Improvement of Air Quality and Thermal Environment in an Old City District by Constructing Wind Passages

Chong Peng, Chu Li, Zuyu Zou, Suwan Shen and Dongqi Sun
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Chong Peng: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Chu Li: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Zuyu Zou: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Suwan Shen: Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Dongqi Sun: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: A case study in an old city district with hot-humid climatic conditions in Wuhan, China was conducted to explore the potential renewal strategies favorable to the local residents and pedestrians. For this purpose, a comprehensive mathematical model considering the parameters such as ambient crosswind, solar radiation, natural convection, and a previously established heat transfer mechanism was employed to analyze the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of the study area. In addition, in the urban renewal process, five alternative renewal strategies, namely, Central Demolition (CD) Plan, Edge Demolition (ED) Plan, Wedge Shape Demolition (WSD) Plan, “L” Shape Demolition (LSD) Plan, and Cross Shape Demolition (CSD) Plan, were adopted to improve the thermal and ventilation environment of Wuhan old city district. Through simulation analysis, the temperature and velocity distributions of the original urban layout and five alternative renewal strategies were compared. It is found that the construction of an air passage within the old city district can improve the local air quality, air ventilation, and thermal environment to some extent. Among the five alternative strategies to construct air passages, CSD Plan is much better than the others. Accordingly, corresponding suggestions and strategies for urban renewal were presented.

Keywords: urban renewal; wind passage; air ventilation; thermal comfort (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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