proved to affect the regression model between the objective and subjective data. The conclusions emphasise the importance of incorporating spatial and social contexts into the investigation of outdoor thermal comfort via physiological and psychological approaches.
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This study set out to understand the dynamics of human thermal sensation and perception associated with outdoor thermal variability in urban contexts. Previous studies found that compact urban forms and green features can contribute to urban climate diversity, and conjectured whether the wax and wane of thermal stress can promote thermal satisfaction in outdoor public spaces. Hence, a stop-and-go method has been developed to accurately capture thermal transitions along urban walks and to provide snapshots of the momentary body thermal sensation and subjective thermal perception. The measurement campaigns carried in late summer involved a total of 40 participants walking for 70 min through two waterfront districts in Rome, Italy. Our findings indicate that: (1) the oscillation of air temperature along the dense urban walk is nearly twice as frequent as that along the sparse suburban walk, due to the microclimatic diversity shaped by the compact urban fabrics, pocket parks and tree-lined river banks; (2) the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) contrast can effectively predict thermal alliesthesia measured by the rate of change of mean skin temperature, (3) subjective perception shows a significant trend but a poorer model fit predicted by UTCI and; (4) two confounders, view and social backgrounds, are proved to affect the regression model between the objective and subjective data. The conclusions emphasise the importance of incorporating spatial and social contexts into the investigation of outdoor thermal comfort via physiological and psychological approaches.
Journal article
(2021)
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Jiayi Liu, Zhikai Peng, Xiaoxi Cai, You Peng, Jiang Li, Tao Feng
This study addresses students’ perceptions of using urban green spaces (UGSs) after the easing of COVID-19 lockdown in China. We questioned whether they are still mindful of the risks from the outdoor gathering, or conversely, starting to learn the restoration benefits from the green spaces. Online self-reported surveys were distributed to the Chinese students aging from 14 to 30 who study in Hunan and Jiangsu Provinces, China. We finally obtained 608 complete and valid questionnaire forms from all participants. Their intentions of visiting UGSs were investigated based on the extended theory of planned behavior model. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized psychological model. The results have shown good estimation performance on risk perception and perceived knowledge to explain the variances in their attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavior control. Among these three endogenous variables, the perceived behavior control owns the greatest and positive influence on the behavioral intention, inferring that controllability is crucial for students to make decisions of visiting green spaces in a post-pandemic context.
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This study addresses students’ perceptions of using urban green spaces (UGSs) after the easing of COVID-19 lockdown in China. We questioned whether they are still mindful of the risks from the outdoor gathering, or conversely, starting to learn the restoration benefits from the green spaces. Online self-reported surveys were distributed to the Chinese students aging from 14 to 30 who study in Hunan and Jiangsu Provinces, China. We finally obtained 608 complete and valid questionnaire forms from all participants. Their intentions of visiting UGSs were investigated based on the extended theory of planned behavior model. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized psychological model. The results have shown good estimation performance on risk perception and perceived knowledge to explain the variances in their attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavior control. Among these three endogenous variables, the perceived behavior control owns the greatest and positive influence on the behavioral intention, inferring that controllability is crucial for students to make decisions of visiting green spaces in a post-pandemic context.
Assessing Comfort in Urban Public Spaces
A Structural Equation Model Involving Environmental Attitude and Perception
Journal article
(2021)
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You Peng, Zhikai Peng, Tao Feng, Chixing Zhong, Wei Wang
The research of comfort in urban public spaces has become increasingly important for improving environmental quality and encouraging people spend more time in outdoor activities. Among numerous approaches to understand comfort perception, the rational indices based on heat balance theory have prevailed to guide the research and practice in urban planning, design, and management. The limitations of a solely rational index-based approach reveal the necessity for a more comprehensive understanding of comfort by considering a wider range of influential factors from both individual and environmental perspectives during the assessing process. This study conceptualizes individuals’ comfort in urban public spaces as a latent construct, which is measured by indicators regarding perceptions on multifarious meteorological variables. The conceptual framework has been introduced involving hypothetical relationships among individuals’ comfort, attitudes, and environmental perceptions in urban public spaces. A series of field work including microclimate measurements and questionnaire-based surveys were carried out in two public squares in Changsha, China. Based on the dataset derived from 372 questionnaires and related meteorological measurements, this paper examines the relationships between the physical microclimatic variables, individuals’ socio-demographical characteristics and environmental attitudes and perceptions, and outdoor comfort assessment. The estimation results of the structural equation model quantitatively verified the conceptual framework at large, as many hypothetical relationships are identified, which indicates the importance of individuals’ role and the psychological factors in modeling comfort perception. This approach improves the understanding of comfort assessment, contributes to improving the quality of urban environment and the practices of urban planning and management.
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The research of comfort in urban public spaces has become increasingly important for improving environmental quality and encouraging people spend more time in outdoor activities. Among numerous approaches to understand comfort perception, the rational indices based on heat balance theory have prevailed to guide the research and practice in urban planning, design, and management. The limitations of a solely rational index-based approach reveal the necessity for a more comprehensive understanding of comfort by considering a wider range of influential factors from both individual and environmental perspectives during the assessing process. This study conceptualizes individuals’ comfort in urban public spaces as a latent construct, which is measured by indicators regarding perceptions on multifarious meteorological variables. The conceptual framework has been introduced involving hypothetical relationships among individuals’ comfort, attitudes, and environmental perceptions in urban public spaces. A series of field work including microclimate measurements and questionnaire-based surveys were carried out in two public squares in Changsha, China. Based on the dataset derived from 372 questionnaires and related meteorological measurements, this paper examines the relationships between the physical microclimatic variables, individuals’ socio-demographical characteristics and environmental attitudes and perceptions, and outdoor comfort assessment. The estimation results of the structural equation model quantitatively verified the conceptual framework at large, as many hypothetical relationships are identified, which indicates the importance of individuals’ role and the psychological factors in modeling comfort perception. This approach improves the understanding of comfort assessment, contributes to improving the quality of urban environment and the practices of urban planning and management.
空间的欲望结构
精神分析制图理论叙事引介
Journal article
(2020)
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Yu Yan, Xiaomeng Zhang, Zhikai Peng, Leiqing Xu
与主体性有关的欲望分析是精神分析学科的 专业所在，而精神分析理论也得到设计批评理论 界的频繁援引，却很少有专门引介的著作。通过 梳理精神分析与其后发展出的精神分裂分析之图 形工具历史，与设计理论的发展进行的互文性对 应，指出其哲学渊源和精神分析制图对新理论形 成的助益：精神分析、精神分裂分析与设计批评 的学科交叉经历了4个阶段（也是其4个基本应用 分类），分别是：文艺批评的隐喻元素阶段、存 在论的讨论工具阶段、系统生态的系谱学叙事工 具阶段，以及跨学科联结的平台阶段。精神分析 制图所经历的二元到多元、从“镜像”的再现到 “话语基础平台”的过程暗合了学科批评范式的 发展史。这其实是20世纪下半叶哲学理论发展的 一个缩影，作为其中一部分的设计理论也受到了 影响—以欲望结构分析城市与建筑理论，作为 “文本的文本分析”。最后，本文指出精神分析 制图、精神分裂分析制图在推动设计学科理论上 的可能方向。
The analysis of desire related to subjectivity is one of the subjects of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis theory is frequently cited by the theorists of design criticism, but there are few works introducing the cartographic tools used in psychoanalysis and the later developed schizoanalysis. This paper makes an intertextual correspondence between the developments of design theory and psychoanalytic cartographies, and proposes its philosophically diagnostic essence and the theoretical promotion from psychoanalysis. It is concluded that the interdisciplinary influence between psychoanalysis or schizoanalysis and design criticism has witnessed over 4 stages—which are also the primary application categories of psychoanalysis and schizoanalysis—including: 1) metaphors in literary criticisms; 2) analytical tools in ontology; 3) genealogical narrative tools in ecology of systems; and 4) synthesis operators for interdisciplinary research. The process from dualism to pluralism and the process from metaphorical representation of mirror to interdisciplinary synthesis operator experienced by psychoanalytic cartographies are consistent with the history of professional discourse and criticism paradigm development, and in fact are an epitome of philosophical theory in the second half of the 20th century. The design theory is also a part of the shift, so the graph of desire could be a way to represent the very discourse of critical history and relevant text. Lastly, possible applications of psychoanalytical and schizoanalytic cartographies in the design theory discourse are proposed. ...
The analysis of desire related to subjectivity is one of the subjects of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis theory is frequently cited by the theorists of design criticism, but there are few works introducing the cartographic tools used in psychoanalysis and the later developed schizoanalysis. This paper makes an intertextual correspondence between the developments of design theory and psychoanalytic cartographies, and proposes its philosophically diagnostic essence and the theoretical promotion from psychoanalysis. It is concluded that the interdisciplinary influence between psychoanalysis or schizoanalysis and design criticism has witnessed over 4 stages—which are also the primary application categories of psychoanalysis and schizoanalysis—including: 1) metaphors in literary criticisms; 2) analytical tools in ontology; 3) genealogical narrative tools in ecology of systems; and 4) synthesis operators for interdisciplinary research. The process from dualism to pluralism and the process from metaphorical representation of mirror to interdisciplinary synthesis operator experienced by psychoanalytic cartographies are consistent with the history of professional discourse and criticism paradigm development, and in fact are an epitome of philosophical theory in the second half of the 20th century. The design theory is also a part of the shift, so the graph of desire could be a way to represent the very discourse of critical history and relevant text. Lastly, possible applications of psychoanalytical and schizoanalytic cartographies in the design theory discourse are proposed. ...
与主体性有关的欲望分析是精神分析学科的 专业所在，而精神分析理论也得到设计批评理论 界的频繁援引，却很少有专门引介的著作。通过 梳理精神分析与其后发展出的精神分裂分析之图 形工具历史，与设计理论的发展进行的互文性对 应，指出其哲学渊源和精神分析制图对新理论形 成的助益：精神分析、精神分裂分析与设计批评 的学科交叉经历了4个阶段（也是其4个基本应用 分类），分别是：文艺批评的隐喻元素阶段、存 在论的讨论工具阶段、系统生态的系谱学叙事工 具阶段，以及跨学科联结的平台阶段。精神分析 制图所经历的二元到多元、从“镜像”的再现到 “话语基础平台”的过程暗合了学科批评范式的 发展史。这其实是20世纪下半叶哲学理论发展的 一个缩影，作为其中一部分的设计理论也受到了 影响—以欲望结构分析城市与建筑理论，作为 “文本的文本分析”。最后，本文指出精神分析 制图、精神分裂分析制图在推动设计学科理论上 的可能方向。
The analysis of desire related to subjectivity is one of the subjects of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis theory is frequently cited by the theorists of design criticism, but there are few works introducing the cartographic tools used in psychoanalysis and the later developed schizoanalysis. This paper makes an intertextual correspondence between the developments of design theory and psychoanalytic cartographies, and proposes its philosophically diagnostic essence and the theoretical promotion from psychoanalysis. It is concluded that the interdisciplinary influence between psychoanalysis or schizoanalysis and design criticism has witnessed over 4 stages—which are also the primary application categories of psychoanalysis and schizoanalysis—including: 1) metaphors in literary criticisms; 2) analytical tools in ontology; 3) genealogical narrative tools in ecology of systems; and 4) synthesis operators for interdisciplinary research. The process from dualism to pluralism and the process from metaphorical representation of mirror to interdisciplinary synthesis operator experienced by psychoanalytic cartographies are consistent with the history of professional discourse and criticism paradigm development, and in fact are an epitome of philosophical theory in the second half of the 20th century. The design theory is also a part of the shift, so the graph of desire could be a way to represent the very discourse of critical history and relevant text. Lastly, possible applications of psychoanalytical and schizoanalytic cartographies in the design theory discourse are proposed.
The analysis of desire related to subjectivity is one of the subjects of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis theory is frequently cited by the theorists of design criticism, but there are few works introducing the cartographic tools used in psychoanalysis and the later developed schizoanalysis. This paper makes an intertextual correspondence between the developments of design theory and psychoanalytic cartographies, and proposes its philosophically diagnostic essence and the theoretical promotion from psychoanalysis. It is concluded that the interdisciplinary influence between psychoanalysis or schizoanalysis and design criticism has witnessed over 4 stages—which are also the primary application categories of psychoanalysis and schizoanalysis—including: 1) metaphors in literary criticisms; 2) analytical tools in ontology; 3) genealogical narrative tools in ecology of systems; and 4) synthesis operators for interdisciplinary research. The process from dualism to pluralism and the process from metaphorical representation of mirror to interdisciplinary synthesis operator experienced by psychoanalytic cartographies are consistent with the history of professional discourse and criticism paradigm development, and in fact are an epitome of philosophical theory in the second half of the 20th century. The design theory is also a part of the shift, so the graph of desire could be a way to represent the very discourse of critical history and relevant text. Lastly, possible applications of psychoanalytical and schizoanalytic cartographies in the design theory discourse are proposed.
Urban microclimatic diversity and thermal comfort
Do variations in sun and wind conditions correlate with PET grades?
Conference paper
(2020)
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Zhikai Peng, Koen Steemers
Urban microclimatic diversity is of significance to understanding outdoor thermal satisfaction, as it offers a degree of freedom of choice for comfort seeking behaviour, thermal stimulation and potential alliesthesia. The existing assessment of thermal diversity has shown a strong relation to urban 3D geometry. A new workflow is proposed based on previous methods for strengthening the reliability in mapping urban microclimatic diversity. Two new indicators, the gross sun-wind diversity (D%) and the net diversity (d%) have been tested in three urban district models via Envi-MET simulation. The results are segmented by 9 grades of physiological equivalent temperature (PET), showing the value of including the range and variety of thermal sensations in the assessment of urban comfort. The preliminary findings point to a stronger link between microclimatic diversity and thermal neutrality in transitional seasons than in summer or winter.
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Urban microclimatic diversity is of significance to understanding outdoor thermal satisfaction, as it offers a degree of freedom of choice for comfort seeking behaviour, thermal stimulation and potential alliesthesia. The existing assessment of thermal diversity has shown a strong relation to urban 3D geometry. A new workflow is proposed based on previous methods for strengthening the reliability in mapping urban microclimatic diversity. Two new indicators, the gross sun-wind diversity (D%) and the net diversity (d%) have been tested in three urban district models via Envi-MET simulation. The results are segmented by 9 grades of physiological equivalent temperature (PET), showing the value of including the range and variety of thermal sensations in the assessment of urban comfort. The preliminary findings point to a stronger link between microclimatic diversity and thermal neutrality in transitional seasons than in summer or winter.