Impact of extreme weather events on the thermal comfort of vulnerable populations in the city of Sao Paulo
Alessandro Augusto Dardin*, Leonardo Marques Monteiro
Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
DOI: 10.62744/CATE.45273.1155-396-405
Email: aledardin@usp.br
Abstract:
In a context of global warming, heat waves are predicted to become more frequent and intense along the next decades. The elderly are among the most vulnerable groups to extreme heat due to their dysfunctional thermoregulatory mechanisms and propensity to illnesses. This research aims to assess impacts of urban heating on this demographic group, using the ENVI-met V.5 model to simulate microclimatic conditions at a representative neighborhood in the city of São Paulo, adopting the PET Index as a comparative variable. Results obtained from historical climate data are compared to those of projections according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 8.5 scenario. After the realization of impacts, urban surfaces albedo modifications were tested, in search for the most effective mitigating adaptations. Results obtained until now show that increasing average albedo of built surfaces can help moderate rising temperatures, but would not be enough to compensate the increase predicted for the coming decades.
Keywords: Heatwaves, Urban Adaptation, ENVI-met, PET Index, Outdoor Thermal Comfort