Design for improving pedestrian wind comfort: a case study on a courtyard around a tall building

Abstract

Wind has an important impact on pedestrian comfort around buildings. Wind around tall buildings may cause significant problems at the pedestrian level and requires analysis. Wind comfort analyses are conducted via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and wind-tunnel studies. Engineering solutions are crucial in addressing wind discomfort issues. However, such solutions should not be applied independently of the architectural context. A multidisciplinary approach can bridge the gap between architectural design and engineering wind-comfort solutions. Adopting such an approach, this paper presents a design strategy to mitigate wind discomfort in a courtyard around a tall building. The CFD simulation results indicate that the proposed design provides the required wind comfort levels according to the NEN 8100 standard. In addition, using CFD simulations in combination with the standard is demonstrated to be an efficient method for improving pedestrian wind comfort. This outcome can help guide future research on wind comfort and thus contributes to improving the environmental quality of urban areas.