Indexed by:Essay collection

First Author:Qiu Jin

Correspondence Author:Wenjian Pan*

Journal:6th International Conference on Building Energy and Environment (COBEE2025)

Affiliation of Author(s):Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Place of Publication:The Netherlands

Discipline:Engineering

First-Level Discipline:Architecture

Funded by:HUST Initial Scientific Research Fund for Youth Faculty

Document Type:C

Key Words:Shading forms; Cooling effect; Computational simulations; Urban informality

Date of Publication:2025-05-01

Abstract:Old urban neighbourhoods usually possess diverse morphological patterns while fostering many intellectual and adaptive strategies to cope with heat waves. Shading, an approach of establishing thermally comfortable outdoor environments and a medium of place-making in high-density old urban neighbourhoods, can be traced and learned for climatic adaptive rehabilitation and urban governance. This study takes Chang’an Neighbourhood as a case study site, representing a typical traditional and old neighbourhood with high-density morphological characteristics in Wuhan, China. The study adopted Christopher Alexander’s Pattern Language theory and methodology for field survey to systematically investigate the typical forms of informal shadings to be employed by occupants in the site. It then conducted computational simulations with the ENVI-met platform to test the cooling effect of these soft and micro-scale shading strategies during peak hours in summer daytime. The paper also preliminarily discusses how the informal shading strategies can be applied in old urban neighbourhoods to alleviate urban heat island effects during urban design and planning. Findings of the study provides insights of informality into urban renewal that aim to achieve ecologically resilient and healthy development.

Number of Words:3500

Links to published journals:www.tue.nl/conferences