Designing the urban microclimate

An urban microclimate is the distinctive climate in a small-scale urban area, and is constituted by the influence of the built environment on the larger scale climatic conditions. The atmospheric variables in a microclimate can deviate substantially from the conditions prevailing over a larger area. In other words: the design of a city and its components sets the conditions for their microclimates.

Urban microclimates can significantly affect physical well-being, both positively and negatively. One can think of the regulation of body temperature by sun and wind, the regulation of and hormone levels by daylight, decreased lung function due to air pollution, uv-induced skin cancer, etc.

This website aims to help urban designers create conditions for healthy and comfortable urban microclimates, by giving some background information on the influence of urban design on the different climate elements, highlighting the physical principles involved and presenting some guidelines, illustrated by example projects.