Urban microclimate: overcoming obstacles to high density resilient cities
6 January 2017
City Hall, London
Working with the CIBSE Resilient Cities Group, we brought together 65 policy, industry and academic experts to consider the current state of knowledge and understanding of the various built form-driven effects on urban performance and resilience. We also addressed the practice requirements of tackling the unintended local environmental consequences on urban resilience.
Built form effects range from changes in air and surface temperatures, air quality, the wind field, thermal comfort, building energy consumption and daylight availability which are currently outside most microclimate and energy management assessments.
Chaired by Professor Gerald Mills, the event provided an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to review and debate our current understanding of the interdependent dynamic relationships between high density urban typologies, urban climate, energy management, use of green infrastructure and the health and well-being of urban dwellers.
Leading experts in urban heat islands, pollution/particle dispersion, health and wellbeing, energy, daylighting and facilities management were invited to share their state-of-art knowledge. Attendees then discussed the gaps in knowledge and collective purpose that limit the built environment community’s ability to create more integrated, resilient cities.
- Introduction
- Urban climates
- Urban microclimate
- Energy management
- Facility management
- Health & wellbeing
- Urban greening
Introduction
Event chair: Gerald Mills
Associate Professor, UCD and Board member of the International Association for Urban Climates
George Adams
Resilient Cities Group Chair and UK Engineering Director of SPIE UK
Urban climates
Topic chair: Geoff Levermore
Emeritus Professor, University of Manchester
Sue Grimmond
University of Reading
Lee Chapman
University of Birmingham
Urban microclimate
Topic chair: Marialena Nikolopoulou
University of Kent
Maria Kolokotroni
Brunel University London
John Mardaljevic
Loughborough University
- Mardaljevic, J. & Roy, N. 2016. The sunlight beam index. Lighting Research & Technology 48(1): 55–69 DOI: 10.1177/1477153515621486
- University of Loughborough: Daylight exposure in heritage buildings
Energy management
Topic chair: Richard Lorch
Editor of Building Research & Information
Philip Steadman
UCL
Darren Robinson
University of Nottingham
Facility management
Topic chair & speaker: Joanna Harris
BSRIA
George Adams
SPIE UK
Health & wellbeing
Topic chair & speaker: Derek Clements-Croome
University of Reading
Paul Littlefair
Building Research Establishment (BRE)
See also Paul’s publication Site layout planning for daylight and sunlight: a guide to good practice.