Vegetation as a tool for thermal regulation of urban microclimate in arid regions

Abstract

The city of Biskra is known by its hot and arid climate; its outdoor spaces know extremely high temperatures during the summer period, which affect thermal comfort, well-being, user’s satisfaction in public spaces, such as the "Revolution’s plaza" which known by considerable attendance and a particular design. This study, focuses on the role of the urban vegetation on the thermal regulation in the open space. The main purpose is to study the effect of vegetation on the urban microclimate of this space “Revolution plaza”, through a site investigation, in order to measure the local climate and compare the results with weather’s station data. After that, an improvement case is suggested by simulation by Envi-Met 4 software. The results show the significant effect of the trees and natural surfaces in decreasing the heat transfer and temperatures degrees; which provides a favorable microclimate in this open space.