37º IAHS World Congress on Housing: - Universidad de Cantabria

XXXVII <strong>IAHS</strong><strong>World</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> on HousingOctober 26 – 29, 2010, Santander, SpainCODE: 634URBAN RENEWAL IN COMPACT URBAN FABRICSJoão Granadeiro Cortesão i , F. Brandão Alves i , Joanne Patterson iiiCITTA – Research Centre for Territory, Transports and EnvironmentUniversity of Porto, Faculty of Engineeringe-mail: granadeirocortesao@gmail.com, alves@fe.up.ptiiiCardiff University, Welsh School of Architecturee-mail: patterson@cardiff.ac.ukKey words: urban heat island, microclimate, thermal comfort, urban renewal, urban designAbstractContemporary urban renewal is particularly aimed at promoting more pedestrian-focusedpublic spaces. Microclimate optimization is crucial to ensure the success of these actionsconsidering summer thermal conditions in temperate climates are increasingly stressed underthe urban heat island. Indeed, microclimate optimization will determine human thermalcomfort and, consequently, the usage of public spaces and buildings.Under these circumstances, bioclimatic urban design premises should be incorporated intourban renewal programmes.This article presents the basis for a bioclimatic intervention tool, illustrated by two casestudies in Porto (Portugal) and one in Bristol (United Kingdom). The three outdoor spaces arelocated within compact urban fabrics. The case studies illustrate the importance thatcorrelating facing materials and vegetation has on outdoors thermal comfort. Through thisrelationship, the combined effects of lower air and surface temperatures, higher air humidity,and lower levels of CO2 in the local atmosphere can be expected due to carbon sequestrationby vegetation. Additionally, CO2 emissions from buildings can be influenced. All of thechanges above promote more thermally comfortable outdoor spaces, therefore increasingpedestrian movements in urban spaces.The analysis of the Porto spaces, carried out through climatic measurements and inquiries toits users, was undertaken in order to assess their current microclimatic performance. A furthercomparison of these spaces with the urban renewal case in Bristol is presented.It was found that differences in paving solutions and vegetation levels between the first twospaces are causing a significantly different pattern of use from one space to the other. On itsturn, the comparison with the British space has shown the extent to which urban renewalprograms can be the opportunity to improve an outdoor space under a bioclimatic perspectiveand therefore increase its usage. The fundamentals of a simplified bioclimatic interventiontool are thereafter suggested.37º <strong>IAHS</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> On Housing Science 254