Microclimate Modeling Approach with in-situ Validation: Case of a University Campus in a Tropical Climate (#869)

Authors

Austin, Daniel Salomon

Austin, Miguel Chen

Solano, Thasnee

Abstract

The lack of urban planning and high temperatures are problems that negatively impact people's comfort. Thermal dissatisfaction in a humid tropical climate such as Panama City is a problem that we face every day, that many have in the background and deal with it without paying due attention to it, looking for palliative and expensive solutions. In this research, through modeling and simulation using the ENVI-met software and the validation of variables that affect thermal comfort, we want to have the best approximation of the level of thermal sensation in the selected area and identify the critical points of thermal discomfort in it. This area of study is the Víctor Levi Sasso Campus of the Technological University of Panama. The simulation provided us with concrete information to identify critical values of thermal nonconformity at the main transit points. After this, we take those transit points and other points with high temperature values and evaluate different factors that affect comfort in them. By means of in situ measurements, we validate the results of the simulations, giving us temperature values very similar to the simulations.