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Microclimate in Hot Dry Damascus: The Influence of the Urban Environment on Human Perception

Yahia, Moohammed Wasim LU and Johansson, Erik LU (2013) In Journal of Earth Science and Engineering 3(8). p.554-561
Abstract
There is a broad recognition that microclimatic conditions contribute to the quality of life in cities. A favorable

microclimate has a positive influence on both commercial and social activities. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship

between the human being and the surrounding thermal environment in terms of thermal acceptability, physical quality of the place,

emotional state and the usage of the urban space in hot dry Damascus, Syria. The study is based on questionnaire surveys during the

summer and winter in six locations with different microclimates. It is shown that the urban design plays a significant role in

improving the microclimate, especially during the summer. The... (More)
There is a broad recognition that microclimatic conditions contribute to the quality of life in cities. A favorable

microclimate has a positive influence on both commercial and social activities. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship

between the human being and the surrounding thermal environment in terms of thermal acceptability, physical quality of the place,

emotional state and the usage of the urban space in hot dry Damascus, Syria. The study is based on questionnaire surveys during the

summer and winter in six locations with different microclimates. It is shown that the urban design plays a significant role in

improving the microclimate, especially during the summer. The study also illustrates that when people’s thermal perception is within

the thermally acceptable range (i.e., slightly cool, comfortable and slightly warm) they experience the urban design as significantly

more beautiful and more pleasant than during thermally unacceptable conditions. The results indicate that there is an interactive

relationship between the urban design and humans’ emotional state. Our findings suggest that a new perspective is needed for

determining urban microclimate requirements and incorporating them into the urban design process to enhance the thermal

environment in outdoor urban spaces in Damascus. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to specialist publication or newspaper
publication status
published
subject
keywords
urban design, thermal perception, outdoor urban spaces, Damascus, hot dry climate
categories
Higher Education
in
Journal of Earth Science and Engineering
volume
3
issue
8
pages
554 - 561
publisher
David Publishing Company
ISSN
2159-581X
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f8f92a22-8357-4a9c-ab39-79c359321724 (old id 4300751)
alternative location
http://davidpublishing.org/show.html?14770
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:28:21
date last changed
2023-11-14 15:48:25
@misc{f8f92a22-8357-4a9c-ab39-79c359321724,
  abstract     = {{There is a broad recognition that microclimatic conditions contribute to the quality of life in cities. A favorable<br/><br>
microclimate has a positive influence on both commercial and social activities. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship<br/><br>
between the human being and the surrounding thermal environment in terms of thermal acceptability, physical quality of the place,<br/><br>
emotional state and the usage of the urban space in hot dry Damascus, Syria. The study is based on questionnaire surveys during the<br/><br>
summer and winter in six locations with different microclimates. It is shown that the urban design plays a significant role in<br/><br>
improving the microclimate, especially during the summer. The study also illustrates that when people’s thermal perception is within<br/><br>
the thermally acceptable range (i.e., slightly cool, comfortable and slightly warm) they experience the urban design as significantly<br/><br>
more beautiful and more pleasant than during thermally unacceptable conditions. The results indicate that there is an interactive<br/><br>
relationship between the urban design and humans’ emotional state. Our findings suggest that a new perspective is needed for<br/><br>
determining urban microclimate requirements and incorporating them into the urban design process to enhance the thermal<br/><br>
environment in outdoor urban spaces in Damascus.}},
  author       = {{Yahia, Moohammed Wasim and Johansson, Erik}},
  issn         = {{2159-581X}},
  keywords     = {{urban design; thermal perception; outdoor urban spaces; Damascus; hot dry climate}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{554--561}},
  publisher    = {{David Publishing Company}},
  series       = {{Journal of Earth Science and Engineering}},
  title        = {{Microclimate in Hot Dry Damascus: The Influence of the Urban Environment on Human Perception}},
  url          = {{http://davidpublishing.org/show.html?14770}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}