Improving Urban Environment through Open Spaces’ Bioclimatic Interventions

Margarita Karavasili Architect d.p.l.g. – Msc. of Urban & Spacial Planning

President of Citizens’ Inspectorate for Sustainable Development

ex. Special Secretary of Environmental & Energey Inspectorate

City Open

spaces

Building

In the debate on sustainability,

a lot of time and effort goes to

buildings,

which are responsible for

almost 40% of the total final

energy consumption on a

European and national level.

This consumption, either in

the form of heat (using

primarily oil) or electricity,

besides being a significant

economic burden due to the

high cost of energy,

results in large scale

atmospheric pollution,

mainly carbon dioxide (CO2)

which is responsible for the

greenhouse effect.

A further 25 % is accounted for by traffic.

It is crucial and effective to promote initiatives, designs, research and proposals that challenge the sustainability

of the public open space

open spaces role is crucial in combating

urban heat island effect and in creating a

favorable microclimate.

Unsustainable cities …

Unsustainable Production &

Consumption Patterns …

Energy

Water

Waste

Materials

Traditionally, decisions and designs have been

based on economics, form and function.

The broader environmental context , in which all things exist,

and on which all things rely- has not adequately been

considered.

we have to understand that

WE are part of the environment, and

not separate from it

If we want to

have

ecological

resources to

use in the

future,

and ensure a

high quality

of life,

we must start

considering

the broader

environmenta

l context in

our choices,

in every level,

regional &

urban

planning,

and buildings

design.

the cultural heritage

the built environment

local climatic conditions

natural resources

technology

Ecologically sustainable

development

Appropriate technology

Sustainable design process

Why ? Our childrens’ future is involved

1

1

The ribbons of sustainable development

Narbonne 2006 laureate

Joint environment diagnosis

Energy planning programme

Local Agenda 21

1

2

The ribbons of sustainable development

Narbonne 2006 laureate The City of Narbonne, Crossroads of

southern Europe

Providing global results “ Zero CO2 Impact ”

“ Vehicule free ” cities = controlled interior circulation

“ Passive buildings “ = energy consumption reduced by half

Energy requirements “ filled by renewable energies “

“Drinking water” consumption reduced by half”

“ Selective sorting at source “ and “ silent collection “ of refuse

Implementation of “ services to facilitate eco citizens action “

• Political willingness

the pedestrian is more

important that the vehicle

Pedestrian and cycle roads, community transportation, vehicule parks, a reasonable amount of vehicule traffic (defiveries, removals..)

By services facilitating vehicule-

free pratices: vehicule sharing,

delivery services

Two master words :

Economise and Recycle

Halve your amount

of drinking water

Urban public spaces have been host to many political, social and economic activities throughout history.

From the early days of the agorae in Greece, where bustling trade occurred…

to the Place Royale in Paris where political revolution took place,

public space has been at the core of many cities’ most important happenings.

The core functions of public space have the capacity to radically change with the passing of time.

The squares and streets of cities have historically

been closely tied to markets and commerce but

worrying trends of serving business instead of

community are emerging.

Surfaces that were once permeable and

moist become impermeable and dry.

These changes cause urban regions to

become warmer than their rural

surroundings, forming an "island" of

higher temperatures in the landscape.

Large amounts of concrete and asphalt

hold more heat than a rural area.

Tall city buildings limit air flow.

Little vegetation - Limited cooling shade.

The improvement of the energy characteristics of the open public

spaces is expected the reduce the heat island effect,

It contributes to the improvement of the microclimate at urban scale , as well as at

the scale of the surrounding buildings,

and will yield a series of other benefits with respect to life in the urban

environment.

The energy benefit to the surrounding buildings will result from the reduction of

the cooling load during the warm periods of the year.

By using:

• light colored concrete surfaces, pavers and/or open grid pavement used in

non-roof areas, for higher albedo (reflectivity),

• design entrance plazas, walkways and parking lots with light decorative

concrete pavement,

• green roofs (harness the same evaporative cooling effect that cities lose when

they hack away vegetation) • roof sprinkling (evaporative cooling solution)

• ecological revitalization of urban open spaces

Environmental impact evaluation

models and tools.

A list of indicators for the socio-economic

implications of the development of outdoor spaces

for urban activities.

Benito Jimenez Alcala Environmental Αspects

of Hispano-Moslem Architecture PhD 2002,

AA EE London

Δημοσιοι χωροι

Design Guidelines

Design Guidelines 1. General rules

2. Application of DG to the

selected open spaces in

Thessaloniki

3. Application

of DG to

principal case

study sites

ENVI-met 2.5 (Μichael Bruse, University of Bochun www.ENVI-met.com)

Simulations Temperature & air movement

S. Alvarez et al, University of Seville

DESIGN TOOLS

Effect of vegetation

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0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Solar hour

Te

mp

era

ture

(ºC

)

Rural

Vegetation

No vegetation

Effect of Street Layout

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Solar hour

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mp

era

ture

(ºC

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Rural

Avenue

Narrow Street

Effect of Antropogenic Heat Sources

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0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Solar hour

Te

mp

era

ture

(ºC

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Rural

No traffic street

Traffic street

Simulations

Natural ventilation / cooling of open spaces

Simulations

Issues and Indicators Link together the overall social function of urban

open spaces and the descriptive analysis of selected open spaces with the design procedure.

• Evaluate

thermal comfort conditions

of a design scheme, giving a variation of the radiant thermal load as a function of the use of different materials

environmental impact of alternative urban forms, examining the environmental performance of urban textures, contributing to temperature, sun and wind analysis



Buildings are like the cities heat points

during 24 hours & the whole year …

Solar energy absorption

solar energy absorption

by dark surface

high air temperature

Objective: upgrade reflection effect

Light colored surface Temperature

Tair inside

Troof surface

Tsky

Tair outside

Tceiling

natural properties of materials

Reflection

Emission

Absorption

Expo 98 Λισαβωνα

Charing Cross, London

Think comfor of Public

Spaces…

Think comfor of Public Spaces…

Pilot Applications

Pilot Applications: Municipality of Alimos

General view of the site

Total area:

≈ 520m²

Net area

provided for

application

(without

sidewalks):

≈ 240m²

A square located in

the suburbs of

Athens, Alimos, was

designed on the basis

of biocliamtic criteria

in a biois partially

shaded by both the

galleries & the trees.

Pilot Applications: Municipality of Alimos – Design Process

1st Design Proposal Partner's comments (Kassel Meeting & on extranet)

2nd Design Proposal

Final Proposal

Partner's comments (Milan Meeting)

Need for visual contact at

ground level

Adjacent future pedestrian

street-> need for entrances

Low noise & visual contact

requirements

Tilt shading devises

Reduction on the number of proposed trees. Trees

with canopy at height above eye-level

Creation of a pathway crossing the site

No sound barrier

Solar geometry study:=> Not needed

Limited use of pergolas over

pathways.

Water surfaces & grass to

counterbalance the temperature

increase by shading devises

removal

Exposed areas

Pilot Applications: Municipality of Alimos – Design Process

1st Design Proposal Partner's comments (Kassel Meeting & on extranet)

2nd Design Proposal

Final Proposal


Reduction on the number of proposed trees. Trees

with canopy at height above eye-level

Creation of a pathway crossing the site

No sound barrier

Solar geometry study:=> Not needed

Pergolas are blocking the view

to the site and do not permit

children attendance

Opportunity to choose shaded

or solar exposed area to rest

Limited use of pergolas over

pathways.

Water surfaces & grass to

counterbalance the temperature

increase by shading devises

removal

Exposed areas


Deciduous trees

Bushes & trees (Canopy>Eye level)

Dense Bushes

& trees

Small Bushes

flowers

flowers

flowers

Pilot Applications: Municipality of Alimos Description

The site is partially shaded by both the galleries & the

trees. (Users have various choices concerning their

need for solar exposure in summer.)

Parks with grass and flowers together with water

surfaces, provide cooling in summer.

Darker, non reflective materials are used under the

galleries. (Overheating protection s provided by

shading these surfaces.)

Light colored surfaces covers the inner area of the site

Water surfaces provide a pleasant sound masking


Children’s Safety

1. The area is visible from

ground level & from the

surrounding buildings

2. The playground is in lower

level to prevent younger

children from escaping from

their escort's attention and to

provide tiers for escorts to

rest (both shaded & exposed)

3. No vertical elements

around the playground, to

prevent accidents

4. Night: Adequate lighting of

the area


Topographic

plan area

Simplified *

representation of site

shading

from surrounding

buildings on 21 Dec. * Ground surface is considered

horizontal. Considering the high

slope at south-west orientation,

true shaded area is larger after

12:00.

Site winter shading


Proposed

Design

Solution

Axonometric plan

Stage 1

Water Surfaces

Vegetation

Shading – Solar exposure

Materials – Glare control

Wind breaks

Water film

Play ground

Deciduous trees

Ground plan

Axonometric plan

Shades

oriented

south

Pilot Applications: Municipality of Alimos Solar exposure-Shading

Cross section at N-S orientation

Pilot Applications: Municipality of Thermi – Design Process

1st Design Proposal

Kassel Meeting :Partner's comments

Official approval by the Municipality council (Feb.19)

Contacts with Municipality authorities. Mun. Authority's comments

Contacts with Municipality authorities Mun. Authority's comments

Partner's comments (25 May)

Public Meeting :Citizens comments, specific problems,

requirements & approval (Feb.21)

Detailed study


2nd Design Proposal

3rd Design Proposal

Contacts with Municipality authorities Mun. Authority's comments

Final Design Proposal ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓

2. The networks maintenance requires frequent surface digging

Every new building construction would create “holes” on the

surface that would harm the aesthetics of the site.

“Conventional” materials were used for surface covering.

3. Proposal for covering a portion of the ground surface with

perforated blocks, filled with grass

Difficult maintenance & ease of walking

“Solid” materials were used for surface covering

4. Need for light traffic some hours every day (cars & trucks)

The limited width of the gallery would made traffic difficult along

the site and along the crossing roads. Sound barrier not applicable

Smaller size of towers & placement next (not inside) the road

5. Use of perforated aluminum shades on the top of the gallery

Stability reasons of the gallery require low material weight.

The cost of the material was also taken into account

After contacts with various companies with adequate products, the

use of semi-transparent polycarbonate foils was chosen.

6. Applicability of the Design Proposal

In order to step into a detailed study, various studies were done.

(Not directly related with RUROS, but necessary for the

applicability of the proposal

1. Underground public network study (future networks, watering

etc.)

2. Civil engineer study in order to ensure the stability of the gallery

3. Detailed market research on available material properties, cost &

applicability

4. Solar Geometry study

5. Artificial lighting study

1. Existence of underground public networks at various depths.

Restricts the potential tree planting to specific locations only,

because the root system would disable the maintenance of the

networks and could cause damage.

Each proposed position for tree planting and for park locations,

does not affect the public networks

Pilot Applications: Municipality of Thermi

3rd Design Proposal (Presented during the Meeting in Milan)

After the acceptance of the proposal, the

detailed study had to overcome the

following restrictions:


Section A Section B Section C

Section D

3rd Design Proposal (Detailed study)

Ground Plan

Cross Section

Equal distance

on both sides

Side-gardens with flowers

next to the road

2 artistic seat benches

(sculptures)

A “square”, with grass

and trees with colored

fruits (plum & sour orange

trees)

2 symbolic towers

representing bioclimatic

elements (Sun, Wind,

Rain, Time-seasons)

Various seat benches next to

& inside the “square”, under

the trees

2 springs (water surfaces) Paths, connecting the building

entrances with the road,

offering direct access to

people


Section A

Each section contains:

2 fountains


Mechanically controlled columns to

prevent vehicle traffic during day time

Artistic seat bench

Existing or new trees

Garbage tanks

Colored asphalt

Side gardens with

flowers

Ceramic blocks

Pavement tiles


Spring Ceramic blocks

Pavement tiles

Side garden Red asphalt


Symbolic Tower

Element: Sun

Large garbage

tank Position

Seats


“Square”

Seat Benches

Katsantonis

Park and

perimeter

roads

The project concerns the

redesign of Katsantonis

Park and perimeter roads

and also

interventions to existing

buildings

that house services of

Municipality of Eleftherio-

Kordelio: welfare (Center for

Creative Children

Occupation) and offices

(Thematic Broadband Youth

Park).

Landscape design concerns redesigning of the open spaces,

taking into account existing uses,

pedestrian and vehicular traffic and accesses.

Existing compatible elements were preserved and new ones were

introduced, according to the concept of intervention: thematic

arrangement, redesign of playground and water route, parking areas

Thermal behaviour simulations were performed with special software

based on accurate climatic data of the region, leading to:

- Location of activities based on the microclimate

- Planting of a variety of plants aiming at thermal comfort

- Shading, wind redirection and protection devices

- Selection of suitable floor materials, building elements and urban

equipment

- Introduction of new technologies (recycling, renewable energy

sources)

THANK YOU, FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Improving Urban Environment through Open Spaces’ Bioclimatic Interventions

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