Decoding

Urban Nature
03
 Decoding Urban Nature

3 BUILDINGS & CLIMATE

Adapting cities for

Page 26 - 35

2 climate change
WIND & SUN
Urban areas are home to millions of people who are exposed to
Page 16 - 25
the climatological conditions of their environment every day.
In order to create sustainable living conditions for them, minimi-
sation of heat stress, air pollution and wind risk should be a core
topic for politicians, architects and urban planners – especially
when environmental conditions threaten health. Our mission
is therefore to help building more livable urban areas for people
and plants.

Sustainability is often considered as a compromise between

4
people’s needs and the needs of the environment.
However, we show in numbers that the contrary is true.

1
It is just a case of understanding the dynamics of the local
TREES & VEGETATION environment to enable sustainable designs. We do this by
investigating and quantifying the effects of architectural and
Page 36 - 45 urban planning on the microclimate of outdoor spaces with
CITIES & HEALTH our ENVI_MET simulation software.

Page 06 - 15 Our system is based on a high-resolution numerical simulation

of the urban environment using the latest scientific approaches
in thermodynamics, fluid simulation and tree physiology. In the
complex world of outdoor environments, climate parameters,
vegetation, surfaces and structures constantly interact with each
other. Due to the resulting interdependencies, these elements
cannot be viewed in isolation or be analysed independently of
one another. For an adequate simulation of such an environment
and its feedback processes, it is vital to integrate all the interac-
ting elements into one system, even if only a single climatological
aspect such as air temperature is required.

To meet these challenges, ENVI_MET uses an unmatched and

unique holistic approach in which all the different aspects of a
microclimate are linked and simulated together in one complex
model that ensures an all-encompassing analysis.

Daniela Bruse, CEO ENVI_MET

July, 2017

ENVI_MET GmbH
Kaninenberghöhe 2 [email protected]
45136 Essen T 0049 201 476726-5
Germany www.envi-met.com

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ENVI_MET Decoding Urban Nature

About ENVI_MET About us

ENVI_MET is a holistic microclimate model, in which all the different elements of an Passionate and driven by the desire to understand and simulate our environment as a
urban or landscape setting interact which each other. The initial version of ENVI_MET holistic organism, we wanted to develop a climate software that works with objective
was designed back in 1994. Since then the model has been constantly developed, scientific methods so that measurable and sustainable actions on climate change are
always considering the latest simulation techniques and making the most of computer possible. Our vision is therefore to prove the beneficial effects of green architectural
technology advances. designs, green & blue technologies and landscape architecture for outdoor climates
all over the world.
The models’ calculation modules span over a wide range of different scientific discip-
lines from fluid dynamics over thermodynamics to plant physiology or soil science. It is There are many companies that will tell you that they do what we do. But the reason why
the heart of the ENVI_MET model philosophy to integrate all these different approaches the ENVI_MET software has become one of the leading simulation tools when addressing
into a single model so that all elements can interact with each other and reproduce the the impact of architecture and urban planning on the microclimate system, is that it is
synergies we can observe in the real. always a few years ahead of other systems, setting new standards in high-resolution
climate modeling.
This holistic approach makes ENVI_MET different to other models for environmental
simulation. There are many models which calculate the air flow between buildings or the Moreover, as the designers of ENVI_MET, we can offer you a wide range of specialised
solar input on facades, but there are only very few, if any, that see the whole system in one and personalised simulation modules matching your individual design idea. This ensures
picture and consider the multitude of processes that take place between the elements. that you get the best out of your design and project visions. So – besides the license sale
of our software – we also work worldwide with our ENVI_MET EXPERT package for academic,
civic, residential and commercial property clients.

Areas of application Solar analysis: Wind flow and Turbulence: Microclimate

and Thermal Comfort:
– Sun & shade hours – Wind patterns in complex
– Glazing analysis environments – Outdoor thermal comfort
– Shadow casting – Wind speed at buildings for humans and plants
– Solar energy gain and trees
– Wind comfort

Green & blue technologies: Pollutant dispersion: Building physics: Tree-Pass:

– Benefits of façade & rooftop greening – Release, transport and deposition – Façade temperatures – Analysis of plant growing
– Impact of green spaces and water of particles & gases – Interaction of outdoor conditions
– Simulation of Living walls – Chemical reactions in the air microclimate with indoor climate – Tree wind stress diagnostics
– Energy exchange with outdoor – Water usage simulation
environment

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 1
Cities and Health

AIR POLLUTION

Cities & Health

THERMAL COMFORT

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Cities and Health Air pollution

Air pollution
It is common sense that clean air is essential for
the well-being of humans, animals and plants.
But high traffic density, fuel combustion, biomass
burning and industries are creating a mixture of
air pollutants that are major risk to health.

China tops the WHO list for deadly outdoor air pollution so far,
but also in Europe there are nearly 500,000 premature deaths
each year. Decades of industrialisation and rapid economic
growth have led several countries to experience air acidification,
harming vegetation and buildings.

Even when the emission situation is not that severe, the com-
bination of pollutant sources and poorly aerated areas such as
narrow street canyons can quickly lead to the accumulation and
local enrichment of air pollutants in excess of air quality stan-
dards. Moreover, it is known that even low pollutant concentra-
tions can increase allergic responses e.g. to pollens.

The pollutant dispersion model of ENVI_MET allows the

synchronous release, dispersion and deposition of up to six
different pollutants including particles and both passive and
reactive gases. Sedimentation and deposition on surfaces
and vegetation is taken into account as well as the photo-
chemical reaction between NO, NO2 and Ozone (O3) and the
release of (B)VOC through plants.

The results can be used to better understand the dynamics of

local pollutant dispersion and help to develop urban street-
scapes and green infrastructure for improving air quality and
human well-being.

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Cities and Health Air pollution

Air quality conditions can vary

highly in urban areas.

In urban areas, traffic is the largest source of

pollutants in the air. Pollutants such as
particulate matters (PM) or chemically active
gases such as NO and NO2 are massive
health threats to citizens, animals and plants.
Through wind transport, airborne pollutants
can travel several hundreds of meters or more
causing emission loads far away from the
original source. To understand and improve
the transport and dispersion of pollutants, an
integrated modelling analysis is required.
This includes the calculation of the complex
urban wind field, the chemical conversion of
pollutants, and the consideration of
deposition processes on plants and surfaces.

Distribution of NO in an urban CBD area

Vegetation is an effective but complex tool

to control air quality

Vegetation elements such as trees, hedges

and green façades are tools to control
pollutant distribution. But the interactions
between green elements and air flow,
turbulence and pollutant deposition form a Dispersion of of particles from a road and resulting concentration on building façade
highly complex and interactive system that
cannot be assessed by rule of thumb.
Through the interactive coupling of the Indoor and outdoor air quality are directly linked through microclimate
pollutant dispersion modelling with the high-
resolution vegetation model, ENVI_MET Many people think of air pollution as a purely outdoor problem. But if
allows an estimation of the benefits of even windows are opened or air conditioning takes air from the outside, outdoor
complex nature-based solutions to manage pollutants are transported into the indoor environment. Whether you
air quality. will receive fresh air or air pollutants when you open your window depends
on the microscale wind patterns around the building. ENVI_MET allows the
analysis of wind flow and pollutant transport for each façade segment of a
Dispersion of particulate matters PM10 through a vegetation barrier building down to a resolution of one metre.

12 13
Cities and Health Thermal Comfort

Thermal comfort
In the context of urban microclimates, thermal
comfort is the key indicator to describe people′s
subjective experience of temperature in open
spaces. It summarises the impact of sun, wind, air
temperature and humidity on thermal sensation.

If the human body is not able to compensate for hot or cold

environmental conditions through thermoregulation, thermal
discomfort arises and the actual environment is perceived to
be too warm or too cold. Unpleasant thermal conditions in
urban areas are one of the main reasons why people prefer to
live in the outskirts of the city rather than in the centre. This
leads to a continuous expansion of urbanised areas, known
as urban sprawl. There are many environmental and economic
drawbacks associated with this sprawl effect, of which
land consumption and traffic congestion are probably the
most obvious.

Sustainable urban open spaces must therefore have a design

where the expectations and wishes of the potential users meet
with the functional requirements of the city structure. Hence,
assessing the microclimate conditions of an urban space
means finding out how pedestrians feel under given climatic
conditions – especially their thermal and wind comfort
– and how this affects the behaviour within the urban structure.

In addition, adequate thermal conditions can play a key role in

the economic success of outdoor facilities such as cafés,
shopping streets or recreational areas. Different thermo-
dynamic models in ENVI_MET allow a holistic evaluation of
steady state and transient thermal comfort conditions.

14 15
Cities and Health Thermal Comfort

Analysing the urban heat island

The urban heat island is a phenomenon that

can range from small hot spots in a street
neighborhood up to complete quarters of
the city. To understand the thermal perfor-
mance of a city by block or at district level,
a holistic and dynamic simulation of all
causal elements of the urban heat island
must be performed. These elements include
surface and wall temperatures, wind flow
patterns, transpiration of vegetation or the
soil wetness. As all elements are considered
in the simulation process, the urban system
can be analysed from a multitude of
perspectives be they building physics, health
of vegetation or human thermal comfort,
all using the same simulation results.
ENVI_MET provides a number of interactive
Distribution of overheated urban areas in Vienna, Austria at tools to assist the user in big data analysis
district level in the afternoon and visualisation.

Distribution of physiological equivalent temperature (PET) at 13:00

Urban neighbourhoods are a patchwork of
different microclimates

The multitude of different materials, buildings What the microclimate means for humans:
and vegetation builds a patchwork of very calculating thermal comfort indicators
different microclimate conditions within
close range of each other. Shaded Thermal perception of the environment is driven by meteorological
backyards and urban parks can provide cool parameters such as wind, solar and thermal radiation, air temperature and air
pockets and recreational areas even under humidity. To understand how humans feel under given thermal conditions,
hot summer conditions. To understand and biometeorological models that combine the outdoor conditions with the
analyse the impact of redesign and heat human thermoregulatory system are applied. One of these is the
mitigation strategies, a continuous physiological equivalent temperature (PET) shown in the picture that is
simulation of least 24 hours must run to calculated using ENVI_MET Biomet. PET relates an outdoor condition to an
capture all the different heating and cooling imaginary indoor situation in which a room temperature of PET will result in
effects in an urban area. the same thermal experience as the outdoor condition analysed.

Distribution of air temperature at

neighborhood level at 14:00

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 2
Wind and Sun

Wind & Sun WINDFLOW

SOLAR ACCESS

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Wind and Sun Solar Access

Solar radiation
The urban heat island effect, in which an urban area
is markedly warmer than surrounding non-urban
areas, will likely increase in coming decades.
Although urbanisation is predicted to increase
dramatically within the next 30 years, this trend has
still not been included in many climate model
projections and is rarely factored into the criteria of
planning and design processes.

In most countries, the summer climate is affected by urban heat,

humidity and high solar radiation. The sunlight that hits the built-
up areas is often absorbed by dark, non-reflective surfaces which
release the heat into the local environment. In addition, low wind
speeds in summertime contribute significantly to an
increased intensity of urban heat.

From all microclimate elements, solar radiation is the component

with the highest spatial and temporal variation within urban
areas. Shading from buildings and other elements on the one
hand – and the reflection of radiation on bright or glassy facades
on the other – can create complex patterns of radiation fluxes.
So, understanding and analysing local exposure to solar radiation
and daylight over the year is essential for all urban and architec-
tural planning processes. Both too much and too little access
to sunlight can lead to uncomfortable living conditions for both
humans and plants in indoor and outdoor spaces.

ENVI_MET provides sophisticated three-dimensional analysis tools

to calculate and trace the distribution of short-wave direct, diffuse
and reflected solar radiation within the outdoor environment.
In contrast to other software programs that allow the simulation
of radiation fluxes, ENVI_MET can also simulate airflow, heat and
vapour exchange in urban areas, with a high temporal and spatial
resolution using the same input data as for the solar analysis.

20 21
Wind and Sun Solar Access

To design buildings with the sun

means finding the balance between too
much and too little radiation.

Building façades and roofs represent the

largest proportion of sun-exposed surfaces
in urban areas. The energy available at the
building‘s outer envelope provides the
basic framework for all energy-related
processes involving the building, from
solar energy harvesting options to cooling
demands.

ENVI_MET‘s solar access modules allow a quick

and comprehensive analysis of solar radiation
on all building façades taking into account the
environment including vegetation.

Potential sun hours on façades and roof tops on a summer day

Reflected solar radiation calculated with IVS

Solargrams: A quick overview of solar

access all throughout the year

Besides detailed microclimate analysis for High resolution modelling of solar radiation in complex environments
time rages from one to several days,
ENVI_MET also provides long-term yearly The reflection of solar radiation from highly reflective façades made of metal or
analysis of important climate parameters glass can change the local microclimate significantly. In the picture above, the
such as solar access. This allows not only for upper right building has a façade made of aluminum while the other buildings
the estimation of the general energy input at use a standard concrete material. Radiation can increase by 300 W/m2 or more in
building façades, but also for the the area surrounding highly reflective materials. In ENVI_MET, the Indexed View
quantification of growing conditions for Sphere (IVS) method allows for high-resolution modelling of radiation fluxes
plants all through the year. including multiple reflections and exact estimation of thermal radiation.

Analysis of relative local solar access throughout the year

22 23
Wind and Sun Windflow

Wind flow
Cities worldwide prepare themselves with different
devices to adapt to the negative consequences of
climate risks like heat waves, heavy rain and stormy
winds. The wind situation differs considerably
between urban areas and more open spaces.

Through the three-dimensional structure and disposition of

building volumes within cities it is possible to experience areas
of high wind speeds and turbulent wind gusts. The opposite
situation can be found in the immediate vicinity of those areas.
Zones with very low wind speed and stagnating air masses can
increase the effect of heat stress, the accumulation of pollutants
and promote the development of varmints in vegetation.

Through in-situ measurements it is possible to collect local

information on wind speed and direction, but in order to obtain
spatially inclusive and comprehensive data, especially when
considering future planning scenarios, wind tunnel experiments
or computational fluid analysis (CFD) are absolutely essential.
Since wind tunnel studies are not only very complex, but can also
represent only a few partial aspects of the possible microclima-
tological conditions, numerical studies have now established
themselves as standard in research and practice with the aid of
simulation programs.

The ENVI_MET software is the world‘s only numerical climate

model to analyse the interactions between urban development,
architecture and landscape architecture as well as the microcli-
mate and air quality down to a scale of one metre. It is thus
possible to investigate the interactions between climatological
conditions and local environmental design.

24 25
Wind and Sun Windflow

In semi-open spaces, wind is the direct

connection between inside and outside

Semi-open spaces like atriums, train stations

or the football stadium – shown in the
figure to the right – develop a very unique
microclimate that is driven by the meteo-
rological situation and the design of the
surrounding space.

Wind and sun are the two microclimate

elements that establish an immediate
connection with the outside environment.

Wind trajectories inside a football stadium

Wind vectors and wind speed at street block level

Wind vertex between a row of trees and a building block

The wind field determines all exchange process Urban microscale wind fields vary within a few meters

Simulating the three-dimensional wind field is one of the most important tasks when analysing The interactions between buildings, vegetation and other elements in the urban space produce
the urban microclimate and air quality. The wind vector determines not only the transport of highly complex wind patterns than can completely change within a few metres. The figure above
energy away from surfaces and the distribution of pollutants, but also the comfort and wind risk shows a typical lee-vertex behind a building. At every single location, we find an individual wind
for humans and for vegetation. A full three-dimensional system of computational fluid dynamics direction and wind speed that drives the turbulence and exchange processes in the proximity
(CFD) is integrated into ENVI_MET and updated continuously according to changing thermal of the building and several metres away from the building walls.
conditions. Together with an advanced turbulence model, it forms the basis of the microclimate
and air quality simulation.

26 27
 3
Buildings and Climate

BUILDINGS PHYSICS

Buildings & Climate

CONNECTING INSIDE/OUTSIDE

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Buildings and Climate Connecting Inside/Outside

Connecting
inside/outside
Buildings are not independent systems, because
the indoor climate and the physics of the building
interact continuously with the outside microcli-
mate. Moreover, especially in urban areas, the
buildings interact with each other through
the modification of wind flows, solar access and
temperature effects.

The configuration of buildings, their location and organisation

form a unique microclimate at each site. A cluster of buildings,
together with urban surroundings such as green areas or traffic
infrastructure, form an even more complex and dynamic
organism. This includes building materials, surface textures and
colours that are exposed to the sun, and the design of open
spaces like squares, shopping streets, gardens and roads.

In recent years, new generations of buildings have been

developed that are influenced by adaptive materials and
constructions that have the ability to react to modifications in
their direct or indirect environment.

In order to understand the contribution of individual buildings

to the urban microclimate system, and to assess the energy
exchange between the interior of the building and the outside
microclimate, all elements must be simulated in an integrated
simulation framework. The holistic and high-resolution approach
of ENVI_MET allows for the simulation of the microscale urban
metabolism as a complex system and the energy fluxes at the
individual façade element of a single building.

30 31
Buildings and Climate Building Physics

Wind trajectories at the entrance of the German Foreign Office, Berlin Air temperature and building surface temperature at the Faculty of Geoscience at the University of Mainz, Germany.

At the interface between inside and outside Does air temperature influence the building‘s energy or vice versa?

Most modern buildings are no longer monolithic systems that exist independently from the environ- Is the building‘s energy balance influenced by its surroundings or does the building influence the
ment and consume energy to maintain their own metabolism. Today, buildings are designed with surroundings? Of course, both scenarios are true. But accounting for this reality in physical formulae
awareness of climatic conditions and often allow zones of smooth transitions between the inner is like the "chicken and egg" dilemma.
parts of the building and the outdoors. To understand the microclimate conditions in these transition
zones, the modelling system must factor in the dynamics of both the indoor and the outdoor The only solution is a holistic simulation, in which all processes are influencing each other towards
system. Moreover, as both systems are constantly interacting with and influencing each other, the a single solution. The figure above is one such example, where the outdoor air temperature conti-
components should not be analysed independently from each other. nuously interacts with the semi-open spaces of the building and the façade temperatures.

ENVI_MET offers a large set of calculation routines to estimate the energy and exchange conditions
at the interface of the open space and the indoor environment.

32 33
Buildings and Climate Building Physics

Building physics
Buildings form the majority of the urban
landscape and constitute the interface between
the indoor world and the outdoor climate. To
understand the dynamics of the urban climate
and to analyse its impacts on buildings‘ energy
conditions and consumption, an integrated
modelling of the building physics is essential.

The trend towards urbanisation has made it increasingly im-

portant to study the impact of urban microclimate on the heat
island effect and global warming – as well as the impact on the
energy consumption of buildings. In addition, urban comfort,
health and longevity of buildings related to pedestrian winds,
thermal comfort and pollutant dispersion are of increasing inte-
rest to architects and city planners.

Buildings can be seen as the atomic units of the urban

metabolism: the energy exchange processes taking place at
their outer envelope modify the local microclimate conditions
and form the system we call the urban climate. Conversely, the
resulting microclimate system also sets the boundary conditions
for the building‘s inner climate conditions. The more open a
building‘s design, the more it depends on these local conditions
to provide reasonable living standards for its inhabitants.

Sustainable urban planning therefore means not

only understanding the impact the arrangement of buildings
has on the local climate, but also looking at the processes
taking place at the single building level.

34 35
Buildings and Climate Building Physics

Façade elements and temperature at the German Foreign Office, Berlin Wind speed patterns at the Faculty of Geoscience at the University of Mainz, Germany

High resolution simulation of façade temperatures One of main factors for building physics is wind

The façade and the roof elements of a building form the interface between the outdoor climate and Wind and sun are the primary factors controlling the thermodynamics of a surface and the
the indoor building physics. Depending on their material properties – such as insulation, transmissivity distribution of heat. Therefore the ENVI_MET building model is directly coupled to the outdoor fluid
or heat conductivity ­– they decide if the radiation absorbed at the outside will be transported as dynamics model providing detailed wind data for each second of the day for each wall and façade
heat into the inner parts of the building or will remain in the outdoor space. Hence, optimising the segment of the building.
energy performance of the building might lead to a decline in the outdoor thermal comfort conditions
if all absorbed energy is reradiated as heat.

ENVI_MET analyses the energy performance of each building in the model domain in parallel with
the calculation of the outdoor microclimate conditions. That ensures that all feedback processes
of the two systems are considered and an optimal solution – with benefits for both the building
system and the outdoor microclimate – can be found.

36 37
 4
Trees and Vegetation

TREEPASS

Trees & Vegetation SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE

ARCHITECTURE

38
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Trees and Vegetation Sustainable Landscape Architecture

Sustainable
Landscape
Architecture
In the context of expected climate change,
urban and landscape planning face particular chal-
lenges. The buffering of heat waves and the hand-
ling of severe rain events are the key challenges
that are currently being pursued in the context of
adapting strategies to climate change. One of the
core tools for mitigating negative climate change
effects is the use of green infrastructure, in which
an increase in urban trees is a key function.

However, plants in general and urban trees in particular are

often exposed to hostile conditions in built-up areas. These
include, on the one hand, general location conditions such as
inadequate space for root systems or soil compaction, and on
the other hand extreme climatic conditions caused by the
urban structure.

In the urban wind field, acceleration effects can occur due to

jet effects and zones of increased turbulence, which can
lead to multiple wind loads compared to average conditions.
Conversely, often in the immediate vicinity of such strong
wind regions, there are zones with very low wind speeds and
stagnating air masses. Here, the physical impulses for the city
trees are small, but plant and animal pests can develop, which
can also lead to damage to the tree substance and thus to the
physical stability.

The often restricted root area reduce the possibilities for city
trees to supply themselves with sufficient water and mechanical
stability. A particular strength of ENVI_MET is the high-resolution
simulation of vegetation as a living organism, which makes it
possible to examine the vitality of trees or plants and to analyse
possible interactions with buildings and the urban microclimate.

40 41
Trees and Vegetation Sustainable Landscape Architecture

Wind conditions of trees close to a building Simulated leaf temperatures of two urban trees

Urban vegetation is exposed to complex environmental conditions Leaf temperatures are the key factor for urban cooling and tree health

The living conditions for vegetation in urban areas are complex and often hostile. Not only can the One of the key benefits when addressing green solutions in urban climatology is the ability of
limited amount of soil and water cause severe stress, but also the wind and turbulence conditions vegetation to cool down the air temperature not only through shading, which is only effective
especially in interaction with other urban objects such as buildings are complex. Buildings can during the day, but also through transpiration cooling. This process does not directly cool down
produce wind sheltered zones in which the trees grow up with limited efforts to invest in their the air but first cools down the leaves and then, through heat transfer, cools down the air flowing
own stability. In contrast, the same species on the other side of the building might be exposed to through the vegetation. So, the ability of vegetation to cool down the air requires a leaf temperature
increased turbulence, strong winds and rotating shear forces on their twigs and branches that lead that is lower than the air temperature. Moreover, if the foliage temperature rises above a certain
to a very different shape of the tree. For a sustainable landscape architecture it is important to threshold, then the leaf tissue gets destroyed.
understand the specific conditions at the different locations, especially if changes in urban settings
such as demolition or addition of buildings are planned. ENVI_MET calculates the leaf temperatures individually for each model grid box taking into account
the photosynthesis rate, water availability and the local microclimate conditions.
ENVI_MET provides a detailed analysis of the environmental conditions with a focus on the demands
of urban vegetation with respect to wind stress and storm risk.

42 43
Trees and Vegetation Tree Pass

ENVI_MET
Tree Pass
Finding the optimal growing conditions for selected
plants or supporting landscape architects in
finding the optimal planting scheme: The ENVI_MET
Tree Pass is a comprehensive summary of all
relevant microclimate growing conditions.

In the context of the ENVI_MET_Tree Pass method, plants or

trees take on a central importance. For example, wind loads,
water consumption and growing conditions at different sites
can be investigated and compared to the plants‘ needs. The
analysis of (potential) tree sites with regard to the local wind
conditions in relation to the tree size and geometry is an
important instrument for adapted landscape planning as well
as preventive disaster protection.

The high-resolution microclimate model represents the tree

crown in general as a three-dimensional point cloud of different
leaf surface densities connected to a stem skeleton. This
approach allows a first quantitative assessment of the hazard
potential caused by wind loads depending on tree geometry,
location and meteorological situation. In addition to the purely
physical forces that affect the tree‘s stability during strong
wind events, the longer-term conditions of the site are of great
importance. If strong wind events are accompanied with
unusual wind directions, trees that are normally wind protected
and therefore untrained may be more susceptible to damage.

The simulation can also be used to extend the risk assessment

for trees to other relevant aspects such as pest infestation,
thermal stress and water stress. The latter aspect is already
used today in simulations for climate adaptation of cities.

44 45
Trees and Vegetation Tree Pass

Wind drag forces affecting urban trees Wind streamlines in and between rows of different tree types

Wind risk and urban trees Rows of trees act like a single object rather than a collection of individual trees

Sustainable urban planning means not only providing a sustainable building infrastructure, but In both forests and urban environments trees are often organised in groups and rows. In this
also to provide adequate growing and living conditions for the planned or existing trees. constellation, the arrangement of trees acts like a single object in terms of wind conditions or light
access. Like humans, trees are trained during the growing process to adapt to their environmental
In case of strong or unusual wind situations, urban trees can break and cause not only the loss of conditions. Trees that are sheltered by other trees or by buildings therefore are often much less
the green infrastructure, but also damage other urban elements or even injure the public. stable and have a more fragile geometry compared to those trees in the first rows that catch all the
The ENVI_MET Tree Pass analysis includes details of the wind and turbulence conditions at the wind. The problem starts when single trees are removed or the wind field patterns change due to
location of the tree analysed. In addition, the mechanical forces that result from the wind loads on new buildings or removal of buildings. When suddenly the weaker trees are in the first row, they
the different levels of the tree are calculated to identify possible points of damage and give advice might not be able to withstand the new wind conditions. It is therefore important to analyse the
on the best shaping of the trees. environmental conditions in the whole picture to assess the impact of local changes.

46 47
Contact and Imprint

Contact us "Sustainabilty means construct

and live with the earth, not against it."
Daniela Bruse, CEO

Daniela Bruse, CEO Michael Bruse, Prof. Dr., CDO

Business Development and Media: Research and Innovation:
[email protected] [email protected]
Imprint:
ENVI_MET GmbH
Kaninenberghöhe 2
45136 Essen, Germany
[email protected]
www.envi-met.com
Concept and Design:
ULTRAPAPER - Lisa Zech, Giada Bettio
www.ultra-paper.com
Picture credits:
Page: 16/17
www.maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com
ENVI_MET GmbH
Kaninenberghöhe 2 [email protected]
© 2017 ENVI_MET GmbH
45136 Essen T 0049 201 476726-5 This booklet, as a whole and in part,
Germany www.envi-met.com is protected by international copyright.

50 51
"Urban areas are highly complex systems with
a multitude of interactions in space and time.
To design resilient and sustainable cities,
especially within the scope of future climate
change, you need to know how changes in this
system will influence urban wind patterns,
local climate and air quality."
Michael Bruse, Prof. Dr., CDO

www.envi-met.com
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