Optimizing Design Layout of a Riverside Residential Settlement in terms of the Thermal Comfort

Abstract

The thermal comfort of a riverside residential settlement differs from a non-riverside residential one, which might be caused by a microclimatic difference. Inducing wind from a river to cross the whole riverside residential settlement could improve the outdoor thermal comfort significantly. Such knowledge triggers a study of utilizing river wind to enhance thermal comfort to a riverside residential settlement in southern China. The study explores various possible layouts of a riverside residential settlement using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations. The thermal comfort index OUT_SET* (the Standard Effective Temperature) that combines effects of air temperature, radiation, wind velocity, and the water evaporation, has been used to evaluate thermal comfort of various riverside residential settlements due to different design layouts. The result showed that the loose enclosed layout is the best one for the thermal comfort whereas the back and front aligned determinant layout is the worst. In order to apply the results into a real world, a case study has been made to the Shenzhen Nan Hua Cun. The thermal environment of this Chinese southern riverside residential settlement has been researched. According to thermal problems revealed by CFD simulation, an optimization design layout was proposed by applying the study results. Eventually, the thermal comfort between the current situation and the optimization design has been compared.