Micro-Climatic Impact in Urban City Blocks. Concentrated Scheme vs. Scattered Scheme

Abstract

Traditionally, the configuration of urban blocks includes a central open space, which results from the addition of lot backyards. However, this configuration has undergone modifications resulting in a spread-out model of open-space. This paper evaluates both modelsÍ€”concentrated and disperseÍ€”in low-density blocks, in order to determine the most efficient distribution regarding the impact on urban microclimates. For this purpose, scenarios were characterized by a set of indicators and the air temperature in the urban canyons was measured at each block. Data was processed statistically using frequency analysis and principal components. Results show that the disperse distribution of open space in summer reduces the temperatures of the immediate environment, contributing to reduce the impact of the built tissue on the cityÍ€™s microclimate.