Impact of Microclimate on People Flows in dense Urban Space

Climate change will be manifested in cities and elsewhere in a variety of direct and subtle ways, e.g., by more extreme and adverse type weather events, such as heat waves, flooding and extreme discomfort conditions. Among many factors that determine the quality of outdoor spaces, the outdoor microclimate is an important issue. Besides the climate change issues, increasing urban population determines a densification of cities with an increasing need of resources. Outdoor spaces are important to sustainable cities because they accommodate daily pedestrian traffic and various outdoor activities and contribute greatly to urban livability and vitality. Encouraging more people on the streets and in outdoor spaces will benefit cities from various perspectives, including physical, environmental, economical, and social aspects. The influence of thermal comfort on outdoor activities is a complex issue comprising both climatic and behavioral aspects. This research investigates on the relation between outdoor comfort and people’s presence and their individual mobility in dense urban spaces, with the aim of finding a systematic relation. The model could provide new approaches to understanding the influences of the outdoor thermal environment on human activity and people’s use of outdoor space, and to the planning implications to create more livable public spaces and to counteract more frequent extreme climatic phenomena.