Study on the role of vegetation towards thermal comfort in outdoor urban areas
Rupendra Subedi1*, H.B. Rijal1, Supriya Khadka1, Naja Aqilah1, Prativa Lamsal2
1: Tokyo City University, Tokyo, Japan;
2: Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
DOI: 10.62744/CATE.45273.1177-389-395
Email: rupendrasub@gmail.com
Abstract:
Urban heat islands have a direct impact on the areas where people are suffering from heat stress during
the hot climatic conditions. In order to get relief from heat stress, many researchers have explored various
strategies that have given more importance to green spaces i.e. vegetation. Urban greenery such as parks, gardens, and street trees helps to improve outdoor thermal comfort. Several research in different countries have given approaches to vegetation as improving methods for outdoor thermal comfort of urban open spaces. The main goal of this study is to analyze the human perceptions of outdoor conditions in Ratna-park, Kathmandu, Nepal through field survey and to establish the relationship between meteorological parameters. 78% of the visitors voted for neutral which shows that they are highly satisfied with the park. Additionally, the mean comfort temperature was found to be 29.1 C. People are well adapted to the thermal environment of the urban park, and thus the comfort temperature was significantly high in summer.
Keywords: Outdoor Thermal Comfort, Field Survey, Urban Park, Comfort Temperature, Griffiths' Method