Research Seminar – Micro-climate, Marco Effects: The Assessment of Thermal Comfort for Design

Topic:
Micro-climate, Marco Effects: The Assessment of Thermal Comfort for Design

Speaker:
Dr. Jianxiang Huang
Assistant Professor
Department of Urban Planning and Design
Faculty of Architecture
The University of Hong Kong

Schedule:
Date: 11 September, 2013 (Wednesday)
Time: 12:45 – 2:00 pm
Venue: Room 829, Knowles Building, HKU

Abstract:
A dense urban environment shapes its own microclimate which is highly relevant to the comfort and health of its residents. This presentation discusses a more precise management of microclimate in order to make cities more walkable, livable and sustainable. A computerized tool CityComfort+ is applied to predict the annual-hourly comfort index on Boston’s Copley Plaza. The tool accounts for the impact from urban form, surface materials, vegetation, and human body thermal regulations. Simulations are run for the pre-1986 design, the current condition, as well as the forthcoming scenario when a 47-storey residential tower is built next to the square. Predictions are also made on thermal comfort conditions in the foreseeable future under climate change and extreme weather patterns. Conclusions are drawn on the importance for a more precise management of urban microclimate through strategic urban planning and design. Passive and active strategies, along with simulation tools such as CityComfort+ can improve livability of cities in the future.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Jianxiang Huang is an assistant professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Design at the University of Hong Kong. His primary interest is sustainable design, and he emphasizes the shaping of cities to meet the challenges in the contemporary era, i.e., density, climate change, resource constraints, health and the quality of life. His research focuses on the impact of dense cities on microclimate and thermal comfort, and he is the author of CityComfort+, a computer simulation tool that is uniquely equipped to assess annual-hourly human comfort at micro-scale. Huang holds a Doctor of Design from Harvard University, a Master in City Planning from MIT, a M.Arch and a B.Arch from Tsinghua University.

Professionally, Huang worked on scores of national and international projects and he is the recipient of awards from SCUP, AIA, IDA, and BSA. He is a LEED accredited professional, a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (IACP), and a member of the board of directors of the International Association of China Planning (IACP).

~~ ALL INTERESTED ARE WELCOME ~~

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