Abstract
Previous studies have shown that tree arrangement provides effective regulation of the outdoor thermal environment and combats the urban heat island (UHI) effect. To further explore semi-outdoor thermal environment improvement using tree arrangement, we selected two common arbor species from Guangdong Province, namely, Lagerstroemia speciosa and Bombax ceiba. We discuss the influence of courtyard tree arrangements on the thermal environment of semi-outdoor spaces (courtyards and overhead spaces) of a teaching building in a hot-humid area. The ENVI-met model was used and verified with field measurements; the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) was used as an index to evaluate the thermal environment of semi-outdoor spaces. We found that (1) adjusting the distance between trees and buildings reduced the UTCI values by 0.4 (overhead spaces) and 0.8 ℃ (courtyards); and (2) when the distance between the arbor and the building is fixed, the UTCI values of arranging Lagerstroemia speciosa can be reduced by up to 0.5 (overhead spaces) and 1.0 ℃ (courtyards) compared to that of Bombax ceiba; this study provides practical suggestions for the layout of trees in semi-outdoor spaces of teaching buildings in the hot-humid areas of China.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
Not applicable.
References
Aboelata A, Sodoudi S (2020) Evaluating the effect of trees on UHI mitigation and reduction of energy usage in different built up areas in Cairo. Build Environ 168:106490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106490
Bruse M, Fleer H (1998) Simulating surface-plant-air interactions inside urban environments with a three dimensional numerical model. Environ Model Softw 13:373–384
Blazejczyk K (2021) UTCI-10 years of applications. Int J Biometeorol 65(9):1461–1462. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-021-02174-1
Blazejczyk K, Epstein Y, Jendritzky G, Staiger H, Tinz B (2012) Comparison of UTCI to selected thermal indices. Int J Biometeorol 56(3):515–535. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-011-0453-2
Beck HE, Zimmermann NE, McVicar TR, Vergopolan N, Berg A, Wood EF (2018) Present and future Koppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-Km resolution. Sci Data 5:180214. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2018.214
Bowler DE, Buyung-Ali L, Knight TM, Pullin AS (2010) Urban greening to cool towns and cities: a systematic review of the empirical evidence. Landsc Urban Plan 97(3):147–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2010.05.006
Carnielo E, Zinzi M (2013) Optical and thermal characterisation of cool asphalts to mitigate urban temperatures and building cooling demand. Build Environ 60:56–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2012.11.004
Chatzidimitriou A, Yannas S (2016) Microclimate design for open spaces: ranking urban design effects on pedestrian thermal comfort in summer. Sustain Cities Soc 26:27–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2016.05.004
Chen TH, Pan HN, Lu MR, Hang J, Lam CKC, Yuan C, Pearlmutter D (2021) Effects of tree plantings and aspect ratios on pedestrian visual and thermal comfort using scaled outdoor experiments. Sci Total Environ 801:149527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149527
Cruz JA, Blanco AC, Garcia JJ, Santos JA, Moscoso AD (2021) Evaluation of the cooling effect of green and blue spaces on urban microclimate through numerical simulation: a case study of Iloilo River esplanade, Philippines. Sustain Cities Soc 74:103184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.103184
Di Napoli C, Messeri A, Novák M, Rio J, Wieczorek J, Morabito M, Silva P, Crisci A, Pappenberger F (2021) The Universal Thermal Climate Index as an operational forecasting tool of human biometeorological conditions in Europe. In: Krüger EL (eds) Applications of the Universal Thermal Climate Index UTCI in biometeorology. Biometeorol 4:193–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76716-7_10
Elgheznawy D, Eltarabily S (2021) The impact of sun sail-shading strategy on the thermal comfort in school courtyards. Build Environ 202:108046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108046
Fang ZS, Xu XN, Zhou XQ, Deng SQ, Wu HJ, Liu JL, Lin Zhang (2019) Investigation into the thermal comfort of university students conducting outdoor training. Build Environ 149:26–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.12.003
Fang ZS, Tang TW, Zheng ZM, Zhou XQ, Liu WW, Zhang YC (2021) Thermal responses of workers during summer: an outdoor investigation of construction sites in South China. Sustain Cities Soc 66:102705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102705
Feng XW, Zheng ZM, Yang YP, Fang ZS (2021) Quantitative seasonal outdoor thermal sensitivity in Guangzhou. China. Urban Clim 39:100938. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2021.100938
Gajjar HH, Jeyaraman JD, Kaul DS (2022) Role of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Polyalthia longifolia (Asopalav) Trees for improving outdoor thermal environment in unorganized urban settings. Int J Biometeorol 66(10):2055–2067. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-022-02340-z
Huang BZ, Hong B, Tian Y, Yuan TT, Su MF (2021) Outdoor thermal benchmarks and thermal safety for children: a study in China’s cold region. Sci Total Environ 787:147603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147603
Jackson SB, Stevenson KT, Larson LR, Peterson MN, Seekamp E (2021) Outdoor activity participation improves adolescents’ mental health and well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18(5):2506. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052506
Lam CKC, Cui SH, Liu JR, Kong XR, Ou CY, Hang J (2021) Influence of acclimatization and short-term thermal history on outdoor thermal comfort in subtropical South China. Energy Build 231:110541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110541
Li JY, Zheng BH, Bedra KB (2022) Evaluating the improvements of thermal comfort by different natural elements within courtyards in Singapore. Urban Clim 45:101253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2022.101253
Li KM, Zhang YF, Zhao LH (2016) Outdoor thermal comfort and activities in the urban residential community in a humid subtropical area of China. Energy Build 133:498–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2016.10.013
Lin PY, Song DX, Qin H (2021) Impact of parking and greening design strategies on summertime outdoor thermal condition in old mid-rise residential estates. Urban For Urban Green 63:127200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127200
Lin TP, Matzarakis A (2008) Tourism climate and thermal comfort in sun moon Lake. Taiwan Int J Biometeorol 52(4):281–290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-007-0122-7
Liu HZ, Lim JY, Wint Hnin Thet BWH, Lai PY, Koh WS (2022) Evaluating the impact of tree morphologies and planting densities on outdoor thermal comfort in tropical residential precincts in Singapore. Build Environ 221:109268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109268
Lee H, Mayer H, Kuttler W (2019) To what extent does the air flow initialisation of the ENVI-met model affect human heat stress simulated in a common street canyon? Int J Biometeorol 63(1):73–81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-018-1637-9
Lopez-Cabeza VP, Alzate-Gaviria S, Diz-Mellado E, Rivera-Gomez C, Galan-Marin C (2022) Albedo influence on the microclimate and thermal comfort of courtyards under Mediterranean hot summer climate conditions. Sustain Cities Soc 81:103872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2022.103872
Lopez-Cabeza VP, Rivera-Gomez C, Roa-Fernandez J, Hernandez-Valencia M, Herrera-Limones R (2023) Effect of thermal inertia and natural ventilation on user comfort in courtyards under warm summer conditions. Build Environ 228:109812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109812
Morabito M, Crisci A, Guerri G, Messeri A, Congedo L, Munafo M (2020a) Surface urban heat islands in Italian metropolitan cities: tree cover and impervious surface influences. Sci Total Environ 751:142334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142334
Morabito M, Messeri A, Crisci A, Pratali L, Bonafede M, Marinaccioe A, Worklimat Collaborative Grp (2020) Heat warning and public and workers’ health at the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Sci Total Environ 738:140347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140347
Katsoulas N, Antoniadis D, Tsirogiannis IL, Labraki E, Bartzanas T, Kittas C (2017) Microclimatic effects of planted hydroponic structures in urban environment: measurements and simulations. Int J Biometeorol 61(5):943–956. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-016-1247-0
Mahmoud RMA, Abdallah ASH (2022) Assessment of outdoor shading strategies to improve outdoor thermal comfort in school courtyards in hot and arid climates. Sustain Cities Soc 86:104147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2022.104147
Martinelli L, Lin TP, Matzarakis A (2015) Assessment of the influence of daily shadings pattern on human thermal comfort and attendance in Rome during summer period. Build Environ 92:30–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.04.013
Morakinyo TE, Kong L, Lau KKL, Yuan C, Ng E (2017) A study on the impact of shadow-cast and tree species on in-canyon and neighborhood’s thermal comfort. Build Environ 115:1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2017.01.005
Zhang L, Deng ZC, Liang LS, Zhang Yu, Meng QL, Wang JS, Santamouris M (2019) Thermal behavior of a vertical green facade and its impact on the indoor and outdoor thermal environment. Energy Build 204:109502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.109502
Qiu L, Zhang HB, Zhang WR, Lai DY, Li RX (2021) Effect of existing residential renovation strategies on building cooling load: cases in three Chinese cities. Energy Build 253:111548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2021.111548
Radhi H, Sharples S, Assem E (2015) Impact of urban heat islands on the thermal comfort and cooling energy demand of artificial islands-a case study of Amwaj Islands in Bahrain. Sustain Cities Soc 19:310–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2015.07.017
Rodríguez MV, Melgar SG, Márquez JMA (2022) Assessment of aerial thermography as a method of in situ measurement of radiant heat transfer in urban public spaces. Sustain Cities Soc 87:104228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2022.104228
Salata F, Golasi I, de Lieto VR, de Lieto VA (2016) Urban microclimate and outdoor thermal comfort. A proper procedure to fit ENVI-met simulation outputs to experimental data. Sustain Cities Soc 26:318–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2016.07.005
Salata F, Golasi I, Petitti D, de Lieto VE, Coppi M, de Lieto VA (2017) Relating microclimate, human thermal comfort and health during heat waves: an analysis of heat island mitigation strategies through a case study in an urban outdoor environment. Sustain Cities Soc 30:79–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2017.01.006
Shooshtarian S, Rajagopalan P, Wakefield R (2018) Effect of seasonal changes on usage patterns and behaviours in educational precinct in Melbourne. Urban Clim 26:133–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2018.08.013
Su WX, Zhang LK, Chang Q (2022) Nature-based solutions for urban heat mitigation in historical and cultural block: the case of Beijing Old city. Build Environ 225:109600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109600
Tsoka S, Tsikaloudaki A, Theodosiou T (2018) Analyzing the ENVI-met microclimate Model’s performance and assessing cool materials and urban vegetation applications-a review. Sustain Cities Soc 43:55–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.08.009
United Nations (2018) Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision (ST/ESA/SER.A/420). United Nations, New York. https://population.un.org/wup/Publications/Files/WUP2018-Report.pdf
Weng J, Luo B, Xiang HL, Gao B (2022) Effects of bottom-overhead design variables on pedestrian-level thermal comfort during summertime in different high-rise residential buildings: a case study in Chongqing, China. Buildings 12(3):265. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12030265
Yao F, Fang HD, Han JQ, Zhang YZ (2022) Study on the outdoor thermal comfort evaluation of the elderly in the Tibetan Plateau. Sustain Cities Soc 77:103582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.103582
Yang WS, Wang ZY, Cui JJ, Zhu ZS, Zhao XD (2015) Comparative study of the thermal performance of the novel green (planting) roofs against other existing roofs. Sustain Cities Soc 16:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acs.2015.01.002
Yang JH, Zhao Y, Zou YK, Xia DW, Lou SW, Liu W, Ji KF (2022) Effects of tree species and layout on the outdoor thermal environment of squares in hot-humid areas of China. Buildings 12(11):1867. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12111867
Yin S, Lang W, Xiao YQ (2019) The synergistic effect of street canyons and neighbourhood layout design on pedestrian-level thermal comfort in hot-humid area of China. Sustain Cities Soc 49:101571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2019.101571
Yin S, Wang F, Xiao YQ, Xue SH (2022) Comparing cooling efficiency of shading strategies for pedestrian thermal comfort in street canyons of traditional shophouse neighbourhoods in Guangzhou, China. Urban Clim 43:101165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2022.101165
Zeng C, Bai XL, Sun LX, Zhang YZ, Yuan YP (2017) Optimal parameters of green roofs in representative cities of four climate zones in China: a simulation study. Energy Build 150:118–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.05.079
Zhang JL, Hu D (2022) Research of practical heat mitigation strategies in a residential district of Beijing, North China. Urban Clim 46:101314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2022.101314
Zhang XG, Lei YK, Li R, Ackerman A, Guo N, Li YH, Yang QS, Liu Y (2022a) Research on thermal comfort of underside of street tree based on lidar point cloud model. Forests 13(7):1086. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13071086
Zhang YC, Lin Z, Fang ZS, Zheng ZM (2022b) An improved algorithm of thermal index models based on ENVI-met. Urban Clim 44:101190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2022.101190
Zhao HH, Xu GY, Shi YR, Li JL, Zhang YF (2022a) The characteristics of dynamic and non-uniform thermal radiation experienced by pedestrians in a street canyon. Build Environ 222:109361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109361
Zhao YF, Chen YH, Li KN (2022b) A simulation study on the effects of tree height variations on the facade temperature of enclosed courtyard in North China. Build Environ 207:108566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108566
Zhao QS, Sailor DJ, Wentz EA (2018) Impact of tree locations and arrangements on outdoor microclimates and human thermal comfort in an urban residential environment. Urban for Urban Greening 32:81–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2018.03.022
Zheng SL, Guldmann JM, Liu ZX, Zhao LH (2018) Influence of trees on the outdoor thermal environment in subtropical areas: An experimental study in Guangzhou, China. Sustain Cities Soc 42:482–497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.07.025
Funding
This paper is supported by the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou University (grant no. PT252022006) and the Graduate Student Innovation Ability Cultivation Funding Program of Guangzhou University (2022YJS049).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
Not applicable.
Consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Yang, J., Zhao, Y., Guo, T. et al. The impact of tree species and planting location on outdoor thermal comfort of a semi-outdoor space. Int J Biometeorol 67, 1689–1701 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-023-02532-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-023-02532-1