Urban Architecture

University of Batangas – Lipa Campus

College of Engineering and Architecture
Architecture Department

Submitted to: Ar. Joanne Cristabel S. Bernardino

Pamela Anne Ghail Sarmiento

ARCH2B
November 8, 2022
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
Background 3
Purpose 3
Scope 3
CHAPTER II
Urban Microclimates 4
Urban Heat Island 5
Graphical Analysis or Sun Path Diagram 6
Psychrometrics 7

CHAPTER III
Conclusion 10
Recommendation 10
References 11
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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background

Human activity has a significant impact on the climate of an urban

area. One such way is through the creation of large urban areas, with a high
density of human made structures. The climate - the long-term weather behavior
of an area, including factors such as temperature, precipitation, air quality,
pressure, and winds - can be affected by the number of buildings, the colors and
materials used, factories, and the presence of large numbers of people.

Climate is the long term behaviour of the atmosphere in a specific area,

with characteristics such as temperature, pressure, wind, precipitation, cloud
cover and humidity etc. An urban area is defined as an area with a high density
of human created structures in comparison with the areas surrounding it.

Climatic issues, and thus control requirements, are particularly prevalent

in the existing building stock. As a result, with all competing demands, the
instruments in urban development in existing districts continue to gain
importance in urban regeneration and urban planning.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand the importance of urban

architecture as it addresses how people perceive and use their environment. As
a result, it has an impact on the balance of natural ecosystems and built
environments, as well as their sustainability outcomes. Without such planning,
our cities quickly become inefficient and uninviting for residents and businesses
alike.

Scope

In this topic, the readers will look at how the climatic characteristics of an
urban area are affected by different human factors creating these urban
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microclimates and urban heat islands. This will also revolve around the graphical
analysis of sun path diagrams as well as the study of psychometrics and its
related topics.

CHAPTER II

Urban Microclimates

An urban microclimate is a small area of urbanized land that has different

atmospheric conditions than the surrounding area. Microclimates occur naturally
and can be quite small. They can also be quite large. For instance, a city creates
its own climatic patterns, and the larger the urban area, the more significant
these will be.

A large urban microclimate can not only affect temperatures, but also rainfall,
snowfall, air pressure, and wind. That means that it can increase the frequency of
fog, the intensity of storms, the concentration of polluted air, and how long that
bad air remains in the city. An urban heat island is one type of microclimate.
Other types include:

 Snow-capped mountains: mountains are colder than the surrounding

lowlands
 Woodlands: trees give shelter which reduces wind speed, and create shade
making temperatures at ground level cooler.
 Bodies of water: lakes (and any large bodies of water) make summers
cooler, and warmer in winter due to water heating up and cooling slowly.
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 Vegetation: Seasonal vegetation changes during the year effect rural

microclimates (trees losing leaves etc.)
 Agriculture: Changes of farming at different types of year (e.g. ploughing) can
change the vegetation coverage and also the albedo of the land

Several factors go into creating unhealthy urban microclimates. Human-

generated heat is a big part of it and much of that is caused by things like internal
combustion car engines that use fossil fuels. Cars also add pollutants and
humidity to the air. All of the heat-retaining paved space needed for cars simply
makes matters worse.

Poor building construction and design also play a part, specifically wasteful
energy consumption, shoddy insulating materials, and inefficient building
management practices. And short-sighted urban planning of the height and
arrangement of buildings can create stifling canyons of urban heat.

Urban Heat Island

An urban heat island is a type of microclimate that is created when an

urban area becomes warmer than the surrounding area. This can be caused by
surfaces such as pavement that absorb solar energy, a tendency for cities not to
retain water and a lack of vegetation. It is common in larger urban areas such as
Tokyo, New York City and Paris.
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There are several reasons why this pattern occurs. In urban areas, the
building materials are non-reflective and therefore absorb heat. Also road
surfaces such as tarmac and concrete have a high thermal capacity therefore
also absorb large amounts of heat due to their dark colour. This heat is absorbed
during the day and then released slowly at night, increasing the temperature.
Further heat is given off by the presence of factories and increased car use
within the city, causing pollution which causes smog and a pollution dome to
form. This pollution dome allows short-wave insolation to enter, but traps
outgoing terrestrial radiation due to its longer wavelength, therefore increasing
the amount of heat obtained. Due to these reasons, the temperature in winter in
urban areas are on average 1-2 degrees Celsius higher than rural areas. The
average summer temperatures are on average 5 degrees Celsius higher than
rural areas. This can be seen in the diagram below which depicts London's heat
island.

Graphical Analysis or Sun Path Diagram

Graphical analysis is a graphical depiction of data using charts, figures,

and graphs. It is particularly useful in helping managers digest large volumes of
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data. Sun path diagrams can tell you a lot about how the sun will impact your site
and building throughout the year. Stereographic sun path diagrams can be used
to read the solar azimuth and altitude for a given time and location.

By analysing the impact of the sun on a site, as well as the building’s

location, the spatial arrangement, orientation, window placement, daylight access
and other design features, the designer can take full advantage of passive solar
design features and increase the energy efficiency, comfort and financial value of
the building.

Psychrometrics

Psychrometrics is the science of air and water vapor and deals with the
properties of moist air. Psychrometrics or psychrometry are terms used to
describe the field of engineering concerned with the determination of physical

and thermodynamic properties of gas-vapor mixtures. A thorough understanding

of psychrometrics is of great significance. It plays a key role not only in heating,
cooling, and humidification processes and the resulting comfort of building
occupants but also in building insulation, roofing properties, and the stability,
deformation, and fire resistance of building materials.
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 Absolute humidity (AH) is the total amount of water vapor contained in a

given volume of dry air. Water vapor is measured in units of weight
(grams) and dry air in units of volume called cubic meters (m³). Absolute
humidity, then, will be expressed in grams of water vapor per cubic meter
of air (g/m³). This measurement is made regardless of the temperature at
the site.
 Relative Humidity (RH) is the ratio of the actual water vapor pressure at a
given DB temp to the water vapor pressure of the air if the air was
saturated at the same DB temp. RH is a ratio of water vapor pressures
and not a ratio of moisture contents. However, it is very close to the ratio
of moisture contents and the difference is about 2%.
 The Dry Bulb temperature (DBT), usually referred to as air temperature,
is the air property that is most common used. When people refer to the
temperature of the air, they are normally referring to its dry bulb
temperature. The Dry Bulb Temperature refers basically to the ambient air
temperature. It is called "Dry Bulb" because the air temperature is
indicated by a thermometer not affected by the moisture of the air. Dry-
bulb temperature - Tdb, can be measured using a normal thermometer
freely exposed to the air but shielded from radiation and moisture. The
temperature is usually given in degrees Celsius (oC) or degrees
Fahrenheit (oF). The SI unit is Kelvin (K). Zero Kelvin equals to -273oC.
 Specific volume (Spv) is defined as the number of cubic meters occupied
by one kilogram of matter. It is the ratio of a material's volume to its mass,
which is the same as the reciprocal of its density. In other words, specific
volume is inversely proportional to density. Specific volume may be
calculated or measured for any state of matter, but it is most often used in
calculations involving gases. The standard unit for specific volume is cubic
meters per kilogram (m3/kg), although it may be expressed in terms of
milliliters per gram (mL/g) or cubic feet per pound (ft3/lb).
 Enthalpy (H) is the sum of the internal energy and the product of the
pressure and volume of a thermodynamic system. Enthalpy is an energy-
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like property or state function—it has the dimensions of energy (and is

thus measured in units of joules or ergs), and its value is determined
entirely by the temperature, pressure, and composition of the system and
not by its history. In symbols, the enthalpy, H, equals the sum of the
internal energy, E, and the product of the pressure, P, and volume, V, of
the system: H = E + PV.
 Sensible heat (Qsen) refers to heat you can feel, or sense. This is any
heat which can be measured on a thermometer, whether it’s heat from the
sun shining on a sunny day, or the flame from a candle. When an object is
heated, the object’s increase in temperature is sensible heat. Similarly,
when heat is removed from an object and its temperature falls, this is also
sensible heat – because you can feel the difference.
 Latent heat (Qlat) is the heat required for an object to change
phase (melt, boil, freeze, etc.). This energy is closely related to enthalpy.
When we talk about latent heat, we are often referring to the change of
state of an element. Many of us were first taught about this in school:
solids can become liquids, and liquids can become gases – i.e. ice can
become water, and water can evaporate into vapor. All pure substances in
nature are able to change their state. And to change state, a substance
requires the addition or removal of heat.
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CHAPTER III

Conclusion

Another way to consider an urban microclimate is as something useful.

Tall building shadows and skybridges provide welcome shade and cooling for
cities in extremely hot climates, and urban heat islands may provide a benefit in
extremely cold climates.

By definition, urban systems are complex. Buildings, energy supply and

distribution systems, the urban microclimate, and, last but not least, the user
interacting in operation and planning are all part of their energy modelling.

A lot of creative thinking has gone into proactively shaping microclimates

that are pleasant, beneficial, and long-lasting. Climate adaptation is especially
difficult in cultural heritage buildings because it necessitates sensitive urban
design and protective measures. Trees, parks, and greenbelts help to cool cities
while also providing residents with other benefits. Rooftop gardens and planted
walls are visually appealing and help to insulate buildings while also cleaning the
air.

Recommendation

Architects, builders, and planners are actively reshaping their roles in

urban microclimate creation. One approach is to simply reduce unintended
negative consequences. Greater energy efficiency has an obvious benefit as
well. Better insulation and building management can reduce heat leakage, while
passive heating and cooling techniques can reduce heat generated by buildings.
Energy and resource flows must be examined not only within cities but also
across city boundaries. This comprehensive, yet tailored approach reflects a
growing recognition that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the challenge of
making cities the best places to live. Sustainable practices, green spaces, and
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increased energy efficiency in buildings and urban infrastructure will all contribute
to making our cities a healthy place to live, work, and play.

References

Britannica (2022), Enthalpy, https://www.britannica.com/science/enthalpy

Burdett, M. (2019), Urban microclimates: causes,

https://www.geographycasestudy.com/urban-microclimates-causes/

Camus, J. (2017), 6 Examples of an Urban Microclimate,

https://sotoga.com/en/urban-microclimate
Cool Geography, Climate on a local scale: urban climates,
https://www.coolgeography.co.uk/A-level/AQA/Year%2013/Weather
%20and%20climate/Microclimates/Urban_climates.htm
Daikin, What is the difference between sensible and latent heat?,
https://www.daikin.co.uk/en_gb/faq/what-is-the-difference-between-
sensible-and-latent-heat-1.html
Dincer, I. and Rosen, M.A. (2007), Exergy Analysis of Psychrometric
Processes,
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/psychrometrics
Eiker, U. (2019), Urban Energy Systems for Low-Carbon Cities
Get Into Geography, Urban Microclimates,
https://getintogeography.weebly.com/urban-microclimates.html
Helmenstine, A.M. (2020), Specific Volume,
https://www.thoughtco.com/specific-volume-definition-and-examples-
4175807
Knight, R. (2013), Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 3rd Ed. New
York: Pearson, Ch. 17, p. 482.
Thomas, D.C., Psychometrics, https://energy-models.com/psychrometrics

TKE Blog (2019), Taking Care of Urban Microclimates Through Better

Design And Greater Energy Efficiency, https://blog.tkelevator.com/taking-
care-of-urban-microclimates-through-better-design-and-greater-energy-
efficiency/
Weather.Gov, Temperature,
https://www.weather.gov/source/zhu/ZHU_Training_Page/definitions/dry_
wet_bulb_definition/dry_wet_bulb.html
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Winker, M. et.al. (2019), Approaches to Water Sensitive Urban Design