A Microclimatic Analysis of Ancient and Contemporary Urban Landscape Patterns in Lahore-Pakistan

• Main Author: Mazhar, Naveed
• Other Authors: Brown, Robert
• Language: en
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10214/3943

A contemporary urban plaza and an ancient 16th century garden were selected for a microclimatic analysis in the hot and arid city of Lahore, Pakistan. The objective of this comparative study was to analyze microclimatic components on these two locations and in the end to optimize thermal comfort of open urban plazas employing site-specific design solutions. Based on the energy budget values of a person calculated using COMFA, the study sites were compared with the local weather station. It was found that the energy budget of a person standing on an un shaded urban plaza would be 150-219 W/m2 more than in Shalamar garden, which was measured at 139 to 184 W/m2. Total amount of radiation absorbed by a person (Rabs) on an urban plaza was found to be the variable most influencing the overheating. In the end, informed design interventions aimed at mitigating the impact of Rabs were proposed.