Impact of the Pilotis Ratio on the Summer Wind and Thermal Environment in Shaded Areas of Enclosed Courtyards in Hot and Humid Regions

Zhihua Luo, Wangning Mu, Yingzhi Liang, Zhihui Xiao, Zhiqiang Zhou () and Yuankui Li
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Zhihua Luo: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guangzhou University, 230 Outer Ring West Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China
Wangning Mu: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guangzhou University, 230 Outer Ring West Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China
Yingzhi Liang: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guangzhou University, 230 Outer Ring West Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China
Zhihui Xiao: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guangzhou University, 230 Outer Ring West Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China
Zhiqiang Zhou: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guangzhou University, 230 Outer Ring West Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China
Yuankui Li: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guangzhou University, 230 Outer Ring West Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-26

Abstract: Enclosed courtyards with partially ground floor pilotis represent a prevalent architectural spatial configuration in hot-humid regions, where the shaded outdoor areas serve as frequently utilized spaces for heat avoidance and rest. This study employed a combined approach of ENVI-met simulations and field measurements to investigate the wind and thermal environment in the shaded areas of courtyards under 40 different pilotis width configurations. The Comfortable Wind Zone Ratio (CWZR) and Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) were used as primary evaluation metrics to systematically investigate the influence of varying inlet/outlet width ratios in building pilotis on the wind-thermal environment within courtyard-shaded zones. The results demonstrate that: (1) Under a fixed outlet size, enlarging the inlet significantly enhances the CWZR in the shaded area, with a 28.66% difference observed between inlet sizes of L/4 and L. In contrast, under a fixed inlet size, expanding the outlet has a negligible effect on CWZR improvement. (2) Under a fixed outlet size, increasing the inlet width substantially reduces PET in the shaded zone, showing a 2.46 °C difference between inlet sizes of L/4 and L. Conversely, under a fixed inlet size, widening the outlet has a minimal impact on PET reduction. (3) A negative correlation exists between CWZR and PET in the shaded area, indicating that an increase in CWZR leads to a decrease in PET values. The findings provide bioclimatically quantified guidelines for the spatial design of courtyard pilotis in hot-humid regions, offering practical insights for optimizing thermal comfort in shaded outdoor environments.

Keywords: courtyard; pilotis ratio; shadow area; thermal environment; wind environment; ENVI-met; CWZR (comfort wind zone ratio); PET (physiological equivalent temperature) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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